Purchased a 2003 ford windstar on 10/14/13,drove vehicle to south carolina from new jersey on 10/15/13,about halfway there noticed a loud clunking while braking, or turning vehicle left or right.had vehicle looked at by mechanic on 10/24/13.it was diagnosed as having a completely rotted subframe and motor mounts.I looked into recalls on the vehicle and found one for the subframe ,number 11s16.I called ford motor corporation on oct30,and 31st about the recall.I was told it was repaired back in apr18,2011.repairs done were an inspection of subframe,and all looked well.subframe was never replaced ,now 2 years later,ford has wiped it's hands clean of the recall saying it was satisfied on apr18,2011,by a mechanic claiming the subframe looked ok at the time.how does a faulty part that could cause a major accident,become ok because it looked good at the time of inspection?I am appalled and dishearten that a major corporation such as ford would take the easy way out and say it's not responsible for a part that they recalled initially,and now say that because it was inspected,it now is fine.I thought a recall was in place for public safety,and if so,how does it expire?
2003 Ford Windstar suspension complaints
Page 7 of 10: complaints 161 to 190 of 254, newest first, as owners wrote them.
My 2003 ford windstar was taken in for the rear axle recall and was repaired. The axle has cracked again we took it to the dealer who said that they contacted ford about the problem and were told they would not repair or replace the axle the van only has 47000 miles on it we would like to have it repaired or replaced at ford expense.
I have a 2003 ford windstar that has been owned by my family since it left the line. I was notified of a recall to the control arms in 2011 and took my vehicle to the dealer. In june 2012 I was driving home from work and had just turned on my street when I heard a loud bang and my car would barely more. When it happened I thought that my engine had hit the ground. I luckily was one house away from home( I had just gotten off the expressway traveling 70 miles an hour.) as I limped my way into the drive way I thought that maybe I had a flat the way that my car was driving. However when I got out of the car my entire drivers side of the car was less than an inch from the ground. After having it towed to a shop I was told that my strut (spring) had jumped off the mount. I was told there was nothing wrong with the strut (spring) but that it had jumped the mount. Needless to say when ford was contacted I was told that they were not responsible. This is very wrong given there was extentsive damage done to the control arm and it pulled the tie-rod end out of the passenger side. There were no issues with the front end and I feel that the brackets that were installed due to the recall may have shifted the strut and caused the damage. But ford would not have anything to do with the matter .
We drove to the store and realized that our rear tires were tilted. We were looking at it and a guy that worked at the garage next door climbed under and told us what it was. He said that the rear axle was broken, he also said that there had been a recall on the vehicle. I contacted our local ford dealer and the person I spoke to told me that I was covered by the recall and that they would send out a tow truck and the would fix it. The tow truck came and a few hours later the ford dealer called and said that I was not covered and the I would have to pay for the tow and I would have to tow it off of their lot. This happened after he already told me that I was covered. I eventually had to get a loan to pay for it and I couldn't even afford a new axle I had to get someone to weld it back together and now every couple of months it breaks again. I am now on my third fix. I was doing research on this on the internet and I found something that said that puerto rico was now covered in that recall. I was told that it was just cold weather states. I live in cleveland, ohio. Just because my car was not made here doesn't mean that I shouldn't be covered. I have already had the control arm recall kit put on and now I found out that there was another recall on the electrical equipment all of my ABS lights and break lights are on. I really need this to be fixed please change the recalls to include other vehicles too.
Tl* the contact owns a 2003 ford windstar. The contact stated that while reversing at unknown speeds, he heard an abnormal noise. Upon inspection, it was found that the rear axle was fractured and the front sub frame was completely rusted. The contact stated that the vehicle was previously repaired under the federal safety agency campaign id numbers: 11v030000 (structure) and 12v195000 (suspension). The vehicle was taken to the dealer where the failures were confirmed. The manufacturer was contacted about the failure. The failure mileage was 160,000.
Tl* the contact owns a 2003 ford windstar. The contact stated that the rear driver's side axle was cracked. The vehicle was taken to the dealer and repaired. The manufacturer was notified. The approximate failure mileage was 110,000. The VIN was not available.
Bought the 2003 windstar in 04/26/ 2004 it was a certified program car from a dealer and had mileage of 013335 we have had several problems with it. First the rear doors will close and then reopen the dealer replaced the sensors in the doors still have that problem, second the ball joints need replaced, third the passenger window would not roll up or down intermittently, fourth lift gate door ajar light keeps coming on you get out and shut it and it still is on next time you open and close maybe a day or two later it will go off, fifth the ABS and brake lights on dash come on and sixth the passenger door ajar light comes on and won't go off. The side doors and the window was noticed before the warranty went out so we bought the extended warranty.
Rear axle completely snapped in two. Also, the van has the ABS and brake lights are on took in for a code read and nothing. The electrical acts very strange music and lights fade in and out and the cruise control is very jerky.
I was starting to get a clunking noise from the rear end of my 2003 windstar minivan which continued to become worse. I took the van into a reputable shop to have it checked. I witnessed the inspection and it was difficult to figure out what was wrong but it was discovered that corrosion caused cracks in the axel and it needed to be replaced. There was a recall on the axel but when I contacted ford (both a dealer a ford recall information line) I was told my it was not valid for my. The recall was for issued for states that use salt and I when I bought the van I lived in ohio but moved to miami florida in miami 2007 ( now in central fl) no road salt but still a salt environment. There repair was $663.00 and I believe that this recall should extend to all vans that have this type of risk with a refund due from ford.
Ford safety recall 11s16 was to reinforce or replace rear axle to ensure vehicle safety. Ford installed brackets that were either ineffective, improperly installed, or axle was already cracked when installed. When owner was informed of possible cracks in rear axle april 2013 ford was immediately notified and fords response is that there are no factory warranties or programs in effect to assist with this issue. This vehicle currently has 110200 miles on it. It has been driven 12,000 miles since the recall. At the time of the safety recall 11s16 repairs the owner had requested that ford replace the axle instead of installing brackets, and was willing to contribute towards the additional repair costs. Ford refused to replace the axle, installing the brackets instead. Subsequently, ford repairs were ineffective and resulted in cracks in the rear axle. As of this date, ford has taken the position that the repairs to the vehicle are the responsibility of the owner. The owner disagrees and is requesting that ford be required to live up to their agreement under the safety recall 11s16, to ensure that the rear axle of said vehicle meets or exceeds safety requirements.
Tl* the contact owns a 2003 ford windstar. The contact stated that upon inspection, it was found that the rear axle was fractured. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was contacted and informed the contact that the vehicle was not included in the federal safety agency campaign number: 10v385000 (suspension). The failure mileage was approximately 199,000.
We have not been properly informed about all of the recalls or other issues with our vehicle. The vehicle does have a lot of problems from the electrical, structure, engine lights are always throwing codes needing a lot of sensor replacements at our cost, the rpms seem to run fast sitting at a light(we have to turn off the engine and then restart), and the engine seems to run hot, brakes, cruise control(cannot use), traction control(cannot use), interior light are always flickering, passenger windows(cannot use) and door locks(cannot use), both rear windows(cannot use), leaks from roof, rear door and sliding doors, the cruise control, brake and traction control lights stay on while driving(we were told by a dealership that we can still drive the vehicle, but we won't have anti-lock brakes.), the AC is always having trouble staying charged, the AC/heat control switches have malfunctioned(it has to be set away from the cold and the speed to 3/4 speed to work right), the battery keeps losing charge, the brake tail lights stay on draining the battery and had to get repaired by us because the dealership could not locate the problem, driver seat has malfunctioned(cannot use per dealership's request), cruise control and traction control does not work, suspension seems to have a lot of squeaks and popping sounds, alternator and starter had to be replaced several times, the coil packs need constant replacements, all spark plugs and wires had to be replaced before their time, cannot use the rear wiper because it goes down onto the paint and starts wiping the paint and not the rear window, constantly replacing exterior lights all around, the engine constantly cuts out, we told the dealership for several years that there was an antifreeze smell and they could not locate it until 5-28-13, replaced bad front and rear axles on 5/28/13 and many others. 12k-18k to repair everything.
Tl* the contact owns a 2003 ford windstar. The contact stated that the axle fractured while driving 50 MPH. The vehicle was previously serviced under the federal safety agency campaign id number: 10v385000 (suspension). The manufacturer was contacted about the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The approximate failure and current mileage was 139,000.
Tl* the contact owns a 2003 ford windstar. The contact stated that while the vehicle was being serviced, it was found that the rear axle was corroded and fractured. The contact also mentioned that the ABS and brake warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was inspected by a private mechanic who stated that the electronic control module had failed. The contact also stated that the interior lights erroneously illuminated intermittently while the vehicle was in motion. The vehicle was repaired but the failure recurred. The manufacturer was contacted and informed the contact that the vehicle was not included in the federal safety agency campaign number: 10v385000 (suspension). The approximate failure and current mileage was 149,000.
Tl* the contact owns a 2003 ford windstar. The contact stated that fifteen months after having the vehicle serviced under the federal safety agency campaign id number: 10v385000 (suspension), the axle fractured. The vehicle was taken to a dealer but was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified but offered no assistance. The vehicle had not been repaired. The failure and current mileage was 160,328.
About march of 2012 my 2003 ford wind star's lower control arm separated from the sub frame "engine cradle". I took my van to dealer. They did do a repair to sub frame, which I did not find satisfactory, ford corp. Had them cut off what was left of any damaged brackets and clamp steel brackets onto a sub frame that is already damaged due to heavy rust and corrosion. Now about one year later "march of 2013" the sway bar mount, which is part of the sub frame has rusted out. Making driving very unsafe and unstable. This problem should have been rectified when the recall was done in 2012. I took van back to the dealer. They sent pictures to ford corp. Ford did not approve any repairs to sub frame stating that it was not part of original recall. Now how is that possible if the sub frame and sway bar mount are all one component. It's all one welded piece of steel. There is no fix at this time but to replace the sub frame. Now if the sub frame is under recall and the sway bar mount is part of the sub frame, then I feel ford should rectify the problem. I plan on keeping my ford wind star for a while. I feel this is a serious safety issue and really needs to be dealt with. Ford should cover this component or they get away with an unsatisfactory fix and I still have to pay for a new sub frame, which was the whole issue to begin with.
Tl* the contact owns a 2003 ford windstar. The contact stated that the rear axle developed a crack. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where the technician confirmed the failure and advised that the axle needed to be replaced. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure but refused to provide any assistance since the vehicle was previously repaired under the federal safety agency campaign id number: 12v195000 (suspension). The vehicle was not repaired. The VIN was not available. The failure and current mileage was 130,000.
Tl* the contact owns a 2003 ford windstar. The contact stated that while the vehicle was being inspected, the technician noticed that the rear axle was fractured. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where it was confirmed that the rear axle had failed. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the problem. The approximate failure mileage was 91,453.
Tl* the contact owns a 2003 ford windstar. The contact stated that the rear axle exhibited two large fractures. The contact referenced the federal safety agency campaign id number 12v195000 (suspension:rear:axle:non-powered axle assembly) however, the VIN was not included in the recall campaign. The vehicle was not repaired. The approximate failure mileage was 141,000.
Mechanics at big mike naughton aurora denver ford, inc, and private mechanic discovered rust and cracks through out rear axle.
First of all there is a short located by the steering wheel around the air bag. I thought it was the battery so I changed it and a couple of days later my van would not start. I took it to the ford dealer and they couldn't find the problem, so I took it to an old man that just did electrical problems on automobiles. He said it was a bad wire in the steering column and he said to repair it would cost a lot of money, so he bypassed some wires and I have not had any problems since, but when you open the driver side door, the door chimes, like when you leave the keys in the ignition. He only charged me $75. Also I would be driving and the interior lights would turn on and off by themselves. This has been happening for a long time. Also the ABS warning lights have been on for a while and my mechanic said it is a bad ABS steering box. To replace it would cost around $1000. I have had also the head gasket replaced because the ford dealer could not find what was wrong with it while it was still under warranty. It was idling very rough while stopped at a light, also when in parked. It cost me about $600 to replace it. I took it to pep boys and they found out what was wrong with it. I also had the fuel pump replaced, because it kept shutting off while at the grocery stores and had it towed by aaa 3 times in about a year. Bottom line, I will never buy another ford vehicle while I am alive. They are good for the first couple of years, then they start failing. So sad, because I have been a ford guy for over 35 years.
Brought the car to a repair facility today to diagnose a recurring front end noise today and was shown by mechanic that both front coil springs are severely rusted and were sheared/broken and have been for quite some time, possibly as long as a year. He said that we were very fortunate that the springs hadn't slipped and pierced a tire; especially on the highway. Another serious concern is that the ford dealership to which we normally bring the vehicle for service had and had failed to notice the broken springs in when most recently they replaced more front-end parts, some links, 3.5 months ago that was part of a series of related repair work in the effort to stop the ongoing front-end clunking noise. After the noise failed to go away and after this latest repair by ford service, we decided to get a second opinion from different auto repair facility. This latest mechanic, not a ford facility, said that broken coil springs appear to be a common problem for the ford taurus and mini-vans.
Tl* the contact owns a 2003 ford windstar. The contact stated that the vehicle was serviced under the federal safety agency campaign id number: 12v195000 (suspension: rear: axle: non-powered axle assembly). The rear axle later became cracked and separated from the vehicle (which was replaced under the recall) due to corrosion. The manufacturer was contacted but denied any assistance with the repair. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was 66,081 and the current mileage was 86,000.
Tl* the contact owns a 2003 ford windstar. The contact stated while driving 25 MPH, the sub frame fractured and the axle disconnected, causing the transmission to fail. The vehicle was merged onto the shoulder and was not driveable. The vehicle was towed home and then to the dealer. The dealer stated that they would replace the sub frame and rear axle, but not the transmission. The manufacturer was notified and stated the same thing. No further assistance was offered. The failure mileage was 109,000.
Tl* the contact owns a 2003 ford windstar. The contact stated that the vehicle was previously repaired under the recall associated with the federal safety agency campaign id number 10v385000 (suspension:rear:axle:non-powered axle assembly). While driving over bumps in the road, the contact heard noises being emitted from the rear. The vehicle was taken to an authorized dealer and the contact was informed that the rear axle was fractured. The contact was also informed that the vehicle was not safe to be driven. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and offered no assistance. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was 68,000.
Driving 45 MPH when something snapped under front of the vehicle lost steering completely hit the curb got pushed back to the middle of the 4-line road and came to a stop very lucky. Later found out that lower subframe control arm broke of the frame due to rust and pulled out axle snapped sway bar and damaged ball joints, towed it to a dealer and they are willing to fix frame but want me to pay for all the other expense sway bar, ball joints, tires, steering arm totaling over a 1000 $. Can not believe that ford would not at least replace all needed part considering that I made it out alive and with out a crush. And all this after they have performed rear axle repair and checked the front and was informed that front was safe a year ago .about 10,000 miles and a year later I had this happened. The vehicle has 74,000 miles only.
While driving my ford windstar 2003 minivan the rear axle beam cracked. The back of the vehicle dropped down, and I had difficulty controlling the vehicle to get to the side of the road. Vehicle was not driveable and had to be towed. I was driving at normal speeds of 20 MPH. A cracking of the rear axle beam posed a significant safety threat to myself, and family.
Tl* the contact owns a 2003 ford windstar. While parked at an independent mechanic for unrelated repairs the technician noticed fluid leaking near the front drive side tire and stated it was coming from a fracture in the front axle. The technician stated that an axle would have to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The approximate failure mileage was 120,000.
Tl* the contact owns a 2003 ford windstar. The contact stated the front right wheel fractured when attempting to make a left turn. The dealer nor manufacturer were notified of the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The current and failure mileage was 74,000. Updated 10/03/11 *bf updated 3/28/12
Our 2003 ford minivan passed front subframe inspection and "cleaning" on 3/14/2011 when vehicle was in for rear axle recall repairs. It was taken back to the dealership for front subframe recall on 7/11/2011 and recall repairs were made. In addition, other repairs were sold to us after a thorough inspection by mechanic. Nine days later, while driving on the highway, a clunk noise was heard from the front of the vehicle. On 8/1/11, the dealership mechanic found a broken right sway bar due to excessive rust at the subframe attachment. Service manager was told by ford that this failure is unrelated to the recall issue and that subframe replacement would not be provided by ford. We then had the mini van put up on a lift at an independent garage where repair of subframe was observed and pictures were taken of the subframe which was literally separated into sheets of rust under the repair brackets. Any force to put bolts into the repair brackets could easily have hastened the corroded sway bar failure. We were told the mini van is safe to drive even without repair, however, we have no confidence in that and live in an area where there are lots of small children, joggers and pedestrians. We greatly fear that any further failure in the front end could result in serious injury or death to someone. Vehicle has 84,000 miles. Ford denies any assistance or responsibility for our issue.
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