The contact owns a 1999 Ford Windstar. The contact stated while driving 5 MPH out of the driveway, the vehicle made an abnormal grinding and popping sound. The contact shifted to park(P). The contact stated that upon inspecting the vehicle, the contact noticed that the rear passenger's side tire was pushed inward, and the axle was fractured. The local dealer was contacted and confirmed that an unknown recall was closed. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not contacted. The failure mileage was approximately 103,000.
Ford Windstar grinding brakes problems
308 of the 14,140 owner complaints about the Ford Windstar describe grinding or squealing brakes, most of them for the 1998 model year.
- owner complaints
- 308
- worst model year
- 1998
- typical repair cost reported
- $1,295
- typical mileage
- 99,000
Is there a fix? There are 2 recalls for this area of the car. See below
By model year
Often reported together
ABS 77Ball joint 21Brake failure 16Transmission failure 12Check engine light 12Fire or smoke 11Steering noise 10Adaptive cruise 10
Trouble codes mentioned
C1185 4P0401 1P0174 1P0171 1C1254 1C1250 1C1246 1C1242 1C1214 1C1210 1
What owners say
The rear axle broke for the second time on a Ford Windstar, after already breaking prior to a recall in 2010. It appears to have broken where a clamp was attached. This caused the rear wheels to fall into, and grind against the wheel well. This happened on a side street near my house. Had it happened at highway speeds, the rear wheels could have locked up or perhaps broken free causing loss of control. The axle problem has been known to Ford, but it is concerning that this is the second one to fail. I have not yet contacted ford or a a repair facility to evaluate. There were no warning lamps or other indication. The axle simply broke abruptly. I thought it was a tire blow out until I saw the wheels tilted in. The vehicle is older, but I maintain it well.
Tl* the contact owns a 2000 ford windstar. The contact stated that while driving approximately 25-35 MPH, the vehicle was making a squealing noise and then started to smell like burning rubber. The contact took the vehicle to cover-jones motor (403 w. 3rd st, alliance, ne 69301, (800) 344-9288) who stated that the rear axle had fractured. The vehicle was not repaired. The axle had previously been replaced under recall. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 176,481.
Rear axle cracked through on the driver's side, even after a recall patch/repair was made. No collisions, no hard driving. Not a corrosion issue. Metal is cracked perpendicular to the axle..across the grain. Axle was heard to make noise while backing out of driveway, then vehicle felt fish-tailing while drive down paved neighborhood street. Turning to the right made noticeable grinding noises from the rear driver's side wheel well. On closer inspection, the rear wheels were severely tilted in at the top, and the axle was clearly, obviously very cracked open on the driver's side, and appears ready to break into 2 halves. The vehicle was recalled in 2010 for axle defects, but the repairs made seem inadequate. The vehicle was dealership maintained.
I was driving on the interstate at about 60 MPH changing lanes to the right I could hear tires squealing and the van felt like it was going to roll over to the left. I regained control, then I heard some creaking metal noise, then I heard a rubbing noise and saw a lot of smoke coming from the rear. I was able to pull over and inspect, what I found was the rear axle was broken and driver side tire rubbing inside the wheel well. I was very fortunate to have somewhere to pull over, otherwise to continue driving could rupture the tire and/or I would be left stranded in highway speed traffic.
Tl* the contact owns a 2002 ford windstar. While driving at an unknown speed, the rear driver's side wheel turned inward and the contact heard a loud grinding sound coming from the rear of the vehicle. There were no warning indicators illuminated during the failure. Ford & lincoln of smithtown (440 jericho turnpike, smithtown, ny 11787) was contacted and informed the contact to tow the vehicle to the dealer. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired by the dealer. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 189,000. The VIN was not available.
I was driving and heard a thud. When I hit the brakes there was a grinding noise. The tire than becamed slant and the steering wheel is cocked to one side.
Tl* the contact owns a 2000 ford windstar. While driving 5 MPH, the rear axle on the driver side failed without warning. The contact received a recall notification letter in september of 2016 for the federal safety agency campaign number: 15v608000 (suspension). On october 28, 2016, the vehicle was taken to a local dealer (hutch ford lincoln, 213 s mayo trail, paintsville, ky, 41240) where the vehicle was inspected and it was determined that the remedy did not need to be applied. The contact went to an unknown local dealer in pikeville, ky for a second opinion and to notify them that she observed that the vehicle had bounced and made an abnormal squeaking sound. The dealer informed the contact that because the first dealer marked the vehicle off from the recall list, that they could not inspect the vehicle free of charge. The vehicle was not diagnosed due to the fee. The manufacturer was not contacted. The failure mileage was approximately 153,000.
Ford windstar rear axle recall was completed prior to purchasing and a second rear axle recall "inspection" was recently completed in may 2017 and was told the previous recall was completed correctly, that the reinforcemenr brackets were correctly installed. My wife was driving and noticed when turning right into a business driveway that a squeal noise was heard from the left rear wheel area. I inspected the undercarriage and noticed the wheel was tited in at the top and the tire was rubbing the inner wheel well. Well now less than 2 months later the rear axle is broken and my van is no longer safe to drive because the left rear wheel is tilted in at the top and the tire rubs the inner wheel well which will result in a rapid loss of air pressure and loss of vehicle control and possibly a serious accident. Now it appears that I will have to pay to replace this broken axle since ford seems to have washed their hands of the problem due to the required recalls having been completed.
Tl* the contact owns a 2003 ford windstar. While driving approximately 35 MPH, the driver heard a squeaking noise. The vehicle was pulled over and the driver noticed that the rear axle was cracked without warning. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic who advised that there was a recall. The vehicle was taken to a dealer where it was diagnosed that the axle did not crack "in the right place" and was not covered by the recall. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and stood by the dealer's decision. The failure was not repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 180,000.
Related recalls
Service brakes, hydraulic: foundation components: hoses, lines/piping, and fittings
- What is wrong
- On certain minivans originally sold in or currently registered in the states of connecticut, delaware, illinois, indiana, iowa, maine, maryland, massachusetts, michigan, minnesota, missouri, new hampshire, new jersey, new york, ohio, pennsylvania, rhode island, vermont, west virginia, wisconsin, and the district of columbia. During assembly, some brake lines were installed in a twisted position, causing contact with the dash panel insulator above the catalytic converter. This contact could abrade the brake line corrosion protection, consequently, salt or water absorbed in the dash panel insulator would promote corrosion. This corrosion could ultimately lead to a leak in the brake line.
- Risk
- Leakage of brake fluid will result in brake light activation. Extended stopping distance could also result, increasing the risk of a crash.
- Remedy
- Dealers will inspect the brake line for corrosion and clearance conditions. A brake line that is not corroded will be repositioned. A brake line that is corroded or leaking will be replaced with a nylon coated brake line and secured using three retaining clips to assure clearance from the insulator. Owner notification began may 10, 2002. Owners who take their vehicles to an authorized dealer on an agreed upon service date and do not receive the free remedy within a reasonable time should contact ford at 1‑866‑436‑7332.
Recall number 02V101000 · Recall details
Service brakes, hydraulic: foundation components: master cylinder
- What is wrong
- Vehicle description: minivans. The brake fluid master cylinder is recessed and oriented in the engine compartment so that the brake fluid warning statement embossed on both the top of the filler cap and the side of the reservoir body are not entirely visible by direct view. These vehicles may not fully comply with requirements of fmvss no. 135, "passenger car brake systems."
- Remedy
- Owners will be provided with new labels and installation instructions.
Recall number 99V147000 · Recall details
Questions about the Ford Windstar grinding brakes
Which Ford Windstar years have grinding or squealing brakes problems?
The model years with the most reports are 1998 (51 complaints), 1995 (48 complaints) and 2001 (46 complaints).
How much does it cost to fix grinding or squealing brakes on the Ford Windstar?
Owners who mentioned a price put the repair at about $1,295 (median of 32 complaints that include a dollar amount). Costs vary with mileage, warranty and where the work is done.
VIN decoder
See the problems and recalls for an exact car
Buying a used Ford Windstar?
Check the exact car before you pay: accidents, salvage or flood titles, odometer readings and previous owners.
Check its history