1998 Ford Windstar Tires & Wheels Problems

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 FORD WINDSTAR. WHILE DRIVING AT APPROXIMATELY 40 MPH, THERE WAS AN ABNORMAL NOISE AND VIBRATIONS COMING FROM THE REAR DRIVER SIDE OF THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT OBSERVED THAT THE REAR DRIVER SIDE WHEEL TURNED INWARDS AND THE CHECK ENGINE WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED CONTINUOUSLY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE IT WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 200,000.

WAS TAKING KIDS TO SCHOOL REAR END STARTED TO WIGGLE OVER BUMP & LEFT REAR TIRE WENT INTO BODY. FOUND WHERE FORD DID RE-CALL SNAPPED UNDER THEIR CLAMPS. *TR

WHILE DRIVING MY MINI VAN THE RIGHT REAR WHEEL (THE COMPLETE WHEEL) FELL OFF! UPON SAFELY PARKING THE VAN, I CAME TO REALIZE THE ENTIRE REAR AXEL HAD SHEARED IN HALF! BY A STROKE OF LUCK I FOUND OUT THERE WAS A RECALL FOR THIS AND ALSO FOR THE CRUISE CONTROL. I AM HAVING IT REPLACED/FIXED AT DEALERS COST. SINCE THIS VEHICLE WAS BOUGHT USED OFF A USED DEALERS LOT, I WOULD LIKE TO MAKE THE FOLLOWING SUGGESTION...THERE SHOULD BE SOME TYPE OF MANDATORY LAW THAT ALL DEALERS, NEW AND USED, SHOULD HAVE ACCESS TO THIS WEBSITE AND BE LEGALLY FORCED TO CHECK EACH AND EVERY VEHICLE PRIOR TO BEING SOLD. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 FORD WINDSTAR WITH STAR FIRE FLITE LINE IV ALL WHEEL DRIVE TIRES SIZE 215 /70 R15. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE TREAD PEELED OFF OF ALL FOUR TIRES. THE FAILURE OCCURRED WITH LESS THAN 18000 MILES ON THE TIRES. THE TIRE DISTRIBUTOR TOLD THE CONTACT THAT TIRES ONLY LAST FIVE YEARS AND SHOULD BE REPLACED. THE DOT NUMBER WAS UNKNOWN. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 80,000.

1998 FORD WINDSTAR, LOST THE RETREAD OF LEFT REAR TIRE, DROVE OFF RIGHT SIDE OFF ROADWAY AND STRUCK THE DITCH. *BF (OHIO TRAFFIC CRASH REPORT # 10-0432-91)*JB UPDATED 09/13/10*BF

I WAS DRIVING ON THE INTERSTATE AND MY TIRE CAME OFF OF MY CAR. ALL OF THE LUGS TO MY DRIVER SIDE FRONT WHEEL BROKE. I CALLED A MECHANICAL SHOP THAT OWNS THEIR OWN WRECKER. THEY REPAIRED THE WHEEL, WHICH INCLUDED ROTOR, LUG WORK. MY VEHICLE WAS ALSO DAMAGED IN THE BODY. THE FENDER , THE DOOR,THE PARTS ALL AROUND THE AREA WHERE THE TIRE FLUNG OFF. I HAVE DISCOVERED ON THE INTERNET THAT THERE EXISTS A RECALL ON VEHICLES THE SAME YEAR MAKE AND MODEL AS MY VEHICLE. *TR

WHILE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY THE RIGHT FRONT WHEEL CAME OFF THE CAR. *TR

UNDER NORMAL DRIVING CONDITIONS THE TREAD OF TIRE OF MY TIRE CAME OFF DOWN THE BELTS, THE TIRE MADE THE VEHICLE HARD TO DRIVE AND COULD OF CAUSED AN ACCIDENT, I WAS DRIVING ON THE EXPRESSWAY @ 55 MPH WHEN THIS HAPPENED. I HAD TO REPLACE MY TIRE. *JB

TL*- THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING HIS 1998 FORD WINSTAR AT 35 MPH ON JUNE 26, 2005 THE PASSENGER SIDE FRONT TIRE CAME OFF THE VEHICLE AND FELL TO THE GROUND, THE VEHICLE RAN OVER THE TIRE. ON JANUARY 15, 2007 THE PASSENGER SIDE FRONT TIRE FELL OFF AND WENT BEHIND THE VEHICLE THEN HIT A FENCE ACROSS THE ROAD. THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE WENT INTO THE GROUND AND THE VEHICLE SPUN AROUND ONCE AND CAME TO A COMPLETE STOP. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED AND REPAIRED ON BOTH OCCASIONS. *AK

1998 WINDSTAR LUG NUTS SHEARED OFF. *TS THE LEFT FRONT WHEEL CAME OFF THE VEHICLE AS A RESULT OF THE LUG NUT SHEARING OFF. THE VEHICLE LANDED ON IT'S WHEEL. *NM

ON 4/16/06 I WAS DRIVING THE VEHICLE AND FELT SOMETHING STRANGE IN THE RIGHT FRONT WHEEL. I CHECKED TO SEE IF THE TIRE WAS FLAT AND FOUND NOTHING NOTICEABLE. I CONTINUED ON MY WAY DROVE ABOUT ONE MORE MILE WHEN ALL FIVE LUGS OF THE PASSENGER SIDE FRONT TIRE BROKE CAUSING THE TIRE TO FALL OFF. THE TIRE DAMAGED THE FENDER AND DOOR. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A REPAIR SHOP. THE MECHANIC INSPECTED AND REPLACED THE LUGS. HE COULD NOT FIND ANY REASON FOR THE LUGS TO BREAK. 1998 FORD WINDSTAR. *NM

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED FOR SIX HOURS, THE LEFT FRONT TIRE EXPLODED. ALSO, THE TREAD HAD SEPARATED. THE DEALERSHIP INSPECTED THE TIRE AND DETERMINED THE CONTACT OVER INFLATED THE TIRE, RESULTING IN THE TIRE EXPLODING. THE DEALERSHIP REPLACED THE TIRE, BUT REFUSED TO GIVE THE DAMAGED TIRE BACK TO THE CONTACT. THE TIRE WAS SIZE: P21570R15. THE BRAND NAME WAS AN ALL SEASON COOPER DOMINATOR.

1998 FORD WINDSTAR. 2 DRIVER SIDE WHEEL LUG BOLTS BROKE OFF WHILE DRIVING. BOTH STUDS SHEARED COMPLETELY OFF. REPLACED BOTH STUDS FROM FORD PARTS AND 3 WEEKS LATER 1 OF THE NEW REPLACEMENT LUG BOLTS BROKE OFF. *NM

THE FRONT PASSENGER WHEEL DEPARTED (I.E. FELL OFF) THE VEHICLE WHILE TRAVELING 40 MPH ON A PAVED ROAD. THE VEHICLE STOPPED ON A SOFT SHOULDER AT THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. ALL FIVE STUDS HOLDING THE WHEEL ON WERE SHEERED OFF. THE WHEEL ITSELF WAS NOT DAMAGED, HOWEVER MAJOR BODY DAMAGE WAS MADE TO THE WHEEL WELL AND FRONT DOOR. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED (EXCEPT FOR THE BODY DAMAGE) AT THE COST OF $1300, REPLACING THE ROTOR, BRAKE, SPINDLE AND STRUT. *NM

1998 FORD WINDSTAR. PASSENGER SIDE TIRE FELL OFF WHILE SLOWING TO ALMOST 1 KM/H (LUCKILY). ALL 5 STUDS SHEARED COMPLETELY OFF. REPLACED ALL STUDS FROM FORD PARTS AND 3 WEEKS LATER 2 STUDS SHOWING. VERY SCARY, STILL WORKING ON PROBLEM. *NM

WE WERE ABOUT 30 MILES FROM HOME ON OUR RETURN TRIP FROM OHIO TO IOWA WHEN, WHILE ACCELERATING OUT OF A REST AREA, STEERING COLUMN BEGAN SHAKING VIGOROUSLY. WE BEGAN TO SLOW FROM 60-65MPH AND MERGED INTO THE RIGHT LANE. WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS GOING AROUND 50MPH THE RIGHT FRONT END DROPPED AND THE RIGHT FRONT TIRE BOUNCED OFF INTO A FIELD. WE RETAINED CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE AND PULLED OVER WITHOUT INJURY. UPON EXAMINATION, THE TIRE STUDS HAD ALL BROKEN CLEAN OFF. ALL EXCEPT TWO WERE LOST. THE TWO HAD A LOCKING MECHANISM. THE DAMAGE DUE TO THE COLLISION WITH THE ROAD AFTER THE WHEEL FELL OFF WAS COVERED BY OUR INSURANCE, THOUGH TECHNICALLY THE INITAIL MECHANICAL FAILURE DID WAS NOT, THOUGH SINCE THE STUDS WERE PART OF THE ROTOR WHICH WAS DAMAGED THEY WERE REPLACED WITH THE ROTOR. THE PARTS DAMAGED AND REPLACED INCLUDE THE ROTOR, FRONT BRAKES, CONTROL/STABILIZING ARM, RIGHT FENDER AND PASSENGER DOOR.

I HAD THREE OF THE FOUR SUBJECT TIRES SEPARATE ON THREE DIFFERENT INCIDENTS. THE FIRST TORE OUT THE FRONT END OF THE CAR CAUSING $950 DAMAGE (JULY 2004). AT THIS POINT WE REPLACED BOTH FRONT TIRES. THE SECOND (LEFT REAR SEPARATED AT HIGHWAY SPEED) JULY 1, 2005. AND THE THIRD SEPARATED A WEEK LATER ON THE RETURN TRIP HOME (JULY 9, 2005). THE TIRES WERE MASTERCRAFT P794 205-70-15 SOMETHING MUST BE DONE TO CORRECT THIS PROBLEM. THE TREADS WERE BRAND NEW AND NO VISUAL WARNING SIGNS WERE AVAILABLE. NO YEAR GIVEN MASTERCRAFT P22575R15 - TIRES:TREAD/BELT : HTTP://RECALLS.JUSTIA.COM/AUTO-CONTENT-5303.HTML

MY FRONT DRIVER SIDE WHEEL WAS MAKING A CLUNKING NOISE. THOUGHT IT WAS SOMETHING INSIDE. I TOOK IT TO A LES SWABB TIRE DEALER TO HAVE IT LOOKED AT. THE REASON FOR THE NOISE WAS A CRACKED RIM, ABOUT 6 INCHES LONG. THEY SAID THIS IS NOT SUPPOSED TO HAPPEN, VERY DANGEROUS. IT COSTED ME $45.00 TO REPLACE THE RIM. THEY SUGGESTED TO LOOK INTO OTHER REPORTS. ON YOUR WEB SITE I FOUND SEVERAL REPORTS OF OTHERS HAVING THE SAME PROBLEM, SOME HAD TO REPLACE ALL 4 RIMS. THEY SAID IF THIS CRACKED ALL AROUND MY TIRE WOULD OF FELL OFF. SCARY THOUGHT FOR MY FAMILY AND OTHER DRIVERS ON THE HIGHWAYS,ETC. I CALLED FORD TO REPORT THIS AND REQUESTED THEM TO REPLACE ALL 4 RIMS. THEY REFUSED TO TAKE RESPONCIBILITY FOR THIS. TRIED TO BLAME IT ON MY TIRES AND MY DRIVING. TIRES ARE ALL NEW AND DRIVING SHOULDN'T CRACK THE RIM LIKE IT DID. I THINK IT IS SAD THEY ARE NOT CONCERNED NOR CARE THIS COULD CAUSE A FATAL CRASH. I AM GOING TO CALL KING 5 NEWS. I AM NOT COMFORTABLE DRIVING MY VAN NOW. THIS SHOULD BE A RECALL, DANGEROUS. PLEASE MAKE FORD TAKE RESPONCIBILITY FOR THIS, BEFORE A FATAL CRASH IF HAS NOT HAPPENED ALREADY.

FOUR OF FIVE LUGS:NUTS DETACHED FROM THE WHEEL UNEXPECTEDLY CAUSING THE WHEEL TO VIBRATE AND ALMOST DETACH FROM THE VEHICLE. TAKEN TO DEALER FOR CHECKUP AND REPAIRS. *AK

WHILE TRAVELING 65 MPH RIGHT FRONT TIRE TREAD SEPARATED. ONCE STOPPED, AIR BEGAN TO SEEP OUT. WHEEL WELD ALONG WITH THE BRAKE LINE WERE SEVERED. CONSUMER WAS AWARE OF NHTSA RECALL 00T011000,CONCERNING THIN LINER. *AK