2001 Ford Windstar Powertrain & Transmission Problems

REAR AXLE SNAPPED IN HALF WITH NO WARNING AS I WAS DRIVING ABOUT 40 MPH ON A BUSY ROAD. VERY DANGEROUS.

DRIVING HOME I HEARD A THUD AND MY 2001 FORD WINDSTAR SPUN OFF THE ROAD. TURNS OUT THE AXLE CRACKED IN HALF AND ALMOST KILLED ME. TOWED THE CAR INTO THE FORD DEALERSHIP AND EVEN THOUGH THERE IS AN OPEN SAFETY RECALL ON MY WINDSTAR AND FORD KNOWS OF THOUSAND OF AXLE PROBLEMS THEY SAID THAT IT IS NOT COVERED. FORD'S WAY OF GETTING PUT OF IT EVEN THOUGH MY BROTHERS 2003 WINDSTAR AXLE FAILED AND YET FORD COVERED THAT ONE. THIS IS NOT RIGHT. THEY KNOW THERE AXLES ARE BAD AND HAVE HAD THREE SAFETY RECALLS ON THESE AXLES.

REAR AXLE BROKE WHILE DRIVING EVEN THOUGH RECALL BRACKETS WERE PROPERLY REPLACED. THIS ISSUE COULD CAUSE DEATH OR SEVERE INJURY. LUCKILY FOR US, WE WERE JUST TURNING A CORNER ON THE WAY TO THE STORE. FORD WILL NOT HELP WITH FINANCIAL COSTS DUE "EXTENDED WARRANTY HAVING EXPIRED IN OCT OF 2016". PEOPLE STILL DRIVING THESE VEHICLES SHOULD BE MADE AWARE THAT UNLESS YOU'VE HAD THIS COMPLETELY REPLACED, AND REALLY THAT'S NO GUARANTEE, THIS COULD STILL OCCUR WHILE YOU ARE DRIVING.

REAR AXLE CRACKED WHILE DRIVING, THIS IS THE SECOND AXLE THAT BROKE FOR THIS VAN

WHILE DRIVING AXLE BROKE ON VAN WHILE GOING DOWN ALLEY. CONTACTED FORD MOTOR COMPANY END RESULT THEY SAY REINIKE FORD A DEALERSHIP IN LIMA, OHIO REPLACED THE FAULTY SUPPORT BRACKETS IN 2011. WHICH WAS A RECALL ON VAN. WHILE ALL ALONG DEALERSHIP WASN'T TELLING ME THEY DID THE RECALL WORK. I FEEL THIS NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED BEFORE SOMEONE LOSSES THERE LIFE. WHICH THERE WERE DRIVERS THAT HAVE LOST THERE LIFE AND MANY SERIOUSLY HURT BECAUSE OF THE SAME ISSUE. FORD HAS PUT THERE RECALL OUT. BUT SOMETHING NEEDS DONE WITH THE DEALER. *TR

WHILE DRIVING WITH MY THREE SMALL CHILDREN, THE REAR AXLE OF MY VAN BROKE. I WAS GOING AT A MINIMAL RATE OF SPEED AND WAS ABLE TO PULL OVER WITHOUT INJURY. THIS VEHICLE HAS BEEN SUBJECT TO NUMEROUS RECALLS, SEVERAL OF WHICH HAVE INCLUDED CORROSION OF THE SUBFRAME AND AXLE. OUR LOCAL FORD DEALERSHIP IS TELLING ME THAT I MAY BE RESPONSIBLE FOR PAYMENT FOR REPAIR OF THE RECALLED PRODUCT. HOWEVER, I DO NOT FEEL SAFE DRIVING THIS VEHICLE ANYMORE. THEY HAVE STATED THAT THEY WILL REPAIR THE DAMAGED PART WITH THE SAME REAR AXLE THAT HAS BEEN RECALLED NUMEROUS TIMES. THIS IS NOT A REMEDY. I AM TRYING TO GET THEM TO CONSIDER A TRADE-IN OR PRODUCT BUY-BACK. IF THEY WILL NOT, I WILL BE LEAVING A SIGNED STATEMENT WITH NEW SOUTH FORD (MERIDIAN, MS) STATING THAT I DO NOT FEEL COMFORTABLE DRIVING THE VEHICLE OFF THE LOT DUE TO THE RISK OF REAR AXLE CORROSION/FAILURE.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 FORD WINDSTAR. WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED, THE CONTACT NOTICED THAT THE REAR DRIVER SIDE TIRE WAS CROOKED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO DIAGNOSED THAT THE REAR AXLE CRACKED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. IN ADDITION, THE DEALER INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT THE AXLE WAS REPLACED FROM A PREVIOUS RECALL, NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 12V1930000 (POWER TRAIN); HOWEVER, THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 194,000. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE.

WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS, I HEARD A CRUNCHING SOUND IN THE REAR OF THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE THEN BEGAN TO SWAY ON THE ROAD. I HAD TO SLOW MY SPEEDS AND PULL OVER AT A SAFE SPOT, WHICH WAS A PARKING LOT TO INSPECT WHAT THE ISSUE WAS. AFTER INSPECTION, I NOTED THE PASSENGER REAR TIRE WAS AT AN ANGLE WITH THE TOP OF THE TIRE INWARD TOUCHING THE FRAME. I TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE CLOSEST REPAIR SHOP WHERE I FOUND FROM THEIR INSPECTION THAT THE AXLE WAS BROKE AND THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DRIVEABLE. MY VEHICLE WAS PART OF THE FORD WINDSTAR AXLE RECALL, WHICH WAS SERVICED BY THE LOCAL FORD DEALER IN 2012. THIS VEHICLE HAD THE REINFORCEMENTS ADDED TO THE AXLE IN 2012. THE AXLE BROKE BETWEEN THE REINFORCED PLATES WELDED TO THE AXLE DURING THE RECALL CHECK. NOW AFTER TOWING THE VEHICLE BACK TO THE LOCAL FORD DEALER FOR INSPECTION, I FIND OUT THAT FORD WILL NOT STAND BEHIND THE ISSUE AND NOT REPAIR OR REPLACE THE AXLE DUE TO THE LENGTH OF TIME FROM THE RECALL. I FEEL LUCKY THAT I WAS ABLE TO MAINTAIN CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE WHEN THE AXLE BROKE.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 FORD WINDSTAR. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 55 MPH, THE VEHICLE DECELERATED AND FAILED TO PICK UP SPEED. THE CONTACT MERGED TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AND TURNED IT OFF. THE VEHICLE WAS RESTARTED, BUT THE SPEED WOULD NOT INCREASE PAST 5 MPH. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC. THE TECHNICIAN DIAGNOSED THAT THE TRANSMISSION HAD FAILED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE MILEAGE WAS 136,000.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 FORD WINDSTAR. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE MAKING A LEFT TURN AT APPROXIMATELY 10 MPH, THE CONTACT HEARD A THUMPING SOUND COMING FROM THE REAR OF THE VEHICLE. IT WAS DISCOVERED THAT THE REAR AXLE WAS FRACTURED. THE VEHICLE WAS NEITHER DIAGNOSED NOR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 155,011.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS 2001 FORD WINDSTAR. THE CONTACTED STATED WHILE DRIVING AT AN UNKNOWN SPEED MAKING A RIGHT TURN, THE REAR WHEELS SEIZED CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO SLIDE SIDE TO SIDE ERRATICALLY. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC. THE TECHNICIAN DIAGNOSED THAT THE TRACTION SENSOR AND REAR AXLE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE CONTACT WAS MADE AWARE THAT THE VEHICLE WAS INCLUDED IN RECALL NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 10V385000 (SUSPENSION).THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE ISSUE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 162,000.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 FORD WINDSTAR. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS SERVICED UNDER NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER: 12V193000 (POWER TRAIN). THE CONTACT WAS ADVISED THAT THERE WAS ADDITIONAL RUST ON THE TRANSMISSION MOUNT AND THE FRONT DRIVER'S SIDE CORNER OF THE UNDER CARRIAGE. THE MANUFACTURE WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 96,000. *TR

HAD RECALL WORK DONE10/30/11 PREVENTATIVE REPAIRS FAILED. REAR AXLE SPLIT WHILE DRIVING. *TR

THIS 2001 FORD WINDSTAR MINIVAN WAS TOWED TO A GARAGE FOR UNRELATED MALFUNCTION (OVERHEATING). MECHANIC TOLD US THAT THE REAR AXLE HAD A HOLE IN IT AND WAS UNSAFE TO DRIVE. THIS MINIVAN HAD BEEN SERVICED AT A FORD DEALERSHIP FOR A RECALL FOR A POSSIBLE CRACK IN THE REAR AXLE AND RECHECKED SHORTLY BEFORE THIS INCIDENT. OBVIOUSLY THE RECALL DID NOT FIX THE PROBLEM THIS WAS THE SECOND MINIVAN TO WHICH WE HAD THIS HAPPEN. THE OTHER WAS A 1998 FORD WINDSTAR. WE WERE TOLD IN JANUARY 2013 THAT THIS REAR AXLE WAS CRACKED AND UNDRIVEABLE. THIS VEHICLE TOO HAD BEEN RECALLED AND TAKEN IN. WE HAD THE 2001 MINIVAN CHECKED IN JANUARY BECAUSE OF THE PROBLEM WITH THE 1998 AND IT WAS STILL FOUND TO BE CRACKED IN MARCH. *TR

STOPPED AT A STOP SIGN, PRESSED THE GAS AND NOTHING HAPPENED AS IF THE VAN HAD BEEN PUT IN NEUTRAL. THE TRANSMISSION HAS FAILED. NONE OF THE GEARS WILL ENGAGE. THROUGH MY OWN RESEARCH I'VE FOUND NUMEROUS COMPLAINTS WITH THE FORD WINDSTAR TRANSMISSION AND STILL NO RECALL. THE COMPANY SHOULD BE HELD ACCOUNTABLE. THEY WILL FIX A SMALL INEXPENSIVE CENSOR BUT NOT THE TRANSMISSION. *TR

ME AND MY FAMILY WERE ON OUR WAY TO NEW YORK FOR VACATION. MAYBE ABOUT AN HOUR INTO DRIVING ME AND MY HUSBAND STARTED TO SMELL SOMETHING BURNING SO I PULLED OFF THE HIGH WAY AND LITTLE DO WE KNOW MG VAN WAS UP IN SMOKE WE CHECKED OUR OIL THAT WAS GOOD BUT I TOLD MY HUSBAND TO CHECK THE TRANSMISSION. FLUID AND IT WAS EMPTY BUT BEFORE WE LEFT WE HAD THE RIGHT AMOUNT OF TRANSMISSION FLUID IN THE VAN. WE HAD TO ADD ABOUT 5 OR 6 QUARTS OF FLUID IN ORDER FOR THE VAN TO SWITCH FROM REVERSE TO DRIVE WE WERE ABLE TO MAKE TO SN AUTO PART STORE THEY TESTED THE VAN ON THERE COMPUTER EVERYTHING PASSED EXCEPT THE TORQUE CONVERTER. *TR

TRANSMISSION. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 FORD WINDSTAR. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 35 MPH, THE CONTACT SMELLED A BURNING ODOR. THE CONTACT STOPPED THE VEHICLE AND AFTER EXITING AND INSPECTING UNDER THE HOOD, THE CONTACT NOTICED THAT THE SMELL WAS COMING FROM THE TRANSMISSION FLUID. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING OR REPAIRS. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 155,000.

THERE WAS A PROBLEM WITH THE TRANSMISSION WHICH REQUIRED THE VEHICLE TO BE PULLED TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AND TOWED TO A DEALER FOR SERVICE. THE VAN ONLY HAS 105,000 MILES ON IT AND HAS HAD REGULARLY SCHEDULED MAINTENANCE. AFTER HAVING A COUPLE TRANSMISSION PLACES LOOK AT IT, THE PROBLEM WAS DETERMINED TO BE INTERNAL AND THE TRANSMISSION NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. AT THE SAME TIME THAT I HAD MY VAN INTO THE TRANSMISSION SHOP THERE WERE 3 OR 4 OTHER FORD WINDSTARS IN FOR SIMILAR PROBLEMS. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 FORD WINDSTAR. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 60 MPH THE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION FAILED, CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO STALL IN THE MIDDLE OF THE HIGHWAY. THE VEHICLE WAS PULLED OVER TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AND STOPPED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO HAVE THE FAILURE DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 51,686.