2003 Ford Windstar Tires & Wheels Problems

MY REAR WHEEL HUB ASSEMBLY, WHERE IT ATTACHES TO THE AXLE BEAM REINFORCING FLANGE CRACKED WHILE I WAS TURNING LEFT FROM A STOP LIGHT. I FOUND OUT THAT THERE WAS A RECALL FOR THE REAR AXLE REINFORCEMENT BRACKETS, SO I TOOK MY VAN TO A FORD DEALERSHIP IN KNOX, INDIANA (BEST FORD). AFTER A FEW DAYS, THEY SAID THAT FORD WOULD NOT COVER THE DAMAGE DONE TO THE REAR AXLE. THEY SAID THAT IT WAS PREVIOUSLY REPAIRED, HOWEVER, I SEE ON THIS WEBSITE THAT A RECALL FOR MY VEHICLE IS INCOMPLETE AND THAT FORD HAD AN ADDITIONAL RECALL FOR THE SAME ISSUE.

THE REAR WHEEL ON THE DRIVER'S SIDE COLLAPSED ON THE BODY, BREAKING OFF FROM THE AXLE. I WAS TRAVELING BETWEEN 30-35 MILES AN HOUR WHEN IT OCCURRED. I WAS ABLE TO STOP THE CAR ON THE SIDE OF THE ROAD.

THE REAR AXLE BROKE, WHICH THERE WAS A RECALL FOR. THE RECALL ADDED SUPPORT BRACKETS TO THE REAR AXLE. MY VAN HAD THE SUPPORT BRACKETS INSTALLED. HOWEVER THE REAR AXLE BROKE DIRECTLY UNDER THE SUPPORT BRACKETS. THE DEALER TOLD ME THE RECALL WAS STILL OPEN AND TO HAVE IT TOWED. I GOT IT TOWED TO THE DEALER ONLY FOR THEM TO TELL ME THAT THE IT ISN'T COVERED BY THE RECALL BECAUSE THE BRACKETS WERE INSTALLED. NOW IT IS COSTING ME $900 TO GET IT FIXED WHEN FORD CLEARLY ADMITTED TO THE REAR AXLE PROBLEM.

REAR AXLE BEAM IS SO BADLY CRACKED IT BENT THE BALL JOINT FOR 1 TIRE SO BAD IT ATE THE TIRE

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 FORD WINDSTAR. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FRONT PASSENGER WHEEL SEPARATED FROM THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 11V030000 (STRUCTURE). THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE IT WAS CONFIRMED THAT THE FAILURE WAS INCLUDED IN THE RECALL; HOWEVER, THE DEALER REFUSED TO PERFORM THE REPAIR DUE TO THE MANUFACTURER'S REFUSAL TO PERFORM THE REPAIR. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 119,863. UPDATED 10/18/16*LJ *TR

SIDEWALL SPLIT ON BRIDGESTONE INSIGNIA SE 200, SIZE 215X70R15, DOT # WBM3 E20 0210. MILEAGE ON TIRE 39K, STILL GOOD TREAD DEPTH. I STILL HAVE TIRE IF ANY AGENCY WOULD LIKE TO INSPECT. DIDN'T TAKE IT BACK TO BRIDGESTONE B/C FROM WHAT I HAVE READ, THEY WOULD DO NOTHING ABOUT IT. *TR

I UNDERSTAND THERE IS A RECALL ON CERTAIN FORD WINDSTAR MODELS IN THE NORTHERN STATES DUE TO A DEFECTIVE REAR AXLE. I HAVE A 2003 FORD WINDSTAR VAN VIN: [XXX] WHICH WE PURCHASED USED IN JULY 2004. FROM WHAT WE WERE TOLD WHEN WE BOUGHT IT, THE VEHICLE CAME FROM OHIO. ON 12/28/10, I CALLED A LOCAL FORD DEALER WHO RAN MY VIN THROUGH THEIR DATABASE AND I WAS TOLD MY VEHICLE IS NOT PART OF THE RECALL. I WAS TOLD IT WOULD COST $95 FOR THEIR SERVICE DEPT. TO CHECK MY REAR AXLE FOR THE DEFECT SINCE IT ISN'T UNDER THE RECALL. I WANT TO MAKE SURE MY VEHICLE IS OR IS NOT PART OF THE RECALL. I SAW A ABC NEWS REPORT ON DEC. 20TH WHICH MAKES IT SOUND LIKE THE RECALL MAY BE EXTENDED TO CERTAIN VEHICLES. IF MY VEHICLE ORIGINATED IN OHIO, IT SHOULD BE PART OF THE RECALL. PLEASE HELP ME WITH THIS SITUATION. THANKS! INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 FORD WINDSTAR. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 65 MPH SHE HEARD A RUBBING NOISE AND THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO LOSE CONTROL. THE VEHICLE WAS PULLED OVER AND SHUT OFF. SHE NOTICED THAT THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE WHEEL HAD FRACTURED FROM THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER WHERE SHE WAS INFORMED THAT THE LUG NUTS SHEERED OFF OF THE WHEEL. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 170,000. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 171,000.

2003 FORD WINDSTAR DRIVING ON HIGHWAY APPROXIMATELY 65MPH. LOUD BANG AND IMMEDIATELY CAR STARTED TO SWAY AND PULL TO THE SIDE. HAD TROUBLE MAINTAINING CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE UNTIL I WAS ABLE TO SLOW DOWN AND PULL OFF TO THE SHOULDER. HAD AXLE REPAIRED (WELDED) - COULDN'T AFFORD NEW AXLE (~$1000). *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 FORD WINDSTAR. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 35 MPH THE TIRE PRESSURE ILLUMINATED ON THE DASHBOARD. THE CONTACT PULLED OVER TO CHECK THE TIRE PRESSURE AND NOTICED THAT THE PRESSURE WAS LOW. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE THE TECHNICIANS STATED THAT THE RIM WAS CRACKED AND THEY NEEDED TO WELD IT TOGETHER AGAIN OR REPLACE IT. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 90,000. UPDATED 02/23/11 *BF THE CONSUMER STATED A NEW RIM WAS PURCHASED AND INSTALLED. UPDATED 03/08/11*JB

FRONT RIGHT WHEEL SEPARATED ON 2003 WINDSTAR. ALL FIVE WHEEL STUDS SHEARED OFF. WHEEL CAME OUT AND FENDER FELL ON WHEEL. FORD TAKES NO RESPONSIBILITY. SUGGESTED I USE INSURANCE. NATIONWIDE PAID OVER SIXTEEN HUNDRED. *NM

I PURCHASED FOUR NEW MICHELIN HYDROEDGE TIRES FOR MY WIFE'S CAR IN FEBRUARY 2005. BGOD HAEX 2004 215/65/R1698T. TWO HAVE BLOWN, LITERALLY, APART ON HER FORD WINDSTAR 2004 MINIVAN - SEL MODEL. I HAVE RETURNED THEM TO COSTCO AND THEY HAVE REPLACED ALL FOUR WITH A LESSER MICHELIN TIRE. TIRES WERE FILLED W/ NITROGEN. BOTH BLOWOUTS WERE IN THE "HEAT OF THE DAY." NO DEATHS OR ACCIDENT, BUT SECOND BLOW UP OCCURRED AT 65 MILES PER HOUR. *NM

FAILURE(PREMATURE TREAD SEPERATION) ON 07/24/2005 AT 10:30 PM MY HUSBAND AND I WERE IN OUR 2003 FORD WINDSTAR( ON HWY 65) WHEN WE EPERIANCED A BLOW OUT, WE WERE TRAVELING AT THE POSTED SPEED AND THERE WERE NO OBSTRUCTIONS IN THE ROAD. UPON INVESTIGATION OF THE TIRE ( AMERI GS60 P215/70/R15) WE DISCOVERED COMPLETE SEPERATION OF TREAD RIGHT DOWN THE MIDDLE OF THE TIRE(CAUSING DAMAGE TO GAS SPICIT, A REAR WATER LINE, BUMPER DAMAGE, COMPLETE REMOVAL OF THE D-SIDE REAR WHEEL WELL SHIELD) WE FOUND THIS ODD BECAUSE TIRE HAD MUCH TREAD LEFT ALSO TIRES WERE ROTATED AT LOCAL WAL MART ONLY LESS THAN 6-MONTHS

THE CONSUMER STATED THAT SHE HAS ONLY HAD HER VEHICLE APPROX 6 WKS AND HAS ALREADY HAD IT IN THE SHOP 4 TIMES. CONSUMER STATES THAT WHILE SHE IS DRIVING, THE CHECK TIRE PRESSURE AND RESET LIGHT COMES ON. SHE STATES SHE HAS TAKEN THE VEHICLE INTO THE SHOP AND EACH TIME THEY RESET THE COMPUTER AND IT COMES BACK ON IN LESS THAN A WEEK. SHE STATES THE LAST TIME SHE TOOK IT TO THE DEALER, SHE WAS TOLD THAT THERE IS NO FIX FOR THE PROBLEM, IT IS SOMETHING SHE MAY HAVE TO LIVE WITH. CONSUMER SAID SHE IS REFUSING TO "JUST LIVE WITH IT" BECAUSE SHE TRANSPORT HER CHILDREN IN THIS VEHICLE AND SOMETHING MAY HAPPEN. SHE IS TOLD TO JUST IGNORE THE LIGHT BY THE DEALER. *NM ALSO, FRONT TIRES HAVE CAUSED INTERMITTENT VIBRATION DURING GEAR ENGAGEMENT, BRAKING AND ACCELERATING. *LA

CONSUMER HAD VEHICLE FOR 7 WEEKS, AND THE CHECK TIRE PRESSURE LIGHT STAYED ON. CONSUMER TOOK VEHICLE TO THE REPAIR SHOP 3 TIMES. FORD MAINTAINED IT COULD NOT RESOLVE THE PROBLEM. CONSEQUENTLY, CONSUMER WOULD JUST HAVE TO LIVE WITH THAT LIGHT STAYING ON. *AK