Sarah Mirando  |  May 19, 2010

Category: Legal News

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Ford Windstar minivan owners have filed a class action lawsuit that alleges their vans are “unfit, unsafe and unmerchantable” because the rear axles are rusting out and breaking. The lawsuit came two weeks after the New York Times reported the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has received over 200 complaints about Windstar axle failures, but has never opened an investigation or warned consumers about the dangerous defect. Many of the complaints involved Windstar owners who lost control on the road at high speeds when their rear axel broke.The class action lawsuit claims Ford knows about the defect, which causes water to be collected and trapped in the axel so that it rusts from the inside out. The rust “weakens these axels” and makes them “susceptible to failure while the vehicle is being operated.” Despite documentation of these failures, Ford has never issued a recall or service bulletin or warned their customers that their vehicles might be prone to sudden failure during operation, the lawsuit says.The class action lawsuit includes anyone who currently owns or leases a 1999-2003 Ford Windstar and is seeking either a full refund of the total value of the vehicle or a recall program that will provide free repairs to class members. [ConsumerAffairs]

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9 thoughts onFord Faces Class Action Lawsuit Over Windstar Axle Failures

  1. Lawrence Schellert says:

    I had the rear axle cracked completely in two on my 2003 windstar, Threw me in the on coming traffic lane,thank God no body was coming it’s cost me tow bills 2new wheels and tires and driver side rear shock,that’s not counting the days without a vehicle asked for a rental but was turned down, I will never buy a Ford again and Ford you aught to be ashamed of yourself you’ll take our money but won’t do a thing for the hard working American,sad go to Russia and don’t come back!!!!!

  2. Karen Peterson says:

    Hi we payed so much Money to repair our 1998 Ford Windstar. We had it for about 8 years. We were never told there was a problem with those vans. Is it too late to file a claim?

  3. Keonia Harris says:

    I have a 1998 Ford windstar with this problem i would like to be included in this

  4. Monica Rice says:

    I would like to be part of this lawsuit. I had a 2000 ford windstar and mine broke and could have killed my 4 year old and myself. I ended up having to scrap the van and am out a vehicle didn’t even have it for a year myself.

  5. Tina Nikolai says:

    I have a 1999 ford windstar minivan that the rear axel broke. I recvd recall in 2009 and 2010 and took it in promptly and obviously was necer repaired correctly. Luckily i was a half block from highway entrance ramp when the axel gave way. And luckily i was alone in my vehicle and did not have my grandchildren with me. After speaking to local ford dealer who stated they could not help me…and Ford Co. Saying the same…along with Ford saying there was never a recall when i recvd 2 and see there were 2 more preceding for same issue. Ford said they cannot help me at all. I have filed a complaint with NHTSH.

  6. Julie Wheeler says:

    I also have a 2003 Ford Windstar, which is currently in the shop for the 3rd recall of the recall making it the 4th time in the shop over the rear axle. However this time was much different. This time the axle brackets completely broke as well as cracking the axle at 60 miles an hour. I nearly loss control of the van before coming to a complete stop. My front spring on the drivers side was damaged as well as 2 tires in the whole ordeal and now the tie rod is also damaged according to the dealership/shop. I live in WI where our cars are bathed in salt all winter because it is also too cold to go to the car wash. Very frustrated right now. I had to get my van to the dealership/shop somehow according to Ford Motor company because the recall only covered the axle not a tow. So luckily I knew someone with a flatbed trailer to transport it there. There was no way to drive it the rear wheels were towed in and frankly I was scared to death to drive it. It is clearly a hazard and I was dang lucky I didnt roll it. Ford should be responsible for towing and other damages to my vehicle caused by not fixing it the right way in the first place.

  7. Chris Meadows says:

    I live in Kansas in fact just outside of Kansas City Kansas. My rear axle looks just like the ones seen on the internet that were part of the states that was included in the recall. Even though they said they included all the salt states Kansas get just as much snow as Missouri. Kansas is a salt state and I drive at least half the time in Missouri but because I bought my van in Kansas and it is registered in Kansas, Ford told me to kick rocks. They left me on the hook for the cost of the axle $1,200. If I did not fix it I was out the cost of my whole van because I can not sell an unsafe vehicle. It only takes two people to have a class action law suite so if there is anyone in Kansas that has a 1999-2003 Ford Windstar with a rusted out axle get a hold of me even if you have fixed the problem.

    1. Julie Wheeler says:

      I have been told that they are not liable to fix my van because the recalled axle brackets were installed properly even though the welds are what cracked causing the brackets to fail completely. My axle was cracked under the brackets and near the middle of the axle. I have been doing some research and Ford had a class action law suit in PA addressing the problem with the rear suspension.”Ford’s failure to install proper drainage ports into these axles causes them to rust from the inside out. This rust eventually causes the axles to crack, and ultimately split into two separate pieces. The axles on affected Ford Windstars are susceptible to failing while the vehicle is being operated. It is believed that more than 949,000 Windstars were manufactured with a defective axle.” This is just one of the class action suits and the result was that Ford had to remedy the problem with recalls and they remedied the problem by placing blame on the Brackets rather than the faulty axles which was a cheaper fix for ford in the short term and gave them many loopholes to use so that they wouldn’t have to fix the axle if it broke. For example my axle broke, original design flaw, but because the measurements and specs where the brackets were installed were correct they (Ford) does not have to cover the cost of the replacement even though the brackets are no longer attached completely to my van. I think a class action against Ford should be started for the lack of the drains in the axle causing it to rust from the inside out should be started which caused me to lose control of my van and I ended up causing more damage to my vehicle. Which could have been a lot worse my step daughter just got her license in August 2019 she could have been driving and because of her lack of experience with counter steering and breaking she would have probably panicked and flipped it.

  8. Bret Armstrong says:

    I contacted Ford Motor Company’s Warranty claims department to express my feelings towards how their “recall” of the Ford Windstar’s rear axle as inspected.
    My vehicle was inspected by a dealership with which they provided me no information and “re-inforced” in June of 2009.
    I tried to express to “Rita” – employee number 62588 that the inspection was improperly handled or else it wouldn’t have broken less than two years later.
    I told Rita that I only wanted the replacement axle sent to my mechanic. Ie. I didn’t need to bother a Ford dealership or have them pay for labor costs. All I wanted was for them to ship the axle to my mechanic. It would cost them around $150 I figured.
    Instead Rita decided she wanted to give me a run around and would not allow me to speak with her supervisor.
    I’m quite dissatisfied with Ford’s customer service.

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