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| Ford Windstar |
Ford Motor Company (Ford) has announced a voluntary recall of 575,000 model year 1997 – 2003 Windstar minivans for rear axle fractures from corrosion due to the design. Axle fractures on both the right and left side have been identified and affect vehicle handling, which increases risk of crash, injury or death. The recall was instigated by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) after it opened a preliminary investigation in May 2010. The federal regulators had received over 200 reports of rear axle fracture due to the design, which had resulted in 2 crashes; however, the amount of complaints has now risen to 950.
The recall for the Windstar – which is no longer in production – applies to vehicles in 21 states (Connecticut, Delaware, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, West Virginia and Wisconsin), the District of Columbia and Canada where road salt corrosion is thought to be more common.
Ford will notify affected owners in the very near future and ask them to bring their vehicles to their local dealers for inspection and any necessary repairs. Ford dealers at no charge to customers will reinforce the axles of the affected vehicles as parts are available. If it’s determined the axle can’t be reinforced, it will be replaced as soon as parts are available. Ford will provide for rental vehicles for customers until the rear axle of their vehicle has been replaced.
Owners are encouraged to contact the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s Vehicle Safety Hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (TTY 1-800-424-9153) or go to www.safercar.gov, with any questions or concerns surrounding this or any other recall or safety campaign.
Spencer Kuvin
Cohen & Kuvin, LLC
http://www.cohenkuvin.com/
stk@cohenkuvin.com
