Home / Auto News / News article: Ford To Recall, Buy Back Windstar Minivans With Defective Axles
 |  Oct 25, 4:11 PM 409 Comments

Ford‘s Windstar minivan is undergoing a massive recall, with over 460,000 1998-2003 Windstars being recalled over a fault rear axle that may corrode and ultimately fail.

Ford has informed dealers that rather than fix the problem, they may buy back the vehicles instead. “At our discretion, the remedy we offer may involve repurchasing a customer’s vehicle at a price we believe either matches or exceeds market value,” Ford said in a prepared statement.

Not surprisingly, the recall affects cars in “rust belt” states like Michigan and locations in Canada where road salt is used. NHTSA said that 96 percent of complaints came from the following 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, plus Washington, D.C.

[Source: Detroit News]

UPDATE: The Ford Windstar is now under investigation by NHTSA for rusting subframe issues. Click here to read the story.

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  • Robbie Amos

    Would you check this vin # on the 2001 windstar van to see if it a recall:
    2CMZA51421BB33602 made in Oakville Otarion Canada

  • mariann

    I need help with my car it going to take me about almost 1,000 to fix my windstar 1999

  • don corson

    HELP just bought a 2003 windstar for 7000 and now the problems abs n brake lite comes of n on and all the recalls have always bought ford minivans had nothing like this nitemare

  • jim h

    I JUST BOUGHT A 2001 WINDSTAR AND A WEEK LATER I RECEIVED A RECALL LETTER FROM THE GUY I BOUGHT IT FROM I HAVE YET REGISTERD IT IM JUST NOT SURE IF I HAVE TO REGISTER IT BEFORE IT GOES INTO THE DEALER OR NOT DOES ANYONE KNOW WHAT SHOILD I DO THANKS FOR ANY INFO THAT ANY ONE CAN HELP ME WITH

  • Brittany

    To the person about abs- no they has done nothing about that yet and I’m not impresse I have same problem with me 2000 ford windstar at this point with all the recalls and time I have had to take out of my own life to put my van into the shop so ford can fix their mistakes im annoyed. I daily have to put 3 kids into this van and ask myself everyday is it going to be safe for them! So to does stop this bullcrap of year after year different recalls buy back us customers cars because your only digging yourself a deeper hole because I myself know at this point will never buy a ford vechile again!

  • Mfrancowinner

    I have a problem now with the Intake Runner Control Unit that has two links from the unit to the intake manifold, one of the links is missing and I’ve been trying to find it, but the only way you get’m is buying th whole unit that cost over $300.00+ at the dealer, I’ve looked over wreckling yards and all of the motors I’ve find have the same problem, so I believe this is another problem should have a recall, please let me know where can I get the rear links, each link has 2 little plastic bushings and cost me a 10 cents real value a ripp off price of $7.88 each at the dealer, no choice we are modern slaves of the corporations. Michael F

  • Sonicjoe19802

    ahh like more info dah for starters whats going on with it ?

  • Pablo Olivares

    Try to check the front calipers and check if you have a break fluid leak. The other solutions is…if the van it has a break job done, may be they didnt remove the air in the brake lines (after replace the caliper, always is pain in the bud try to remove the air in the brake lines)

  • Jaysontherres

    The problem with the trans.,is probably a result of fords factory bent axles sending exsecc vibration through it,same with the leaking pinion seals,its not the seal that leaks but through the spline.I was being scammed by ford into paying for the replacement and repair of the rear axles on my harly model f150.I went into suspition mode when they said i must have hit something and bent it so i investigated,and found that the polished bearing surface is ground over top of the first sizing cut done before the tempering process(polished bearing surface needs to be machined on hardend steel),when the first cut is made the prepared suface where the actual bear rides is then tapperd down and featherd into the original cast size,on this tappered area the polishing of the bearing surface acually polishes part of the tappered down area of the axle (ONLY ON HALF OF THE SHAFT) more on my facebook page jaysontherres.

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