Home / Auto News / News article: Ford Windstar Recalled Again; 425,000 Models Affected for Rusting Front Subframe
 |  Jan 26, 9:30 PM 70 Comments

Ford has announced a recall for 425,000 of its 1999 to 2003 Windstar minivan models as a result of an investigation by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA).

The issue surrounds a rust problem with the front subframe, that could fracture, which Ford says could result in a steering issue (although considering the structural purpose of the front subframe, the real consequences could be much more severe).

The subframe seems to suffer from the same rust issue that prompted Ford to recall 612,000 Windstars last year.

As the issue surrounds structural rust, it only applies to vehicles from certain states, including Connecticut, Delaware, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Utah, Vermont, West Virginia, Wisconsin and the District of Columbia.

Ford has said it will reimburse owners who have already had repairs made. Many Windstar owners have already agreed to sell back their vehicle to Ford, as the automaker has been unable to repair the part in a timely fashion.

Filed under: American Car Recalls Featured Articles Ford Minivans Safety
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  • TazMage

    Here is a copy of what the refund offer is supposed to be. It’s in a .pdf file, so if they made you an offer to buy your vehicle, print this form and take it to the dealer. It states that they will offer you 150% over the book value of your vehicle.

    http://www-odi.nhtsa.dot.gov/acms/docservlet/Artemis/Public/Recalls/2011/V/RCMN-11V030-7081.pdf

  • Frank

    Of course after July 1, 2011, Ford is no longer extending the refund offer. I received my recall notice August 16, 2011. So I guess I’m out of luck.

  • Darlene

    I was left a 2001 Windstar by my late father. I call it the orphan van. It is serviced every three months at the dealer and has been since new. The transmission went at 34,000km (I am in Canada), the centre bolt blew out of the block heater, the sensors for my brakes stay on most of the summer but not in the winter. I just took it in as my engine light came on. I am now up to $862.00 to replace a fill pipe. I have about 4 hours of diagnostics at $85.00 per hour. Just got told of the front subframe recall and then told I needed to replace the subframe but at my expense. $3000. plus $85.00 per hour x 7 hours. I have now written Ford and will consider hiring a lawyer based on principal. This is a design problem with Ford and they should be absorbing costs. Not impressed and I will be making this public knowledge in my local newspaper.

  • Jan

    Jessica – my local Ford dealership will not provide me with a loaner car.

  • Mike

    Has anyone experienced noise from the front-end of their Windstar after having the subframe work done? When the weather is wet or cold, there is a loud noise when you make a significant turn of the steering wheel. It does not happen in dry, warmer (over 50) weather.

    The garage I used for repairs says the noise is coming from the left front strut support, but there is no repair/safety issue. They say to get rid of the noise the cheapest thing to do whould be to replace the entire strut, but it would still cost several hundred dollars. So far I have held off replacing it, but the noise is pretty annoying.

    The dealer that did the recall work for the subframe and the rear axle has pretty much said they can’t do anything for me.

    Any help is appreciated. Thanks!

  • JC

    A great big Thank You to all for posting your comments and links! Knowing where to look for additional information and seeing how others are being treated with this issue has been very helpful…

    In my case, I was prepping for a long distance Thanksgiving trip and decided to have my local garage check my 2001 Winstar for a new noise (loud pop) that I was hearing during sharp right turns. When the Van went up on the lift, the mechanic loudly exclaimed “Oh My God”! Then he brought me under the Van to show me that the subframe had rusted completely thru at the rear passenger connector point. This left just 3 bolts holding together the engine, transmission, steering components, and front wheels! There was also a great amount of rust covering most of the undercarriage. I then searched the Internet and located the Recall information. I dropped my van off at my local dealer last week and was told they had to request permission from Ford to proceed with a repair since the subframe was completely rusted thru. Today, they got approval from Ford to replace the subframe and replacement parts are expected within a day or two. After I receive the vehicle back, I intend to take it back to my local garage for another inspection just so I can see their work.

    Having seen the extent of the rust and the damage caused by it, I find it hard to imagine that no one noticed this in the past when I had oil and tire changes.

  • Roche

    I just bought a 2000 Ford Windstar a week and a half ago. The front sub frame and back axl had the “kits” installed to “take care” of the problem. What a joke! My van is undrivable, so says my mechanic. The kits were just put on a year ago, and the van is already undrivable. They should have replaced them. I ask two different Ford mechanics, “would you trust those repairs on the front sub frame and axl?” They both could not respond in a positive way. One even told me they should have replaced them! Ford, shame on you! You are pathetic!

  • Peggy

    Last fall I had the rear axle recall fixed, shortly after there was a squeeling sound when I make turns. I have an ABS light, and brake light that won’t shut off despite multiple repairs to breaks to fix it. Today I see there is another recall, the 11S16, which Ford would have known about when I took my van in for the last recall, but didn’t say anything. I never received anything in the mail about the 11S16. Found out about it researching a recent engine problem only to see the multiple problems appear to be recall related and either not fixed or they say they were fixed and are still occurring.

  • Peggy

    To file a vehicle safety complaint
    https://www-odi.nhtsa.dot.gov/ivoq/

  • Jay

    02 windstar won’t stay in park. Put the van in drive the transmission locked. Put in reverse it unlocked. Went to put it in park and now it rolls. No park at all. Anybody know if there was a recall??

  • JOY

    Well after reading all the recalls problems for 1999 to 2003 Ford Windstar..Today I just received a letter from FORD MOTOR COMPANY-FORD CUSTOMER SERVICE DIVISION,P.O BOX 1904 DEARBORN, MICHIGAN 48121.. It says in the letter that FORD MOTOR COMPANY-would like to remind you that your 2001 Windstar has not had the following NO CHARGE RECALL COMPLETED..RECALL NUMBER AND DESCRIPTIONS :11S16 -SUBFRAME INSPECTION/REPAIR.. So then it said in the letter please contact your dealer to schedule an appointment to have this important service procedure completed…as soon as possible, so then I called FORD DEALER TO HAVE THIS DONE AND ASKED THEM TO PROVIDE ME A LOANER SO THEY SAID WILL SEE? SO I’m hoping that they provide me a loaner to drive to work and to school everyday .I will bring 2001 ford windstar this Thursday 3/15/2012… Hoping for good service and a loaner car…

  • Andrea

    Just picked my 2000 Windstar up from the mechanic (I have only owned the van for about 4 months) because the steering wheel locked while I was on the highway (almost hit the wall as I was not able to turn going around a bend in the road). The mechanic whom I trust as he is a friend said he looked at the van and the rack and pinion needed to be totally replaced this cost over $900 (other things were also replaced like the transmission pump had a hole in it as well as the rear break line cylinder had a hole in it). Pull in the driveway wheel turns great leave to go the store and suddenly the wheel will not turn again….get the mail from the mail box and find the recall..look up the recall and find it is the exact problems I am having….thanks for almost killing me ford!!!!! It sickens me to know that they are selling vehicles like this and that fact that it is a FAMILY vehicle!!!!

  • brenda

    Joy: i just got my letter. I have been paying a note for a year. I will call tomorrow and go through the same process as you. I pray they will give you a car as well as fix the problem for everyone else too. This is my first car at 63 years old. Im a retired widow who took great pride in having a car for my grandkids. I will see how things go tomorrow.

  • John

    I have 1999 FORD WINDSTAR. MY FORD HAS A RUSTED SUBFRAME…. ITS IS ABOUT TO BREAK, I BOUGHT IT ON FEB 2012 FROM A USED CAR SHOP… WHAT DO I HAVE TO SAY FORD TO DO MY SUBFRAME REPLACE FOR FREE AS I HAVE HEARD ABOUT UR COMMENT! PLZ HELP ME IM NEW HERE SO I DONT KNOW ALOT …I MADE AN APPOINTMENT WITH FORD , MONDAY… THEY’LL INSPECT IT…ARE THEY GOING TO DO IT FOR FREE…?? WHAT IS THE WHOLE PROCEDURE OF GETTING IT FREE, DO WE HAVE TO SAY SOMETHING TO FORD???? plz HELP ME ….WHAT IS RECALL, AND I NEED A CAR URGENTLY… GUYS PLZ HELP MEEE

  • John

    I LIVE IN CANADA BTW

  • Coakee

    ATTENTION ALL WINDSTAR OWENERS, PLEASE READ.  I had my recall repaired last year and despite the ‘repair’ it is currently rotted, having chards of metal poking out and holes in the subframe.  Please have your subframes…even if they have been “repaired” inspected.  If still a problem, please file a complaint on the NTHSA website.  We all need to band together and hold Ford accountable!  I would also like to add that the dealer told me it was fine…. independent mechanic was the one who pointed it out to me.  I notified FORD, returned to dealer today for pictures…. which I supervised.  Awaiting Ford’s response.
    NHTSA’s complaint website:
    https://www-odi.nhtsa.dot.gov/ivoq/

  • http://profile.yahoo.com/IPK5HU2EQJSFNVBX4MW436DYMI Janet

    Ford, as are other car mfg, is notorious & more so in recent years in making poor quality vehicles, very hard & costly to upkeep, repair & refurbish plus often declared obsolete.
    Good to hear that there is another ‘recall’ from Ford to replace front carrier frame, along with the earlier recall to replace the rear axle with new assemblies.
    As to my Windstar:
    The front engine-trans axle-suspension carrier frame is rusted to a poor condition whereby hardly any structural integrity remains at both its rearward bolting to van body. Only the two forward bolt mountings still have soundness connection to van body.
    It is compounded by the fact that left lower ‘wishbone’ control arm had earlier catastrophically failed due to rivets broke by enbrittlement from road salts. Let’s elaborate on the control arm and dire consequences later.
    As to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) input to have Ford make positive repairs/replacement of Windstar components it’s great news. However, it’s most ironic due to that fact that FHWA & NHTSA have policy & practise followed by state, county, city & towns to apply salts on roads, bridges, parking lots & buildings under the illusion of promoting safety. Winter, snow, ice & cold actually help preserve vehicles. Road salts not only ruin cars, roads, bridges but also pollute soil, air & water bodies tremendously. Salts create far more hazards than safety. Actually salts achieve massive ruin whether material, vehicle, infrastructure demise to negative social behaviours astoundingly more than it is alluded to eliminate.It’s apparent that both Ford (other mfg too) and NHTSA & FHWA have worked well to ruin vehicles, roads, bridges,.. sell cars… Certainly too to keep hazards & burdens on us thriving that can easily be eliminated by prudent choices, policies & practises.Please do be wary & don’t accept Ford rapairs using epoxy, & make-do mends as they are not sound. The best is to replace rear axle, & front carrier frame assembly with new ones along with related parts. Or Ford buy-back vehicle. Please do look at yours & get good mechanic inspect too.

  • http://profile.yahoo.com/IPK5HU2EQJSFNVBX4MW436DYMI Janet

    Roots of ruin:
    http://ops.fhwa.dot.gov/weather/weather_events/snow_ice.htm

    Also check with your State, County, City & town about road salts applied to roads, bridges, parkin areas/ building, & consequently to vehicles, etc.

  • http://profile.yahoo.com/IPK5HU2EQJSFNVBX4MW436DYMI Janet
  • Grant_guitar

    I had the recall done last year. Two days ago ( 2003 Windstar 223000km/138500mi) the sway bar mount on the subframe broke right off. Only way to repair it that I know of is replace the entire subframe. Not exactly a small job. After calling Ford customer service I was told I’m on my own. Last Ford purchase ever. Thanks Alot.

    This is NOT over. I estimated to roughly get  300 000 km out of this while finishing college and establishing my career. This vehicle is literally going to screw everything up now. If there’s any advice I’m listening…and reading further on this thread.

    NEVER BUY A WINDSTAR!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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