It just seems like it’s been “Recall Week” in the US Auto industry. In a late-week press release reported by Automotive News, Ford is recalling 575,000 of its Windstar minivans, built from 1998-2003, for a problem with the rear axle. The affected people movers were sold in the US and Canada, and are only from states that use road salt in the winter months to combat snow and ice. The road salt causes corrosion, which weakens the rear axle, which can lead to it breaking, possibly causing an accident.
So far, Ford has received 950 complaints about the Windstar’s rear axle being corroded, which has led to a reported 7 crashes, including 3 injuries. I would expect any concerned Windstar owners from the southern US who have concerns can get in on this recall as well, especially if your dealer sees any corrosion. This would make sense, after GM allowed non-affected owners to get their CTS sedans checked out and brake linings fixed for free following its own recall.
To fix the corrosion issue, Ford will be adding brackets to affected vehicles free of charge.
by John Suit
Source: Automotive News