Ford Motor Company has issued a voluntary safety recall of its Windstar minivan, and it’s impacting minivans that have been on our roads for awhile now.
Seems the rear axles are corroding on Ford Windstar minivans manufactured in 1997-2003, and Ford Motor Company has issued this recall in the face of a National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) investigation that began several months back after the agency received notice of two accidents and over 230 complaints about the Windstar.
According to the NHTSA, the rear axle “corrosion can weaken the real axle, making it susceptible to torsional stress. Corrosion and stress can lead to cracks, which if undetected, can propagate and result in a complete fracture of the axle.”(Read the complete NHTSA Notice here.)
If you own a Ford Windstar made between 1997 and 2003, and you live in the following states, then take your minivan to the nearest Ford Dealership immediately – they should either repair or replace your Windstar rear axle.
Ford will provide a rental car for your use while the recall repair is made, according to its Recall Notice.
States impacted by the recall are:
- Connecticut
- Delaware
- District of Columbia
- Illinois
- Indiana
- Iowa
- Kentucky
- Maine
- Maryland
- Massachusetts
- Michigan
- Minnesota
- Missouri
- New Hampshire
- New Jersey
- New York
- Ohio
- Pennsylvania
- Rhode Island
- Vermont
- West Virginia
- Wisconsin
