Rear Axle. Fell on the highway split in half while I was driving on a state Hwy 71 at 45 mph. Cracked rear axle. 2002 Ford Windstar part of a recall for Rear axle. No warning was given and didn't know about the recall until after it happened. Inspection was preformed by a mechanic. I could have flipped or rolled or caused a major collision as this highway is very heavily traveled.

- Menahga, MN, USA

The rear axle of my 2002 Ford Windstar completely fractured while traveling on Interstate 75. The rear axle broke while driving about 60 miles per hour on Interstate 75 in Florida. By the grace of GOD my passenger and I survived. In attempting to stop, the van hit the guard rail on the Highway. I was able to keep the van in the right lane. The van gave us NO warning. While waiting for the AAA tow truck, a Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT} patrol vehicle stop to ensure we were alright. The FDOT driver inspected the Windstar, took pictures and stated he has never seen a broken rear axle like that before.

- Cape Coral, FL, USA

My tire starting making a whistle screech sound and a sway and I look under my tire is crooked and my axel beam was cracked. Thankfully my kids were not with me and no one was hurt

- Blossvale, NY, USA

I took my vehicle to Ford and they say my bracket guard near rear axle is defected and was under Ford recall and that it is a safety hazard, though when terry hendricks Ford sent in a claim they sad it had expired although I need it recalled for repair

- Fayette, OH, USA

The rear axle broke at 45mph blowing out both rear tires thankgod we wern't hurt and had no cars behind us seen recall online called Ford but was told the van was not part of recall was purchased in mi new and has U design axle

- Lehigh Acres, FL, USA

The contact owns a 2002 Ford Windstar. While driving at an unknown speed, the rear driver's side wheel turned inward and the contact heard a loud grinding sound coming from the rear of the vehicle. There were no warning indicators illuminated during the failure. Ford & Lincoln of smithtown (440 jericho turnpike, smithtown, NY 11787) was contacted and informed the contact to tow the vehicle to the dealer. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired by the dealer. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 189,000. The VIN was not available.

- Lake Drove, NY, USA

My tires wiggle when driving like they are about to come off

- Bryn Mawr, PA, USA

As I was driving on a city street the rear axle broke after I turned right.

- Dayton, OH, USA

Rear axle assembly snapped yet our VIN is not on recall list. This was not due to any accident or damage on our behalf this was simple daily in town five miles driving then snapped and not usable. We were driving and turned left and. Or even two blocks the vehicle made a snap sound almost like a popped tire. Both tired are inward and the vehicle ian now parked due to the snapping of this.

- Freeport, IL, USA

The rear axle started to snap in November 2017 when I was driving with my wife and kids in the van. We smelled burning rubber and pulled over. If we had drove any further the axle was going to snap with all of us in the vehicle. Ford is refusing to cover all the costs of the repair because the previous owner had the bracket/support put on. We did not purchase this vehicle till March 2017. We want the full cost of the repair covered and the Ford dealership's storage fees erased. Our bill is currently $1,809.65. We should not have to pay for the repair and the time it has been sitting there while we fight Ford to pay the bill. This was not an act of wear and tear but an act of a recall on the manufacturer.

- Bethlehem, PA, USA

On Saturday morning July 15th 2017, I was driving at 2:30 am. I had just left for my first job and crossed a set of train tracks. When I did, the rear axle snapped almost causing me to crash. After looking for the cost to replace the axle, I came upon a Ford recall. When I placed my VIN in the computer it came up that my 2002 Ford Windstar was in fact included in the recall. I talked to someone at Ford via live chat on Saturday after having the vehicle towed home and they stated that the recall was outstanding and I needed to call the Ford dealership. I paid again to have the vehicle towed to the dealership. Now Tuesday morning July 18th 2017, both the dealership and Ford is saying that they cant help me and I need to take care of replacing the completely rusted rear axle. The rust causing the axle to snap was the reason for the recall in the first place. I have owned this vehicle less than 6 months and now as a single mom am left without a vehicle. I will never buy another Ford again in my life and I will also discourage my friends and family from purchasing Ford as well.

- Lancaster, PA, USA

Rear axle fractured while driving from school to home, there is uneven road surface between the school driveway or parking lot and going into the first street roads intersection, I heard a noise in the rear while crossing this uneven surface intersection, handling of the vehicle became noticeable different and a smell of burnt rubber and smoke started, after stopping the vehicle, the rear wheel was crooked and after further observation I observed the rear axle fractured close to the rear wheel (driving side) causing the rear wheel to rub against the inner wheel house and affecting control of the vehicle. Ford first installed brackets over the axle to reinforce it in 2010 (recall 10S13), then in September of 2016 sent me another letter (safety recall notice 15S27) to bring my vehicle to the dealer to verify if the brackets were installed correctly, after bringing my vehicle to the dealer I was told the brackets were installed correctly and if I wanted my axle replaced anyway I would have to cover the part cost. I called to the Ford phone number in the letter to request the change of my rear axle at no charge but they did reject my request and said that brackets were installed correctly in the past but my rear axle would be replaced if I would pay the $300 usd, they could not give further details about why I would have to replace the whole axle if they stated the reinforcement brackets were properly installed.

- Rochester Hills, MI, USA

Rear axle broken. Mechanic at bell tire it was related to the recall issue with that part. He also showed me another area of concern around the front supports which is also recall related. I am not a mechanic so don't expect this information to be all technical.

- Shelby Twp, MI, USA

The contact owns a 2002 Ford Windstar. While driving approximately 40 mph, the contact heard an abnormal noise and the vehicle moved from side to side. The contact observed that the rear passenger wheel became inoperable. The vehicle was towed to a dealer where it was diagnosed that the wheel axle was fractured and needed to be replaced. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The approximate failure mileage 76,698.

- Fitchburg, MA, USA

Vehicle currently at the dealership for more than two months awaiting from Ford customer relationship center to resolve the issue as the dealer wont fix the corroded sub frame instead they want the crc dept send the parts to them, according to crc dept they escalated the issue to the second level but no action until now has been taken...I feel that they're ignoring my request or has been sitting there without taking any action. We almost died on this as the passenger side wheel fell off..I'm trying my luck if you can help us to resolve the issue with them...thanks [xxx] information redacted pursuant to the Freedom Of Information Act (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6).

- Bergenfield, NJ, USA

Rear axel cracked after period of time resulting in blow out tire in a parking lot. After researching this online, I have found Ford recalled this same van for this same problem but did not in our state although the recall was due to states with weather like snow, ice, salt, etc which caused said issue. Why wouldnt Nebraska be included in this since its Nebraska and its snowy alot" luckily we were in a parking lot, we were not driving at high rate of speed down highway like I saw while researching this online which a man was killed who had this happen. I have found that this seems to be a very dangerous and tragic mistake made by Ford and now my van sits in a parking lot with no way for me to get it to a shop to get a repair made even if I did have the funds to do this. At least I would want my van in my driveway, not in a grocery store parking lot with no means of getting it home, besides the fact that being a woman, I would have kept driving it not knowing and could have been in a serious accident such as ones I have seen since looking into this issue. I have taken photos of cracked axel in rear and also front due to weather and climate and found the court papers saying which states were included in this recall, yet Nebraska not one of them? makes no sense. So do I go and drive it home anyways and just hope we dont die in the process..or do I let it sit in a shady part of town parking lot forever" being a single mother of 3, I would have thought Ford might see the all the news about this and have done more to prevent so many incidents, one of which someone died. The court papers indicated that they knew about it 10 years before recall. I noticed the van drove rough over bumps recently, but thought maybe it was shocks, until I found my tire not just flat, but looking as if it was slashed in the parking lot because it literally blew up.

- Omaha, NE, USA

They had a recall in 2011 where they put support brackets on the rear axles. Mine did have the brackets put on and right behind the bracket the axle still broke driving down the street at 40 mph where we almost hit another car with children inside her and my vehicle. Ford said the brackets are only warrantied for 12 months. These vans do not need brackets they need new axles.

- Beaverdam, OH, USA

I heard a loud popping noise coming from the back of my van. Took it to the repair shop and learned the rear axle had a large crack and was almost broken in half. Ford has a recall in effect for 2002 Ford Windstar's for axles that are cracking/breaking (NHTSA campaign number: 12V195000); however, Ford is saying that my VIN number is not a part of their recall even though I have a 2002 Ford Windstar. I had the rear axle welded to repair the crack. This was on the passenger side of the axle. I started hearing popping sounds again, returned to the repair shop only to learn the axle is now broken on the driver side of the axle. This is a serious situation and I feel since Ford has a recall on this issue that my vehicle should be included. I am afraid to make another repair since the axle may still crack again. Please contact Ford to make them include all effected 2002 Ford Windstar vehicles before someone gets seriously hurt!!

- Kingsport, TN, USA

After driving down a major highway North of boston, MA (128/95 North) my wife and I, first heard scraping noise that became louder and began smell like burning rubber/brakes. The car lurched across the roadway/highway and we swerved and almost sideswiped car in the adjacent lane. We were in the process of exiting the highway on the off ramp to my work at rte 28 South stoneham/wakefield. We were able to pull over, gather our thoughts and continue to a gulf station on rte 28 in stoneham, MA. The gulf station mechanic/manager said he had never seen anything like it, a rear axle literally splitting in half. After viewing the rear broken axle and looking at the condition of the front right end and the overall condition of the sub frame they politely and forgivingly said they have rarely seen such a thing (cracked/separated rear axle and went on to say they have only seen this in Ford Windstar and went on to talk about a local women whose Ford Windstar lost control on the highway at 60 mph with her 3 children and were scared to death and in conclusion would not touch the vehicle and warned that the vehicle was beyond safe driving and repair. They were shocked that although there was some kind of brace on the axle in two places that the axle had snapped in two at the reinforcement and said even without the reinforcement on the rear axle they have never seen a rear axle split in two and compounded with the fact that it actually had a reinforcement bracket fail. Reiterating axles and sub frames are not wear and tear parts and in fact had never seen broken rear axles and sub frames crack and break and corroded to this extent. Their reaction was of disturbing to say the least. They said broken axles just don, T happen and with added reinforcement it was "beyond belief" they had broken in half.

- Winchester, MA, USA

While driving my van I heard a very loud noise and my driver's side tire immediately went flat. I was able to pull the vehicle safely to a stop along the side of the road. I called a tow truck and had my vehicle looked at by the mechanic who informed me that a coil spring around my strut broke which caused my tire to be sliced open from the inside of the tire. I was very lucky I was not going any faster when the spring broke and sliced my tire open. I reviewed issues online that other people were having relating to my issue regarding the make and model of my vehicle. Apparently Ford had a recall on the Windstar coil springs from a different year of the Ford Windstar vans due to the very same problem with the coil springs breaking and causing the tire to be punctured or sliced open from the inside. I am also very concerned after reading that the part had to fail before it would be addressed. It seems that if there is a safety recall it should be completed before a failure occurs and not after. This could have caused a very serious accident had I been on an interstate or even if I were going 55 miles per hour on the highway. I did contact Ford Motor Company regarding this issue and was told that Ford would not assist with the repairs because my vehicle was not recalled for this issue. I own two Ford vehicles and I could not believe that my issue was not of a concern to Ford. I probably will not buy another Ford because of this. My family's safety has to come first and I am not convinced we will be safe if the company won't address these types of safety issues.

- Kane, PA, USA