Rare Buyout Offer Comes with Ford Windstar Recall - The Car Connection (blog)
Letters are in mailboxes recalling Ford Windstars produced between 1997 and 2003. These minivans have a rear axle that collects road salt and other corrosive contaminants and can fracture as a result of rust. The vehicles affected are in 21 states, Washington D. C. and Canada where road salt is used to facilitate winter driving, as is Michigan--all in the list that is commonly known as the “salt belt. This recall is concerned with high-mileage vehicles that have been on the road for a minimum of seven years. But the notable consequence of a fractured axle is what it does to the vehicle both in the near and long term. When the axle fractures (in this case at either end) the top of the wheel nearest to the break tilts in toward the vehicle, and as the Ford recall letter states, “vehicle handling may be affected which could increase the risk of a crash. Not so bad considering that 975,000 Windstars were included in the recall you might say. My guess is that the fractures that have already occurred are the leading edge of this problem, since these vehicles are seven years old and probably. Source: www.thecarconnection.com
