Windstar axle recall... my results and experience.

[wagsg]

Just an FYI to owners from my experience this week:

Our Windstar is the first to be deadlined at our local dealership as of 11/1/10. They have made repairs to many, but none had the failure that requires axle replacement. Ours was not broken but the cracks and corrosion were there.

In a matter of a couple hours, FMC had made an offer to purchase our van rather than fix it. The offer was actually fairly generous and based on model year, miles, trim, etc.

We will receive the offer package and info in about a week then have a week to accept or decline (no brainer). In the meantime we have a free rental vehicle. In Minnesota, this is considered warranty work so the rental is a "loaner" therefore not subject to tax (which Ford is telling customers they are responsible for) at about $6/day.

I did find out last night that the in-law's 2003 is also deadlined, but they are not offering to buy them out. My assumption is that the repairs and rental is less than the value of their van.

I'll update as we proceed in case anyone else is in this situation or will be taking their van in, and has questions.

Cheers

 

[saberz]

Thats good to know they are offering a buyout for some owners. Would you be able to provide specifics on the amount offered? and the year of the Windstar and mileage? Just interested to see "how" good it is.

What do you plan on doing? Taking the offer or keeping the vehicle?

 

[Burt]

and what do you mean by "deadlined"? I got a notice, but did not pick up on the dead line.

So you don't have to use the buy out towards a new Ford?

 

[eljefino]

Any pictures of this axle?

I wonder what ford's going to do, make your old van a taxicab in Central America?

 

[Hokiefyd]

Originally Posted By: Burt
and what do you mean by "deadlined"?


It's probably rusted so bad, it's beyond the point of operating safely on the road.

 

[RF Overlord]

Ford is buying back an 11 year old Windstar with 144k on it?

Must be their version of Cash For Clunkers.

 

[wagsg]

I'll attempt to answer the questions above.

-Deadlined is a vehicle inspection term meaning undrivable.

-We are taking the offer, it's a no brainer. Ford is offering $3435, which is high book on a '99 SEL with 144k. I figure we would get at least 1k less if sold or traded. It's in good mechanical condition and well maintained with blemishes typical to an almost 12 yo vehicle used by a family of four with two 70 lb boxers as well.

The offer is cash with no restrictions, afaik. We will have the details in about a week. I'll provide that when I get it. The dealer did say that if we needed a replacement, they would come up with some extra cash towards a vehicle... didn't talk specifics about new and/or used.

-No pic's but I inspected it myself when I got the letter. The top of the axle looked fine, but I could feel and kind of see the corrosion on the underside. They grind down the problem area and look for perforations/cracks. The area is approx 9" to 14" in from outer axle ends, not in the middle like the service advisor thought.

-When the purchase offer is accepted, Ford will scrap the van.

Also, don't let them hose you on the rental. In-laws were given a compact car as a replacement for their van while it gets repaired. Hardly a fair trade as you usually have the van for a reason. I specified my need for a like vehicle to haul everyone around and got a fully loaded '09 Town & Country.

 

[wagsg]

I should add to the current condition of the van. Just before the recall notice came I determined it was time for new brakes, front and rear. This sweetens the pot by a couple hundred dollars plus my labor.

Also, our van has the typical electrical gremlins that are annoying but don't affect drivability or safety.

 

[Burt]

My Windstar has escaped multiple episodes where it could have been sold or crunched but still sits in the garage.

In 2008, the Mexican government passed a law that only used cars that were exactly 10 years old could be imported into country. This resulted in many unsolicited offers from mexican workers - but I said no.

In 2009 it was cash for clunkers that came calling, but the dealers were jacking up the sales price on cars and pocketing the difference - and so then I said no.

Now, Ford the grim reaper is knocking at the door. Perhaps this time it will be an offer that I cannot refuse? My guess is because it has spent most of its years in Houston, they will not find anything. Actually it has been a decent car. If it were 1998,I would not hesitate to buy it again.

 

[wagsg]

Don't hesitate on taking it in for an inspection. When I looked at mine, I thought it seemed fine... normal scaling and corrosion. But when they ground off the crud, there were the perforations.

Not safe, and to think we went a few hundred miles on our annual apple orchard trip fully loaded a few weeks ago!

 

[Virtuoso]

Ford sucks for offering this fix in Iowa, but not Nebraska. [censored]?

 

[Burt]

Originally Posted By: wagsg
Don't hesitate on taking it in for an inspection. When I looked at mine, I thought it seemed fine... normal scaling and corrosion. But when they ground off the crud, there were the perforations.

Not safe, and to think we went a few hundred miles on our annual apple orchard trip fully loaded a few weeks ago!


I appreciate your post, because I might have otherwise forgotten to take it in. Nonetheless I am in denial because I believe that you would find perforations on other cars of the same age. I.e. perforations do not equal failure. Nonetheless, I will probably take the money if offered. So many thanks.

 

[Nick R]

What are you going to get to replace it? Should go for the new edge- it is sweet! That or an escape, which is also very nice.

 

[wagsg]

The cracks/perforations and corrosion will eventually lead to failure... Google it or YouTube to see what a complete failure looks like. Not pretty so it's better to be safe than sorry.

Unless an axle design is similar to the this, there shouldn't be a problem. This design allows the corrosive materials in and traps them there. I run my vehicles through an automatic car wash with the underbody sprayer every week or two during the winter to prevent this sort of thing and it still happened due to the design.

We are going to try and get by on 1 vehicle and occasional use of the kid's cars until after the first of the year when we get our tax return to add to the buyout. In the meantime I'll be doing a lot of research. We still need some room, but not necessarily a van. I'm really anxious to see and test drive the new Explorer. Looks sharp and decent mileage.

 

[eljefino]

If I were Ford and had $3400 per van to fix axles, I'd cobble up some tooling to make some more axles. Very surprised they aren't going this route.

If you can swing it financially, the last few days of December are typically good for buying new especially left-overs. In my state if you drove around on paper plates until your car was "a year old" you'd save substantially on excise tax for five consecutive years!

 

[ThirdeYe]

My girlfriend's parents have a rusty '97 Windstar with well over 200,000 miles on it, maybe they'll buy that back too?

 

[bdcardinal]

Originally Posted By: eljefino
If I were Ford and had $3400 per van to fix axles, I'd cobble up some tooling to make some more axles. Very surprised they aren't going this route.


They are having vendor issues. GM and Chrysler going bankrupt screwed over a ton of vendors that ford also used. I have tons of parts on backorder with no date off thanks to GM and Chrysler.

 

[Burt]

I called my dealer in houston and they don't want me to come in yet because they don't even have the inspection kits yet. Maybe next week. Don't think they are too worried about in down here in the South.

 

[wagsg]

Update today... there is none! What was supposed to take 3-5 days has become 3 weeks and a day. Ford keeps saying that it should be any day now, but has been saying that every Monday when called.

I think they are finding more "failed" axles during inspection than anticipated and the buy-back process is possibly being overwhelmed. Hopefully this will conclude soon although my wife is liking the fully loaded Town & Country Touring, particularly the heated leather seats since the temp's have dropped here in MN.

 

[Burt]

My axle passed inspection as I expected. They cleaned it and sprayed a coating that looks like flat black paint on it. So my windstar is good to go. I don't drive it much anymore but fully expect it could go another 100k if I drove it that long.