Skip to content
Long-Running Recalls of Ford Windstar Minivan Are Expanded to Virginia – 5/11/12
The Center for Auto Safety is the nation’s premier independent, member driven, non-profit consumer advocacy organization dedicated to improving vehicle safety, quality, and fuel economy on behalf of all drivers, passengers, and pedestrians.
By Chris Jensen
New York Times
5/11/12
Ford has expanded two previous recalls of its troubled Windstar minivan, the automaker informed the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration this week.
The two original recalls covered about 918,000 Windstars in the United States. The new actions add about 27,000 vehicles registered in Virginia.
The first recall was issued in 2010 and covered about 493,000 Windstars in the United States from the 1998-2003 model years because excessive rust could cause the rear axle to break. When models from Canada were included the total rose to about 600,000.
In the United States, Ford recalled only vehicles sold or registered in Washington and 22 states that relied heavily on road salt during the winter. They were Connecticut, Delaware, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Utah, Vermont, West Virginia, and Wisconsin.
To these, Ford has added 27,000 Windstars from the 1999-2003 model years registered in Virginia. In its report to the safety agency the automaker said “a recent analysis” showed those vehicles could also experience rear-axle failure.