99 windstar engine cradle rusted broken due to air conditioner drip

[dcslade]

I have a 2000 windstar with 95K miles that had the cradle rust and break at the brackets where the passenger control arm connects. Same general area as your break.
Ford is giving me no help. In my case this break sent the front wheels pointing in different directions. I just thank go this happened in a parking spot and not at highway speeds. Ford has to do something about this before someone is killed.
How did you support the engine and tranmission when you did the replacement?

[Flyingjackal456]

What about ford's 10-year rust-through warrantee??? If I were you guys, I'd be fighting this one to the death!

[mark v]

You guys need to PM each other and get each others contact info and get a hold of a good Automotive specialty Lawyer. The more people you got the better.

I plan on buying one of these in the next few years and I want to see a recall.

P.S. Save your rusted part for EVIDENCE!

[ksracing71]

I own a 99 also and took it in for a alignment because the steering wheel was way off. The tech showed me a rusted cradle in the right corner, just like everyone here described. I don't want to wonder what would've happened if my wife kids were on the highway, and it broke thru.
Can't believe there's no safety recall.

[vindctar]

At this point in time, I wouldn't worry about a safety recall, but I would do what "mark v" has been saying...call a lawyer!!! Goodluck.

[firstwindstar02]

lawyers, now there is a money pit.

[vindctar]

This would be money well spent especially because its a life saving issue. If money is that big of an issue, look for a "pay if you collect" lawyer....plenty around!

[vindctar]

Another way is to go to a Small Claims Court after checking the statute of limitation for this type of case.

[Abass23]

I'm glad I came across this site because Ford is making it seem as if this only happened to me and nobody else. In April of 2008 while driving my Windstar I felt a sudden jerk in the front end of my car. When I got out to check it out, I seen my front tire snapped and was barely hanging on. Thankfully I wasn't driving at a high speed or the results could've been very bad, possibly death. What happened was the bracket on my passenger side engine cradle had rusted out completely and broken. Now I am one of those people who pride themselves in taking care of their automobiles. Even if I wasn't one of those people this happened to a 2001 Ford Windstar with approx. 48,000 miles on it. Yes under 50,000 miles. When I contacted Ford they didn't want to accept any responsibility and made it seem as if I was the bad guy. I have been a loyal Ford customer for over 30 years and this was the great treatment I apparently deserved from them. To have this fixed it cost 632.00 for parts and labor. Ford should do the right thing by first of all issuing a recall for consumer safety. They should then reimburse those who incurred these high costs to fix a problem that should never have occurred. I'm not happy about this and would like to band together with a group of people who this has happened to. I can be contacted via email at ahasan223@aol.com. Thanks for reading.

[mark v]

It doesnt matter what type of car you drive no car MFG will fix it for free after the warranty expires unless the Government makes them or if you successfully sue them.

If they fixed it for free forever why would they need warranty's with mileage and year limits?