Ford Motor Company is issuing a safety recall for approximately 340,000 1998-2003 Ford Windstar vehicles for a potential issue with a previous safety recall repair. There is a risk that the combined effects of corrosion and stress can lead to cracks in the axle that – if undetected – can grow and result in a complete fracture. The previous recall repair involved installing a rear axle reinforcement bracket to mitigate the safety risk in the event of an axle fracture. A bracket incorrectly installed could limit the effectiveness of that recall repair. A fractured rear axle could affect vehicle handling, increasing the risk of a crash.

Ford is aware of a small number of accidents that might be connected to this issue, but no injuries.

Affected vehicles include certain 1998-2003 Ford Windstar vehicles that received rear axle reinforcement brackets during a previous safety recall repair and were built at Oakville Assembly Plant Sept. 2, 1997 through July 3, 2003.

There are a total of approximately 340,000 (actual 342,271) vehicles originally produced that might be affected in North America. Of this total, 283,413 vehicles are located in the United States and federalized territories, and 58,858 are in Canada.

Dealers will inspect these vehicles to determine if the brackets were correctly installed. Customers whose vehicles had the bracket installed incorrectly will have their rear axle replaced. If the bracket was correctly installed, customers will receive an incentive to replace their rear axle at a reduced cost. The offer is good for one year with unlimited mileage.

text and image courtesy of Ford