This data is from the NHTSA — the US gov't agency tasked with vehicle safety. Complaints are spread across multiple & redundant categories, & are not organized by problem.
So how do you find out what problems are occurring? For this NHTSA complaint data, the only way is to read through the comments below. Any duplicates or errors? It's not us.
Passenger's side coil spring broke while backing out of driveway. Dealer notified, and informed consumer that vehicle was not covered under a manufacturer's recall. Feel free to provide any further details on this matter.
Front coil spring broke and ruptured front right tire of the vehicle. Dealership has not informed consumer for reason of defect. Please provide any additional information/attachments.
Broken front spring. Front strut spring broke causing groaning noise in the front whell area, broke spring also caused the van to lean tot he left. Nlm 4/12-01
Left front coil spring broke and imbedded itself in left wall of tire when backing out of a parking space. There was very loud groaning noise coming from front end when the consumer started to drive the vehicle, and the front end collapsed soon after because the front left tire had deflated as the result of the coil spring breaking and slashing the tire.
While driving van approaching a major highway the left front coil spring broke without any warning causing the left front tire to be sliced off it's rim. The driver lost control of van but was able to eventually control it. When the spring was examined there was no rust on the outer portion of it. It was coated completely with factory paint. It did however show signs that it cracked prior to it breaking as there was a very slight amount of rust 3/4 of the way through actual crosssection of the spring. Other reports of this happening in salt belt states. I believe this may be temperature related as it is cold in all the salt belt states. It is apparant that this spring may be too brittle and the cold weather makes it worse. The major problem is when it slices the tire off the rim at highway speeds. I have pictures of spring and tire.arentatent thatture related break.
The left front coil spring failed abruptly when braking for a traffic light, sliced the sidewall off the left front tire (blowing it out), severed the mcferson strut and dropped the vehicle to the pavement. If the failure had occured 100 yards later at the entrance of the high speed connector (which is a sweeping right turn) the vehicle would have flipped into the on-coming lane of traffic. Since spring breakage problems have been recorded on Windstar since the model intro. In 1996, why has this not prompted action from Ford??
Consumer was traveling 45mph on highway and she was approaching a major highway on ramp, and heard a booming noise. Spring broke and pierced left right driver's side tires. She was able to pull over to shoulders. The consumer believes the cause of the spring breaking was cold temperature rather than corrossion. However, the consmer also indicted that springs were breaking only in area of heavy salt roads.
Consumer was backing out of driveway and heard a clunking noise. Vehicle had to be towed since front coil spring had broken off. The dealer replaced the front suspension.
Consumer was riding for a period of time and stopped to rest. Consumer was heading back on road and 1 minute from where he was, front of vehicle went down. Consumer thought it was a flat tire. A tow truck came and found coil spring had broken. Would have to go to a Ford dealershop to be repaired. Consumer wanted manufacturer to cover repairs. A letter was sent, but response from them was they couldn't do anything for consumer. Vehicle had been taken to dealer several times prior to incident due to a strange noise that was occurring in the front end, dealer inspected front end extensively and never found anything wrong. There are plastic hub covers on the wheels, consumer has had 3 blowouts which have ruined the covers, they are not able to handle the repeated wear and tear.
After parking vehicle driver noticed that vehicle looked like it had a flat tire. Took to dealer, and notified owner that coil spring was broken on front left and right, needed to be replaced. Both were replaced. The vehicle also needed struts and tie rod ends to be replaced.
Left front of vehicle dropped to ground. Had vehicle towed to dealer. Front coil spring broke. Coil spring sliced tire when it came down, dealer would not pay for tire, alignment, or all of towing.
While driving 60 mph front coil springs broke. Was able to get vehicle on the shoulder. Dealer replaced front coil spring. The front passenger side tire was punctured by the broken spring. The jack failed while raising the vehicle to change the tire.
A D V E R T I S E M E N T S
- Erie, PA, USA