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Ford Windstar Recall 15V608: Rear axle may fracture, risking loss of control

NHTSA campaign 15V608, reported September 29, 2015, 283,413 vehicles potentially affected.

What this recall means for you

Some 1998-2003 Ford Windstar vehicles had their rear axles previously repaired to guard against cracking from corrosion. The remedy brackets on some of these vehicles may have been installed incorrectly, which can reduce the effectiveness of that earlier repair. If the brackets were not installed properly, the rear axle may fracture, affecting vehicle handling and increasing the risk of a crash.

Ford will notify affected owners. Dealers will inspect the brackets to verify they were installed correctly, and if a bracket is found to be misinstalled, the rear axle will be replaced. All of these repairs are free of charge. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332, and you can check your VIN for open recalls on NHTSA's website.

Check whether this recall is open on your vehicle

The repair is normally free at an authorized dealer.

Official recall notice

Safety recall 15V608Ford Motor Company
Component
SUSPENSION:REAR:AXLE:NON-POWERED AXLE ASSEMBLY
Problem
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain model year 1998-2003 Windstar vehicles manufactured September 2, 1997, to July 3, 2003. The affected vehicles were previously remedied to safeguard against the rear axle cracking from corrosion, however, the remedy brackets may have been misinstalled. The incorrect bracket installations may limit the effectiveness of the service repair for NHTSA recalls 10V-385, 12V-193, and 12V-195.
Risk
If the brackets were not installed properly, the rear axle may fracture, affecting the vehicle handling and increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy
Ford will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the brackets to verify their proper installation. If a bracket is found to have been misinstalled, the rear axle will be replaced. These repairs will be performed free of charge. The began on October 21, 2015. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 15S27.
Notes
Owners may also contact the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Vehicle Safety Hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (TTY 1-800-424-9153), or go to www.safercar.gov.

Affected vehicles

Ford Windstar199819992000200120022003