Owners of Recalled Ford Windstars Urged To Have Vehicles Checked for Rear-Axle Flaw

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Nov. 17 advised owners of Ford Windstar minivans to have their vehicles checked for signs of rear-axle corrosion.

Nearly 463,000 Windstar minivans, 1998–2003 models in salt-belt states, were recalled in August (NHTSA Recall #10V-385) to fix a defect that can cause the rear axle to weaken and crack after exposure to road salt (38 PSLR 928, 9/6/10). A fractured axle can affect handling and increase the risk of a crash.

The agency opened an investigation in May (PE 10-016) (38 PSLR 540, 5/24/10). The rear-axle beam is described as an inverted ...