While this doesn’t apply to Florida, if you travel up north this news in the Detroit Free Press warns about a problem with the Ford 1999-2003 Windstar minivans.
On Monday, January 31, the Ford Motor Company recalled 425,288 of the vans registered in 22 cold-weather states, including Washington D.C., because of problems with the subframe bracket and mounts that can separate and cause the driver to lose control.
Last August Ford recalled about 600,000 1998-2003 Windstars in cold states where the rear axles were corroding and breaking due to the road salt used in certain states. The brackets and mounts are important because they hold the subframe which carries the front suspension, the engine, transmission, brakes, wheels and steering gear. Ford has reportedly had fewer than 100 complaints and owners can expect to receive a letter to bring the minivans into the dealer for an inspection. Ford will offer to buy back any van it cannot repair.
USA Today reports on a 28-year-old Massachusetts man who was killed in October when his rear axle broke and he lost control of the van, crashing it into a building. The family said they had no idea of the recall and received no information from Ford until after the crash.
Our condolences go out to the friends and family of this man.
When a product is defective, the manufacturer and distributor can be held liable for producing a defective product. Farah & Farah’s Florida product liability attorneys will conduct a thorough investigation to find out the source of the defective automobile or component so we can advocate for you before the manufacturer. When you buy a product, there is an explicit promise that that product is safe and will work as advertised. A product liability action will hold a manufacturer to that promise.
