2002 Ford Windstar Tires & Wheels Problems

The rear axle of my 2002 Ford Windstar completely fractured while traveling on Interstate 75. The rear axle broke while driving about 60 miles per hour on Interstate 75 in Florida. By the grace of GOD my passenger and I survived. In attempting to stop, the van hit the guard rail on the Highway. I was able to keep the van in the right lane. The van gave us NO warning. While waiting for the AAA tow truck, a Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT} patrol vehicle stop to ensure we were alright. The FDOT driver inspected the Windstar, took pictures and stated he has never seen a broken rear axle like that before.

My tire starting making a whistle screech sound and a sway and I look under my tire is crooked and my axel beam was cracked. Thankfully my kids were not with me and no one was hurt

I TOOK MY VEHICLE TO FORDS AND THEY SAY MY BRACKET GUARD NEAR REAR AXLE IS DEFECTED AND WAS UNDER FORD RECALL AND THAT IT IS A SAFETY HAZARD , THOUGH WHEN TERRY HENDRICKS FORD SENT IN A CLAIM THEY SAD IT HAD EXPIRED ALTHOUGH I NEED IT RECALLED FOR REPAIR

AS I WAS DRIVING ON A CITY STREET THE REAR AXLE BROKE AFTER I TURNED RIGHT.

REAR AXLE BROKEN. MECHANIC AT BELL TIRE IT WAS RELATED TO THE RECALL ISSUE WITH THAT PART. HE ALSO SHOWED ME ANOTHER AREA OF CONCERN AROUND THE FRONT SUPPORTS WHICH IS ALSO RECALL RELATED. I AM NOT A MECHANIC SO DON'T EXPECT THIS INFORMATION TO BE ALL TECHNICAL.

WINDSTAR FORD 2002 TIRES THEY JUST KEEP GOING DOWN VERY QUICK NO HOLES HAD A BLOW OUT AN WRECKED INTO A TREE WITH THESE TIRES BAD TIRES ENDED UP SEAT BELT CUT MY NECK AN SEAT BELT CUT MY 1 YEAR OLDS TESTACLES

GOODYEAR ASSURANCE TOURING TIRES DOT LOT IDENTIFIER: MDXO JD1R 4109 SIZE: P225 60 R16 PURCHASED AT SAM'S CLUB, DECEMBER 2010. I GOT FOUR (4) OF THESE TIRES ON MY 2002 FORD WINDSTAR VAN, ON DECEMBER 23, 2010. EARLY IN 2011, FORD HAD MY VAN FOR SIX (6) MONTHS (FIXING SEVERAL FORD RECALLS WITH AXLES AND SUSPENSION) SO THE TIRES DIDN'T GET MUCH MILEAGE UNTIL LATER IN 2011. IN 2012, I HAD ONE OF THE TIRES SEPARATE INTO CHUNKS ON THE HIGHWAY. THERE WAS NO OTHER DAMAGE, EXCEPT THE TIRE WAS HISTORY. I HAD IT REPLACED WITH ANOTHER TIRE OF THE SAME TYPE/MODEL. IN JULY OF 2013, I HAD TWO (2) MORE OF THE TIRES REPLACED BECAUSE THEY WERE "CUPPING" AND OUT OF ROUND. I HAD THE VAN CHECKED FOR CAMBER, CASTER, AND TOE-IN, AND IT WAS UP TO FACTORY SPECS. NO ALIGNMENT NECESSARY AND TIRES WERE MAINTAINED WITH CORRECT PRESSURE. TODAY, (09/05/2013) I AM HAVING THE 4TH TIRE REPLACED, BECAUSE IT IS BECOMING "OUT OF ROUND" AND "CUPPING" (I BELIEVE). THIS FAILURE CAUSES A VIBRATION THAT YOU WOULD NOT BELIEVE. THE LAST TIME SAM'S CLUB REPLACED THE TIRES (JUST TWO MONTHS AGO IN JULY 2013) THE INSTALLER SAID THAT THEY "HAVE HAD A LOT OF THESE TIRES SPONTANEOUSLY DESTROY THEMSELVES", AND THEY OPTED TO PUT GOODYEAR ASSURANCE "FUEL MAX" TIRES ON, IN LIEU OF THE DISCONTINUED "TOURING" MODEL. I CHECKED GOODYEAR'S WEBSITE, AND THE "TOURING" MODEL IS IN FACT, NOT DISCONTINUED. MAYBE SAM'S CLUB JUST STOPPED GETTING THEM BECAUSE THEY'RE TIRED OF REPLACING THEM? IF SAM'S CLUB HAS NO CONFIDENCE IN THE TOURING MODEL (AND IS OPTING TO REPLACE THEM WITH THE FUEL MAX MODEL) I AM BEGINNING TO THINK THAT THE LAST TOURING MODEL TIRE (REPLACED IN 2012) MAY DESTROY ITSELF, AS WELL. *JB

I WAS DRIVING TO WORK THIS MORNING AT ABOUT 50 MPH. I WENT OVER A BUMP ON THE ROAD AND MY REAR AXLE CRACKED IN HALF. I HAD LITTLE TO NO WARNING. *TR

MY WIFE HAS A MINIVAN THAT I HAD THE TIRES REPLACED ON WITHIN THE PAST TWO YEARS. I PURCHASED A SET OF 4 HIGH QUALITY MICHELIN TIRES WITH 75K WARRANTY FROM SEARS AT FAIR OAKS MALL IN FAIRFAX, VA. EARLIER THIS YEAR MY WIFE HAD A BLOW OUT AND I TOOK THE VEHICLE BACK TO SEARS FOR THEM TO INSPECT THE TIRE. ONCE THEY REMOVED THE TIRE THERE WAS NO INDICATION OF A PUNCTURE ANYWHERE ON THE TREAD OR SIDEWALL - I WAS A TIRE REPAIR TECHNICIAN BACK WHEN I WAS IN COLLEGE. I ASKED THE TECHNICIAN WHY THE TIRE WOULD HAVE BLOWN IF THERE WAS NOT A PUNCTURE, HE DIDN'T HAVE AN EXPLANATION. I ASKED IF THAT SHOULD BE COVERED UNDER THE MANUFACTURER WARRANT AND THEY SEEMED UNWILLING TO HELP. I ENDED UP BUYING ANOTHER TIRE FOR $150.00. THEN JUST THIS WEEKEND AS I WAS DRIVING I HEARD A HISSING SOUND COMING FROM THE LEFT FRONT TIRE. WHEN I GOT OUT OF THE VEHICLE I NOTICED THE TIRE WAS LEAKING AIR FROM THE VALVE STEM. I TOOK THE TIRE IN TO HAVE THE VALVE STEM REPLACED AND THEY MENTIONED TO US THERE HAS BEEN A RECALL ON VALVE STEMS. I BELIEVE THE PREVIOUS INCIDENT WAS ALSO CAUSED BY A VALVE STEM ISSUE SINCE THERE WAS NO OTHER INDICATION OF A PUNCTURE. I'M PLANNING TO HAVE ALL OF THE VALVE STEMS REPLACED ON THE REMAINING TIRES SO THAT MY WIFE WILL NOT SUFFER A BLOW OUT WITH OUR 3 CHILDREN IN THE VAN. I THINK THERE NEEDS TO BE A GREATER CAMPAIGN ON THIS ISSUE TO INCREASE AWARENESS AS IT COULD POTENTIALLY IMPACT ALL 4 TIRES ON A VEHICLE. *TR

I PURCHASED NEW 4 TIRES FROM SEARS AUTO CENTER IN DULLES, VA ON 1/46/07 WHICH THEY INSTALLED ON OUR 2002 FORD WINDSTAR. MY WIFE, 3 YEAR DAUGHTER AND MYSELF WERE TRAVELING ON INTERSTATE I81ON 4/24/08 WITH THIS FORD WINDSTAR EXPERIENCED A FRONT PASSENGER SIDE TIRE BLOW OUT. IT WAS A GOOD THING I WAS THE DRIVER AND NOT MY WIFE AS THIS COULD OF BEEN TRAGIC!! I QUICKLY PULLED IT ON THE HIGHWAYS SHOULDER AFTER TRAVELING AT 70 MPH. I REPLACED THE BLOWN TIRE WITH THE TEMPORARY SPARE. WE THEN PROCEEDED TO HAVE IT REPLACED. THE SEARS AUTO CENTER IN WINCHESTER, VA TOLD US THEY DID NOT CARRY THAT EXACT TIRE AND DID NOT HAVE ONE WITH THE SAME SPEED RATING AND CAN NOT LEGALLY INSTALL ONE THE DOESN'T MATCH THE REST. WE NEEDED TO GET HOME TO OUR TWO CHILDREN WHO WERE COMING HOME FROM SCHOOL, THEREFORE, WE WERE FORCED TO PURCHASE TWO NEW TIRES ALONG WITH FEES ASSOCIATED WITH DOING SO. WE DIDN'T KNOW WHAT CAUSED THIS TIRE BLOW OUT AND THE SEARS TECHNICIAN WAS BAFFLED AS HE SAID HE FOUND NO HOLES OR PUNCTURE IN THE BLOWN TIRE. THE TWO FRONT TIRES ARE NOW NEW AND THE TWO REAR TIRES WERE STILL IN PLACE FROM THE ORIGINAL 4 TIRE PURCHASE ON 1/6/07. ON 6/12/2008 WE EXPERIENCED A SUDDEN LOSS OF TIRE PRESSURE ON THE PASSENGER SIDE REAR TIRE AND THE TIRES VALVE STEM WAS HISSING FROM A SUDDEN CRACK THAT HAD FORMED. I HAD THE STEM REPLACED AT WALMART IN FRONT ROYAL, VA. ON 6/27/08 I HAD THE LAST OF THE ORIGINAL TIRES HAVE A SUDDEN VALVE STEM FAILURE CAUSING INSTANT PRESSURE LOSS. I WAS NOW SUSPECTING THE VALVE STEMS MUST HAVE A MAJOR FLAW AND REQUESTED THAT THE WALMART TECHNICIAN GIVE ME THE FAILED VALVE STEM AFTER HE REPLACED IT. AFTER I RETURNED HOME FROM GETTING THIS REPAIRED, I RESEARCHED ON THE INTERNET FOR ANY TIRE VALVE STEM RECALLS AND I DISCOVERED THE TECH INTERNATIONAL RECALL UNDER YOUR INVESTIGATION CAMPAIGN ID 08T018000. I HAVE SAVED THIS REMAINING STEM WITH THE PART NUMBER DILL-ACP TR413 ON THE BASE. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 FORD WINDSTAR. WHILE DRIVING BETWEEN 60-70 MPH UNDER ANY CONDITIONS, THE VEHICLE VIBRATES. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHO STATED THAT THE RIMS WERE WARPED. THE CAUSE OF FAILURE WAS DISCOVERED WHEN THE DEALER CHANGED THE TIRES. THE UNBALANCED ROTATION CAUSED THE VEHICLE TO VIBRATE. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 63,000.

BLOWOUT ON HIGHWAY ON (GOODYEAR VIVA TOURING )PURCHASED AT WALMART WASHINGTON MISSOURI. INCURRED $377.00 BILL, NEW TIRE AND TOWING BILL. NEITHER GOODYEAR OR WAL MART WILL TAKE RESPONSIBILITY. WIFE AND DAUGHTER IN VEHICLE THANK GOD NOBODY WAS HURT. BLOWOUT IN 2002 FORD WINDSTAR, LESS THAN 15,000 ON TIRE. THANK YOU *JB

WHILE DRIVING MY 2002 FORD WINDSTAR I NOTICED THAT THERE WAS SOME VIBRATION COMING FROM THE FRONT OF THE CAR. ONCE I PULLED INTO OUR HOTEL I NOTICE A RATTLING COMING FROM THE LEFT FRONT HUB CAP. WHEN I PULLED THE HUBCAP OFF THREE OF THE LUG NUT SUDS WERE SHEARED OFF. FORD FIXED THE PROBLEM BUT COULD NOT TELL ME WHY THIS HAPPENED. THIER THEORY IS THAT THE TIRE WAS NOT PROPERLY PUT BACK ON. THE ONLY TIME THE TIRE WAS OFF WAS IN JULY OF 2002. MY FEELING IS THAT IF THE WHEEL WAS NOT PUT ON PROPERLY IT WOULD NOT TAKE A YEAR TO NOTICE. I MAY BE WRONG BUT I WANT TO BRING THIS TO YOUR ATTENTION IN CASE THERE ANY OTHER INSTANCES OF THIS HAPPENING. THANK YOU. *AK