The recent death of a Massachusetts man has put the spotlight on the Ford Motor Company and its handling of the recall of its Windstar minivan. The van itself was recalled back in August due to rear axles that could snap. The vans date from 1998 to 2003 and initially Ford was reluctant to issue the recall (as was the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration) as Ford insisted it wasn’t a safety issue.
The death of Sean Bowman, however, is certainly challenging that assertion and thanks to an ABC News report highlighting the family’s tragedy we now have some pretty shocking video of just what could happen when a rear axle breaks. The official government test video clearly shows just how dramatic and dangerous a snapping rear axle could be, with the side stability bars used on the car the only things preventing it from rolling over.
The death of Sean Bowman has caused Ford to reexamine the Windstar recall, and even expand it to include 37,000 move vehicles, including those in Utah – which are at risk due to extreme corrosion caused by road salt.
UPDATE: NHTSA is now investigating the Windstar for rusting subframe issues. Click here to read the story.
See the video after the jump:
The post Ford Windstar Rear Axle Failure Recall the Subject of ABC News Report [Video] appeared first on AutoGuide.com News.
