Ford to Buy Back Some Older Model Windstars

WASHINGTON - Ford Motor Co. has agreed to buy back some of its recalled older model Windstars that have corroded axles, reported The Detroit News.

In August, Ford said it would recall 462,750 1998-2003 Ford Windstar minivans over concerns that rear axles could corrode and fail.

This week, Ford told dealers it would buy back some vehicles — rather than repair them.

"At our discretion, the remedy we offer may involve repurchasing a customer's vehicle at a price we believe either matches or exceeds market value," Ford said in a fact sheet posted on the government's website.

Ford is notifying owners of the repurchase possibility in letters currently getting mailed.

Ford currently expects to have replacement axles in the first part of 2011. Until then, it is providing rental cars to customers to those with cracked or perforated axles noting it poses an increased risk of a crash. Customers will get to use the rental cars at no cost until the parts are available for the fix.

Ford won't buy back any vehicle purchased after Aug. 26 and will discontinue the repurchase offers as more replacement axles become available. Ford said it plans to repurchase primarily the oldest vehicles — and ones that have cracked or perforated axles.

Ford dealers have the parts to fix vehicles that don't have cracked or perforated axles.

The recall covers vans sold or registered in 21 "Salt Belt" states — including Michigan — and Washington, D.C.

Ford spokesman Wes Sherwood said Friday it wasn't clear how many vehicles Ford would buy back. He said the decisions would be made on a "case by case" basis.

The recall also covers about 113,000 Windstars in Canada.

Under the recall, Ford dealers will inspect and install rear axle reinforcement brackets in most cases.

In May, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration opened an investigation into the 1999-2003 Windstar after receiving 234 complaints alleging rear axle failure in Windstars, including two alleging that the failures resulted in minor crashes.

Many of the vehicles have more than 100,000 miles and there are concerns that after years of running, "corrosion can weaken the rear axle" and possibly crack it, leading to crashes.

In a Detroit News interview this week, NHTSA Administrator David Strickland praised Ford's action.

"With Ford making the decision to buy back (some) Windstars from this axle issue, we asked them to take a look back in August," Strickland said. The decision — and others by other automakers — show they are putting the safety of customers first.

NHTSA said 96 percent of the complaints were from "Salt-Belt" states — where state road agencies treat roadways during the winter.

The states covered by the recall where the vehicles were originally sold or now registered are: Connecticut, Delaware, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, West Virginia and Wisconsin, plus Washington, D.C.