Ford Motor Co. said it is recalling 575,000 Windstar minivans in the U.S. and Canada because rear axles may corrode and break.
The voluntary recall affects 1998 to 2003 model-year Windstars in areas where road salt is used in cold weather, according to a notice today on the U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration�s Web site.
�After many years of vehicle service in these areas, corrosion can weaken the rear axle, making it susceptible to torsional stress,� Ford said in a report posted on NHTSA�s site.
Ford has received about 950 complaints alleging cracking in the rear axle, including seven that resulted in accidents causing three injuries, Said Deep, a Ford spokesman, said in a telephone interview.
The company will repair the recalled vehicles free of charge by installing brackets to reinforce the rear axle, Ford said in the statement.
The U.S. auto-safety agency opened an investigation into the defect in May after receiving 234 complaints alleging rear-axle failures.
- Bloomberg