Regina/ 14 miles South of Moose Jaw Saskatchewan | Sorry to hear about the mishap - glad no one was hurt.
I can see the point that Ford may not do anything financially - but I think you're right to be angry that they show no concern as to
what happened.... I'm not sure about the rules in the US - if this happened to me in Canada, as an engineer, there are certain obligations that come into play. 1) - if the vehicle's fixed, based on what happened to it in the past - there would be an obligation on the part of the engineer to disclose what had happened - as an engineer, there's an expectation of a higher duty of care/knowledge on something like this... 2) - Based on the knowledge of the engineer, that this isn't a normal mode of failure - I would email the transport regulatory people, (NTSB) copy Ford (both Head office & Blockman if you can find him/her) - with the email details you posted here. I'd offer them the axle to determine if it was an isolated/freak case, or if there is something more serious possible out there. I'd insist that they give you an answer one way or another to show that they'be been advised & have taken/ignored their responsibility.
I think Ford's lack of interest is unacceptable - they're not making tea cozies - they're making vehicles that if poorly designed can unnecessarily endanger people's lives. By ignoring your problem (again - not that you'd get anything financially - but at least to investigate) - they're making the case as to why auto manufacturer's need someone to oversee their products....
Again - that's the way things work up here as far as obligations... Good luck....
Doug W. |
Ford Windstar Broken Rear Axle Pictures
