1 9 9 8 -2 0 0 3 Ford W indstar 1 9 9 8 2 0 0 3 Ford W indstar Rear Axle Beam C Corrosion Failure i F il W ebEx Presentation to Ford Safety Office PE1 0 -0 1 6 0 7 / 2 1 / 2 0 1 0 1
1998-2003 Ford Windstar Rear Axle B Beam Corrosion Failure C i F il The test vehicle was prepared by creating a release mechanism for the Th t t hi l d b ti l h i f th rear axle, installing two five-point harnesses, a V-Box III data collection system, and titanium outriggers. The front outrigger was set at 12 inches and the rear outrigger was set at 14 inches (puck clearance to ground). The test was conducted on the Vehicle Dynamics Area (VDA) at TRCPG by accelerating to 35 mph in a y ( ) y g p straight line and intercepting a 300-ft radius circle course, then releasing the rear axle “fork plate” releasing the rear axle fork plate . 2
http://trcpg.com/facilitydynamics.asp Intended path on test track 3
4 Removed axle to modify for testing
VRTC fork plate Two of the dowel pins were drilled and fitted with spring-loaded plastic cotter pins plastic cotter pins 5
Release mechanism and test setup as viewed from rear of vehicle 6
VRTC rear axle release system – initial weld pattern 7
VRTC rear axle release system – final weld pattern 8
Windstar and chase vehicle Freestar prior to test 9
10 Contour HD 1080P cameras
play video Windstar_Rear_Axle_Test-2010-07-08-FINAL.wmv 11
Actual Windstar path from V-Box GPS data plotted in Google Earth 12
13 View from chase vehicle camera
14 View from chase vehicle camera
15 View from panning camera
16 View from underneath camera
17 Post-test view of left front
18 Post-test view of left rear
19 Post-test view of left-rear wheel well
20 Post-test view of right rear
21 Post-test view of right-rear wheel well
Post-test view of right-rear wheel from rear of vehicle 22
Post-test view of right-rear wheel from front 23
24 Post-test view of right front
25 Post-test view from below rear axle
Post-test close-up view of right-side axle against floor pan 26
VOQs on the 1998-2003 Ford Windstar R Rear Axle Beam Corrosion Failures A l B C i F il • 473 VOQs on rear axle failures 473 VOQ l f il • 6 alleged crashes • 2 alleged injuries • Numerous loss of control incidents • 1 rollover 27
28 VOQ 10334753
29 VOQ 10327329
30 VOQ 10327329
31 VOQ 10331092
32 VOQ 10331092
33 VOQ 10331092
The incident was 23 days and 2,291 miles after . . . 34
35 VOQ 10331092
Crash site along service roadway near freeway ramp 36
37 Post-crash view of left front
38 Post-test view of left rear
39 Post-crash view of left-rear wheel well
40 Post-crash view of left-rear wheel well
41 Post-crash view of right rear
Post-crash view of right-rear wheel well 42 Laboratory and cell-phone videos of key turn speed
43 Post-crash view of right front
44 Post-crash view underneath vehicle
45 Post-crash view underneath vehicle
Post-crash view underneath vehicle showing axle fracture 46
Crash site along service roadway near freeway ramp 47
Crash site along service roadway near freeway ramp 48
Crash site along service roadway near freeway ramp 49
Crash site along service roadway near freeway ramp 50
Crash site along service roadway near freeway ramp 51
52 Post-crash view of right front
53 Discussion
For more information contact: Daniel Pearse T Transportation Safety Engineer t ti S f t E i United States Department of Transportation National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Vehicle Research and Test Center Vehicle Research and Test Center Defects Analysis Group Post Office Box B37 10820 State Route 347 10820 State Route 347 East Liberty, OH 43319-0337 937-666-4511 x267 dan.pearse@dot.gov 54
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