The number of Ford Windstar minivans involved in the rear axle recall are estimated at about 575,000!! The 1998-2003 model year vans have suffered cracked and damaged rear axles, especially in the salt belt. Owners have been dropping them off at Ford dealers to be repaired, and according to a Ford rep, most of them will be back on the road this year. Another clump of them won’t be repaired until early next year, however, because they’re waiting on components that will arrive in two months. This means dealers just have to sit on growing fleets of aged Windstars, and Ford has to pay for that storage and the cost of rental cars for owners. In addition, this still doesn’t address the expanded investigation into front subframe corrosion.