NHTSA Complaint #10161513 — 2006 FORD FREESTAR

I WAS STANDING AT THE REAR OF MY SISTER'S NEW 2006 FORD FREESTAR VAN. MY 2 1/2 YEAR OLD SON WAS INSIDE THE VAN. THE VAN WAS NOT RUNNING. MY SON CLIMBED OVER THE FRONT SEAT FROM THE BACK SEAT AND PULLED DOWN ON THE SHIFTER LEVER CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO COME OUT OF GEAR AND ROLL BACKWARD OUT OF A GRADED DRIVEWAY. THE VAN STRUCK MY RIGHT LEG AND RIGHT ELBOW CAUSING MINOR INJURIES. AFTER GETTING THE VEHICLE STOPPED I NEEDED TO KNOW WHY THE VEHICLE CAME OUT OF GEAR, AS THIS COULD'VE BEEN A SMALL CHILD BEHIND THIS VEHICLE INSTEAD OF MYSELF, THE RESULTS OF WHICH WOULD'VE BEEN CATASTROPHIC. DURING MY INVESTIGATION OF THIS CIRCUMSTANCE; WHILE I HAD ASSUMED THAT YOU HAD TO DEPRESS THE BRAKE PEDAL IN ORDER TO RELEASE THE SHIFTER LEVER, I INSTEAD DISCOVERED THE FOLLOWING: -- 1. IF THE VEHICLE IS RUNNING AND IN PARK, YOU MUST DEPRESS THE BRAKE PEDAL TO RELEASE THE SAFETY FEATURE WHICH PREVENTS THE SHIFTER FROM COMING OUT OF GEAR. -- 2. IF THE VEHICLE IS NOT RUNNING, YOU ONLY HAVE TO TURN THE KEY ONE NOTCH TO RELEASE THE SAFETY FEATURE WHICH PREVENTS THE SHIFTER FROM COMING OUT OF GEAR. YOU DO NOT HAVE TO DEPRESS THE BRAKE PEDAL AT ALL !!! I HAVE SINCE QUESTIONED MANY OTHERS TO SEE IF THE SAME IS TRUE, AND WAS SHOCKED TO DISCOVER THAT THIS IS NOT THE ONLY VEHICLE IN WHICH THIS OCCURS. THIS IS A VERY SERIOUS DEFECT THAT THE PUBLIC ISN'T ROUTINELY AWARE OF, AND ONE THAT COULD POTENTIALLY KILL SOMEONE UNDER SIMILAR CIRCUMSTANCES. I HAVE COME TO THE CONCLUSION THAT THIS SUPPOSED SAFETY FEATURE POSES A FALSE SENSE OF SECURITY, AS I HAVE BELIEVED FOR MANY YEARS THAT THIS SAFETY FEATURE PREVENTED ACCIDENTAL SHIFTER ACTUATION. PLEASE LOOK INTO THIS OR MAKE IT KNOWN TO THE PUBLIC ABOUT WHAT COULD OCCUR UNDER SIMILAR (AND ALL TOO COMMON) CIRCUMSTANCES. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME AND ATTENTION TO THIS VERY VALID CONCERN. I LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING A PUBLISHED WARNING, OR PERHAPS EVEN A GLOBAL RECALL, THAT ADDRESSES THIS POTENTIAL DANGER IN THE VERY NEAR FUTURE. *JB