NHTSA Complaint #10177519 — 2004 FORD FREESTAR

WIFE'S VAN. REPORTED THAT IN COLD WEATHER IT WOULD START HARD. RECENTLY WHILE DRIVING TO WORK IT BUCKED SEVERAL TIMES. WAS ABLE TO GET TO WORK. INFORMED ME OF THE PROBLEM WHERE I WENT TO CHECK VAN. IT WOULDN'T START AFTER 5 ATTEMPTS, THEN IT STARTED UP BUT WAS A HARD START. AT THE SAME TIME CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON. DECIDED TO TOW IT TO DEALER. FLAT BED CAME BUT COULDN'T GET TO VAN. TO ASSIST IN POSITIONING VAN FOR FLATBED; VAN STARTED ON FIRST TRY BUT NOW WHEN IT WAS PUT INTO GEAR, IT DIDN'T MOVE. EITHER FORWARD OR REVERSE. WE PUSHED IT INTO POSITION. TOOK TO DEALER WHERE NOW IT WENT INTO GEAR TO OFFLOAD IT FROM FLAT BED. DEALER STATED WHEN THEY DEPRESSED THE BRAKE, ALL DASH LIGHTS LIT UP. STATED IT WAS A DEAD SHORT THEY HAD TO TRACE THE WIRING. RECEIVED CALL 2 DAYS LATER, DEALER TELLING ME THEY HAVE TO DROP THE TRANSMISSION. WHICH THEY DID, I SAW IT ON A STAND, STRIPPED OF ALL INNER COMPONENTS. WAS TOLD SINCE IT'S UNDER WARRANTY (26,000 MILES), THEY ARE GOING TO REPLACE EVERYTHING THAT LOOKS REMOTELY WRONG. BEEN A WEEK AND STILL WAITING FOR ANSWERS. *JB