NHTSA Complaint #10189215 — 2005 FORD FREESTAR

WE PURCHASED THIS VEHICLE NEW FROM THE DEALER IN SEPTEMBER 2005. IN THE WINTER OF 05-06, THE DOORS MALFUNCTIONED ON REPEATED OCCASIONS. WE HAD OVER 3 INSTANCES WHERE THE EXTREME COLD WOULD CAUSE THE AUTOMATIC DOOR FEATURE TO OPEN AND CLOSE THE DOORS RANDOMLY, EVEN WHILE THE CAR WAS IN TRANSIT. THERE WAS ONE INSTANCE IN WHERE BOTH SIDE PASSENGER DOORS OPENED IN THE MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT, EVEN THOUGH THE DOORS HAD BEEN LOCKED WHEN WE CHECKED THEM. WE ALSO HAD AN INSTANCE IN WHERE THE REAR DOOR OPENED IN OUR FRIEND'S DRIVEWAY AT NIGHT, WHEN THE TEMPERATURE WENT BELOW 0. WE FOUND THE ONLY WAY TO GUARANTEE THE DOORS STAY CLOSED IN THE WINTER IS TO DISENGAGE THE AUTOMATIC DOOR OPENER FEATURE. WE BROUGHT THE CAR TO OUR DEALER AND WE WERE TOLD THEY COULD FIND NO ISSUE WITH THE CAR. IN EARLY 2007, NEW JERSEY EXPERIENCED A COLD SPELL WHICH RESULTED IN BELOW FREEZING TEMPERATURES. IT WAS AT THIS TIME THAT WHILE MY HUSBAND WAS GETTING SOMETHING OUT OF THE BACK OF THE VAN, THE HYDRAULIC FEATURE FAILED AND SLAMMED THE DOOR ON HIS HEAD. HE DID NOT SUFFER LIFE-THREATENING INJURIES, BUT DID GET BUMPED AND BRUISED. WE CONTACTED THE DEALER, BECAUSE IN 2006 THE HYDRAULICS HAD TO BE REPLACED DUE TO A RECALL AND WE DID SO, AND THE DEALER HAD US BRING THE CAR IN FOR SERVICING AGAIN. ONCE THE SYSTEM WAS REPLACED FOR THE SECOND TIME, WE WERE TOLD BY FORD THAT WITH EXTREME TEMPERATURE CHANGE, THIS ISSUE CAN OCCUR YEAR AFTER YEAR AND THERE IS NOTHING WE CAN DO ABOUT IT. I FIND THIS TERRIBLE CONSIDERING I ONLY LIVE IN NEW JERSEY, NOT ALASKA. MY CAR'S HYDRAULIC SYSTEM SHOULD NOT FAIL EVERY TIME IT GETS COLD, AND EVEN WORSE, I WAS TOLD THAT ONCE MY WARRANTY EXPIRES, IT WILL BE ON ME TO KEEP REPLACING THE PARTS THAT FREEZE. I AM LUCKY MY CHILDREN WERE NOT IN HARMS WAY WHEN MY HUSBAND WAS KNOCKED IN THE HEAD BY THE FALLING DOOR, BUT NOW I AM NERVOUS ABOUT USING THIS CAR IN THE WINTER MONTHS BECAUSE FORD HAS GUARANTEED THIS PROBLEM WILL BE A RECURRING ISSUE. *TR