NHTSA Complaint #10212686 — 2004 FORD FREESTAR

THE FIRST TIME WE EXPERIENCED PROBLEMS WITH OUR 2004 FORD FREESTAR (APPROXIMATELY 38,000 MILES)WAS IN APRIL OF 2007. WE WERE EXPERIENCING MANY PROBLEMS RELATED TO THE TRANSMISSION. WE TOOK THE VEHICLE IN TO OUR DEALERSHIP AND WAS TOLD THAT A DEAD MOUSE WAS CAUSING THE PROBLEMS. THE NEXT TIME THE PROBLEMS WERE THE SAME, BUT THEY COULDN'T FIND ANYTHING WRONG WITH THE VAN WHEN TAKEN INTO THE DEALER. THE THIRD TIME, THEY SAID THE TORQUE CONVERTER NEEDED REPLACED. AT THIS TIME THEY KEPT OUR VAN FOR THREE DAYS WAITING FOR FORD TO GET BACK TO THEM BECAUSE THE LOCAL DEALER DIDN'T UNDERSTAND WHAT WAS WRONG WITH IT. THEY FIXED IT BY REPLACING THE TORQUE CONVERTER....$1109 LATER. THE FIRST TWO VISITS AMOUNTED TO APPROXIMATELY $400.00 I SHOULD ADD THE FIRST TIME IT STOPPED WORKING, MY WIFE AND TWO YOUNG CHILDREN WERE DRIVING IN A NOT SO HOT PART OF TOWN AND HAD TO PULL INTO A SEEDY AREA. CARS WERE HONKING THEIR HORNS AND YELLING AT MY WIFE TO MOVE. OUR LITTLEST CHILD WAS CRYING AND EXTREMELY UPSET. I WAS ABLE TO GET TO THEM AND WE DROVE THE SPUTTERING VAN HOME WHERE WE HAD IT TOWED. THE SECOND TIME WE WERE LUCKY. MY WIFE WAS IN HER WORK PARKING LOT. THE THIRD TIME WE WERE EVEN LUCKIER...WE WERE HOME. THE FOURTH TIME WE WERE COMING HOME (JUST TO LET YOU KNOW...IT WAS CHRISTMAS) WE HAD THE SAME THINGS HAPPEN..SPUTTERING, JERKING OF THE TRANSMISSION, ENGINE SHUT OFF. ALL TIMES WE HAD TO HAVE THE VAN TOWED. MY WIFE IS TERRIFIED TO DRIVE IT IN FEAR THAT WHEN WE PULL OUT OF OUR DRIVEWAY, SHE AND THE CHILDREN MAY BE HIT AND KILLED. WE LIVE IN BETWEEN TWO HILLS OF A VERY BUSY ROAD. THIS ROAD IS FREQUENTED BY DUMP TRUCKS AND LANDFILL TRUCKS! NOT ONLY HAVE WE SPENT AN EXTREME AMOUNT OF MONEY ON THE VAN, WE READ WERE MANY FAMILIES HAVE EXPERIENCED THE SAME THING. MY WIFE HAD ALWAYS FELT SAFE IN A FORD....NOT ANY MORE. WE NEED HELP FROM WHOEVER CAN HELP US. PLEASE, LET'S STOP FORD BEFORE SOMEONE GETS KILLED. *TR