NHTSA Complaint #10235758 — 2004 FORD E-SERIES

WE OWN A 2004 FORD FREESTAR WITH APPROXIMATELY 80,000MILES. ON JULY 18TH WE EXPERIENCED DIFFICULTY WITH THE AIR CONDITIONER WORKING PROPERLY. ON JULY 19TH THE CAR STRUGGLED TO GO UP HILL. ON JULY 20TH WE TOOK THE VEHICLE TO BOB DAVIDSON FORD DEALERSHIP 1845 JOPPA RD IN BALTIMORE, MARYLAND 21234 888-211-0807 ON JULY 21ST WE WERE INFORMED THAT OUR TRANSMISSION NEEDED TO BE REPLACED AT A COST OF OVER $3,000 IN ADDITION TO REPAIR FOR THE AIR CONDITIONING AT A COST OVER $1,000 WITH A MORE RECENT RESPONSE FROM THE DEALERSHIP THAT THE TOTAL REPAIR WAS NOW LISTED AT APPROXIMATELY $5,400.00 OR MORE. WE ARE SHOCKED TO SAY THE LEAST THAT OUR FREESTAR THAT IS BARELY 4YEARS OLD AND EVEN HAVE PURCHASED THE EXTENDED WARRANTY UP TO 60,000MILES OR FIVE YEARS "WHICHEVER CAME FIRST" AS I WAS REMINDED BY THE REPAIRSHOP REPRESENTATIVE, THAT THIS VEHICLE SHOULD NEED THIS TYPE OF REPAIR AT SUCH AN EARLY STAGE IN THE VEHICLE'S OWNERSHIP. THE COST MADE US SUSPECT AND WE SEARCHED ON LINE THROUGH CONSUMER REPORTS AND FOUND NUMEROUS COMPLAINTS WITH SIMILAR STORIES LIKE OUR OWN. AT THIS TIME WHEN ENERGY COSTS ARE AT AN ALL TIME HIGH AND WE HAVE A SON ABOUT TO ATTEND COLLEGE THIS ADDITIONAL OUTLAY OF CONSIDERABLE MONETARY FUNDS SEEMS COMPLETELY ABOVE WHAT IS REASONABLE. WE ARE STILL AWAITING A FINAL COST REPORT FROM THE FORD DEALERSHIP, BUT WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE REGISTERED A FORMAL COMPLAINT AS WE ARE CONFIDENT THAT THE 2004 FORD FREESTAR WILL BE RECALLED. IN ADDITION TO THIS CURRENT PROBLEM WE HAVE ALREADY HAD TO REPLACE THE BREAKS AND ENCOUNTERED ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS WITH THE SLIDING DOOR LOCKS. ANY INFORMATION YOU HAVE REGARDING THIS COMPLAINT WOULD BE MOST APPRECIATIVE. *TR