NHTSA Complaint #10254903 — 2006 FORD FIVE HUNDRED

ON JAN 8, 2009, I HAD TRAVELED APPROXIMATELY 1050 MILES FROM OKLAHOMA TO OHIO. WHILE IN OHIO, 6 INCHES OF SNOW HAD FALLEN, AND THE ROADS WERE SLICK WITH SNOW AND ICE. IN PREPARING FOR MY RETURN TRIP ON JAN 11, THE TRACTION CONTROL AND ABS WARNING LIGHTS CAME ON, AND THERE WAS A SIGNIFICANT CHANGE IN CONTROL AND BRAKING IN THE VEHICLE. UPON DRIVING FURTHER, THE TRANSMISSION WARNING LIGHT CAME ON, AND THE VEHICLE WENT INTO REVERSE WITH A HUGE "BANG" SOUND AND VIBRATION. THE VEHICLE'S CVT TRANSMISSION WOULD NOT CHANGE GEARS IN DRIVE WHEN THE TRANSMISSION LIGHT WAS ILLUMINATED. UPON TURNING THE VEHICLE OFF, AND BACK ON, ALL LIGHTS WOULD GO OFF, AND COME BACK ON WITHIN 5 MINUTES. AFTER THE 6TH RESTART, THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AS WELL. THE TRANSMISSION LIGHT, AFTER A FEW RESTARTS, DID NOT COME BACK ON. HOWEVER, THE ABS, TRACTION CONTROL AND CHECK ENGINE LIGHTS STAYED ON FOR APPROXIMATELY 650 MILES. AFTER THAT TIME, ALL LIGHTS WENT OUT, BUT THE RPMS WENT FROM 2000 TO 3500 ON THEIR OWN WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS IN CRUISE CONTROL ON A FLAT ROAD. THAT CORRECTED ITSELF ABOUT 100 MILES LATER. UPON TAKING THE VEHICLE TO A DEALER ON MY RETURN, THEY TOLD ME THAT SINCE NO LIGHTS WERE ON, AND THE VEHICLE WAS NOW ACTING NORMALLY, THEY COULD NOT DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM. MY FACTORY WARRANTY EXPIRES IN 14 DAYS, AND I AM NOT SURE IF I'LL BE ABLE TO DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM TO THE DEALER BY THAT TIME. THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT BLAMED THE MALFUNCTION ON THE COLD WEATHER AND THE SNOW, BUT THE AWD VEHICLE WITH TRACTION CONTROL WAS, TO MY KNOWLEDGE, MANUFACTURED TO DEAL WITH SNOW AND COLD WEATHER. ONE DOES NOT NEED AWD, TRACTION CONTROL OR ABS DURING DRY, WARM DAYS. *TR