NHTSA Complaint #10273656 — 2005 FORD FREESTYLE

WE RECENTLY PURCHASED A 2005 FORD FREESTYLE. THE DASHBOARD GAUGES WILL RANDOMLY ALL BOTTOM OUT FOR A FEW SECONDS, AND THEN COME BACK ON. THIS HAPPENS AT LEAST ONCE NEARLY EVERYTIME WE DRIVE. OCCASIONALLY THE GAUGES WILL 'FREEZE' WHERE THEY ARE AND THE DASHBOARD LIGHTS (INCLUDING ODOMETER) WILL GO OUT. THIS LASTS FOR A FEW SECONDS, AND WHEN THE LIGHTS COME BACK ON, ALL OF THE GAUGES BOTTOM OUT FOR A FEW SECONDS AND THEN COME BACK ON. WHILE TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WHAT THE PROBLEM IS, WE DISCOVERED THAT THERE IS A COMMON DEFECT IN THE GAUGE CLUSTER AND AN ONLINE SEARCH REVEALS HUNDREDS OF COMPLAINTS ABOUT THIS. THERE IS AN OPEN INVESTIGATION, BUT NO RECALL TO DATE. THIS IS A SAFETY HAZARD DESPITE WHAT FORD SAYS, NOT KNOWING HOW FAST YOU ARE GOING (EVEN IF IT IS JUST FOR A FEW SECONDS) IS DANGEROUS, BUT THE WORST PART IS THE DISTRACTION WHEN YOU SEE YOUR GAUGES GOING CRAZY OUT OF THE CORNER OF YOUR EYE. DISTRACTED DRIVERS ARE NOT SAFE DRIVERS. THE DEALER TELLS US THEY'VE CHANGED DOZENS OF THESE, AND THE COST IS NEARLY $900! FOR AND THE NHTSA KNOW THIS IS A PROBLEM, FORD SHOULD TAKE RESPONSIBILITY AND MAKE IT RIGHT. *TR