NHTSA Complaint #10278143 — 2005 FORD FREESTAR

I WAS DRIVING MY 2005 FORD FREESTAR SE W/3.9L V6 ENGINE ON MI HWY M-29 JUST NORTH OF ALGONAC, MICHIGAN. I WAS DRIVING ABOUT 45 MPH, AND AT ONE POINT, I WAS PRESSING THE ACCELERATOR AND THE VAN WAS SLOWING DOWN. I COASTED OVER TO THE SHOULDER AND STOPPED MY FREESTAR SAFELY, WITHOUT ANY DAMAGE TO PROPERTY. I TRIED SHIFTING INTO REVERSE, BUT NO ENGAGEMENT OF THE TRANSMISSION TOOK PLACE. THERE WAS ALSO NO ENGAGEMENT IN FORWARD GEARS 1 OR 3. I WAS "FOUND OFF ROAD DEAD". :-) I HAD VAN TOWED HOME TO SAINT CLAIR SHORES (37 MILES) AT A COST OF $50 TO ALLSTATE ROAD SERVICE AND $116.25 OUT-OF-MY-POCKET. I HAD MY VAN TOWED AGAIN (COVERED UNDER ALLSTATE'S $50 LIMIT) TO MY SELLING DEALER, ROY O'BRIEN FORD, ALSO IN SAINT CLAIR SHORES. I WAS INFORMED LATE THE NEXT DAY THAT TO DIAGNOSE THE PROBLEM WOULD COST $850. THEN THE TECH GAVE MORE INFO TO MY SERVICE WRITER THAT HE THOUGHT THE TORQUE CONVERTER SPLINES WERE STRIPPED. REVISED ESTIMATE WAS $1525 TO REMOVE THE TRANSMISSION, PULL THE TORQUE CONVERTER AND REPLACE SAME AND REINSTALL THE TRANSMISSION. THE TRANSMISSION PAN WAS "DROPPED' FOR EXAMINATION, SCREEN AND GASKET CHANGE, AND NEW TRANS FLUID WAS ADDED TO FILL THE SYSTEM AGAIN. ACTUAL OUTLAY TODAY WAS $1524.72. I HAD NO WARNING THAT I WAS ABOUT TO LOSE POWER TO THE WHEELS. I'M GLAD I WAS ON A QUIET SEMI-RURAL ROAD WITH HOMES AROUND. ONE HOMEOWNER CHECKED ON MY WIFE AND I TO SEE IF WE WERE OK. HE EVEN OFFERED TO LET ME USE HIS LAVATORY. AT LEAST THERE IS SOME KINDNESS LEFT. THE PHONE CALL TO ALLSTATE WAS EXASPERATING, AS THE CALL CENTER STAFFER WAS USING A PAPER MAP OF MICHIGAN AND HAD NO IDEA WHERE WE WERE. BEING STUCK ON A SUNDAY EVENING AFTER BUSINESS HOURS COULD HAVE BEEN VERY EERIE. EVERYTHING TURNED OUT OK, BUT AT A SUBSTANTIAL COST. *TR