NHTSA Complaint #10314791 — 2005 FORD FREESTYLE

REQUEST TO RE-OPEN NHTSA DEFECT INVESTIGATION #PE07058 - INSTRUMENT CLUSTER FAILURE: ELECTRICAL SYSTEM: INSTRUMENT PANEL THE NHTSA SHOULD RE-OPEN THE NHTSA DEFECT INVESTIGATION #PE07058 BECAUSE THE CAR'S REVERSE LIGHTS INCORRECTLY TURN ON DURING THIS PROBLEM AND SEEM TO BE RELATED THIS ISSUE. FORD'S OWN TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETINS (TSB #0662 AND TSB #06179) EVEN STATE THAT THE REVERSE LIGHTS ARE PART OF THE PROBLEM. WE HAVE SEEN THIS PROBLEM FIRST HAND. MY FORD 2005 FREESTYLE IS EXPERIENCING THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER FAILURE PROBLEM RESEARCHED IN NHTSA DEFECT INVESTIGATION #PE07058 AND CAUSES THE CAR'S REVERSE LIGHTS TO COME ON WHILE CAR IS DRIVING FORWARD OR IN PARK. WE HAVE WITNESSED THE REVERSE LIGHTS COME ON WHILE THE CAR IS IN PARK AND ALSO WHEN THE CAR IS DRIVING FORWARD. THIS IS IN CONTRADICTION TO THE DEFECT INVESTIGATION THAT SAID THE EXTERIOR LIGHTS WERE NOT AFFECTED. QUOTE FROM #PE07058: "... FORD STATES, "THE VEHICLE'S EXTERIOR LIGHTING WOULD NOT FAIL TO ILLUMINATE EVEN IN THE EVENT OF POWER INTERRUPTION TO THE CLUSTER BECAUSE THE EXTERIOR LIGHTS ARE POWERED SEPARATELY AND DO NOT RELY ON ANY SIGNAL FROM THE CLUSTER."ADDITIONALLY, ODI CONTACTED COMPLAINANTS WHO AFFIRMED THE INTERMITTENT CONDITION AND THAT NONE OF THE EXTERIOR LIGHTS ON THE SUBJECT VEHICLES WOULD BE AFFECTED BY POWER INTERRUPTIONS TO THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER. HERE ARE FORD'S TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETINS THAT CONTRADICT YOUR RESEARCH FINDINGS: TSB #0662 -- INTERMITTENT INSTRUMENT CLUSTER GAUGE SWEEP/RESET - MULTIPLE WARNING LIGHTS ON - REVERSE LIGHTS ON - VEHICLES BUILT BEFORE 2/17/2006. *TT (NHTSA ID #10019951, JANUARY 01 2006) TSB #06179 -- INTERMITTENT INSTRUMENT CLUSTER OPERATION - INCLUDING GAUGES SWEEP/RESET - MULTIPLE WARNING LIGHTS ILLUMINATED AND/OR REVERSE LIGHTS STAY ON. THIS APPLIES TO VEHICLES BUILT BEFORE 02-17-06. *KB (NHTSA ID #10021037, NO DATE PROVIDED). *TR