NHTSA Complaint #10344747 — 2005 FORD FREESTYLE

RE-EXPERIENCING ELECTRICAL INSTRUMENT CLUSTER PROBLEMS. BATTERY AND ALTERNATOR REPLACED 6/2008 WHEN CAR DEAD IN DRIVEWAY. 8 MONTHS LATER 4/2009 ELECTRICAL GAUGES FAIL AND RESET AND SAME LOCAL MECHANIC REPLACED FUSES. TWO MONTHS LATER 6/2009 GAUGES CONTINUE TO FAIL AND RESET LEADING DEALER, REFERENCING TSB, TO REPLACE WITH NEW INSTRUMENT CLUSTER. LUCKILY COVERED UNDER EXTENDED WARRANTY. MILEAGE THEN 63,000. IN LAST YEAR THE CAR RUNNING FINE UNTIL MONTH AGO JUNE /JULY 2010 WHEN ELECTRICAL GAUGES CONTINUOUSLY STOPPING AND RESETTING ON HIGHWAY WITH AND WITHOUT A/C RUNNING MOSTLY WITHIN FIRST 30 MINUTES OF DRIVING. ALSO, SUBTLE ENGINE DELAY AND FANLIKE SOUNDS COMING FROM UNDERNEATH EXPERIENCED DURING AND AFTER THESE EPISODES. WHILE ON VACATION WITH THESE PROBLEMS, TWO LOCAL MECHANICS SUGGESTED BAD ALTERNATOR BUT TOOK TO ANOTHER NY FORD DEALER WHO DIAGNOSED AND REPLACED ALLEGED LEAKING BATTERY WHICH WAS ONLY 2 YR OLD BATTERY. OF COURSE, DID NOT CORRECT PROBLEM. SYMPTOMS OF ELECTRICAL FAILURE AND RESET ARE DAILY NOW AND EXTERNAL LIGHTS DIMMING ON OFF. CALLING BACK ORIGINAL DEALER FOR DIAGNOSIS AND NEXT STEPS. EXTENDED WARRANTY NOW EXPIRED. VERY CONCERNED THAT CAR ELECTRICAL POWER WILL SHUT DOWN ON HIGHWAY WHILE TRAVELING WITH 3 CHILDREN. 76,000 MILES. *TR