NHTSA Complaint #10350208 — 2007 FORD FREESTYLE

I TOOK MY FORD FREESTYLE INTO THE DEALER TODAY TO HAVE IT LOOKED AT BECAUSE IT WAS LURCHING AND NOT GETTING ENOUGH POWER. IT WAS DIAGNOSED WITH ...BAD THROTTLE BODY...AND THE MECHANIC HAD THE NERVE TO SUGGEST THAT IT ONLY HAPPENS TO CARS THAT AREN'T MAINTAINED PROPERLY BY THE OWNERS. I EXPLAINED THAT MINE IS WELL MAINTAINED AND I HAVE RECORDS TO SHOW FOR IT, THEN HE GAVE ME THE WONDERFUL NEWS THAT IT WOULD ONLY COST ME $1,188.93 TO FIX IT. HE ACTED LIKE IT WAS A REAL RARITY FOR THIS TO HAPPEN AND THAT I WAS GETTING A HUGE DEAL. HE EVEN CHARGED ME $99 FOR THE PRIVILEGE OF DIAGNOSING THE PROBLEM. THEN HE CAME BACK TO ME AND WARNED ME THAT IT COULD STOP OR "THE ENGINE COULD SEIZE" IF I DROVE IT STILL. WHEN I WOULDN'T TAKE THE BAIT, HE CALLED ME LATER AT HOME AND SUGGESTED THEY COULD GIVE ME A SMALL DISCOUNT FOR THE REPAIR. THEN HE ONCE AGAIN WARNED THAT IT'S VERY UNSAFE TO DRIVE. BY THE WAY, I'M A SINGLE WOMAN AND THE CAR HAS ONLY 47K ON IT. I'M FEELING PRETTY CONFIDENT THAT THE INCREASED COST WAS ASSOCIATED WITH MY GENDER...SO, WHAT OTHERS WERE TOLD WOULD COST THEM ABOUT $700 OR SO, I WAS INFORMED WOULD BE ALMOST $1,200 - GUESS IT'S MORE EXPENSIVE TO FIX THE PROBLEM WHEN A WOMAN IS THE PRIMARY DRIVER!!! WHEN I GOOGLED THE FREESTYLE NAME I FOUND OUT THAT THIS PROBLEM IS VERY VERY COMMON WITH OTHER VEHICLE OWNERS. I'M SERIOUSLY DISGUSTED THAT FORD AND THEIR REPRESENTATIVES WOULD TRY TO COVER UP OR IGNORE THIS PROBLEM AND EVEN ALLOW DRIVERS BACK ON THE ROAD WHEN THIS TYPE OF THING IS OCCURRING. IT'S AN ACCIDENT WAITING TO HAPPEN. *TR