NHTSA Complaint #10351975 — 2005 FORD FREESTYLE

FOR SEVERAL MONTHS WE HAD NOTICED THAT WHEN WE SHIFTED OUR VEHICLE INTO GEAR (FORWARD OR REVERSE) THE CAR WOULD LURCH FORWARD/BACKWARD AS WE CAME OFF THE BRAKE. SEVERAL WEEKS AGO, MY WIFE HAD THE VEHICLE IN LINE AT MY DAUGHTERS ELEMENTARY SCHOOL DRIVEWAY WAITING TO PICK HER UP. AS SHE RELEASED PRESSURE ON THE BRAKE, THE VEHICLE UNEXPECTEDLY JUMPED FORWARD AND SHE NEEDED TO SLAM ON THE BRAKES TO STOP IT. THE ENGINE THEN WENT INTO "FAILSAFE MODE" AND RAN ON DIMINISHED PERFORMANCE UNTIL SHE WAS ABLE TO GET THE VEHICLE HOME. UPON EXAMINATION, IT WAS DETERMINED THAT THE THROTTLE BODY NEEDED TO BE REPLACED ON A CAR WITH 65,000 MILES. IT WAS THE FAULTY THROTTLE BODY THAT HAD BEEN CAUSING THE CAR TO UNEXPECTEDLY LURCH/SURGE FORWARD. I AM FILING THIS COMPLAINT BECAUSE IT APPEARS THAT IT IS NOT AN ISOLATED ISSUE FOR THE VEHICLE AND IT IS A FAMILY VEHICLE WHICH MEANS THAT THERE ARE MANY OF THEM SITTING IN SCHOOL PARKING LOTS AND PICK UP LANES. AS YOU CAN IMAGINE A VEHICLE THAT UNEXPECTEDLY SURGES FORWARD IN AN AREA FULL OF CHILDREN CAUSED A GREAT DEAL OF CONCERN TO MY WIFE AND I. IN MY RESEARCH THERE APPEARS TO BE TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETINS ISSUED BY FORD REGARDING THIS MATTER AND ALTHOUGH MY CAR HAD BEEN IN FOR IT 60K SERVICE JUST MONTHS BEFORE, THERE WAS NO MENTION OF A PROBLEM WITH THE THROTTLE BODY. THE FORD DEALER WASTED NO TIME TELLING US THAT THE PART IS NOT COVERED UNDER THEIR EXTENDED POWER TRAIN WARRANTY WHICH I HAD ON THE VEHICLE. QUITE HONESTLY, THAT WAS NOT MY MAIN CONCERN AS A CHILD COULD HAVE EASILY BEEN HARMED BY THIS FAULTY THROTTLE BODY AND THE SYMPTOMS IT PRODUCES. THE DEALER REPLACED THE THROTTLE BODY AND CLEANED THE INJECTORS AND THE VEHICLE IS RUNNING BETTER. *TR