NHTSA Complaint #10363844 — 2005 FORD FIVE HUNDRED

OUR CAR STALLS WHILE DRIVING. IT OFTEN HAPPENS ON THE HIGHWAY, BUT ALSO ON RESIDENTIAL STREETS AND AT ALL SPEEDS. THE CAR WILL LURCH FORWARD, THE LIGHTS ON THE DASHBOARD WILL ALL LIGHT UP, AND THEN THE ENGINE WILL SHUT DOWN CAUSING US TO HAVE TO SHIFT INTO NEUTRAL AND TRY TO PULL OVER TO SAFETY. WHEN WE TRY TO RESTART THE CAR IT WILL SPUTTER AND DIE AGAIN. OCCASIONALLY WE WILL BE ABLE TO GET IT TO A PARKING LOT, WE HAVE HAD TO BE TOWED HOME. WE HAVE REPLACED THE FUEL PUMP AND SPARK PLUGS. THE FORD DEALERSHIP DROVE IT AND RAN DIAGNOSTICS ON IT FOR WEEKS AT A TIME AND FOUND NOTHING TO TELL THEM ANYTHING. THIS HAS BEEN HAPPENING EVERY WEEK OR SO FOR NEARLY A YEAR, AND NO ONE CAN TELL US WHAT'S WRONG. THERE ARE TIMES WHEN IT HAPPENS EVERY DAY, AND THERE ARE TIMES WHEN IT DOESN'T HAPPEN FOR A MONTH. MANY PEOPLE'S DESCRIPTION OF A DEFECTIVE TRANSMISSION BODY MATCHES OUR DESCRIPTION, BUT THAT PART IS, APPARENTLY, ON BACKORDER. THE CAR IS ESSENTIALLY UN-DRIVABLE, BECAUSE WE CANNOT COUNT ON IT TO GET TO US WORK ON TIME OR SAFELY. *TR