NHTSA Complaint #10396763 — 2005 FORD FREESTAR

I OWN A 2005 FORD FREESTAR WITH 55,000 MILES ON IT THAT I BOUGHT NEW . BUT ON APRIL 15 2011 AS I DROVE DOWN THE ROAD AT ABOUT 30PMH I SUDDENLY HAD NO POWER OF FORWARD MOTION. I WAS HEADING TO A HILL . NOT KNOWING WHAT WAS HAPPENING A HIT THE BRAKES TO STOP AND PULL OVER TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. THE CAR BEHIND ME WAS FORCED TO GO AROUND ME IN THE OTHER LANE. THANKFULLY NOBODY WAS COMING UP THE HILL. I TRIED TO PUT THE VAN INTO REVERSE TO SEE IF IT WORKED BUT IT WAS LIKE BEING IN NEUTRAL. THE VAN STARTED ROLLING DOWN THE HILL AGAIN. THE MOTOR WOULD RACE NO MATTER WHAT GEAR I PUT THE VAN IN. I HAD THE VAN TOWED TO TRANSMISSION SHOP WERE I WAS TOLD THAT THEY HAD HEARD OF THIS PROBLEM. HE ASKED IF WHERE WERE ANY SIGNS OF A PROBLEM PRIOR TO THIS. WHICH THERE WERE NOT. HE TOLD ME THAT THE TORQUE CONVERTER OUTPUT SPLINES WERE SHEARED OFF AND THE TRANSMISSION HAD TO BE REBUILT. THAT WOULD COST ABOUT 2,300.00 AND TAKE A WEEK. NOW HE IS GOING TO SAVE THE PARTS FOR ME SO I CAN SEE WHAT HAPPENEDTO THEM. I WOULD LIKE TO SEE IF FORD WILL TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR THIS DEFECT BECAUSE IT DOESN'T HAPPEN ON EVERY VAN MADE BUT IS HAPPENING ON A SELECT FEW YEARS. MAYBE IT WAS A BAD MATCH OF PARTS ,BUT I DON'T THINK THAT WE SHOULD HAVE TO PAY FOR THAT PROBLEM. *TR