NHTSA Complaint #10397763 — 2004 FORD FREESTAR

THIS IS THE SECOND ISSUE I HAVE HAD WITH WATER GETTING INTO THE PCM(COMPUTER). THE FIRST OCCURRENCE (03/10) I HAD THE CAR TOWED TO THE FORD DEALERSHIP AND WAS ADVISES PER THE OBDB SCAN CODES THAT THE TRANSMISSION NEEDED AN OVERHAUL. I TOLD THE DEALERSHIP THAT I HAD JUST PULLED THE CAR OUT OF MY DRIVEWAY AND HAD NO REVERSE AND HAD SLIPPAGE IN OTHER GEARS, IT WAS RAINING VERY HEAVILY THAT DAY- I ASKED THE DEALERSHIP IF IT COULD BE AN ISSUE OF MOISTURE GETTING INTO PCM(COMPUTER), THE DEALERSHIP SAID THAT THAT WAS NOT THE ISSUE. I THEN HAD THE CAR TOWED TO A REPUTABLE TRANSMISSION REPAIR SHOP, THERE I WAS TOLD THAT MY CAR WAS THE THIRD TO FREESTAR TO HAVE BEEN BROUGHT IN WITH AN ISSUE OF WATER GETTING INTO THE PCM(COMPUTER). THE OWNER OF THE TRANSMISSION SHOP WAS ABLE TO LET THE PCM DRY OUT FOR THREE DAYS AND REINSTALL WITH NO TRANSMISSION ISSUES. THE SECOND EVENT (04/11) HAPPENED AFTER SEVERAL DAYS OF RAIN; WHILE DRIVING TO WORK THE INSTRUMENT PANEL DISPLAYED THE FOLLOWING LIGHTS: CHECK ENGINE, BRAKES, ABS, FUEL, BATTERY, AND TRANS AXLE LIGHT. THE VEHICLE STALLED OUT IN THE MIDDLE OF TRAFFIC, AND I HAD THE CAR TOWED BACK TO MY MECHANIC WHO ADVISED THAT THE FUEL PUMP AND FUEL PUMP MODULE WAS DEFECTIVE AND REPLACED. HOWEVER, THE TRANS AXLE LIGHT WAS STILL APPEARING INTERMITTENTLY. I TOOK THE VEHICLE BACK TO TRANSMISSION SHOP FOR SECOND TIME, AND THROUGH CAREFUL TROUBLE ISOLATION, THEY DETERMINED THAT THE PCU WAS TELLING THE TORQUE CONVERTER TO SHIFT INTO FOURTH GEAR WHILE COMING TO A STOP. THEY ALLOWED THE PCU TO DRY OUT, BUT THEN DETERMINED THAT THE TRANSMISSION MODULE HAD SHORTED OUT AND THAT IT NEED TO BE BROUGHT TO DEALERSHIP TO REPROGRAM PCU. I CONTACTED THE DEALERSHIP WHO STATED THAT THEY ARE NOT AWARE OF ANY MOISTURE/WATER ISSUES WITH FREESTARS AND I ADVISED THEM THAT I AM FILING A COMPLAINT NHTSA AND WILL ALSO FORWARD LETTER TO FORD MOTOR COMPANY.