NHTSA Complaint #10406245 — 2007 FORD FIVE HUNDRED

IN SEPTEMBER 2010 (AT 42K MILES), MY 2007 FORD FIVE HUNDRED SEL STARTED TO SUDDENLY LURCH FORWARD OR BACKWARD WHEN SHIFTED FROM PARK, ESPECIALLY IF THE FRONT END WAS SITTING HIGHER. WHEN THIS HAPPENED, THE WRENCH AND CHECK ENGINE ICONS WOULD LIGHT UP AND THE CAR LOST 95% OF ITS POWER. TURNING OFF THE ENGINE FOR 30 SECONDS OR SO WOULD CAUSE THE WRENCH ICON TO TURN OFF, BUT THE CHECK ENGINE ICON WOULD STAY LIT. THE CAR WOULD DRIVE NORMALLY AND THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT WOULD TURN OFF OVERNIGHT. AFTER THIS HAPPENED SEVERAL TIMES, A FORD DEALER SAID THAT ITWAS THE TCM MODULE WHICH WASN'T COVERED BY MY EXTENDED WARRANTY. I PAID $1000 TO HAVE THE TCM REPLACED BY A CERTIFIED FORD MECHANIC. IN APRIL 2011 THE CAR BEGAN TO REPEAT THE SAME SYMPTOMS. I'VE HAD THE CAR TO 3 FORD DEALERS, BUT THEY ALL SAY THEY CAN'T DO ANYTHING UNLESS THE CAR IS ACTUALLY MALFUNCTIONING AT THE TIME. I WAS PASSING ANOTHER VEHICLE ON A 2 LANE HIGHWAY RECENTLY WHEN THE LAST INCIDENT OCCURRED. FORTUNATELY, I WAS ABLE TO GET BACK INTO MY LANE BEFORE MEETING AN ONCOMING CAR. I SAY FORTUNATELY BECAUSE THE CAR LOSES ALL POWER UNTIL THE WRENCH ICON GOES OUT! THIS IS A TREMENDOUS SAFETY HAZARD AND I DON'T UNDERSTAND WHY FORD IS "STONEWALLING". DIDN'T THEY LEARN FROM TOYOTA'S BRAKE ISSUES? *TR