NHTSA Complaint #10415670 — 2006 FORD FREESTYLE

THE CAR BEGAN TO JERK AND LURCH, AND ENGINE SPEED ABRUPTLY SLOWED AFTER ABOUT (3) HOURS OF HIGHWAY DRIVING (FROM VERMONT TO NEW HAMPSHIRE). A TROUBLE LIGHT (WRENCH ICON) APPEARED. ENGINE RPMS FLUCTUATED, BUT VEHICLE WOULD NOT RESPOND TO THE GAS PEDAL. PULLED OVER, WAITED A FEW MINUTES, RESTARTED THE CAR. TROUBLE LIGHT WAS NO LONGER ON, AND THE VEHICLE WAS FINE AND NORMAL FOR THE REST OF THE RIDE HOME. BROUGHT CAR TO PORTSMOUTH FORD, WHO COULD NOT FIND ANY PROBLEM. SECOND INCIDENT, JANUARY 2011: HIGHWAY DRIVE BACK TO NEW HAMPSHIRE FROM CONNECTICUT. SAME PROBLEM. ABRUPT AND ALARMING DROP IN CAR SPEED. NO THROTTLE CONTROL. ERRATIC ENGINE RPM PERFORMANCE. ATTEMPTED TO PULL OFF INTERSTATE HIGHWAY TO A SAFE AREA. WAITED 5 MINUTES. RE-STARTED THE ENGINE. TROUBLE LIGHT GONE, ENGINE PERFORMED FINE, AND NO ISSUE THE REST OF THE TRIP. BROUGHT THE CAR FOR TRANSMISSION SERVICE TO VALVOLINE, THEN TO DOWLING FORD WHERE THE VEHICLE WAS PURCHASED. THIRD INCIDENT, MARCH 2011: AFTER (2) HOURS OF HIGHWAY DRIVING ABRUPT DROP IN ENGINE SPEED WHILE ATTEMPTING TO MERGE ON INTERSTATE 84. LOST THROTTLE CONTROL. NEAR COLLISION WITH A TRACTOR-TRAILER IN BAD WEATHER WHILE TRYING TO GET OUT OF THE WAY AND OFF THE HIGHWAY. FRIGHTENING EXPERIENCE. BROUGHT CAR TO BOB THOMAS FORD IN HAMDEN, CONNECTICUT FOR A TRANSMISSION PROGRAM UPDATE AND COMPLETE TRANSMISSION SERVICE. DEALER COULD NOT FIND A PROBLEM WITH THE VEHICLE. FOURTH INCIDENT, JUNE 24, 2011: AGAIN ON I-84 IN THE RAIN AFTER 2.5 HOURS OF HIGHWAY CRUISING. RADICAL LOSS OF ENGINE POWER AND VEHICLE SPEED. MY DAUGHTER BARELY AVOIDED A COLLISION ATTEMPTING TO MANEUVER OFF THE HIGHWAY IN HEAVY TRAFFIC WITH ERRATIC THROTTLE CONTROL. DAUGHTER CALLED ME IN A PANIC, CRYING. WAITED OFF THE HIGHWAY A FEW MINUTES, RE-STARTED, AND WAS FINE. CAR NO LONGER USED ON THE HIGHWAY, JUST LOCALLY. THE CONSUMER ALSO STATED THE ALTERNATOR FAILED. UPDATED PORTABLE 08/23/11 UPDATED 09/14/11*JB