NHTSA Complaint #10417412 — 2005 FORD FREESTYLE

AFTER SITTING IN A RESTAURANT'S PARKING LOT WITH THE ENGINE IDLING AND THE AIR CONDITIONING ON FOR ABOUT 30 MINUTES, THE CAR LUNGED BACKWARD SEVERAL FEET WHEN THE CAR WITH PLACED INTO REVERSE. ONCE THE CAR WAS STOPPED, I PLACED THE CAR IN DRIVE AND IT LUNGED FORWARD WITHOUT ME PRESSING THE GAS PEDAL. LUCKILY, THERE ONCE NO ONE AROUND THE CAR WHEN THIS HAPPENED OR THERE COULD HAVE BEEN INJURIES CAUSED BY THE CAR'S ACTIONS. ALSO, THE CAR'S "FAILSAFE ENGINE MODE" AND "WRENCH" LIGHT CAME ON. THIS CAUSED THE CAR'S POWER TO BE MINIMIZED TO A CRAWL. WE WERE ONLY ABLE TO GET THE CAR'S SPEED UP TO AROUND 20 TO 30 MPH. AFTER EXPERIENCING THIS ISSUE, I LOOKED ON THE INTERNET TO FIND THAT MANY INDIVIDUALS WERE HAVING THE SAME PROBLEM WITH THIS MODEL. IT APPEARS THAT IT IS AN ISSUE WITH THE THROTTLE BODY COMPONENT ON THIS MODEL THAT IS BAD AND CAUSING THIS PROBLEM. THIS IS A SERIOUS SAFETY ISSUE AND I WOULD HOPE THAT FORD WOULD BE HELD RESPONSIBLE FOR REPLACING THIS PART UNDER A RECALL.