NHTSA Complaint #10422959 — 2005 FORD FREESTYLE

WE JUST BOUGHT A USED 2005 FORD FREESTYLE AND THE DEALER WE BOUGHT IT FROM TOLD US THE AWD MALFUNCTION ALERT WOULD COME ON, BUT IT WOULD NOT STAY ON LONG ENOUGH FOR A MECHANIC TO CHECK WHAT WAS WRONG WITH IT. WE DID NOTICE THE ALERT COMING ON, BUT ON OUR 4TH DAY OF DRIVING THE VEHICLE, WE WERE PULLING AWAY FROM A DRIVE THRU WINDOW AND PREPARING TO MANEUVER AROUND TWO VEHICLES STOPPED IN FRONT OF US AND I HAD JUST TAKEN MY FOOT OFF THE BRAKE AND NOT EVEN TOUCHED THE GAS PEDAL WHEN THE CAR LUNGED FORWARD. I APPLIED THE BRAKE AND THEN SLOWLY TOOK MY FOOT AWAY AGAIN AND THE CAR LUNGED AND THE ENGINE DIED. THE CAR STILL HAD ENOUGH MOMENTUM AFTER THE ENGINE DIED TO ALLOW ME TO COAST AWAY FROM THE TWO VEHICLES IN FRONT OF ME. I TRIED TO START THE CAR AGAIN AND IT LUNGED AND DIED AGAIN. ON THE THIRD TRY, IT STARTED AND I WAS ABLE TO GET OUT OF THE PARKING LOT, BUT I WAS VERY FRIGHTENED. I DID MAKE IT HOME ALRIGHT, BUT THE AWD MALFUNCTION ALERT STAYED ON AND AT TIMES THE ALERT WOULD ALSO READ "FAILSAFE ENGINE MODE". ALSO, THE TRACTION CONTROL ALERT ICON LIT UP AND A WRENCH WAS LIT UP UNDER IT IN THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. WE HOPE FORD WILL HELP FREESTYLE OWNERS SOON BEFORE SOMEONE HAS A TERRIBLE ACCIDENT. *TR