NHTSA Complaint #10423867 — 2007 FORD FREESTYLE

FOR THE PAST YEAR, WHEN THE CAR IS AT IDLE, BUT NOT IN PARK, WITH FOOT OFF ACCELERATOR, THE CAR WILL SUDDENLY, AND WITHOUT DRIVER ACTION, SURGE OR LURCH FORWARD. OR IF IN REVERSE, IT WILL SURGE BACKWARD. IF FOOT IS FIRMLY ON BRAKE, THE LURCH WILL NOT CAUSE MOVEMENT OF TIRES, JUST BODY OF CAR AS THE BRAKES RESTRAIN MOVEMENT. BUT IF IT OCCURS IN THE INSTANT THE DRIVER IS MOVING THE FOOT FROM ACCELERATOR TO BRAKE, OR WITHOUT THE BRAKE BEING FIRMLY DEPRESSED BEYOND WHAT IS NEEDED TO RESTRAIN MOVEMENT WHILE AT IDLE, THE SURGE CAN BE 2-5 FEET BEFORE THE DRIVER IS ABLE TO APPLY THE BRAKE AND CEASE THE MOVEMENT. WE HAVE ALMOST HIT A PEDESTRIAN COMING OUT OF A FAST FOOD RESTAURANT CROSSING IN FRONT OF CAR AS WE WERE GOING THROUGH DRIVE-THROUGH. WE WERE AT A STOP TO RECEIVE FOOD WITH FOOT ON BRAKE ENOUGH TO STOP FORWARD MOVEMENT WHILE AT IDLE BUT NOT ENOUGH TO STOP WHEN SURGE OCCURRED. WE HAVE ALMOST HIT NUMEROUS CARS WHILE TRYING TO PARK, ESPECIALLY DURING PARALLEL PARKING ATTEMPTS. THE CONDITION COMES AND GOES. AT TIMES WHEN IT IS "ACTING UP" THE CAR ALSO LOSES ITS ABILITY TO PROPERLY ACCELERATE IN RESPONSE TO DEMAND FOR GAS AND SPEED. PUSH ON ACCELERATOR BUT THE CAR WILL NOT RESPOND EXCEPT AT ONLY A VERY SLOW RATE, TAKING MANY SECONDS TO REACH A TOP SPEED OF 25-30 MPH. THIS HAS CAUSED SAFETY ISSUES WHEN IT OCCURS WHILE PULLING OUT IN FRONT OF ON-COMING TRAFFIC, EVEN THOUGH DOING SO AT WHAT SHOULD BE A SAFE DISTANCE. MY WIFE IS NOW REFUSING TO DRIVE THE CAR WHEN THE CONDITION IS OCCURRING DUE TO HER FEAR OF IT ACTING ON ITS OWN. IT STARTED IN THE 80,000 MILE RANGE. OUR CAR NOW HAS ABOUT 102,000 MILES. *TR