NHTSA Complaint #10426855 — 2004 FORD FREESTAR

2004 FORD FREESTAR RPM'S 3000 AT IDLE. DIAGNOSED AS WATER INTRUSION IN ORIGINAL PCM (POWERTRAIN CONTROL MODULE) IN APRIL OF 2011. WATER INTRUSION OCCURRED ON REPLACEMENT PCM AS WELL WITHIN 3 MONTHS BECAUSE RAIN KIT PER SERVICE BULLETIN ( # TSB-06-14-10) WAS NOT INSTALLED AT THE FORD DEALER. SECOND INCIDENT OCCURRED WITH THE REPLACEMENT (NEW) PCM ON 9/8/11. ON 9/8/11 VEHICLE STALLED OUT WHILE IN TRAFFIC. REPLACEMENT PCM DIAGNOSED AS WATER INTRUSION AS WELL BY DIFFERENT FORD. SECOND DEALER NOTED RAIN KIT HAD NOT BEEN INSTALLED BY 1ST DEALER WHEN NEW PCM WAS PUT IN. SECOND DEALER INSTALLED KIT, BUT VEHICLE STALLED OUT IN TRAFFIC ONCE AGAIN ON 9/17/11. REPLACEMENT (NEW) PCM HAD BEEN CONTAMINATED PRIOR TO RAIN KIT INSTALLATION. VEHICLE IS NOW AT THE FORD DEALER (THAT INSTALLED TSB RAIN KIT) FOR 3RD PCM UNIT. CONTACT WAS MADE WITH THE ORIGINAL DEALER THAT INSTALLED THE REPLACEMENT PCM AS WELL AS FORD WARRANTY DEPARTMENT, AND AS OF THIS DATE OF 9/23/11 NEITHER HAS ACCEPTED RESPONSIBILITY FOR FAILURE TO INSTALL THE RECOMMENDED TSB RAIN KIT THAT CAUSED THE REPLACEMENT (NEW) PCM FAILURE. WE WERE VERY FORTUNATE THAT NO ONE WAS HURT DURING THE 2 INCIDENTS WHEN THE VEHICLE STALLED OUT WHILE IN TRAFFIC. WE WILL CONTINUE TO PURSUE ACTION TO MAKE THE FIRST FORD DEALER / FORD MOTOR COMPANY FINANCIALLY RESPONSIBLE FOR NEGLECTING TO INSTALL THE RAIN KIT PER FORDS SERVICE BULLETIN UPON INSTALLATION OF THE FIRST NEW PCM UNIT. *TR