NHTSA Complaint #10429088 — 2005 FORD FREESTYLE

ON TUESDAY, OUR CAR LOST ENGINE POWER IN TRAFFIC. THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AND "ENGINE IN FAILSAFE MODE" APPEARED ON THE DASH. SHE TURNED THE CAR OFF AND ON, AND IT WORKED FINE. SHE CHECKED ONLINE AND FOUND IDENTICAL PROBLEMS, AND SOLUTIONS IN TURNING THE CAR OFF AND ON. I CHECKED ONLINE, FOUND IDENTICAL FAILURES, A LONGSTANDING SHORTAGE OF THROTTLE PARTS, PRESUMED A DEFECT IN THE THROTTLE CONTROL, FOUND NO FHTSA RECALLS, BUT DISCOVERED SURGING DOCUMENTED IN PE11-018 (OPENED MAY 11, 2011). OUR CAR HAS ALSO HAD HIGH RPM SURGES, OCCURRING INFREQUENTLY, BUT USUALLY WHEN THE ENGINE IS COLD. OUR AU PAIR EXPERIENCED SURGING 2 WEEKS EARLIER WHEN SHE BACKED OUT OF A GARAGE PARKING LOT AND BUMPED ANOTHER CAR. BELOW ARE REPRESENTATIVE WEBSITES THAT DOCUMENT 21 INSTANCES OF SUDDEN POWER LOSS AND ENGINE WARNING "FAILSAFE MODE" IN THE FORD FREESTYLE DESCRIBED AS SUDDEN STALLING, CAR GOING TO IDLE, ENGINE DYING, RUNNING LIMP, AND GOING INTO "NEUTRAL." MY WIFE'S EXPERIENCE IS CONSISTENT WITH THESE DESCRIPTIONS. ALSO, MANY COMPLAINTS REPORT SURGES (PE11-018) AND LOSS OF POWER IN THE SAME VEHICLE COMPLAINT, ALSO CONSISTENT WITH OUR EXPERIENCE: HTTP://WWW.MYFORDFREESTYLE.COM/FORUMS/VIEWTOPIC.PHP?F=1&T=2197&SID=78CBEB4F4AAA7DD9C571F0CF9C804D74&START=0 15 COMPLAINTS: FRAGGLE, TMAD, MRDINMN, LMARQUELING, FORDMAN351, SANLEN, FUXXY, GAVIN, STOCK MACH, SCOUTMAN97, LMTECH, METALAGES, INDIEFILMGUY, BOSTON_FREESTYLE, MKRAMER HTTP://ANSWERS.EDMUNDS.COM/QUESTION-FORD-FREESTYLE-THROTTLE-CONTROL-TRANSMISSION-LIGHT-CAME-ON-ALSO-ENGINE-FAILSAFE-MODE-ACTIVATED-WHAT-S-WRONG-40589.ASPX 1 COMPLAINT: BOOTS7714 HTTP://WWW.CARCOMPLAINTS.COM/FORD/FREESTYLE/2005/ENGINE/THROTTLE_BODY_MALFUNCTION.SHTML 4 COMPLAINTS: MICHELLE O, DENNAL, SALLY W, OLDSCHOOL77 HTTP://WWW.FIXYA.COM/CARS/T1531392-ENIGINE_FAIL_SAFE_MODE 1 COMPLAINT: HANDYT. *TR