NHTSA Complaint #10435115 — 2006 FORD FIVE HUNDRED

FORD 500 LURCHES SEVERELY AT RANDOM TIMES WHILE THE ENGINE IS ENGAGED. THIS HAPPENS MOST DANGEROUSLY AT HIGH SPEEDS, DUE TO DRIVER'S INABILITY TO CONTROL VEHICLE ADEQUATELY TO DEFEND AGAINST POTENTIAL CRASHES OR CONTROL SPEED DURING TURNS. THIS HAS CAUSED PROBLEMS ON THE SNOW AND ICE HERE IN ALASKA BECAUSE UNCONTROLLED ACCELERATION REDUCES TRACTION. ALSO OCCURS AT LOW SPEEDS, WHICH IS MORE EASILY CONTROLLED THROUGH BRAKING, BUT REQUIRES EXTREME CAUTION IF ENGAGING VEHICLE WHEN PEDESTRIANS OR OTHER VEHICLES ARE NEAR. IT HAS SURPRISED AND SCARED ME ON MANY OCCASIONS SINCE I FIRST PURCHASED THIS CAR A MONTH AGO, BUT THE REASON I AM WRITING THIS IS BECAUSE I HAD A SCARY INCIDENT TODAY WHEN PULLING OUT OF A GROCERY STORE PARKING LOT (PEDESTRIANS IN FRONT OF ME WHEN IT SUDDENLY JUMPED AS SOON AS ENGINE ENGAGED). TOOK IT TO THE MECHANIC AND DIAGNOSTIC CHECK SAYS ISSUES WITH FUEL DELIVERY SYSTEM. THE MECHANIC STATED THAT AFTER RESEARCHING THE ISSUE THIS IS A VERY COMMON PROBLEM FOR THIS MODEL AND THAT IT IS MOST LIKELY THE THROTTLE BODY, AND SAYS THE CAR SHOULD NOT BE DRIVEN IN ITS CONDITION. IT IS ONE OF THE SCARIEST ISSUES I'VE EVER HAD TO DEAL WITH. AFTER READING MORE ABOUT IT ON THE INTERNET THIS EVENING IT SEEMS THAT THIS ISSUE IS VERY COMMON AND HUNDREDS OF PEOPLE HAVE HAD SIMILAR SCARY INCIDENTS WITH THIS CAR THAT THEY HAVE REPORTED ONLINE. IF THIS MANY PEOPLE ARE WRITING ABOUT IT ONLINE, PRESUMABLY THERE ARE THOUSANDS MORE WHO ARE HAVING THE SAME PROBLEM AND DO NOT HAVE THE RESOURCES OR KNOW HOW TO REPORT THE ISSUE. *TR