NHTSA Complaint #10438701 — 2005 FORD FREESTAR

THIS VAN HAS A BAD COMPUTER BOARD (PCM) DUE TO RAINWATER THAT IS ALLOWED TO FUNNEL UNDER THE HOOD DUE TO POOR DESIGN OF THE HOOD. IT IS ALSO POSSIBLE THAT THE TRANSMISSION IS BEING AFFECTED BY THIS AS WELL. THE VEHICLE JUST STOPPED SHIFTING INTO GEAR, FOLLOWED BY ALL SORTS OF ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS. THE MECHANIC SAID THE PCM WAS FULL OF WATER AND WOULD NEED TO BE REPLACED. THERE ARE NUMEROUS MESSAGE BOARDS ON THE INTERNET DISCUSSING THIS EXACT SAME PROBLEM WITH FORD FREESTARS RANGING FROM 2004-2007 MODEL YEARS. FORD NEEDS TO ISSUE A RECALL ON THESE VANS AS THIS CAUSES THE ENGINE TO STALL AND THIS COULD HAPPEN AT ANY TIME - IN THE MIDDLE OF A BUSY INTERSECTION, ON THE HIGHWAY, ETC. THIS COULD HAVE DEVASTATING RESULTS IF IT HAPPENS AT THE WRONG TIME. ALSO, FROM WHAT I'VE READ ON THESE MESSAGE BOARDS - THIS IS A REPEAT PROBLEM!!!! ONCE YOU FIX THIS YOU WILL HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM IN A YEAR OR TWO. NHTSA SHOULD DO SOME RESEARCH OUTSIDE OF FORMAL COMPLAINTS FILED AS I'M SURE MOST PEOPLE DO NOT KNOW THE PROPER ROUTE TO GO. A SIMPLE INTERNET SEARCH (THAT WOULD ALLOW YOU TO CONTACT OR RESPOND TO INDIVIDUAL REPORTS) WOULD DIRECT YOU TO HUNDREDS OF PEOPLE WITH THE EXACT SAME ISSUE! *TR