NHTSA Complaint #10443640 — 2007 FORD FREESTAR

I WAS MAKING A LEFT HAND TURN FROM THE MIDDLE LANE OF A BUSY 5 LANE HIGHWAY WHEN I LOST ALL POWER TO THE DRIVE TRAIN. FORTUNATELY I HAD GAINED ENOUGH SPEED FROM THE DRIVE TRAIN TO BARELY AVOID ON COMING TRAFFIC. THREE SECONDS EARLIER AND THIS COULD HAVE BEEN A TRAGEDY. THERE WAS NO WARNING OR INDICATION OF FAILURE. THERE WERE NO SOUNDS, SMELLS, OR ERADICATE MOTIONS. I IMMEDIATELY HAD THE VEHICLE TOWED TO A FORD DEALERSHIP GARAGE. AFTER AN INSPECTION THE SERVICE ADVISOR STATED THAT THE TORQUE CONVERTER HAD COME APART AND WOULD NEED TO BE REPLACED. SINCE THEN I HAVE DONE SOME INVESTIGATIVE RESEARCH INTO FORD FREESTAR TORQUE CONVERTER FAILURES. IT APPEARS THAT THIS IS A PROBLEM THAT STARTED WITH THE 2004 FREESTAR. I HOPE THAT FORD TAKES CARE OF THIS PROBLEM BEFORE INJURY OR FATALITY. IN MY CASE, THREE SECONDS MADE THE DIFFERENCE. *TR