NHTSA Complaint #10445544 — 2007 FORD FREESTYLE

I BOUGHT MY 2007 FORD FREESTYLE AWD IN JUNE 2011 WITH APPROXIMATELY 72,000 MILES ON IT. IT STARTED HAVING A WHINING NOISE - ALMOST LIKE A PUMP - AFTER THE 75000 MILE MARK PASSED. I WAS NOT ABLE TO PURCHASE AN EXTENDED WARRANTY BECAUSE THEY ARE NOT AVAILABLE TO PURCHASE AFTER 75K MILES. I ADDRESSED THE NOISE COMPLAINT WITH A MECHANIC AND AFTER REPLACING THE POWER STEERING PUMP, THE NOISE DID NOT SUBSIDE. A COUPLE OF MONTHS LATER, THE TRACTION CONTROL LIGHT WOULD COME ON INTERMITTENTLY FOR NO REASON; BUT THEN GO OFF ONCE THE CAR WAS RESTARTED. THE NOISE INCREASED SLIGHTLY, AND 2 DAYS AFTER THE INCREASE IN NOISE, THE TRANSMISSION FAILED SUDDENLY. I WAS DRIVING AT APPROXIMATELY 45 MILES PER HOUR ON THE ROAD, AND THE WRENCH LIGHT AND TRACTION CONTROL LIGHTS BOTH WENT ON AND THE RPM'S WENT THROUGH THE ROOF WHILE ACCELERATION SLOWED. I WAS ABLE TO GET TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD BECAUSE I HAD ENOUGH SPEED GOING FROM SECONDS BEFORE THE TRANSMISSION FAILED. NO OTHER GEARS WORKED. AFTER THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE GARAGE, I WAS TOLD THE TRANSMISSION WAS COMPLETELY WRECKED; AND THIS PROBLEM IS ONE THAT THE TRANSMISSION TECHNICIAN HAS SEEN OFTEN FROM FORD FREESTYLE'S. I CONTACTED FORD CUSTOMER RELATIONS AND THEY TOLD ME THAT THERE WAS NO ASSISTANCE THAT THEY COULD OFFER ME. ONLINE AUTOMOTIVE FORUMS ARE PACKED WITH COMPLAINTS FROM CUSTOMERS WHO HAD SIMILAR EXPERIENCES TO MINE - TRANSMISSIONS FAILING LONG BEFORE THEY SHOULD; AND OFTEN IN A TIMEFRAME WHEN NO EXTENDED WARRANTY IS AVAILABLE. NOW, I CANNOT REPLACE THE TRANSMISSION WITH A USED ONE BECAUSE IT IS LIKELY IT WILL FAIL AGAIN; AND MY ONLY LOGICAL PURCHASE IS TO GET A FORD REMANUFACTURED ONE FOR $4000+ BECAUSE IT IS THE ONLY ONE WITH A 3 YEAR WARRANTY. LOSING A TRANSMISSION IS DANGEROUS - HAD I BEEN GOING UPHILL SLOWLY; BEEN DRIVING IN BAD WEATHER; OR IN ANY OTHER LIKELY SITUATION, IT COULD HAVE BEEN MUCH WORSE. *TR