NHTSA Complaint #10446635 — 2005 FORD FIVE HUNDRED

THIS HAS HAPPENED MULTIPLE TIMES (MEANING MORE THAN 5 TIMES) DURING THE SUMMER OF 2011. DRIVING ON HIGHWAY AT POSTED SPEED LIMITS AND CAR SUDDENLY LURCHES THEN DROPS INTO FAILSAFE MODE (AS INDENTIFIED BY ALERT POSTED ON THE DASH). PULL OVER, READ OWNER'S MANUAL. FOLLOW DIRECTIONS HOW TO CLEAR FAILSAFE AND IMPLEMENT THEM. A FEW TIMES IT WORKED FOR SHORT PERIODS OF TIME. OTHER TIMES, IT WOULD NOT WORK AT ALL. TWICE THE CAR WAS RUNNING AT APPROXIMATELY 65 MPH AND SUDDENLY GO INTO FAILSAFE MODE THEN STALL OUT. ESPECIALLY DURING STREET/CITY DRIVING, CAR SUDDENLY KICKS FORWARD THEN FAILSAFE AND WILL SOMETIMES STALL OUT IN MIDDLE OF STREET. UNABLE TO RESTART. LAST TIME THIS OCCURRED CAR REQUIRED TOWING TO LOCAL FORD DEALER. INITIALLY SAID IT WAS THE THROTTLE SENOR FOR A COST OF $300. WHEN I OK'D THAT REPAIR, THE DEALERSHIP CALLED BACK LATER AND STATED IT WAS THE ENTIRE THROTTLE BODY AND REPAIR WOULD COME AT A COST OF $1000. THE CAR NOW SITS IN MY DRIVEWAY WHERE IT WAS TOWED TO AND SITS FOR SAFETY REASONS. AFTER RESEARCHING THE INTERNET, I HAVE COME TO FIND THAT THIS IS A COMMON OCCURRENCE WITH FORD AND AN ANNOUNCED RECALL SHOULD BE IMPLEMENTED IMMEDIATELY. *KB