NHTSA Complaint #10462348 — 2010 MERCURY MILAN

I WAS FIRST IN LINE AT A RED LIGHT ON A 2-LANE HIGHWAY. WHEN THE LIGHT TURNED GREEN, I ACCELERATED AND HALFWAY THROUGH THE INTERSECTION THE CAR "LURCHED" AND LOST POWER. THE CAR DIDN'T DIE BUT THERE WAS NO RESPONSE IN THE GAS PEDAL AND A WRENCH SYMBOL APPEARED IN THE DASH. I MADE IT THROUGH THE INTERSECTION AND TO THE SHOULDER AT IDLE SPEED (WITH A LINE OF CARS BEHIND ME). I PUT THE CAR IN PARK AND TURNED IT OFF FOR A MINUTE. IT RESTARTED OK, THE WRENCH WAS GONE AND THE CAR RAN FINE. I CONSIDERED IT A FLUKE UNTIL A WEEK LATER WHEN THE SAME THING HAPPENED, EXCEPT THAT I WAS TRAVELING AT 70 MPH IN THE INSIDE LANE OF THE SAME HIGHWAY. LUCKILY THERE WAS ROOM TO CHANGE LANES WHILE DECELERATING AND I PULLED TO THE SHOULDER. AGAIN, IT RESTARTED FINE AFTER I TURNED IT OFF, AND THE WRENCH WAS GONE. I TOOK THE CAR FOR SERVICE AT A FORD DEALER BECAUSE LOSING POWER IN TRAFFIC IS A VERY DANGEROUS SITUATION AND WHO KNOWS WHEN AND WHERE IT MIGHT HAPPEN AGAIN. THE TECH FOUND A PROBLEM WITH THE THROTTLE BODY AND REPLACED IT AT A COST OF ABOUT $350 PARTS/LABOR. OF COURSE, WE ARE JUST OUTSIDE OF THE WARRANTY PERIOD AT 41,000 MILES. *JS