NHTSA Complaint #10463554 — 2004 FORD FREESTAR

UPON EXITING THE FREEWAY ONTO SECONDARY STREET THE VEHICLE STALLED OUT COMPLETELY. WE LOST ALL DRIVING FUNCTION, POWER STEERING ETC IN AN INSTANT. LUCKILY IT WAS LATER IN THE EVENING AND NOT MUCH TRAFFIC WAS BEHIND US AS THIS ROAD IS TYPICALLY VERY CONGESTED. WE WERE ABLE TO GLIDE INTO A TURN LANE AND OFF OF THE MAIN ROAD. THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT START AND HAD TO BE TOWED. LOCAL FORD DEALER CONCLUDED THE PCM SHORTED OUT AND THERE WAS A BLOWN IGNITION COIL. WE HAD CAR TOWED FOR SECOND OPINION AS WE COULD NOT BELIEVE THAT AT 40,000 MILES THE ENTIRE COMPUTER THAT CONTROLS THE ENGINE WOULD SHORT FOR NO APPARENT REASON. OUR REGULAR AUTO SHOP AGREED THAT THE PCM HAD SHORTED CAUSING IGNITION COIL TO FAIL AND BOTH HAD TO BE REPLACED RESULTING IN $1200 IN FEES/SERVICES AND A WEEK WITHOUT OUR VEHICLE SINCE THE PART (ACCORDING TO THE SERVICE SHOP) SHOULD NEVER GO BAD AND THEY DON'T KEEP THEM IN STOCK. WE FEEL AS IF FORD SHOULD BE HELD RESPONSIBLE FOR THEIR FAULTY MANUFACTURING AS WE DID NOTHING TO AID IN THE FAILING OF THIS PART AND MINIMAL MILEAGE/ WEAR AND TEAR HAS OCCURRED TO THE VEHICLE. WE WERE MERELY A FAMILY DRIVING HOME (WITH TWO TODDLERS) FROM A FATHER'S DAY DINNER WHO ENDED UP AT SIGNIFICANT SAFETY RISK WHEN OUR VAN JUST STOPPED MOVING, THANK GOODNESS FOR THE SLOW TRAFFIC FLOW THAT EVENING! *TR