NHTSA Complaint #10469802 — 2004 FORD FREESTAR

2005 FORD FREESTAR. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO RECALL CONCERNING TRANSMISSION TORQUE CONVERTER *TGW IN MARCH 2012, THE CONSUMER RECEIVED A SAFETY RECALL NOTICE. AFTER A FEW WEEKS, HE DECIDED TO CONTACT THE CUSTOMER SERVICE NUMBER LISTED ON THE MEMO. THE CONSUMER STATED TO HIS KNOWLEDGE, HE NEVER RECEIVED AN UPDATE TO THE ORIGINAL NOTICE THAT WAS PROMISED FOR 2ND QUARTER 2012. ON 04/02/12, THE CONSUMER WAS ADVISED BY A CUSTOMER SERVICE REP, THAT HIS VEHICLE WAS ELIGIBLE FOR THE RECALL. THE CONSUMER THEN INFORMED THE REP, THAT THE TORQUE CONVERTER FAILED ON 12/17/10 AND HE HAD IT REPLACED AT HIS EXPENSE. HE WAS THEN ADVISED TO GO TO THE DEALERSHIP AND TO SEEK A REPLACEMENT AND THEY WOULD ASSIST HIM IN RECOUPING HIS COSTS THROUGH THE FORD ROADSIDE ASSISTANCE PROGRAM. THE NEXT DAY, THE CONSUMER ARRIVED AT THE DEALER. THEY STATED THEY WERE AWARE OF THE RECALL, BUT IT WAS STILL NEW AND THEY HAD NO DETAILS ON HOW TO PROCEED. A FEW WEEKS LATER, THE CONSUMER WAS INFORMED THEY WERE WAITING FOR PRODUCTION OF SUITABLE REPLACEMENT PARTS. WEEKS LATER, THE PARTS ARRIVED. HOWEVER, HE WAS INFORMED THEY WERE NOT DOING REPAIRS, UNLESS THE VEHICLE WAS NOT RUNNING. THE CONSUMER THEN CALLED CUSTOMER SERVICE AGAIN AND RELAYED WHAT WAS SAID TO HIM. THE REP INFORMED THE CONSUMER THE DEALER WAS WRONG AND EVENTUALLY AN APPOINTMENT WAS MADE. FORD CUSTOMER SERVICE INFORMED THE CONSUMER, HE WOULD ONLY BE REIMBURSED FOR THE TORQUE CONVERTER, NOT THE TOWING, BECAUSE THE WORK WAS NOT PERFORMED BY A FORD DEALER. *JB