NHTSA Complaint #10474287 — 2007 FORD FREESTYLE

WE HAVE OWNED THIS CAR FOR JUST OVER A YEAR. FOR SEVERAL MONTHS NOW, WE HAVE BEEN HAVING PROBLEMS WITH THE CAR SURGING/LUNGING. IT HAPPENS WITHOUT ANY NOTICE, AND YOU HAVE TO SLAM ON THE BRAKES TO STOP IT. INITIALLY, I ONLY NOTICED THE PROBLEM WHEN PULLING INTO A PARKING SPACE. THE VEHICLE WOULD LUNGE FORWARD. IN THE LAST COUPLE OF MONTHS IT HAS STARTED LUNGING BACKWARD AND FORWARD, REGARDLESS OF HOW FAST I WAS GOING (PULLING IN, BACKING UP, OR DRIVING DOWN THE HIGHWAY AT A STEADY SPEED.) ONCE, THE CAR LUNGED AS I WAS BACKING UP AND HIT ANOTHER CAR. MINOR DAMAGE. NOT REPORTED. IT IS STARTING TO HAPPEN MORE OFTEN, AND THE CAR HAS ALSO BEGUN DYING IF IT HAPPENS WHOLE BACKING UP. TURNING THE CAR OFF AND RESTARTING IT SOLVES THAT. I'VE HAD TO START PARKING FURTHER BACK IN SPOTS BECAUSE I DON'T WANT TO HIT THE CAR IN FRONT OF ME. THIS HAS INDIRECTLY CAUSED COSMETIC DAMAGE (COMING OUT OF A STORE TWICE I'VE NOTICED SCRAPES THAT LOOK LIKE SOMEONE BACKED INTO ME.) I DON'T UNDERSTAND HOW THIS CAN BE SUCH A WIDELY REPORTED AND POTENTIALLY DANGEROUS PROBLEM WITHOUT A RECALL OR EVEN ACKNOWLEDGEMENT OF THE ISSUE (IF YOU CALL FORD.) MY CAR HAS LUNGED FORWARD AT RED LIGHTS AND STOP SIGNS TOWARD ONCOMING TRAFFIC, AS WELL AS DRIVEWAYS WITH CHILDREN NEARBY. IT MAY ONLY BE A FEW FEET, BUT EVEN THAT CAN BE DEADLY CONSIDERING WHEN THE PROBLEM OCCURS MOST. *TR