NHTSA Complaint #10474400 — 2005 FORD FREESTYLE

WENT TO START MY 2005 FORD FREESTYLE - THE RPMS ON THE VEHICLE INCREASED SLIGHTLY, THE WRENCH, TRACTION CONTROL AND ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON, WHEN I PUT THE CAR IN REVERSE, THERE WAS A LOUD THUNK NOISE. I TURNED THE ENGINE OFF AND TRIED IT AGAIN. SAME THING, I HAD TO DRIVE IT APPROX. 2 MILES, THERE WAS NO POWER, BUT IT GOT ME TO MY CLASS. WHEN I CAME BACK OUT TO MY CAR AN HOUR AN A HALF LATER, ONLY THE ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AND THE VEHICLE DROVE NORMALLY. SINCE THEN I HAVE HAD IT TO THE DEALER TO DIAGNOSE. AT FIRST THEY SAID IT WAS THE TRANSMISSION THAT WOULD NEED TO BE REPLACED. THIS IS A $4000 REPAIR. THE DIAGNOSTIC CODES WERE GENERIC AND THEY COULD NOT TELL FOR SURE WHAT THE PROBLEM WAS. THIS BEHAVIOR USUALLY STARTS AFTER THE VEHICLE HAS SAT FOR A FEW HOURS. WHEN ALL THE LIGHTS FIRST COME ON, IT SAYS IT HAS HAD A DATA TRANSMISSION ERROR. I TURN OFF THE CAR AND RESTART. THIS USUALLY RESETS THE COMPUTER IN SOME WAY. WHEN ONLY THE ENGINE LIGHT COMES ON, IT WILL SAY "CHECK ENGINE, CHECK TRANSMISSION". SOMETIMES NO LIGHTS COME ON. IT DRIVES NORMALLY. I TOOK IT BACK TO THE DEALER SO THEY COULD EXPERIENCE THE WHOLE ISSUE FIRST THING IN THE MORNING. THEY HAVE NOW SAID THAT IT IS A SHORT IN THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER. THE REPAIR WILL BE $1025.00, BUT THEY CAN NOT GUARANTEE THAT THIS WILL RESOLVE THE ISSUE FOR SURE. I HAVE ALSO EXPERIENCED WHERE THE LIGHTS WILL COME ON WHILE I AM DRIVING. I HAVE TO TURN MY VEHICLE OFF IN TRAFFIC TO RESET IT. THIS IS NOT REAL SAFE. I SEE THAT MY YEAR OF CAR AND NEWER HAS HAD SEVERAL COMPLAINTS FOR THIS ISSUE AND A LUNGING ISSUE. I WILL BE CONTACTING FORD TOMORROW TO SEE IF I CAN GET SOME HELP ON THIS ISSUE. *TR