NHTSA Complaint #10478418 — 2007 FORD FREESTYLE

NOT LONG AFTER I PURCHASED THE 2007 FORD FREESTYLE, SUMMER CAME AND I WAS USING THE AIR CONDITIONER A LOT. I NOTICED THAT WHEN THE AC WAS RUNNING, ESPECIALLY AT HIGH, THE CAR WOULD "LURCH" FORWARD AT LOW SPEEDS (PROBABLY 5 MPH OR LESS ). WHEN I WAS PARKING THE CAR, ROLLING INTO A PARKING SPACE, WITH MY FOOT HOVERING OVER THE BRAKE PEDAL, AS SOON AS I GOT TO THE PROPER SPOT, THE CAR WOULD "LURCH". WHEN I WOULD BACK OUT OF A PARKING SPACE WITH MY FOOT HOVERING ABOVE THE BRAKE, IT WOULD "LURCH". THIS PROVED TO BE A SCARY SITUATION MANY TIMES AS THERE WERE CARS PASSING IN THE PARKING LOT. MANY TIMES, I COULD HAVE HIT ANOTHER CAR. EVEN IN THE DRIVE THROUGH OF FAST FOOD RESTAURANTS WITH OTHER CARS IN LINE, MANY TIMES I HAVE ALMOST HIT THE CAR IN FRONT OF ME. MANY TIMES, MY CAR HAS "LURCHED" AND STALLED. THE WRENCH LIGHT COMES ON, AND IF I DON'T TURN THE CAR ALL THE WAY OFF IN PARK, THE CAR DOES NOT BEHAVE PROPERLY (AS IN NO ACCELERATION) NOR DOES THE WRENCH LIGHT GO OFF. IN THE BEGINNING, I THOUGHT IT WAS SOMETHING TO DO WITH THE AIR CONDITIONER BEING ON HIGH. THE PROBLEM STOPPED IN THE WINTER WHEN THE AC WASN'T BEING USED. HOWEVER, IN THE SUMMER OF 2011, IT ALL STARTED AGAIN. MY AC WENT OUT, SO I HAD IT WORKED ON. THE PROBLEM CONTINUED. TODAY, THE PROBLEM CONTINUES. I ALMOST HIT A CHILD IN A PARKING LOT THE OTHER DAY BECAUSE MY CAR "LURCHED". I BEGAN SEARCHING AND FOUND THAT OTHERS ARE HAVING THE SAME SCARY PROBLEM WITH THEIR FORD FREESTYLES. IT SOUNDS AS IF I AM MAYBE LAZY OR NOT TOO CONCERNED SINCE I HAVEN'T HAD THIS CHECKED EARLIER, BUT FRANKLY, I DON'T HAVE THE MONEY TO SPEND ON REPAIRS, SO I KEEP HOPING IT WON'T CAUSE A DISASTROUS SITUATION. PLEASE INVESTIGATE THIS ISSUE BEFORE IT DOES BECOME DEADLY. *TR