NHTSA Complaint #10485915 — 2005 FORD FREESTAR

WAS DRIVING HOME FROM STORE (ABOUT 20 MILES) WHEN ENGINE CUT OFF WHILE DRIVING AT ABOUT 45 MPH, PULLED OVER AND WAS ABLE TO GET IT STARTED AGAIN. A LITTLE FURTHER DOWN THE ROAD IT CUT OFF AGAIN BUT THIS TIME THE ENGINE JUST REVVED BY ITSELF THEN WENT BACK TO NORMAL WITHOUT COMPLETELY CUTTING OFF. ABOUT 3 MILES FROM HOME IT CUT OFF AGAIN WHILE DRIVING AT ABOUT 40-45 MPH AND I COASTED TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AND THEN STARTED IT AGAIN. DECIDED TO TAKE IT TO THE DEALER SINCE IT NEEDED THE TORQUE CONVERTER REPLACED DUE TO RECALL. DROVE IT ANOTHER 20 MILES WITH NO PROBLEMS AND LEFT THE VAN WITH MY SON TO TAKE TO THE DEALER. VAN CUT OUT ON MY SON SEVERAL TIMES WITHIN THE 2 MILES TO THE DEALER. ALSO CUT OFF ON THE MECHANIC AT THE DEALER. DEALER REPLACED TORQUE CONVERTER, OVERDRIVE TRANSMISSION SHAFT SENSOR, AND REPLACED THE PLUGS AND WIRES TO THE TUNE OF OVER $800.00 NOT INCLUDING THE TORQUE CONVERTER WHICH WAS REPLACED AT NO CHARGE DUE TO THE RECALL. DROVE OVER THE NEXT WEEK FOR A TOTAL OF LESS THAN 200 MILES. THEN TODAY THE ENGINE CUT OFF ON ME AGAIN EXACTLY LIKE BEFORE AND I ONCE AGAIN HAD TO COAST OVER TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AND RESTART IT. THIS IS VERY SCARY WHEN IT HAPPENS AND COULD CAUSE A VERY SERIOUS ACCIDENT. LUCKILY WHEN IT HAS HAPPENED TO ME IT HAS NOT BEEN ON A BUSY HIGHWAY. SO I HAVE PAID OVER $800 TO THE LOCAL FORD DEALER AND STILL HAVE THE PROBLEM. IT SCARES ME TO DEATH TO DRIVE THIS CAR NOW AND IT IS OUR SOLE VEHICLE AS MY HUSBAND IS DISABLED AND DOESN'T DRIVE. WE ARE IN NO POSITION TO BUY ANOTHER VEHICLE NOW, WE LIVE 20 MILES FROM TOWN AND NOW THIS CAR IS UNSAFE TO DRIVE. *TR