NHTSA Complaint #10495132 — 2007 FORD FREESTYLE

AFTER I BOUGHT MY FREESTYLE, I STARTED HAVING SERIOUS SURGING ISSUES, ESPECIALLY AFTER IDLING FOR A TIME OR WHEN TRYING TO PARK THE VEHICLE. SOMETIMES IT WOULD OCCUR DURING RUSH HOUR TRAFFIC, ENDANGERING MY LIFE AND THE LIVES OF OTHER MOTORISTS. I TOOK THE CAR TO THE DEALERSHIP. THE TECH'S SUGGESTED REPLACING VARIOUS COMPONENTS OF THE CAR A/C SYSTEM AND OTHER RELATED COMPONENTS. NO SUCCESSFUL RESOLUTION WAS EVER REACHED WITH THE DEALERSHIP, EVEN AFTER THE SUGGESTED REPAIRS WERE MADE. I CONTINUED TO HAVE SURGING ISSUES, MAKING THE CAR UNSAFE. IN JANUARY 2013, I TOOK THE CAR TO A REPUTABLE MECHANIC WHO DIAGNOSED THE CAR WITH TRANSMISSION FAILURE, SPECIFICALLY THE INPUT SHAFT. I BELIEVE THAT THE SURGING ISSUE RELATED TO THE SUBSEQUENT TRANSMISSION FAILURE. NOT ONLY IS MY CAR UNSAFE TO DRIVE DUE TO THE SURGING ISSUE, BUT NOW IS COMPLETELY UNDRIVEABLE DUE TO THE TRANSMISSION FAILURE. I WAS MADE AWARE IN JANUARY 2013 THAT FORD ISSUED A TSB IN DECEMBER 2012 RELATING TO THE SURGING ISSUE AND RECOMMENDED A FIX THAT WOULD COMPLETELY RESOLVE THE ISSUE. BUT I BELIEVE THIS TSB CAME WAY TOO LATE. THE SURGING DAMAGED THE TRANSMISSION AND THUS CREATED A PROBLEM WITHIN THE TRANSMISSION THAT WASN'T THERE BEFORE. FORD TOOK STEPS TO SOLVE A PROBLEM THAT MADE THEIR CARS UNSAFE. NOW THEY NEED TO COME FORWARD AND FURTHER ADDRESS THE ISSUE THAT THE SURGING NOT ONLY MADE THE CAR UNSAFE, BUT DAMAGED THE CAR AND THEN SUBMIT MEASURES TO RESOLVE THE ISSUES OF DAMAGED TRANSMISSIONS. *TR