NHTSA Complaint #10503145 — 2004 FORD FREESTAR

OUR 2004 FORD FREESTAR STALLED, AND THEN SURGED AFTER ACCELERATING FROM A STOP. THE NEXT DAY THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON. WE TOOK IT TO A LOCAL FORD DEALER, CAPITAL CITY FORD IN INDIANAPOLIS, WHO IN INDICATED THE CODE WAS FOR A FUEL PUMP PROBLEM. WE PAID OVER $800 TO HAVE THE FUEL PUMP REPLACED ON DECEMBER 27TH. IN LATE FEBRUARY THE VAN BEGAN TO STALL AND SURGE AGAIN. WE SUSPECTED THE SAME PROBLEM. IT CONTINUED TO DO THIS OFF AND ON FOR THE NEXT TWO WEEKS AND ON MARCH 8TH THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AGAIN. WE TOOK IT BACK TO THE SAME FORD DEALER AND THEY SAID THE INITIAL CODE WAS FOR THE SAME ERROR, BUT WHEN ANOTHER MECHANIC/TECHNICIAN CHECKED THE CODE IT CAME UP WITH A DIFFERENT PROBLEM. WE WERE ADVISED THAT THE THERE WAS "MOISTURE" GETTING INTO THE PCM CAUSING THE PROBLEM AND NOT ONLY WAS IT CAUSING THE ENGINE TO STALL, BUT WAS GIVING WRONG ERROR CODES. THE REPLACEMENT OF THE PCM WAS ESTIMATED TO BE A +$1,000 COST. WE WERE ADVISED THAT IT "SEEMED TO BE" A DESIGN FLAW IN THE LOCATION OF THE PCM IN THAT IT IS IN LINE WITH THE WATERFLOW FROM THE WINDSHIELD. AFTER MUCH RESEARCH ON THE INTERNET ON THIS ISSUE, IT APPEARS IT IS A LONG-STANDING ISSUE WITH MANY OWNERS OF THIS VEHICLE AND EVEN WITH REPLACEMENT OF THE PCM THE PROBLEM WILL HAPPEN AGAIN DUE TO THE DESIGN FLAW. THE SAFETY RISK RELATED TO ENGINE STALLS DUE TO THE FAILURE OF THE PCM IS UNACCEPTABLE. THE FAILURE OF THE DEALERSHIP TO IDENTIFY THIS WELL-KNOWN PROBLEM AND CHARGE US FOR A REPAIR (FUEL PUMP) THAT WAS UNNECESSARY IS UNCONSCIONABLE. *TR