NHTSA Complaint #10505618 — 2006 FORD FREESTYLE

A FEW WEEKS AGO I WAS BACKING OUT OF THE DRIVEWAY IN THE MORNING (IT WAS COLD & FROSTY). WHEN I PUT THE VEHICLE INTO REVERSE IT STARTED TO BACK OUT BUT THEN WOULDN'T ACCELERATE. I PUSHED HARDER ON THE ACCELERATOR AND IT REVVED AND FINALLY WENT. THE CAR FELT OFF' WHILE DRIVING (SHAKY & NOT FULLY UNDER CONTROL-LIKE RIDING A BICYCLE WHEN THE CHAIN SLIPS BUT ISN'T COMPLETELY OFF). THE WRENCH LIGHT TURNED ON BUT ONCE I'D ARRIVED AT THE DESTINATION & STOPPED & RESTARTED THE VEHICLE IT SEEMED FINE AND THE WRENCH LIGHT TURNED OFF. LAST WEEK I WAS AGAIN BACKING OUT AND THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT ACCELERATE, I PUSHED DOWN MORE ON THE ACCELERATOR AND IT SKIPPED / LURCHED BACK (ALMOST HITTING ANOTHER VEHICLE). THIS HAPPENED TWICE MORE, BOTH SCARY BUT MANAGEABLE ONCE I WAS ABLE TO TURN THE VEHICLE OFF AND ON AGAIN. THEN THIS MORNING IT HAPPENED AGAIN WITH THE REVVING NOISE AND POOR AND JUMPY ACCELERATION BUT AFTER RESTARTING, THE 'CHECK ENGINE' LIGHT CAME ON AND HAS CONTINUED TO BE LIT. SO FAR I HAVE ONLY ENCOUNTERED THE LURCHING AND LACK OF ACCELERATION OCCURRING WHILE IN REVERSE, THOUGH IT'S CONTINUED ONCE GOING FORWARD UNTIL I CAN PULL OVER AND RESTART THE VEHICLE. UNTIL I CAN RESTART THE VEHICLE IT FEELS SHAKY AND ON THE VERGE OF DYING, ESPECIALLY WHEN AT IDLE IN TRAFFIC OR RED LIGHTS. I DID A LOT OF RESEARCH BEFORE PURCHASING THE FREESTYLE. I CHOSE IT BECAUSE IT WAS ONE OF THE HIGHEST RATED AND 'SAFEST' SUVS WITH 3RD ROW SEATS - REVIEWED BY THE IIHS, CAR-SEAT.ORG AND OTHER ORGANIZATIONS. I WOULD NOT HAVE PURCHASED A FREESTYLE IF THESE PROBLEMS WERE WELL KNOWN TO ME AT THE TIME. WE WILL LOOK AT THE THROTTLE BODY AS RECOMMENDED BY OTHER OWNERS ON THIS AND OTHER SITES AND I ONLY HOPE THAT SOLVES THE PROBLEM. IN THE MEANTIME I AM AFRAID OF THE LACK OF ACCELERATION AND LURCHING PROBLEM HAPPENING AROUND OTHER VEHICLES AND PEOPLE SO I AM DRIVING BACKROADS WHERE POSSIBLE. *TR