NHTSA Complaint #10509108 — 2005 FORD FREESTAR

DON'T HAVE MY VIN ON ME TO SHARE AT THIS TIME. ALSO, THE SPECIFIC ELECTRICAL PROBLEM IS THE PCM. ON 4/4/2013, I WAS DRIVING DOWN THE HIGHWAY AT ABOUT 45-50 MPH WHEN MY CAR 'DIED'. I LOST ALL POWER - NO BRAKES, STEERING, ETC. FORTUNATELY, NONE OF MY KIDS WERE IN THE CAR. THE CAR WAS TOWED TO THE DEALERSHIP THAT NIGHT. THEY SAID IT WAS MY CAM SENSOR. LESS THAN 5 DAYS AFTER PICKING UP THE CAR ON 4/9 TH CAR ACTED UP AGAIN. (THEY KEPT THE CAR FOR A RECALL UNRELATED TO THIS). ON 4/14 I WAS DRIVING DOWN THE HIGHWAY AT ABOUT 70 MPH WHEN THE CAR STARTED TO JERK. LUCKILY I WAS CLOSE TO HOME THIS TIME AND AFTER STOPPING SEVERAL TIMES WAS ABLE TO GET THE CAR IN THE DRIVEWAY. MY YOUNGEST DAUGHTER WAS IN THE CAR WITH ME WHO IS NOW AFRAID TO GET BACK IN THE CAR. THE NEXT MORNING I HAD IT TOWED BACK TO THE DEALERSHIP. A FEW DAYS LATER THEY SAID IT WAS MY ALTERNATOR. I WAS TOLD THEY WOULD CREDIT ME BACK THE MONEY I PUT OUT FOR THE CAM SENSOR. THEY PUT IN THE NEW ALTERNATOR AND TEST DROVE THE CAR. GUESS WHAT - THE CAR STILL JERKED. THE SHOP MANAGER TOOK IT HOME WITH A COMPUTER HOOKED UP TO IT. THEY COULD NOT FIND ANYTHING. THEY THEN PUT A CALL INTO THE FORD HOTLINE. A WEEK LATER THEY TELL ME IT IS THE PCM. IT GOT WET. OVER $400 TO FIX AND THAT IS WITH A USED PART. OVER $1200 IF IT IS NEW. A QUICK INTERNET SEARCH FINDS THE PCM IS A COMMON ISSUE WITH THE FREESTAR. NOT SURE WHEN IT WILL BE RECALLED. I HOPE NO ONE GETS SERIOUSLY INJURED BEFORE THESE COMPLAINTS ARE TAKEN SERIOUSLY. I WILL SAY THIS IS THE LAST FORD I WILL BUY. I AM NOT SURE HOW TO EXPLAIN TO MY KIDS THAT THE CAR IS SAFE TO DRIVE WHEN I DON'T BELIEVE IT MYSELF. I GUESS I WILL KEEP MY RECEIPT FOR WHEN THIS IS RECALLED SO I CAN BE REIMBURSED. *TR