NHTSA Complaint #10521384 — 2004 FORD FREESTAR

WHILE MY HUSBAND WAS ON HIS WAY HOME FROM WORK HE CAME UPON A RED LIGHT. WHEN THE LIGHT TURNED GREEN AGAIN HE ATTEMPTED TO ACCELERATE BUT THE VAN WOULD NOT MOVE. HE TURNED THE IGNITION OFF AND THEN ON AGAIN AND THE VAN STILL WOULD NOT MOVE. ALL OF THIS OCCURRED WITHOUT ANY WARNING, NO LIGHTS FLASHING OR ANY KIND OF UNUSUAL SOUNDS. AFTER HAVING IT TOWED TO THE DEALER WE PURCHASED THE VEHICLE FROM WE WERE TOLD THAT THE VAN HAD AN ELECTRICAL PROBLEM THAT NEEDED TO BE HANDLED AT THE FORD DEALER. NOW WHAT I HAVE BEEN TOLD IS THAT THE ELECTRONIC COMPUTER MODULE WAS THE PROBLEM AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THIS REPAIR COST US $1200 DOLLARS AFTER HAVING THE VAN FOR JUST UNDER FIVE MONTHS. WE ARE PAYING CLOSE TO $13,000 FOR THIS VAN AND WERE NOT ABLE TO DRIVE IT SAFELY FOR AT LEAST SIX MONTHS WITHOUT REPAIR. SOMEONE SHOULD PROTECT THE CONSUMER A LITTLE BETTER THAN THEY ARE. THIS IS DEVASTATING FOR MY FAMILY CONSIDERING THIS IS OUR FIRST VEHICLE AND WE ARE STILL INEXPERIENCED WITH THE WAS DEALERS PREY ON THEIR POTENTIAL CUSTOMERS, FORD SHOULD BE ASHAMED OF HOW THEY TREAT THE PEOPLE WHO ARE THE ONE'S WHO KEEP THEM IN BUSINESS. I THINK PEOPLE SHOULD TAKE A STAND TO REFRAIN FROM PURCHASING FORD VEHICLES UNTIL THEY TAKE CONSUMER SAFETY SERIOUSLY. THERE SHOULD ALSO BE A LAW WHICH STATES THAT ANY USED CAR DEALER DISCLOSE RECALL INFORMATION TO THE POTENTIAL BUYER BEFORE A CONTRACT IS ENTERED INTO. THE TYPE OF PROBLEM THAT WE HAVE COULD HAVE ENDED IN SERIOUS INJURY OR DEATH HAD THIS HAPPENED ON THE HIGHWAY. *TR