NHTSA Complaint #10525243 — 2005 FORD FREESTYLE

WHEN I WAS REVERSING OUT OF A PARKING SPACE MY CAR LUNGED BACKWARDS AND THEN SHUT OFF AND ON MY DASH BOARD IT READ "FAILED SAFE MODE". THEN 2 WEEKS LATER THIS SAME THING HAPPENED TO ME WHEN I PULLED OUT ONTO A STREET. I WAS AT A BUSY INTERSECTION AND MY CAR SHUT OFF AGAIN STATING "FAIL SAFETY MODE" AFTER 2 ATTEMPTS TO RESTART MY CAR THE VEHICLE FINALLY STARTED AGAIN. WHEN I GO INTO DRIVE OR REVERSE MY CAR TAKES A FEW SECONDS TO SHIFT AND WILL ALWAYS LUNGE FORWARDS OR BACKWARDS WHILE GOING AROUND 2MPH-5MPH. THIS VEHICLE IS BECOMING MORE AND MORE UNSAFE TO DRIVE. THE COST OF A NEW CVT TRANSMISSION WILL RUN ME $5500. I CONTACTED FORD ABOUT THIS ISSUE AND THEY MADE IT CLEAR TO ME THAT THEY HAVE NOT HEARD ANYTHING ABOUT THIS, ALTHOUGH THERE IS CURRENTLY A CLASS ACTION LAWSUIT PENDING AGAINST FORD FOR THIS MATTER. I ALSO CONTACTED THE DEALER WHO I PURCHASED FROM LESS THAN A YEAR AND HALF AGO AND THEY ARE WILLING TO GIVE ME $3000 FOR MY VEHICLE WHICH I PURCHASED FOR $12,000 AND STILL OWE $9,000 FOR. THERE IS NO WAY I CAN AFFORD TO PAY FOR THIS REPAIR, ESPECIALLY BECAUSE MY VEHICLE IS WORTH ROUGHLY $5,000 NOW. *TR