NHTSA Complaint #10593629 — 2005 FORD FIVE HUNDRED

PART OF AN ONGOING SERIES OF ISSUES WITH THIS VEHICLE (SEE EARLIER REPORTS), INITIAL SYMPTOM WAS THE DASH LIGHTS & NEEDLES SHUTTING OFF INTERMITTENTLY (BUT NOW FOR EXTENDED PERIODS). VEHICLE THEN BEGAN SHOWING RANDOM WARNING LIGHTS INCLUDING "CHECK ENGINE", WHICH WAS DIAGNOSED FIRST TIME AS LOW FUEL LEVEL SENSORS A & B. SINCE THAT TIME I'D DISCONNECTED THE BATTERY ON A SUGGESTION OF A MECHANIC FRIEND AND ALL THE ISSUES DISAPPEARED FOR A FEW WEEKS. YESTERDAY THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME BACK, AND THE CAR WAS RUNNING POORLY (CREEPING WHEN FIRST OFF BRAKES, NOT UP SHIFTING), WHEN THE DASH WAS OPERABLE IT SHOWED ALTERNATING CHECK ENGINE/CHECK TRANSMISSION WARNINGS, AND VEHICLE WAS SURGING/LAGGING NOTICEABLY AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS. I AGAIN DID THE BATTERY DISCONNECT LAST NIGHT, AND THE CAR IS OPERATING NORMAL TODAY, BUT I'M SURE IT WILL RECUR SHORTLY. I AM HESITANT TO TAKE IT TO A DEALER AS THIS SOUNDS LIKE A SIGNIFICANT ELECTRONICS ISSUE, AND I HAVE ALREADY READ UP ON THE FORD TSB 06-17-9 THAT IS DOCUMENTED ONLINE, NOT ALL OF WHICH ALIGNS WITH MY ISSUES. HAD THE BATTERY RESET HAD NO IMPACT ON THE PROBLEMS I WOULD SAY IT'S A MECHANICAL MATTER, BUT IT SEEMS CLEAR ITS A COMPUTER OR ELECTRICAL ISSUE. *TR