NHTSA Complaint #10638542 — 2006 FORD FREESTYLE

THIS HAPPENED 3 TIMES BEFORE THEY WERE ABLE TO DO ANYTHING AT THE FORD DEALERSHIP BECAUSE THE LIGHTS WOULD BE OFF BY THE TIME I WAS ABLE TO REACH THE DEALERSHIP, AND THEIR RESPONSE WAS ALWAYS TECHNICIAN WAS UNABLE TO DUPLICATE SYMPTOM. WHILE DRIVING AT 50MPH ON THE INTERSTATE THERE WAS AN INTERMITTENT IDLE SURGE WHILE DRIVING AND THEN A LOUD "CLUNKING" NOISE AND THEN THE TRANSMISSION LOST POWER AND THE VEHICLE CRAWLED TO A HALT. THERE WAS NO ACCELERATION EVEN THOUGH THE ENGINE REVVED UP. THE STEERING WHEEL BECAME DIFFICULT TO MANEUVER SO I WAS UNABLE TO EVEN GET IT INTO THE EMERGENCY LANE. I WAS STUCK IN THE MIDDLE LANE OF THE INTERSTATE WITH MY CHILD IN THE CAR. THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT, THE WRENCH LIGHT FOR THE CVT TRANSMISSION, AND THE PASSENGER AIR BAG LIGHT ALSO CAME ON. I HAD TO TURN THE CAR OFF, PUT IT IN PARK, AND THEN RESTART THE CAR, WHEN I REACHED THE DEALERSHIP THEY WERE FINALLY ABLE TO RETRIEVE SEVERAL FAULT CODES. THEY PERFORMED AN R&R TRANSMISSION AND OVERHAUL. THIS HAPPENED 2 OTHER TIMES AT (77004 MILES, AFTER SHIFTING INTO PARK AT 0 MPH. THEY REPLACED A FAULTY THROTTLE BODY FOR THIS REPAIR- AND THEN AT 77238 MILES-THEY REPLACED THE ALTERNATOR FOR THIS REPAIR). IT'S BEGINNING TO HAPPEN AGAIN. THIS WAS AND STILL IS A DANGEROUS SITUATION. I NOW HAVE 3 KIDS. I THANK GOD WE WEREN'T STRUCK FROM BEHIND WHILE DRIVING ON THE INTERSTATE. I AM TERRIFIED TO DRIVE THE VEHICLE TO LONG DISTANCE LOCATIONS OR DRIVE ON ANY PARKWAY, HIGHWAY, OR INTERSTATE BECAUSE IT TOOK A WHILE FOR THE VEHICLE TO START UP LONG ENOUGH TO GET IT TO THE DEALERSHIP THAT WAS ONLY 4 MILES AWAY. *TR