NHTSA Complaint #10653407 — 2005 FORD FIVE HUNDRED

I PURCHASED NEW IN 2005 A FORD FIVE HUNDRED LIMITED FROM A DEALERSHIP. I HAVE DRIVEN IT AND HAVE BEEN MORE THAN SATISFIED WITH IT. I HAVE HAD TO DO SOME WORK TO IT THAT ACCORDING TO THE DEALERSHIPS ARE COMMON PROBLEMS SUCH AS SWAY BAR ENDS AND A CV JOINT.ESPECIALLY LIVING IN THE NORTHEAST. THE REASON I'M FILING THIS SAFETY COMPLAINT IS DUE TO THE THROTTLE BODY ON THIS MODEL VEHICLE. APPROX A MONTH OR TWO AGO AS WHILE DRIVING, MY CAR ENGINE WOULD REV UP SLIGHTLY AND MOMENTARILY. SHORTLY AFTER THAT STARTED THE VEHICLE (6 SPEED AUTOMATIC) WOULD NOT SHIFT PROPERLY. I WOULD ONLY SHIFT UP IF I WOULD LET OFF THE GAS PEDDLE, SHORTLY AFTER THAT, THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AND THEN SHORTLY AFTER THAT WHILE DRIVING AT ANY GIVEN SPEED IT WOULD GO INTO "FAIL SAFE" CHECK ENGINE MODE. I BROUGHT IT TO A MECHANIC AND THEY FOUND CODES THAT HAD TO DO WITH THE VEHICLE FUEL SYSTEM RUNNING "RICH" BUT COULD NOT TELL ME WHAT IT WAS EXACTLY. I THEN STARTED READING ABOUT MY VEHICLE AND SIMILAR PROBLEMS AND FOUND THAT MANY OWNERS HAVE COMPLAINED ABOUT THE SAME PROBLEM AND FOUND THAT IT WAS A THROTTLE BODY PROBLEM THAT FORD NEW ABOUT ON SEVERAL MODELS (INCLUDING MERCURY) FORD DID NOT DO A RECALL ON THIS PROBLEM BUT RATHER SENT A LETTER TO OWNERS ( I NEVER RECEIVED) SAYING THAT THEY WOULD CLEAN THE THROTTLE BODY AND RESET THE CONTROL COMPUTER. THE LETTER CAME OUT IN 2012. THE LETTER SAID THAT THE PROBLEM WOULD BE COVERED FREE ON VEHICLES THAT HAD LESS THAN 150,000 AND UNDER TEN YEARS. I DO NOT QUALIFY FOR THE MILEAGE. I HAVE HAD THE DEALERSHIP CLEAN THE PLATES OF THE THROTTLE BODY AS THE LETTER SAID AND PAID FOR IT BUT THE PROBLEM PERSIST AND IN FACT IS WORSE. I CALLED FORD CUSTOMER SERVICE THAT SAID THAT THERE WAS NOTHING THEY DO OTHER THAN GO TO ANOTHER FORD DEALERSHIP TO SEE IF THEY COULD HELP. A CAR STALLING WHILE IN IN TRAFFIC IS VERY DANGEROUS AND FORD SHOULD TAKE RESPONSIBILITY. *TR