NHTSA Complaint #10689963 — 2005 LINCOLN TOWN CAR

WE HAVE A 2005 LINCOLN TOWN CAR WITH 87000 MILES WHEN IT RAINS THE REAR R FLOOR GETS A LOT OF WATER. THE WATER COMES FROM A DEFECTIVE SEAL IN THE AC/HEAT SYSTEM ? PROBABLY AROUND THE FAN MOUNT FOR THE HEATING /COOLING. AND ? MORE TROUBLE ? WHEN WE BACKED OUT OF THE DRIVEWAY IN WET WEATHER ? THE CAR FROZE IN PLACE ? AS IF WE HAD HIT A WALL. IT WOULD STILL GO FORWARD. HAPPENED HALF A DOZEN TIMES ? ALWAYS RAINING. EXCEPT ONE RAINY SUNDAY, JUST OUT OF THE DRIVEWAY LEAVING FOR CHURCH, IT FROZE DRIVING FORWARD. WE TOOK THE CAR TO BOB DAVIDSON FORD PAID THEM 'DIAGNOSTIC FEES' - $250 FOR THE [2] SEPARATE PROBLEMS. [XXX] GAVE US THE REPORT: THE LEAK REPAIR WOULD COST $600 ? AND, MORE OF A CHALLENGE, THE TRANNY, WHICH SHOWED: ?TRANSMISSION INTERNAL FAULT 150? NEEDS REPLACEMENT [ABOUT $4000 PARTS PLUS LABOR] THE LOCAL AAMCO OWNER SAID THIS MODEL LINCOLN ? FOR 2005 [AND THE 5 OTHER YEARS OF THE SAME DESIGN ? IS NOTABLE FOR CONSIDERABLE WATER PROBLEMS. HE HAD NOT HEARD OF WATER CAUSING THE TRANNY PROBLEMS AND HE ASKED ME TO GET THE DIAGNOSTIC CODES FROM [XXX]. HERE IT GETS INTERESTING. ?FAULT 150? IS GENERIC FOR TRANSMISSION. THE SHOP TESTING ? WELL, THERE WAS NO CODE. THERE WAS NO REPORT OF A DEFECT FROM THE CAR'S ON-BOARD COMPUTER. NO FAULT CODES AT ALL. JUST AN INDICATION, TOLD US AS: ?THE ACCUMULATOR WAS LEAKING OR THERE IS A BINDING CONCERN? WHEN THEY TOOK THE CAR OUT FOR A TEST DRIVE CONNECTED TO A DIAGNOSTIC TOOL. AND FROM THIS [XXX] IS ABLE TO TELL US WE NEED TO REPLACE A $4000 TRANSMISSION. PLUS LABOR, OF COURSE. WE PAID $120 TO A LEAK DOCTOR REPAIR TECH TO FIX THE WATER LEAK ON THE ENGINE SIDE OF THE FIREWALL. THE WATER LEAK SEEMS TO BE RESOLVED AND THE TRANNY LOCKING UP PROBLEM HAS NOT HAPPENED AGAIN. EVEN WHEN IT RAINS. ANY HELP YOU CAN GIVE ON THIS WILL BE GREATLY APPRECIATED. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR