NHTSA Complaint #10747143 — 2005 FORD FREESTAR

BECAUSE OF A RECALL LETTER WE TOOK IT IN TO UPTOWN FORD FOR THE TORQUE CONVERTER REPLACEMENT ON 09/05/2014. THE REPAIRS WERE COMPLETED. ON 06/29/2015 WHILE DRIVING ON A HIGHWAY IN PEWAUKEE, WITH OUR FOUR SMALL CHILDREN IN THE BACK, THE VAN LOST FORWARD AND REVERSE POWER AND COULD HAVE EASILY, BUT FORTUNATELY DID NOT, RESULTED IN A CRASH; THE ENGINE CONTINUED TO RUN, STEERING AND BRAKING WERE UNAFFECTED AND THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM REMAINED FUNCTIONAL. I WAS ABLE TO HAVE TO VAN TOWED RIGHT AWAY TO OUR LOCAL MECHANICS SHOP THAT DAY (6/29/15). THE FOLLOWING DAY (06/30/2015) I CALLED UPTOWN TO SEE IF THEY COULD TAKE A LOOK AT IT BECAUSE THAT WAS WHERE TO RECALL REPLACEMENT WAS PERFORMED. FRED IN THE REPAIRS DEPARTMENT SAID HE COULDN'T LOOK AT IT UNTIL JULY 8TH AND THEN THE REPAIR WOULD TAKE UP TO A WEEK TO COMPLETE IF IT WAS THE TRANSMISSION/TORQUE CONVERTER. THEY HAD RENTAL CARS FOR $13-35/DAY, BUT DID NOT HAVE ANY VANS OR SOMETHING THAT WOULD ACCOMMODATE OUR WHOLE FAMILY (4 CAR SEATS). I CALLED THE # FOR FORD FROM THE RECALL LETTER TO GET SOME GUIDANCE R.E. THIS PROBLEM. I SPOKE TO JACKIE. SHE SAID THAT IF IT WAS AN ISSUE WITH THE TORQUE CONVERTER IT WOULD ONLY BE COVERED IF THE VAN WAS WITHIN 12 MONTHS OF THE RECALL REPLACEMENT OR WITHIN 12,000 MILES. IT WAS WITHIN 12 MONTHS, BUT WAS ABOUT 200 MILES PAST THE 12,000 MILE MARK. IT WAS REPAIRED AT 87,670 MILES AND THE ODOMETER AT THE TIME OF BREAK-DOWN WAS AT 99,800+, MAKING IT OUTSIDE OF THE "WARRANTY" PERIOD. SO, I MOVED FORWARD WITH THE REPAIRS AT OUR MECHANICS AUTOMOTIVE. THE TOTAL COST FOR THE TRANSMISSION REPLACEMENT WAS $2,259.84. AFTERWARDS I WAS INFORMED THAT RECALLS CANNOT HAVE A LIMITED WARRANTY SUCH AS THE ONE THAT WAS DESCRIBED TO ME BY THE CSR (JACKIE) AT FORD ON 06/30/2015. THIS IS A PROBLEM THAT PUT MY FAMILY INTO HARMS WAY AND A REPAIR OF THAT PROBLEM THAT SHOULD HAVE BEEN COVERED BY FORD/UPTOWN.