NHTSA Complaint #10872382 — 2006 FORD FREESTYLE

VEHICLE WAS DISCOVERED TO HAVE SEVERE RUST ON FRONT FRAME ASSEMBLY DRIVERS SIDE DURING ROUTINE MAINTENANCE ON TODAY'S DATE. IT APPEARS THIS HAS BEEN AN ISSUE FOR SOME TIME AND HAS JUST BECAME PAINFULLY APPARENT. THE CORROSION/RUST/DETERIORATION OCCURS DIRECTLY BELOW AN AREA WHERE THE AIR CONDITIONING SYSTEM DISPENSES LATER/CONDENSATION. EROSION TO STRUCTURAL SUPPORT IS SO BAD IT HAS EATEN AWAY BOTTOM, SIDES AND TOP OF FRAME ASSEMBLY. SOMETIMES KNOWN AS AN ENGINE CRADLE. IN ORDER TO REPLACE, THE ENGINE MUST BE MOVED AND OTHER FRONT END COMPONENTS REMOVED FROM VEHICLE. IT IS THE OPINION OF COMPLAINANT THAT THIS RUST ISSUE COULD RESULT IN A DANGEROUS CONDITION FOR THE DRIVER OF THE VEHICLE, THE OCCUPANTS OF THE VEHICLE AS WELL AS OTHER MOTORISTS ON THE ROAD AND THE GENERAL PUBLIC. IT IS ALSO THE OPINION OF THE COMPLAINANT THAT THIS RUST ISSUE COULD RESULT IN THE STRUCTURAL ABILITY TO SUSPEND THE ENGINE. POSSIBLY RESULTING IN MISALIGNMENT OF KEY COMPONENTS OR MOVING PARTS AND COULD RESULT IN EXCESSIVE WEAR AND DAMAGE TO OTHER COMPONENTS OF THE AUTOMOBILE. IT IS ALSO THE OPINION OF THE COMPLAINANT THAT THE RUST ISSUE AND WEAKENING OF FRONT END SUPPORT MEMBERS COULD POSSIBLY IMPACT STEERING, TIRE LIFE, TIRE PATTERN ON ROADWAY DURING HAZARDOUS CONDITIONS, ETC. FORD MOTOR COMPANY APPEARS TO HAVE SIMILAR RUST/CHASSIS/FRAME ISSUES ON OTHER MODELS OF VEHICLES AFTER DOING QUICK SEARCH ONLINE REGARDING THIS ISSUE AND COMPARING PHOTOGRAPHS. FORD MOTOR COMPANY HAS ISSUED RECALLS FOR OTHER RUST/FRAME/CHASSIS ISSUES, BUT NOT FOR THE FORD FREESTYLE.