NHTSA Complaint #11074067 — 2007 FORD FREESTYLE

FROM THE 1ST DAY I LEASED THE VEHICLE FROM PROGRESSIVE AUTO, I COULD HEAR IT RAVING HIGH, STEERING WHEEL REALLY HEAVY, BRAKES SEEMED STRANGE AND HEAVY TO MOVE. BUT THE SALES MAN KEPT TELLING AND SHOWING ME A REPORT THAT THE VEHICLE IS FINE, AND KEPT SAYING, ITS THE TYPE OF ENGINE IN THE VEHICLE (CVT) THAT'S WHY IT ALL SEEMS STRANGE. I KEPT GOING BACK TO THEM ADVISING THEM THAT I KNOW SOMETHING IS WRONG, BUT THEY KEPT SAYING THEY CANNOT FIND ANYTHING WRONG. FINALLY I TOOK IT TO A FORD DEALERSHIP, AND THEY ADVISED ME IT WAS A TRANSMISSION, BRAKES AND SUSPENSION PROBLEM. AND THIS WAS NOT EVEN 2 MONTHS DOWN THE ROAD. I WAS VERY UPSET AND WANTED TO RETURN THE VEHICLE. SO THEY DECIDED TO CLAIM TO FIX THE TRANSMISSION BY INSTALLING A USED ONE. I HAD TO GET THE OTHER THINGS FIXED MYSELF. NOT EVEN A YEAR AND SOME LATER, I HAVE TO REPLACE THE TRANSMISSION AGAIN. BEFORE THE TRANSMISSION COMPLETELY DIED, AS I WAS DRIVING IT STARTED TO STALL TO A POINT I ALMOST GOT INTO A CAR ACCIDENT WITH KIDS IN THE BACK, AS THE CAR KEPT JERKING AND I DIDN'T KNOW WHAT WAS HAPPENING.THIS WAS THE WORST VEHICLE I HAVE EVER PURCHASED IN MY LIFE TIME. AND THE BEST PART, IS ONE ONE WANTS TO TAKE OWNERSHIP OF THE PROBLEM WITH THE VEHICLE THAT SEEMS TO BE VERY VERY COMMON. I WISH THE PROBLEMS WERE EASILY DIAGNOSED WHEN FIRST HAPPENING, AND IT WOULD HAVE SAVED ME ALOT OF HEADACHES. I AM USUALLY A IMPORT VEHICLE INDIVIDUAL, BUT I CHOOSE FORD AS I HEARD GREAT THINGS ABOUT THEM. BUT NOW I WILL NEVER BUY A FORD AGAIN AS IT HAS BEEN THE WORST EXPERIENCE I HAVE HAD. I NEED OVER $3000 TO FIX THE TRANSMISSION AND THE VEHICLE IS NOT EVEN WORTH THAT MUCH!