NHTSA Complaint #11253137 — 2005 FORD FREESTYLE

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 FORD FREESTYLE. ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS, OVER THE COURSE OF SEVERAL YEARS, THE INSTRUMENT PANEL FAILED TO OPERATE WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS STARTED. OVER TIME, THE INSTRUMENT PANEL BECAME TOTALLY INOPERABLE AND THE CONTACT WAS UNABLE TO SEE THE SPEED, FUEL LEVEL, OR OTHER GAUGES. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO VARNEY FORD (LOCATED AT 237 MOOSEHEAD TRAIL, NEWPORT, ME 04953, (888) 460-7356) WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE INSTRUMENT PANEL NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. ADDITIONALLY, THE BATTERY NEEDED TO BE REPLACED BECAUSE THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN DRIVEN FOR DAYS TO WEEKS AT A TIME. HOWEVER, THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT DIELECTRIC GREASE WAS ADDED TO THE WIRE CONNECTORS AND THE VEHICLE OPERATED AS INTENDED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FAILURE SEEMED TO BE MORE PREVALENT WHEN THE OUTSIDE TEMPERATURE WAS BETWEEN 60-68 DEGREES. THE MANUFACTURER WAS INFORMED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE THE FIRST FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 1200 MILES IN 2007 AND AGAIN BY 2012. *TP