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Towed to local repair shop, the mechanic after inspection, he confirmed the transmission failed and the estimate was 3k and one week time
I called up the local Ford dealer, they were promising to fix it within few days and towed the vehicle to dealership. After Inspection , they called and let me know it was faulty PCM , which had water on it and the estimate to fix it would be $1000.
I said to go ahead and fix it . After an hour , the service representative from dealer called me again with a pleasant surprise, the PCM was covered under recall and no need to pay anything.
I thought to share on this forum - the good news, atleast PCM is covered under recall warranty though we have to go through the pain of panic in the middle of road and towing.
I did see that NHTSA is also investigating the failure of the jack so please take care if you have to use it. They had a manufacture complain, but even sadder was a person lost their life because of this failure.
Thank you,
Randy Brault
thanks
I took it to a very reputable transmission shop and spent $3,900 (which I had to put on a credit card)--they told me I need to replace the radiator AND transmission, as the radiator was leaking into the transmission. I had checked with the Ford dealer but they told me they couldn't offer any financial assistance because I had purchased it used and not new. They also told me their financial assistance program was based on Ford "loyalty" (how many previous Fords I had owned, whether I used the Ford dealer for repairs). But it is kind of a chicken and egg situation--I had never had a Ford before this van because it has a poor reputation, but then they had a chance to earn my loyalty by paying to fix a known problem and they didn't. Why would I buy Ford again?
Any mechanics out there see any reason this doesn't make sense?
How did this turn out for you? My 2005 Freestar with 51K miles failed last Saturday. The problem was found to the torque converter pump shaft. The converter has been replaced and now I have check transaxle light and check engine light on. The dealer says my PCM has moisture in it.
Any advice on what to do with the PCM?
Thanks! - Mike D
I make it to the daycare to pick up my one child and the car will not go into reverse. I had to put it in drive then in reverse.
Also, I have been having this issue where it seems to studder at 40-45MPH and the whole car shakes. I had to follow my husband with the hazard lights on when we took it to the transmission place. He had it for a week, said he hooked it up to the computer and there was an error that he cleared, drove the car for 3 days and couldn't get it to do what it did to me. He said I still have the studder, he has no idea what that is but to drive it until it happens again. He also mentioned that this is a known problem with these vehicles.
I will be getting in touch with the lawyers for the class action suit.
Doesn't FORD realize this is a minivan - families are in these every single day. Do they really want this on their hands if a family is seriously injured or worse? It amazes me that these huge companies don't really care about the little people, they just want there big fat bonuses at the end of the year.
When is enough, enough!? I don't know about all of you but I am sick and tired of being taken advantage of, taken for granted and lied to!
Fix the problem or the problem will fix you! You need to re-evaluate your best business practices and customer service policies and procedures.
Fords we have owned in the past:
Freestar - horrible
Focus - had a transmission problem
Bronco - 2
91 mustang
95 Cobra
F350
F250
F150 - 2
Ranger
Escort - caught fire
We have always been a ford family - this will be changing.
I've owned many types of vehicles over 120K miles, including Toyotas, don't recall ever having such transmission problems with any of those, especially at 80K miles...
Thanks
I'm glad they followed up and feel good about the potential reimbursement.
15 years ASE Ford Technician
First of all, allow me to say I posted my situation on this board nearly 2 years ago and have posted nothing since. However, I saw yours and I thought it needed a response. I too am an ASE certified tech, for almost 30 years. I have a college degree in automotive technology. I have been a Ford owner all my life: Pinto, Mustang, Torino, LTD, F-100, F-150, Ranger, Aerostar, Bronco II, Mercury Monterey, Fairlane 500, Cougar XR-7, maybe more. I will buy Fords again. I have never had any major problems with a Ford before--water pumps, a starter or two, a heater core maybe--otherwise just maintenance stuff that I've done right by the book. Fords have done great by me...Until my Freestar. I still love this van: the space, the seating, the power, the looks. It's a 2005 SES. I bought it new and gave it great care, it got maintenance at the dealer right by the book. As for the transmission, it got it serviced at 34,000 miles just as recommended by Ford. At 52,000 miles the torque converter shaft disintegrated, sending metal throughout the tranny, destroying everything. The dealer claimed total ignorance of any problems with this tranny at all, which I found later to be a lie. I paid $3400 for a rebuilt Ford tranny in order to get the 3 year, 100,000 mile warranty. The van now has 81,000 miles on it. This transmission has always rolled backwards on even the slightest hill, yet they say there is no problem, normal they say. Sorry Mr. 15 Year Tech, but we are not all boobs out here. We are not all out to sue Ford, we just want the truth. We have done the proper maintenance. We do know what we are talking about. I have loved Fords and will buy Fords again BUT, BUT this transmission in this van is JUNK, is a bad design, and should be recalled. I do know what I'm talking about. I was doing this 15 years before you were, probably driving Fords when you were in kindergarten, so don't pontificate to me. Why don't you 'fess up about all the Freestar transmissions you've been paid to replace or repair?
Ford is quite aware of the situation with these vans, but refuses to take corrective action. I believe that those who travel in these vans risk their life or the life of others. A vehicle should be road safe, but these vehicle fail without any warning leaving those in them in jeopardy.
Children should not be in these vans. Your family should not be in these vans. Ford should take corrective action, but if they do not, NHTSA needs to make them do the right and just corrective action. Lawsuits seem to be the only action that this company understands. Ford had made the statement," It's cheaper to let them crash and burn," in regards to the Pinto. I believe that the are appling the same police to these vehicles.
Accountablity even in the corporate world should be the standard. Not corporate greed. If this was the FDA or any other government agency, we would expect corrective action.
Personally, I will never own another Ford vehicle. If Chevy or any other vehicle manufacturer produced such an unsafe vehicle, I would certainly expect high safety standards from them. I feel that Ford has placed their customers and their families at risk.
I wanted to respond to let everybody know that the NHTSA investigation of this failure is still open (EA09016), and to strongly encourage you, if you haven't already, to file a complaint with the Office of Defect Investigations! The more complaints on record the better the chances of a proper resolution.
As of November 2011, Ford has supplied the requested data, so now the NHTSA is looking it over.
BTW - Never buying a Ford again!
Mine was in August 2010. Tranny failed, going 70mph in heavy traffic in Maine, 15 hours from home. Didn't get my van back for 37 days. Over $3,700.00 to repair. Then in the Spring, the computer module went out about 3 times, which was a normal design flaw in the thing. My mechanic talked to his friend who works at a local Ford Dealer's service dept., and the guy says he fixes about 3 of those per month! That cost a total of about another 500+ bucks. Van has been running well since then, but I have passed a year and 3 months through the 3-year, 100,000 mile warantee on the new tranny. It's amazing that this is still going on - I wonder when the NHTSA will get this resolved...
Under the "Vehicle Owners" tab at the website there is a link to a booklet, "Investigation and Recall Process Booklet: The purpose of this booklet is to answer the most commonly asked questions about complaints, investigations, and recalls, and to inform consumers of their rights and responsibilities when a vehicle or item of motor vehicle equipment is recalled."
Also - I was reading the information in the booklet, and it indicates that you can possibly be reimbursed if you have already replaced the torque converter. However, if I am reading it right - it's only for one year prior to the manufacturer's date of notification. We had to replace ours in March 2009. Looks like we are just out of luck. :-( Oh well, hopefully this recall will help others to not endure what we have. I am taking my vehicle to the shop this afternoon because the transmssion has started jerking really bad. If they tell me I need a new transmission, this will be my fourth in this van. Yes, I plan to get rid of it soon as I can!!