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Ford Freestar Transmission Problems

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Comments

  • shocked1shocked1 Member Posts: 85
    Jim, I belive it. I also believe we'll NEVER see a recall or refund or anything else for this metal crap called a FREESTAR! My family will never buy another FORD. As I said before my bro. got a Mustang every couple years before i was done dirty by FORD. Sorry way to treat consumers in Americ :mad: a!
  • nittanylion70nittanylion70 Member Posts: 2
    Folks - lets make sure we report all the incidents to the NHTSA. There is a website mentioned lots of times in previous messages. They have started an investigation. Call the 800 number on the site. You may have to leave a message and they call back in a few days. This might be slow but it takes all of us to make the numbers worthwhile for the group to act. Maybe we can get enough momentum before someone gets seriously injured or worse.
  • jgenovesejgenovese Member Posts: 220
    Also, don't forget the Center for Auto Safety. They are very well respected, influential, active and credible enough that they are interviewed by major news outlets for stories such as the Freestar story.

    Perhaps more importantly however; tell everyone you know who has a Freestar or Monteray and even tell people that you don't know if they have one of these vans. You just might save their life!

    Jim Genovese
    Annapolis, MD
  • aacyjemael1aacyjemael1 Member Posts: 2
    Well here we are visiting my son in OK for Christmas (we live in VA) and we had some weird issues on our trip here, ie. overhead dash temp reading 90's and 100's (only in 30's most of the way), and our heating system doing strange things, driver side seat turned blazing hot even though the control was off. We thought maybe some computer or sensor glitch. This evening my daughter-in-law, son and myself went out to eat and when we entered our 2005 Mercury Monterey to go back home, the van didn't seem to want to accelerate in the drive position. It was sluggish but eventually did move. When I got to the traffic light, same thing happened and I feared being stranded on a very busy highway and it was dark. It did manage to finally pick up some speed and we made our way back home. I had to pull up in a driveway to turn vehicle around to park in right direction on street and it did not want to move in reverse. I only have 49,000 on this vehicle and purchased it from Carmax with an extended warranty. We are 1,200 plus miles from home, it is Christmas week coming up and my husband has to return to work on the 30th. We are going to take it in to Ford dealer on Monday as we are not close to any carmax. I am now in a state of panic after reading this blog. I don't know if we are experiencing the problem with the tranny but the stories are eerily familiar. What confuses me is the other issues we were having, could they be related and how???? I am sick to my stomach and fear driving back home with my young son and dog.
  • oilandwateroilandwater Member Posts: 50
    You might have a stuck thermostat for heat issue, and a bad seat heater sensor. Go to a AutoZone or Advance auto and ask them to read your computer codes, this is usually done for free. Might save some money up front. If the code comes up for Torque Converter then you have the tranny (transmission) problem that many have experienced....
  • shocked1shocked1 Member Posts: 85
    There's NO JUSTICE for it. How long have we reported thispicec of crap? My guareente has already ran out for tranny! FORD, NSAH, or gov. couldn't care less.We're kidding ourselves. Im sorry, but it's true, we're stuck with their junk......
  • aacyjemael1aacyjemael1 Member Posts: 2
    now today my husband took the van out and it was fine. I know however it is not fine after what happened to me yesterday. This is even worse, I am 1200 miles from home and we planned on taking to ford dealer in the morning. No telling if the van will be "fine" there only to break down on our way back home cross country. I am feeling very uneasy about this upcoming trip as I know I can no longer trust this vehicle. I have knots in my stomach.
  • sunburnsunburn Member Posts: 319
    Maybe the water in the PCM problem? That can cause strange electrical/engine/transmission problems that can come and go.
  • coneflower1coneflower1 Member Posts: 15
    When our torque converter problem happened, it was without warning. Maybe your problem is that other issue with the PCM. We were out on a family trip and pulling out of a drive thru McDonalds. The car just died as I pulled into 45 MPH traffic. I had to coast into a parking lot. Great feeling with 2 kids in the vehicle. I hope those responsible for not responding to this in a timely manner at Ford and NHTSA get theirs one day.
  • barrybeck1barrybeck1 Member Posts: 11
    I have a 2004 purchased brand new freestar now with 115,000 miles on it. It was in the shop 15 times in its first 16 months of life. The dealer tried to get it returned under the lemon law but Ford refused saying it had 2 many miles on it! I use it daily as I am a repair person and have to use my own vehicle. Fortunately my trans went out at about 65,000 and it was under warranty so Ford had no option but to fix it. Something about the pump shaft going thru the torque converter. I haven't liked the way it shifts since they fixed it 2 year ago untill a mechanic friend of mine found something very interesting. The right rear brake caliper was frozen and the right rear brake was always engaged so it was causing wheel drag. He tried to fix it but eventually he had to replace the caliper. This was just found after 4 years and 110,000 miles, why didn't Ford find this lots earlier, I complaigned about the brakes making a scraping noise when the Van was new and was told thats normal when they are cold and it will go away when the vehicles warms up. It did but when we found this the right rear brake inside pad was worn on an angle and was down to the metal backing, funny how the left side was OK and wearing normally. I had to have both sides done but now the new caliper had to be added as the caliper piston was sticking. My machanic said probably from over heating and it became warped. I fully now believe that was the main reason for the transmission problem since now it shifts so smooth I can't even feel it and the highway milage went up almost 2 miles per gallon.
  • barrybeck1barrybeck1 Member Posts: 11
    Again my Freestar is a 2004, purchased new and spent the first 16 months of its life in the Ford garages 15 times. But they finally found the problem. And may be the majority of PCM problems with the rest of yours, even the Mercury guys. There was a virus in the computer. The freestar has 3 of them and the Ford dealer kept replacing one when I would come in with electrical problems. That would fix it for a short time but the problems always came back till one day the Ford dealer called me and said they got a TSB about a computer problem and from the symtoms it sounded like my van, it really has fixed my van. They said a virus has been discovered and they had to order 3 brand new computers from Ford and install them at the same time. They did and ever since then my Van had virtually been problem free with the exception of the brakes and transmission.
    I still think my van should have been replaced under the lemon law but hey what can you say about the American car companies, they don't care. I like the van now and it works great but from this experience I will probably buy my next vehicle from a foreign maker. My wife switched from Ford to Toyota and couldn't be happier. They take good care of her and so far has had little to no problems with her toyota, she is now on her second one!
  • jgenovesejgenovese Member Posts: 220
    I saved the panicked voice mail that my wife left for me the day that our transmission failed without warning in the middle of an intersection, with my wife and 5 of our six children in the van. I intend to play it one day for all of the world to hear. If only a mdeia outlet would pick up this story and run with it...........I guess they need the ad revenue more than they need to inform an unsuspecting public-families in grave danger.

    It seems that the old adage, "The more things change, the more they stay the same", holds true to this very day. Wasn't it a Ford rep who stated, "Let 'em burn" during the Pinto fiasco?

    There is one difference however; today we have the internet and this great forum on Edmund's. I still believe that if we keep this going, keep informing people, and keep the faith, that, not only will Ford get theirs, but we will also get some form of justice.

    As for the folks at NHTSA, at least they have initiated an investigation, even if it took them over 2 years. Let's withhold judgement for a while until they complete their investigation. Then, if the result is anything but a recall, we take it from there, first by publishing, for all the world to see, Ford's predictable and cowardly response to NHTSA's request for information.

    In the meantime, keep the faith, stay safe, celebrate the Holidays according to your faith, (for my family it's Christmas), and remember, GOOD GUYS really never finish last.

    Best Wishes,
    Jim Genovese
    Annapolis, MD
  • iferifer Member Posts: 11
    Tranny failed last year, 12/19/08, splines striped off torque convertor and through metal into the tranny yada, yada, yada.....cost $1900 to fix (did not have tranny fixed at a Ford dealer and they did not use the Ford spec'd torque convertor). When it went out, I had no tugging, warning or nothing....just went out while driving up a hill in a busy city in holiday traffic! Thankfully I had enough momentum to get me over the hill and I coasted down and parked at a bank. Van sat for 5 months (April 2009) until I could fix it.

    Fast forward to now....approx. 2wks ago I was driving along I-75 about 75mph (had been for almost 2hrs) and my van tugged.....about 5 minutes later, did it again. My husband said to put some fuel injector cleaner in it...did that and it seemed alot better. About 1-1/2 wks later, IRONICALLY on 12/19/09 (exactly 1yr after it originally failed) I had alot of last minute running around to do and it started tugging really bad...I swore I wasn't going to make it home, but I did. Drove it yesterday to the dentist and no issues. Drove it this morning to get groceries and just before getting off the expressway, the dash lights flashed and then went off BUT the van didn't tug....

    Since reading alot of similar stories on this forum, I've discovered that I've been having alot of the same issues as everyone else but I've just written my concerns off as the van's "getting older" etc....

    When I read about the PCM, it reminded me of a time driving down the expressway with my husband, in the rain and all of the sudden the van lost power for just a second and then was fine....5 minutes later, same thing happened.....when it lost power, all lights, radio etc. went dead but then came right back on....This was just a couple of months before our transmission failed....

    This past spring, about 3wks after getting the tranny fixed, the traction control light would come on the dashboard and it'd say "check traction control" or "traction control off"....I didn't think anything of it because I didn't need it on at that time anyways.....Also, the same time that light started coming on, my cruise control wouldn't always work?

    This went on from the time I got the tranny rebuilt until about 3wks ago...ironically, just before I felt the first "tugs" again....Mysteriously, the traction control lights do not come on anymore AND my cruise control is working like a charm?!?!

    Also, the "check tires" warning keeps coming up on my dasg as well....I check them all the time and they're fine....

    My question is: Is it possible that all of these things are related to the transmission failure? Could the traction control be a culprit??? Could it be the PCM that's causing the "tugging" and not the actual TC failing again??? Would the PCM cause these issues???

    I just don't want to keep sinking thousands into this van only to have the same outcome!

    Oh, and of coarse there was a warranty on the rebuilt tranny BUT it was only 12,000 and I had gone to MN twice so it shot my mileage up this past year....so, no more warranty....

    I'm just wondering if I should take it into a dealer or back to the tranny people???? Is it really another tranny problem???

    HELP!
  • iferifer Member Posts: 11
    Tranny failed last year, 12/19/08, splines striped off torque convertor and threw metal into the tranny yada, yada, yada.....cost $1900 to fix (did not have tranny fixed at a Ford dealer and they did not use the Ford spec'd torque convertor). When it went out, I had no tugging, warning or nothing....just went out while driving up a hill in a busy city in holiday traffic! Thankfully I had enough momentum to get me over the hill and I coasted down and parked at a bank. Van sat for 5 months (April 2009) until I could fix it.

    Fast forward to now....approx. 2wks ago I was driving along I-75 about 75mph (had been for almost 2hrs) and my van tugged.....about 5 minutes later, did it again. My husband said to put some fuel injector cleaner in it...did that and it seemed alot better. About 1-1/2 wks later, IRONICALLY on 12/19/09 (exactly 1yr after it originally failed) I had alot of last minute running around to do and it started tugging really bad...I swore I wasn't going to make it home, but I did. Drove it yesterday to the dentist and no issues. Drove it this morning to get groceries and just before getting off the expressway, the dash lights flashed and then went off BUT the van didn't tug....

    Since reading alot of similar stories on this forum, I've discovered that I've been having alot of the same issues as everyone else but I've just written my concerns off as the van's "getting older" etc....

    When I read about the PCM, it reminded me of a time driving down the expressway with my husband, in the rain and all of the sudden the van lost power for just a second and then was fine....5 minutes later, same thing happened.....when it lost power, all lights, radio etc. went dead but then came right back on....This was just a couple of months before our transmission failed....

    This past spring, about 3wks after getting the tranny fixed, the traction control light would come on the dashboard and it'd say "check traction control" or "traction control off"....I didn't think anything of it because I didn't need it on at that time anyways.....Also, the same time that light started coming on, my cruise control wouldn't always work?

    This went on from the time I got the tranny rebuilt until about 3wks ago...ironically, just before I felt the first "tugs" again....Mysteriously, the traction control lights do not come on anymore AND my cruise control is working like a charm?!?!

    Also, the "check tires" warning keeps coming up on my dasg as well....I check them all the time and they're fine....

    My question is: Is it possible that all of these things are related to the transmission failure? Could the traction control be a culprit??? Could it be the PCM that's causing the "tugging" and not the actual TC failing again??? Would the PCM cause these issues???

    I just don't want to keep sinking thousands into this van only to have the same outcome!

    Oh, and of coarse there was a warranty on the rebuilt tranny BUT it was only 12,000 and I had gone to MN twice so it shot my mileage up this past year....so, no more warranty....

    I'm just wondering if I should take it into a dealer or back to the tranny people???? Is it really another tranny problem???

    HELP!
  • coneflower1coneflower1 Member Posts: 15
    I will look at the site and commit what I can for sure.

    I just wanted to take a moment to wish everyone a happy and safe holiday regardless of your beliefs. I wish all of us happiness and safety for those we love. We are united in a club we'd much rather not be part of. I, like Jim can't help but believe that justice will prevail at some point. In the mean time, be well all and Happy 2010. God bless.
  • shocked1shocked1 Member Posts: 85
    Sorry, I WON'T commit to any $$$$$$. Too many hoax on puter.
  • nadinebnadineb Member Posts: 190
    I like the idea of news coverage on this issue so I will think about making a contribution. Working in an adacamic institution, I most definatly understand the changing media world, and I find it interesting to see where it is going.

    The part I do not understand is why you need the community to contribute, and what community are you referring to? I just need to hear more detail as to what community - Digital community, Buffalo community. Is this funded by a grant?

    To the greater Edmunds Ford community, may your new year be filled with family, love, peace, and the hope for a better, brighter year to come.
  • shocked1shocked1 Member Posts: 85
    Come on people, $100.00 commitment ISN'T GOING TO GET MY VAN REPAIRED, or GET A RECALL. It IS going to make 1 indivisual RICHER! Let's keep our minds on this issue. :confuse:
  • crd6001crd6001 Member Posts: 2
    well let me join the group of people on here complaining about these problems. my wife was going up a mountain road when it just stopped pulling instantly. ours is a 2004 freestar so i filed a complaint and really think im gonna let everyone i can know about how messed up this is already talked to my local dealer where we bout it at about it if ford does not come around on this ill never buy another ford again. and thats all i have owned for last ten years. but lloking at toyota now i think . pretty bad when you want to buy american and then just get screwed.
  • nadinebnadineb Member Posts: 190
    Yes, I agree that $100.00 would not fix my van either. It cost me a hell of a lot more in emotional upset, a toll on my health, and of course money. However, I do know that news coverage on this vehicle is going to be difficult to acquire because of the age of the vehicle, and the fact that unless you own one of these who is going to care. There are people in my own family who do not care or do not want to bother with the all the stress of fighting this type of battle so they just get ripped off. I know that if you just give up, walk away, and turn your head then you deserve whats coming down the pike. Harry Truman stated that when a company can dictate to the government then we have fascism.

    I am still in the process of waiting to hear from NHTSA about my FOIA. They want to charge me $50.00 for the information that I provided to them. MY OWN GOVERNMENT!!!! I think that they are insane, or they think that I am just stupid. Most of the information that I have gotten from them has been incorrect or contradicted by the agency. I am loosing faith in the agencies that regulate these companies so if we just give up I believe that down the road we will get bigger problems.

    The changing dynamics of the news media is another concern. On way to control a population is to control the news media.

    I am not sure that I understand the amount needed. In total, it would be $100.00? So if I donated five dollars ($5.00) then ninety five dollars ($95.00) would be needed to complete the commitment? Is this correct?
  • nadinebnadineb Member Posts: 190
    Harry Truman did not make the quote but:

    Franklin Delano Roosevelt delivered a message to Congress stating," The liberty of a democracy is not safe if the people tolerate the growth of private power to a point where it becomes stronger than the democratic state itself. That in its essence is fascism: ownership of the government by an individual, by a group or any controlling private power."
  • drhmthdrhmth Member Posts: 6
    The time has come for anyone that owns or has owned a Mercury Monterey/Ford Freestar and has suffered the scare of their lives when the car just stops and then you find out your transmission has failed to please, please file a report at "http://www-odi.nhtsa.dot.gov/. They have opened at least two investigations into this dangerous and expensive defect and the more reports they receive hopefully will lead to some action. We filed approx. 2 weeks ago and recently received a response asking for more details.
    Our experience was that my wife was driving along a major arteriel in N. Scottsdale very early on Dec. 1st, and the car just stopped. She struggled to get the vehicle (in the dark) to a safe location and contacted AAA who moved the car to a very reputable repair shop where we were initially told repairs to replace the entire transmission would come in at just under $3000. DID I MENTION THE 2005 VEHICLE HAS ONLY 40,292 MILES ON IT?? Not having the money for the repairs and after having it towed do the dealer to see how they could help, they came back with a slightly lower figure, at the same time the General Manager acknowledged that, yes, there is a known problem but since there has been no recall issued, he can't/won't do anymore to help.
    I can tell you that contacting Ford/Mercury Corporate will not help as they have a standing rule that they will never overrule the decision of a dealership General Manager as all dealerships are owned and operated by the dealer. The owner of the dealership will not accept calls on this issue
    Please file your issue with the NHTSA for any hope of resolution of this issue.
    Yes, our car has become a lawn ornament, too.
  • jgenovesejgenovese Member Posts: 220
    drhmth,

    Welcome to the club. We have been at this for over 2 years now. So far, Ford has dissavowed knowledge/responsibility for the defect and NHTSA took 2 years to get off their butts and open an investigation, only after Nadine forced the issue. Bottom line is this, don't be discouraged, follow up on all of your complaints, and DEMAND action. Do not give up the fight. We will prevail eventually. Ford can't keep up the charade much longer. Unfortunatey, it may take a fatality to get this thing into the national media spotlight. In the meantime, let's all pray that doesn't happen and that either Ford will voluntarily do the right thing or that NHTSA will force a recall. As for Ford, I doubt they will ever step up and take care of their customers and rsponsibilities. (Remember the Pinto?) I guess they think that customers like us grow on trees. (I was a 25 year Ford loyalist.)

    Don't forget to register a complaint with the Center for Auto Safety! They are on our side.

    Jim Genovese
    Annapolis, MD
  • oilandwateroilandwater Member Posts: 50
    This blog needs to stay on task...it is a forum for Ford Freestar Transmission Problems, not asking for money and so on, this is the wrong place for that...this site gets visited by thousands at no charge...remember the NHTSA, is looking at this problem as a safety issue....and since it is not a black and white issue wrt safety, the government will study it until something bad happens. If it was a brake issue it would be fixed immediately. The only people that are affected are the van owners, so the rest of the world really doesn't care. Ford will start caring when the NHTSA makes them start ponying up some money, but Ford will fight it with their lawyers.....so let the blog live on for what its originally intended for, Ford Freestar/Monterey Transmission Problems.....Happy New Year!!!!!!!
  • freestarfreestar Member Posts: 1
    Glad to find this forum. When I had my windshield replaced two years ago, the technician complimented my 2006 Freestar and then told me that around 80,000 miles my transmission would go, and I should just hope I was not on the highway when it happened (like he was). The car died on a municipal street Saturday and is in the shop for a transmission repair now. I just called Ford customer service and was told they have nothing to say on the matter and there is no one to whom I can appeal. After reviewing this forum, I logged a complaint at NHTSA, printed off the BBB info, and printed off the NY Times article. I feel better but my wallet will still be mighty light shortly. Hope all this attention encourages Ford to make us whole.
  • shocked1shocked1 Member Posts: 85
    I totally agree with you, oil & water. It's not a place to ask for $$$$$! I for one has spent enough on my 2004 piece of steel crap!!!! FORD'S the ones who need to hear us, and we need to "BLAB" to everyone we can about the unfairness of FORD....AND, I DO! I don't need a newspaper, news, etc. I tell all. AND WILL NEVER BUY A FORD. :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad:
  • jgenovesejgenovese Member Posts: 220
    freestar,
    How interesting that, a day after my post, yet another example of Ford stonewalling on the issue. What was their exact response? They told me that I was the first customer to ever experience this problem and that they had never heard of it happening before! We all know that was not the truth. Funny how everyone else knew about it but Ford and the dealer.

    In addition to NHTSA, register a complaint with the Cenetr for Auto Safety as well. They are on our side.

    The BBB is pretty much worthless. Like all other businesses that belong to it, Ford pays to be a member. See if you can guess where that one is going.

    In the meantime, stay engaged in the issue and stay tuned.

    Jim Genovese
    Annapolis, MD
  • nadinebnadineb Member Posts: 190
    You may be able to file using the Lemon Law depending on what state you live in. In my state, my vehicle was one year too old to qualify. Check out the laws in your state.
  • nadinebnadineb Member Posts: 190
    All of this really concerns me.

    We all know that "Engine/Transmission Driveability Issues" with these vehicles pose a real SAFETY situation which many of us have experienced. It's just a matter of time until someone is killed so I do not think that NHTSA will wait until something happens since they did open investigations. I am sure that Ford will attempt to make a case for not issuing a recall due to the cost factor, but the question I see is if NHTSA will let that stand.

    I am grateful that Edmunds provides a place where we can all find each other and work as one large group, but does anyone know how this forum (blog) functions? Who pays to maintain this site and why? Edmunds benefits from the forum - how?

    I would suggest that you read the The VoxBuffalo site before making a decision. It is a project that states : Anyone can create a news “tip” about an important topic you think should be reported on. This is often related to the question “what are you passionate about?” You can pledge to this tip, but no money is taken – it’s just a way to show how much interest you have in this possibly becoming a pitch. Creating a tip could be the spark that starts an investigation.

    The news media is so different today than it was just two years ago. My personal feelings about paying for news coverage is that I think it really has taken a turn for the worst, but it's not much different than buying a newspaper. I am not going to give up until something is done to correct this outrageous miscarriage of justice so if I can help to educate just one person about these issues then I think that I might just be willing to contribute a little (not quite sure yet). I have put so many hours into educating myself about the NHTSA, TSBs, PCMs, transmissions, lemon laws, class action suits, looking for a lawyer, writing letters to everyone under the sun, and waiting in line at the post office to send the certified letter that a buck or two will not add up to much. The only issue I see is how long would it take to gather the amount to write an article. By the time the goal is met, it may be long settled so end of story!
  • jrodimonjrodimon Member Posts: 6
    I have a 2004 Freestar with over 100,000 miles. Last night while driving home in a pretty heavey snow storm my Transmission failed (i will know for sure after Ford calls me). The odd thing is it went out completely no gears worked at all. I have had transmissions fail in the past but I always had a gear or two I could use, not this time the car just stopped. I was lucky along with my children that there was no traffic so we did not get hit.

    Is this the issue being discussed? Or is this different? :sick:
  • oilandwateroilandwater Member Posts: 50
    Say what you will, if the NHTSA saw this as a major safety issue we would all be at the Ford dealer right now getting a free repair ! This site gets it money from Ford, Toyota, GM etc...Remember people, there are guide lines that the NHTSA must follow, and at this moment in time, the Ford Freestar & Monterey Transmission Problem don't meet the criteria that mandate an all out recall. Remember, a fool and his/her money are soon parted..... :lemon:
  • ftfclubftfclub Member Posts: 14
    From what you describe, it is the same "exact" issue that happened to our family
    "Freestar" van 2.5 weeks ago. Our van had around 60,000 miles on it. What
    you are describling, is the reason for our postings on this site. PLEASE
    file a complaint with the NHTSA, it only takes a few minutes. They are investigating
    this DANGEROUS SITUATION. Your transmission problem have affected
    hundreds of thousands of Freestar owners, and FORD will do nothing, they
    claim it isn't a safety issue!!!!! Try writing to Ralph Nader too!

    Our Freestar transmission cost us $3000.00 to fix and the transmission
    will most likely fail again.........as many others have!!!!

    Please warn everyone you know with Freestars about this dangerous situation.
  • nadinebnadineb Member Posts: 190
    Do I understand that you do not think the issues with the Freestar/Monterey are a safety issue? Because if that is what I hear you saying, I would respectfully disagree.

    I believe that I was a fool when I had to continually be subjected to all the extreme stress this vehicle created. My money was soon parted to the dealer who could not or would not admit that they could not repair the vehicle, but continued to charge me for a factory defect created by the Ford Motor Company. Ford needed to investigate the problems with this vehicle and inform dealerships on the proper corrections that needed to take place. Instead, they choose to ignore the situation, and put families at the risk of serious injury.

    Ford commits fraud as they continue to allow these vehicles to be sold through their dealerships. I know for a fact that my vehicle came from the online auction they hold for dealerships so Ford just wanted to turn over the vehicle.

    Defination of fraud from Wikipedia:
    In the broadest sense, a fraud is an intentional deception made for personal gain or to damage another individual. The specific legal definition varies by legal jurisdiction. Fraud is a crime, and is also a civil law violation. Many hoaxes are fraudulent, although those not made for personal gain are not technically frauds. Defrauding people of money is presumably the most common type of fraud, but there have also been many fraudulent "discoveries" in art, archaeology, and science.

    Again, I will refer to Franklin Delano Roosevelt message to Congress stating," The liberty of a democracy is not safe if the people tolerate the growth of private power to a point where it becomes stronger than the democratic state itself. That in its essence is fascism: ownership of the government by an individual, by a group or any controlling private power."

    As long as the laws of this land continue to protect me, I will continue to fight being a victim of fraud.
  • jrodimonjrodimon Member Posts: 6
    A complaint has been filed for this with the NHTSA. :lemon:
  • oilandwateroilandwater Member Posts: 50
    Safety yes, but what degree...like I said earlier, if it was black and white issue, our problem would go away by an all out recall. Like when a plane crashes and kills everyone on board, they determine the severity of the problem and decide what course of action to take, ground similar planes or monitor it or make them fix the problem by a certain date.
  • ftfclubftfclub Member Posts: 14
    Everyone with FORD/MERCURY.... FREESTAR/MONTEREY should buy

    some car WINDOW PAINT and warn the AMERICAN FAMILY'S how

    dangerous these FAMILY vans really are, it just might gain the attention

    of the media and Ford...........at the very least it will be bad press, and

    Ford might just issue a recall on these dangerous vans.

    window paint cost only a few dollars...........

    With hundreds of thousands of victims......FORD WILL HATE THE BAD PRESS
  • Karen_SKaren_S Member Posts: 5,092
    I am grateful that Edmunds provides a place where we can all find each other and work as one large group, but does anyone know how this forum (blog) functions? Who pays to maintain this site and why? Edmunds benefits from the forum - how?

    Here is a link to our company profile that may answer some of your questions.

    Also, please know that we do have a strict policy concerning solicitation (of any kind) on the site. I was away for the holiday and was not aware of recent postings here.

    If you or anyone in the discussion ever have concerns or questions about the site or possible violations to our Membership Agreement, please send me an email, karen@edmunds.com. That way I will be alerted more quickly and can respond accordingly.

    Thanks and Happy New Year!
  • iferifer Member Posts: 11
    Same exact thing happened to me last year only at 89,000 miles. No warning, no tugs...it just went out in busy holiday traffic while driving up hill....

    At any rate, I took mine to a transmission repair shop, torque convertor splines had stripped off, throwing metal shavings into the tranny and causing it to fail. Total to clean everything out and replace failed parts (torque convertor etc...) $1,900.....Ford wanted almost $3,500 for a new tranny...I'm sure glad I didn't go brand new with them as it most definitely would've happened again! The transmission shop I went to has their torque convertors built out of house as to not use the ones that Ford suggests (due to failure issues).

    Everything seemed to be going well until just a couple weeks ago. Now I think alot of my problems are related to a soggy PCM so that's my next fix....definitely NOT going to a dealer for that one though!

    Best of luck to you!
  • igot4igot4 Member Posts: 1
    Transmission just failed in my 2005 Ford Freestar. I am from Canada, and this vehicle has 120,000 kms (75,000 miles). My four young daughters were in the van when this happened.. No warning, no nothing, had no previous problems with this van. I was lucky that this didn't happen on the highway... Is Ford just waiting for somebody to get killed before they address this problem? I sent Ford an email and basically they told me I was SOL... I am so sad and mad. This happened 2 days before Christmas while my daughters and I were out holiday shopping. I took my van to the Ford dealer where I was charged $96 to tell me that I would have to spend another $800 for them to tear apart the transmission to diagnose the problem. Guess I have a nice lawn ornament too. Did I mention I HATE FORD??? :(:cry: :mad:
  • nadinebnadineb Member Posts: 190
    Good idea! Didn't Ford have the slogan,"Safety is job 1"?
  • nadinebnadineb Member Posts: 190
    NHTSA has the entire TSB posted on their Office of Defect Investigation page for that Ford put out for the PCM. If you need more information let me know.

    Also, someone had posted what they felt was a solution to the problem when they went to repair their PCM so you may want to look at the older posts before you take the vehicle into the dealership or repair it yourself. The PCM problem can be costly in more ways than one so beware.

    If you are in for a good laugh, check this site out.
    http://media.ford.com/pdf/2008_Product_Guide.pdf
  • nadinebnadineb Member Posts: 190
    Thank you for the information.
  • jgenovesejgenovese Member Posts: 220
    Nadine,

    Please don't give up the fight. You have added so much to this forum and this issue with all of your hard work and information. I still believe that you are the main reason NHTSA finally undertook an investigation.

    I believe that we, the consumers, will prevail when all is said and done. I pray however; that there are no fatalities before this issue is resolved.

    Finally, the slogan was, "Quality Is Job 1." I wonder why we havn't seen that for a while. Their new slogan should be, "Greed Is Job 1."

    Keep up the good work everybody! Keep the faith, and stay safe.

    Jim Genovese
    Annapolis, MD
  • jrodimonjrodimon Member Posts: 6
    $800 just to tear down the Tranny? So that is what I am in store for also I guess? I may just have to default on this vehical and let the bank and my credit suffer. Which means I will be the only one suffering for FORDS KNOWN BUGS! If my software had a catastrophic bug like this I would get fired and the company would put a hotfix in immediatly and no lives are at stake. :confuse: :lemon:
  • nadinebnadineb Member Posts: 190
    I would not let my credit suffer because of corporate greed. Instead, I would look at any consumer laws that protect you from this type of fraud. Look at the Lemon Law in your state. Contact your attorney general for help.

    Good luck and keep up the good fight!
  • eploetzeploetz Member Posts: 3
    I considered keeping the '89 Bonneville rather than the '04 Monterey, but unfortunately there are a few too many things wrong with the Bonneville. It's never needed to have the transmission replaced, though.

    Elmer Ploetz
    Assistant Professor, Journalism
    Communication Department
    SUNY Fredonia
    ploetz@fredonia.edu
  • nadinebnadineb Member Posts: 190
    Thank you for the kind words, again. I have not given up, but I did need to reorganize.

    I, too, believe that the consumer will prevail only because it is right. "Greed is job 1" is a very good slogan for this type of corporate fraud. In the long run, Ford will pay by shrinking their customer base. I will NEVER own another Ford, and I tell as many people as possible my story with Ford, too.

    The shame of the situation is that it could have been a better story to tell. A story about honor, commitment to their customers, a company that stands behind their product, but instead, it has become a story of corporate greed, families placed in peril, consumers pillaged, and health diminished due to stress.

    Pete Seeger's quote: There's no hope, but I may be wrong.
  • nadinebnadineb Member Posts: 190
    My father-in-law who's owned many vehicles told me that he's never had to replace a transmission in any of the vehicles he's owned.

    So, will you be keeping the Monterey?
  • jgenovesejgenovese Member Posts: 220
    Nadine,

    As always, spot on with your commentary/quotes. I could not say it better myself.

    Jim Genovese
    Annapolis, MD
  • sjtdadsjtdad Member Posts: 11
    First post. After reading these horror stories since my problems began this past Sunday, I am now a full-fledged member of the club. Got the call this afternoon--tranny completely gone--$3400. We got into our '05 Freestar after church Sunday (53,000 miles), started it up, put it into D, and nothing. No warning. After it warmed up it finally moved, jerked, and slipped in "3" enough to get us home with the transaxle light on all the way. I called the dealer on Monday, got it there barely on Tuesday, slipping in and out of gear, jerking, doing fine at times. It cost $80 to check it. Then I got a call that it would cost $850 to tear into it to find the problem, now $3400 to replace. This tranny was serviced at the dealer 17,000 miles ago--no problems at all until Sunday. I filed a complaint with NHTSA online today.
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