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Ford Freestar Transmission Problems

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Comments

  • jgenovesejgenovese Member Posts: 220
    Nadine,
    You are 100% correct in all regards.

    Did you see the post about the "good will" check for $1000.00 from Ford? How can Ford justify paying some but not all? I beieve this is disparate treatment and, in and of itself, is grounds for a legal action.

    Regarding contacting me, I don't want to get anybody in a jam by violating the rules of this forum because this forum is one reason that we all have met each other in the first place and I don't want to lose the ability to continue spreading the word and getting more people on board. If anybody has any suggestions as to how to get in touch without violating the rules of the forum, please let me know ASAP.

    In the meantime, Hey, Ford, where is my "good will" check?

    Jim Genovese
    Annapolis, MD
  • jgenovesejgenovese Member Posts: 220
    Anabel,
    You can try to go it alone but why? A class action is a way to get hundreds, if not thousands, of parties working together toward a common goal. It provides us with strength in numbers and a much stronger and unified voice. Ford will have no choice but to pay attention.

    One way or another, stay tuned. This thing is getting ready to take off.

    Jim Genovese
    Annapolis, MD
  • jgenovesejgenovese Member Posts: 220
    Hello everybody,
    Please follow the instructions that Karen has posted on how to get in contact with me. (Click on my user name at the top of this post and take it from there.)
    Thanks,
    Jim Genovese
  • jgenovesejgenovese Member Posts: 220
    Nadine,
    You are Ford's worst nightmare. God bless you for being such a patriot and pursuing this issue.

    Jim Genovese
  • jgenovesejgenovese Member Posts: 220
    Hey everybody,

    I just visited the NHTSA sight for the first time in a long time. I could not be more pleased that so many of you have taken the time to post your reports. When I posted mine on November 15, 2007, there were fewer than 50. Today, there are are 184! Wow!

    This is a testament to the power of the consumer, the power of the internet, and the phenomenon of strength in numbers. Finally, NHTSA has taken notice! This would not have happened without all of you. For that, I am most grateful. Together, through our efforts, we just might have saved a life or two.

    This however; is only the beginning. Hopefully, NHTSA will continue to do their part and Ford will do the right thing. Even better, but less likely, Ford will do the right thing and issue a voluntary recall.

    One way or another, we must continue to educate people and keep spreading the word. Ther are still thousands of these vehicles on the road that are just getting to the mileage where the failure occurs.

    Keep the faith, keep up the good work, and stay safe!

    Jim Genovese
  • nadinebnadineb Member Posts: 190
    Jim,

    I did not see the post about the "good will" check. Can you explain a little more about this?
  • nadinebnadineb Member Posts: 190
    There is a great article in the Washington Post for anyone interested. Here is the link http://views.washingtonpost.com/leadership/panelists/2009/02/the-arrogance-of-po- - wer.html
  • coneflower1coneflower1 Member Posts: 15
    Hi all.
    My husband and I have a 2006 Freestar now on its 2nd transmission.
    We posted in Aug of last year when we were on a family trip and pulled into traffic from a McDonalds and the vehicle died. $3000 later we were back on the road and experiencing financial woes as a result. My husband drives this vehicle for work so it has high milege 130,000. No chance of a trade due to this and the loan so we are screwed and nervous every day. 2 weeks ago he was on the road with my 2 daughters when the same problem occured. This time there was a warranty. Now our daughter is in college 3 hours away and I panic every time we have to drive there. We reported to NHTSA in Aug 2008. Don't think the problem ended in 2004, we're among the rest of you. Please keep up the info on the class action. We'll support however we can. God bless each of you and keep you safe.
  • jgenovesejgenovese Member Posts: 220
    Coneflower,
    Please feel free to contact me via regular Email. My contact information is in my profile which you can get to byclicking on my name to the uper right in green and underlined.
    Jim Genovese
    Annapolis, MD
  • jgenovesejgenovese Member Posts: 220
    Hey Ford! This article should be required reading for everyone in the chain of command over there. Rest assured, your arrogance will will catch up to you. When you put families with children in harms way, expect to be held accountable.

    Jim Genovese
    Annapolis, MD
  • nadinebnadineb Member Posts: 190
    President Obama delivered a speech on Labor Day before union auto workers, and the one thing that struck me in the speech was that he said how one person can make a difference. I believe that if we all stand together, we can make a difference and get Ford to do what should of been done years ago.

    Fired up - Ready to go!
    "Let's Roll" United Flight 93
  • lmk7lmk7 Member Posts: 2
    Hello everyone.

    My 2005 Freestar's auto trany died at 131,000 km (80,600 miles). The torque converter failed....had the transmission taken apart and the mechanic found the splines worn away and metals bits inside.....tried to back up in my driveway and the car wouldn't move. I'm taking Ford Canada to Small Claims Court and hoping someone, anyone in this Forum might have answers to the following questions:

    1. My Freestar was regularly serviced by Ford dealer, auto trany included. If the auto trany was not defective, how long should it have lasted? Any authoritative source for the answer?

    2. The Class Action idea I've read is a good one and I would support it. This said, has an attorney been approached in the USA for this purpose? If so, would anyone have the details of who he/she might be?

    3. Has anyone individually taken Ford to court on this issue? If so, what happened?

    4. Has anyone ever gone to a consumer protection media person on this issue and been successful?

    5. Does anyone know the name of an expert auto trany mechanic (or mechanics) familar with Freestars? I may need him (them) as an expert witness (or expert witnesses). Ford has replied to my legal claim saying the warranty expired at 100,000 km (62,000 miles), so too bad for you.

    6. Any secret warranties concerning the auto trany?

    I hope that NHTSA thoroughly exams this trany problem and forces Ford to undertake a recall. Here in Canada, as far as I know, Transport Canada has done nothing. I strongly suspect that it's waiting for NHTSA to do its thing, then copy it. Sadly someone will have to be seriously injured before NHTSA or Transport Canada are to act quickly.

    Thanks for reading this post!

    LMK7

    5. Has anyone been SUCCESSFUL with having Ford replace their auto trany at its cost after the warranty expired?

    4.
  • anabelanabel Member Posts: 21
    Hello Everyone,

    Some of you guys may know me. I also broke down twice and 4 months apart with my 2004 Freestar. I am now waiting because I know it is not "IF" it happens, it is "When" it happens. Believe me, we are trying to stay positive on this. We tried to trade it and since my husband lost his job, we could not afford to give in more money for the $1500.00 we are upside down on it. But at least it was worth the blue book value which is more than the clunker money. We all know they are worth much less with this transmission issue if not -0-, sad to say. To get to my question to everyone:

    I am trying to figure out some type of warning sign that this car may be trying to give us and we are not noticing. These are my observations.

    1. The RPM's seem to run high. Mostly around the 1500-3000 range consistantly. Now I live in a location that is hilly and winding roads. But when I am in a flat highway, that is the case. Is everyone noticing that with there cars.

    2. Because of the above, does it seem that the engine is working much harder to keep up with the transmission?

    3. Seems to use plenty of gas. Mine says 14.9 miles to the gallon in the worst condition in town traffic and in the best it can get up to 19.8 miles. But this weekend on a somewhat 4 hour long road trip, it never got higher than 15.6. I imagine it is because of the high RPM's.

    I think I am on a timer with this car. Our last breakdown was July 4th of this year. The breakdown before that was Feburary of this year.

    Anybody else noticing funny stuff before the breakdown?
  • nadinebnadineb Member Posts: 190
    Maybe you explain what you mean by "broke down". What type of repairs were made to the vehicle?
  • sunburnsunburn Member Posts: 319
    You say the RPMs run high. At 70 MPH on level ground, our Freestar turns just over 2000 RPM. When climbing a hill, it might jump up to 3000 RPM or more. If you are running much more than that under the same conditions, you might have a problem with the torque converter not locking up. That would explain the poor mileage. Our Freestar turns in 16-17 MPG around town and 22-24 on the highway.
  • aggiemeaggieme Member Posts: 10
    I agree with you sunburn. My RPM's and MPG are right in line with yours.
  • anabelanabel Member Posts: 21
    Good Morning Everyone,

    To answer several questions on one note, I broke down twice because of transmission failure. Root cause for both cases was with the Torque Converter as with everyone else on this blog.

    To sunburn, Yes, the RPM's seem to run high always. Seems like the transmission is working overtime and so is the engine. We noticed this more because we borrowed my brother-n-laws car and it is a Pontiac Grand Prix. He loan it to us just in case. Well, my brother in law lives in South Texas and my husband and I drove that car up to Austin for about 250 miles with me following behind. My brother-n-law thought his car used lots of gas, but compared to the Freestar we actually can't compare. The Freestar uses so much gas because you can tell that the engine is always reving really high now. Even after a transmission rebuild the second time. It is definately having trouble.

    On our second breakdown we were in Los Angeles, California. Now that is a long haul from Austin Texas. Plenty of time for the MPG's to creep up to at least 24 mpg. But no Sir. It wasn't going to happen. At around 70 mph continuous driving, it will be around 1500-2000 depending if you climb a slope or not. If you are around hills it hits 3-4000 and stays there and does not shift quickly off, or course depending on the grade. The RPM's really never stay still for a bit. They just seem to jump around just because. Now this is what is happening currently. The transmission was replaced on July 4th at AAMCO Transmission in Las Vegas, NV. So we are just two months from when it happened last. Too soon for another breakdown, but we feel it coming. By the way AAMCO in Las Vegas, they are another nightmare.
  • sunburnsunburn Member Posts: 319
    Anabel,

    If you are driving at 65-70 MPH, you should be running about 2000-2200 RPM. That will be in 4th gear with the torque converter locked. Now if you start going up hill, usually the first thing to happen is the transmission will stay in 4th gear, but the torque converter will unlock. This will cause the RPMs to jump up to about 3000. If the hill gets steeper, the transmission will shift down into 3rd gear, that will increase the RPMs to about 3500. Finally, if the hill is really steep, the transmission may shift down to 2nd gear. The RPMs will jump up to about 4500 in that case. This is normal operation.

    Now, if you are at a steady 65-70 MPH on level ground and you see the RPMs jumping back and forth between about 2000 RPM and 3000 RPM, your torque converter is locking and unlocking. This shouldn't be happening. The causes could range from a bad sensor to a faulty torque converter. If under these conditions if you are running more than 3000 RPM, there's something else wrong.
  • tessbroutessbrou Member Posts: 5
    Hi All,

    I own a 2005 Ford Freestar with about 75K miles on it. Late last night, with my 3 yr old in the car, my transmission blew on the interstate while traveling 70 mph. What a terrifying experience. I was about 60 miles from home. I had to get the car towed and thankfully a MS Hwy Patrol Officer took me and my child about 20 miles South to meet my husband.

    We are having it looked at tomorrow, so I will update everyone on the findings, but here is what I experienced:

    I was traveling in cruise control at 70 mph. All of a sudden w/o any warning, or strange noises, the RPMs went through the roof and the engine revved. I turned of the cruise and tried pressing the gas. The car did not increase in speed, this only caused the engine to rev again. I coasted to the side of the interstate and tried every gear...nothing. The car will start and run, but pressing the gas while in gear only causes the engine to rev really high. The car won't budge.

    I see the the NHTSA opened an investigation on the Torque Converter in July. I guess I will see what the outcome is tomorrow to decide what is best for us, fix, trade or both. I still owe some on the car. One thing that I am sure about is that I don't feel safe after my experience last night.

    Good luck to all of you!
    TessBrou
  • susanb5susanb5 Member Posts: 2
    Does anyone have "insider"information on secret warranties, etc on the 2005 Freestar transmission? My transmission just gave up yesterday - driving along and suddenly no forward (or back) movement - engine fine - no warning, no noise, no lights on dash, nothing. I am just over 100,000 which is the expiry of the powertrain warranty. Has anyone been successful in getting this covered by Ford?
    estimate right now is $3,000.
    Help?
  • susanb5susanb5 Member Posts: 2
    I had the same experience this past Friday but luckily without my children in my van. You described it exactly. My estimate is $3,000 right now. I'm interested whether or not Ford is covering these - I'll find out tomorrow I think because my dealer has gone back to Ford.
  • nadinebnadineb Member Posts: 190
    Was it raining when it happened, or had it rained at some point?
  • er1457er1457 Member Posts: 8
    My story... just like everyone elses.

    After stopping at a traffic signal, I was accelerating onto the ramp for the 70 MPH Dallas North Tollway in Frisco, Texas. With absolutely no warning sign(s) before failure, I lost all drive power. Fortunately, I had enough momentum that I was able to coast to the side of the ramp, and was just barely able to avoid becoming a traffic hazard.

    I could rev my engine, but there was no power transferred to the wheels, no matter which gears I tried... forward or reverse. It was like being in neutral.

    I later learned that my fluid levels and seals were OK, but that the torque converter had completely failed, and required replacement. The transmission required complete rebuilding. Total cost = $2484.

    Ford should be ashamed of themselves for knowing that this problem exists, and not repairing such a dangerous condition, or even notifying owners, (their customers), of the potential for this sudden, unannounced failure. And, why hasn't our government taken steps to get this situation corrected?

    The positive part of this experience... I had just dropped off my 5 month old granddaughter just a few minutes before this happened. Thank God I was alone! I'll guarantee you two things, my grandkids will never be in that car again, and, I will NEVER buy another Ford!
  • anabelanabel Member Posts: 21
    After reading your note to my husband and we talked about it, sounds like this, (the RPMs) is our only warning that something is deffinately going wrong. The RPMs are surely jumping back and forth and it does not engage the way it is suppose to, consistantly. We are working on a plan to get rid of our van somehow. It is just too dangerous to have 3 little kids in it when it breaks down for a third time. Thanks for your expertise.
  • nadinebnadineb Member Posts: 190
    What a shame that there are so many afraid to have children in these vehicles!

    I would cover yourself by either having the dealer or if you sell it privately, sign something that you disclosed this defect.
  • er1457er1457 Member Posts: 8
    No, I don't think that's my responsibility. I had the transmission rebuilt. The car runs fine, But I just don't trust it. That is simply MY feeling. After all, I have no official documentation to support that belief.

    If there is a design problem, then I think it is up to Ford, or our government, to officially notify the current owners of a product defect, not me.

    As I previously stated, I will NEVER buy another Ford product. Does that mean that I should notify all Ford owners that they may have defective cars? No... I don't know if all Ford's have defects, but my feeling is that I can't trust any Ford enginnered products.
  • nadinebnadineb Member Posts: 190
    I agree with you! There is not any official documentation (but there should be), and Ford does need to be held accountable because they are VERY aware of the safety issues. I, too, will never own another Ford product because of their lack of accountability here. This is not a new problem with this vehicle. When they became aware of the issues, they had a responsibility to take steps to correct the them instead it appears that they have chosen to ignore them, or selectively cut the cost of repairs for some.

    The other dilemma here is that the government agency that polices these companies is either asleep at the wheel, turning a blind eye to the situation, or severely understaffed. A state senator once told me that our states Department of Transportation will not take any action on a dangerous intersection until there are three deaths. I think that NHTSA needs to fine companies that do not take corrective action in these situations.

    Anyone know how NHTSA proceeds with their investigations?
  • tessbroutessbrou Member Posts: 5
    I see that you are asking susanb5 this question, but I found it interesting and wanted to respond that it had been raining when my trans went and it was misting at the time. Why do you ask?

    TessBrou
  • shocked1shocked1 Member Posts: 85
    I own the piece of CRAP from FORD also......And, I'D NEVER SALE MY DEATH TRAP TO ANY AGE HUMAN!!!!!! I think FORD'S accountable to all us owners!!! I have 2 grand kids I still HAVE to have in this death trap.My tranny garuntee's up this NOV. :cry: And was told it WILL goout again. WE NEVER GOT ANYKIND OF WARNING. Our RPM was fine TILL that moment. NO WARNING.
    come on ford fess up!!!!!!! :mad:

    F-O-R-D = :lemon:
  • nadinebnadineb Member Posts: 190
    I ask because there is a TSB (technical service bulletin) about water and the PCM. Our mechanic thought this was our problem so we spent money after the dealer suggested to do this on getting the window sealed for any leaks, the engine checked and reset by the dealer, the PCM replaced by the dealer, the vehicle towed to the dealer, the cowl redone by the dealer, the engine codes reset by the dealer, the vehicle retowed to the dealer, the engine lights coming on again, and having many arguments with my spouse about this vehicle.

    My belief is that the PCM and the transmission problems are all related. There are so many design flaws in this vehicle. I found two articles that prove that Ford rushed this vehicle out of production way to soon. I've copied and credited the source.

    Automotive News. 78.6062 (Oct 13, 2003): Ford Division President Steve Lyons likes the new Freestar minivan he is pushing but wishes he could have delayed its debut until next year. It seems a reversal of the get-it-out-faster philosophy of product development, but Lyons knows what he wants. "Frankly, if I had a chance to go back in time and replan it,'' he says, "I would have done the Ford Five Hundred first and let this go another year.'' COPYRIGHT 2003 Crain Communications, Inc.

    "Product help. " Automotive News. 77.6045 (June 23, 2003)
    Full Text:COPYRIGHT 2003 Crain Communications, Inc.
    Ford Motor plans to produce 10 nameplates off the Mazda6 car platform. Here are 7 of them.

    Vehicle calendar year Debut

    1. Ford Futura sedan 2005
    2. Mercury sedan 2005
    3. Ford sport wagon 2006
    4. Lincoln sport wagon 2006
    5. Lincoln sedan 2007
    6. Ford Freestar minivan replacement 2007 or 2008
    7. Mercury Monterey minivan replacement 2007 or 2008
  • jtjd96jtjd96 Member Posts: 4
    There is most likely a connection between the PCM and the transmission issues. As I mentioned in my earlier post, my transmission had to be rebuilt for the same reason everyone else has posted. A month later, the van stalled out on the road. My mechanic then followed the instructions provided in the service bulletin regarding the PCM and we have not had any problems since then (which was about 9 months ago). I filed a complaint with the NHTSA on the transmission and they have since asked me questions regarding the PCM, so hopefully they are investigating both issue together.
  • jimmyf1jimmyf1 Member Posts: 2
    I had the same thing happen to my transmission about 8 or 9 months ago. My wife was heading to work and the rpm's jumped real high then nothing, it was like it was in neutral. I had to have it towed to the dealership. When I got there they looked at it but before that, they told me what the problem was, or what they thought and it was. I asked about the warranty and they said it was not covered. They also went on to tell me that this was a common problem and ford knows about it but wasn't going to do anything about it. I am married with five kids and one is handicap, this was not an expense that I could afford at this time. We had to take out a loan to pay the $2,500.00 it cost to fix it. Now with the van and the loan we pay almost a $1,000.00 a month and for what, the biggest piece of s**t ford has to offer. I have owned ford's my whole life and now I can say with all honesty the ford freestar will be the last ford ever in my driveway. I can only hope ford will stand up and do what is right by the consumers. To bad they would not take them in as cash for clunkers cause that is what they are. And by the way, I only had about 36,000 miles on it when it happened.
  • tessbroutessbrou Member Posts: 5
    Our mechanic looked at our car yesterday and said it is for sure the Torque Converter. He said he may also have to replace a pump, but won't know until he pulls it. Said this is a 9 hour job to fix the problem. My repairs will cost around $1K, but with the tow at $285, another tow to the shop and a rental at $250 I am out some money. I want to file a complaint with the NHTSA as well. Is that an easy process via their website? This is crazy. My husband does not feel safe with the driving myself and our child in it anymore, but I would like to suffer through a little while to get it paid off. We are so close!!!
  • nadinebnadineb Member Posts: 190
    It looks like the Ford Explorer and the Freestar share the same type of issues.

    http://www.carcomplaints.com/Ford/Explorer/2004/transmission/transmission_slippi- ng_shifts_hard.shtml
  • yfieldsyfields Member Posts: 1
    I have a 2004 Monterey. The transmission failed and was replaced at 7,200 miles! No problems since then except for the transaxle light comes on after I drive 40 miles or so and there is hesitation when I take my foot of the gas -this occurs only when the transaxle light is on( this has been going on for a couple of years). The dealer has found nothing wrong. After reading through this forum I am worried that it is only a matter of time for the transmission to fail on me again. I have 3 kids and just started traveling 40 miles one way to soccer game every weekend. Yikes!
    I'm not sure if have the basis for a formal complaint or not, but it seems like the more the better.
  • Karen_SKaren_S Member Posts: 5,092
    This article may be helpful. It also has a link to NHTSA.

    What is NHTSA?
  • er1457er1457 Member Posts: 8
    Filing a complaint on the NHTSA site, (www.safercar.gov), is a piece of cake. Here's the link.

    http://www-odi.nhtsa.dot.gov/ivoq/index.cfm
  • oilandwateroilandwater Member Posts: 50
    Here is a similar problem on earlier model Fords with Torque Converter problems (Code 1744);

    TSB 98-6-5 TRANSAXLE - AX4N - TORQUE CONVERTER CLUTCH NOT ENGAGING AND/OR DIAGNOSTIC TROUBLE CODE (DTC) P0741 OR P1744 STORED IN MEMORY

    Publication Date: MARCH 30, 1998

    FORD: 1996-98 TAURUS
    LINCOLN-MERCURY: 1996-98 CONTINENTAL, SABLE

    ISSUE:
    Diagnostic Trouble Code (DTC) P0741 or P1744 may be stored in memory. This may be caused by the Powertrain Control Module (PCM) unsuccessfully attempting to engage the torque converter clutch 5 consecutive times. The torque converter clutch may not engage if one or more of the following conditions exist:

    Stuck converter regulator valve
    Stuck solenoid regulator valve
    Stuck bypass clutch control valve
    Worn pump shaft or damaged seals
    Incorrect Torque Converter Clutch (TCC) solenoid
    Incorrect or damaged internal wiring harness
    Incorrect gear ratio

    ACTION:
    Refer to the following Diagnostic Procedure for details.

    DIAGNOSTIC PROCEDURE
    1) For DTC P0741 and P1744, perform Pinpoint Test "C" and refer to Diagnostic Routines 240 and 340 in Section 07-01 of the appropriate Taurus/Sable or Continental Service Manual.
    2) Remove the transaxle lower pan and check for excessive debris in the pan.
    3) Remove the main control cover and main control.
    4) Check for pump shaft wear or damaged seals.
    5) Inspect the main control for a stuck converter regulator valve and solenoid regulator valve located in bore "A." Refer to Figure 1.
    6) Inspect the bypass clutch control valve located in bore "D." Refer to Figure 1.
    7) Clean the main control and make sure all valves move freely. Do not sand, stone, or file valves or bores in the main control.
    8) Inspect for the correct TCC solenoid. Refer to TSB 97-13-12 for TCC resistance. 9) TCC resistance should be 0.98-1.6 ohms for 1996-97 Taurus/Sable and 1996 Continental; 13-24 ohms for 1998 Taurus/Sable and 1997-98 Continental.
    10) If the transaxle has been exchanged, refer to TSB 97-23-7 .
  • oilandwateroilandwater Member Posts: 50
    Here is the address at Ford for Safety:

    Mr. James Vondale, Director
    Automotive Safety Office
    Environmental and Safety Compliance
    Ford Motor Company
    330 Town Center Drive, Suite 400
    Dearborn, MI 48126
  • nadinebnadineb Member Posts: 190
    You'd think that Ford would correct the platform for their vehicles if it is creating all these problems. I think I read that the Edge is based on this too. I don't understand the process for manufacturing a vehicle, but wouldn't common sense would tell you to fix these safety issues in your new vehicles? If it wasn't common sense, how about survival of the business!

    How many of us would ever own another Ford?
  • shocked1shocked1 Member Posts: 85
    I'LL NEVER OWN ANOTHER FORD. THEY DON'T BACK US AT ALL. I TELL EVERY FREESTAR OR WINDSTAR OWNER I SEE ABOUT THIS TRASH THEY SALE!!!!!!!
  • nadinebnadineb Member Posts: 190
    If I know anyone who is looking to buy a new or used vehicle, I tell them about my experience with the Freestar. I find it interesting that all the Technical Service Bulletins (TSB) were issued the first year that the vehicle was released on the market. I believe that Ford knew these were lemons even before they started to sell them. Fraud.

    Not only do we have to pay for their engineering mishaps, but they have the audacity to risk our lives and others. Criminal.

    Did you know that TSBs are copyrighted?

    Here is an interesting article on automobile disputes. Sort of a self-help guide.
    http://philip.greenspun.com/politics/litigation/automobile-disputes.html
  • nadinebnadineb Member Posts: 190
    Has anyone written letters to Senators, Congressman, NHTSA, or others? If you have written, did you receive any response?
  • jopauljopaul Member Posts: 1
    The transmission on my 2005 Freestar went out on the interstate going 70 mph with four grandchildren on board. There was no warning except the motor suddenly raced twice. The transmission shop advises that it is a pump and the repairs will be $2K. The van has less than 60K miles so this should not have happened. Is there any action that can be taken?
  • anabelanabel Member Posts: 21
    With this many breakdowns and problems with the same issue, and NHTSA says it does not matter how many "#" people complaints they get, what is taking them so long to go forward to Ford? Could they actually be waiting until something like a fatality or close occurs before they move forward? I don't understand their hesitation on this.
  • rdg2rdg2 Member Posts: 1
    Tess,
    My 05 Freestar did the same thing as yours Sep 18. Only my transmission died when I tapped brake to shut of cruise-control. It never slipped, made noise , or ANYTHING !! I cant afford another & dont know what to do now ?? We ALL need to join the clas-action suit that is coming !! The more the better chance of getting something done about Ford getting away with selling what they know is defective brand-new !!
    Rod
  • shocked1shocked1 Member Posts: 85
    Im sorry, but im not too optimistic of FORD doing anything. Our trans. guarentee runs out NOV. 09. Been told our's will go again. Well NEVER BUY ANOTHER fORD!!!!! MMmY BRO. GOT RID OF HIS MUSTANG,and went to TOYATO. aND i TELL EVERYONE i RUN INTO ABOUT THIS CRAP WE'RE STUCK WITH!!!!!!! :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad:
  • jimmyf1jimmyf1 Member Posts: 2
    You know what is sad about this? I know I got a lemon but so does ford. I have traded in many cars in my day, upside down or not but they always take my trade due to the fact they want your bussiness. I have two years left on this piece of junk freestar and went to trade it in, they flat out told me they would not take the van as a trade in. Would not give me a reason, just they wont take it. Now that tells you they know it is a piece of junk, now thats SAD......
  • nadinebnadineb Member Posts: 190
    We all have the right to go to small claims court and file claims against Ford ourselves. Think about how much money it will cost Ford to send legal representation to defend all those claims.

    I have found that the government has a hand in all this as well. They need to do their job and have Ford release the information. I am sure that Ford has made a plea about the hardship they will encounter if they have to recall these vehicles.

    How many of you have called the customer relations center at Ford?

    Under the TREAD Act, Public Citizen's proved that NHTSA lacked the authority to issue substantive rules under FOIA, and that releasing the Early Warning Data would cause competitive harm to manufactures. This includes all the customer complaints to them. Our government has not been protecting us as they should be, but instead, they've been protecting the car manufactures. Look how many defective vehicles Fords has been producing.
  • ticked_offticked_off Member Posts: 1
    Bought a used 2004 Freestar in May, and thought it was a good deal. Van was traded in with a bad trans. Dealer put a used trans in it, I test drove it and bought it. Less than 5000 mles later, I have a 4000 pound boulder in my driveway. Now seeing if I can peddle it back off! Is there any info on success rates with replacement transmissions?? :sick: :lemon: :mad:
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