2007 Ford Five Hundred

I WAS DRIVING THROUGH A PARKING LOT AND WAS PULLING INTO A SPACE TO PARK. I DID NOT HAVE MY FOOT ON THE ACCELERATOR, AS I WAS JUST EASING TO A STOP. THE ENGINE SURGED AND MY CAR LUNGED FORWARD, ALMOST HITTING THE VEHICLE PARKED IN FRONT OF ME. THIS HAS HAPPENED MULTIPLE TIMES SINCE, AT ONE TIME ALMOST HITTING A PEDESTRIAN. I HAVE TO KEEP MY FOOT ON THE BREAK CONSTANTLY AND HOPE I CAN GET THE CAR STOPPED BEFORE SOMEONE OR SOMETHING IS HIT, AND PRAY I DON'T HAVE TO USE THE ACCELERATOR AT THE LOW LEVELS OF SPEED. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2007 FORD FIVE HUNDRED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE STOPPED AT A STOP LIGHT, THE VEHICLE ATTEMPTED TO SURGE FORWARD. THE CONTACT THEN ATTEMPTED TO ACCELERATE, BUT THE VEHICLE HESITATED AND STALLED. IN ADDITION, THE VEHICLE WOULD ATTEMPT TO SURGE FORWARD WHILE DRIVING EVEN THOUGHT THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL WAS NOT DEPRESSED. THE VEHICLE ALSO ATTEMPTED TO SURGE BACKWARD ON OCCASIONS. THE FAILURE RECURRED CONSISTENTLY. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE AND STATED THAT THE FAILURE WAS CAUSED BY A POWER SURGE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO HAVE THE FAILURE DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 125,782.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2007 FORD FIVE HUNDRED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT UPON STARTING, THE VEHICLE JERKED AND ACCELERATED ON ITS OWN. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR A DIAGNOSIS. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE THROTTLE BODY NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 67,000.

SINCE MY VEHICLE WAS NEW I HAVE COMPLAINED TO THE DEALERSHIP, AND ONLINE, THAT THE OPTIONAL BRAKE AND ACCELERATOR PEDAL HEIGHT ADJUSTMENT ROCKER SWITCH IS WIRED IMPROPERLY. THAT IS, WIRED IN REVERSE. THE MOUNTED SWITCH CLEARLY DEPICTS A FOOT OVER A PEDAL IN THE CENTER WITH AN ARROW POINTING 'UP' AT THE TOP OF THE SWITCH AND AN ARROW POINTING 'DOWN' AT THE BOTTOM OF THE SWITCH. THIS CONTROLS THE HEIGHT ADJUSTMENT OF BOTH PEDALS FROM THE FLOOR AND IS DESIGNED TO PLACE THE PEDALS WITHIN REACH OF THE OPERATOR. ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS MEMBERS OF MY FAMILY HAVE DEPRESSED THIS SWITCH WHILE IN MOTION PUSHING THE TOP PORTION OF THE ROCKER SWITCH ASSUMING THE PEDALS WOULD RISE 'UP' AS INDICATED BY THE ARROWS ON THE SWITCH. WRONG!! PRESSING THE SWITCH IN THE UPWARD POSITION 'LOWERS' THE PEDALS TO THE FLOOR, WHILE PRESSING THE LOWER PORTION OF THE SWITCH, WITH THE ARROW POINTING 'DOWN', ACTUALLY RAISES THE PEDALS UP, CLOSER TO THE OPERATOR. AFTER PRESSING THE SWITCH SEVERAL TIMES IN THE UP POSITION AND BELIEVING THE PEDALS WERE AT THEIR MAXIMUM HEIGHT, SEVERAL OF THE DRIVERS IN THE HOUSE WHOM HAVE SHORT LEGS, WERE IMMEDIATELY PANICKED AND DESPERATELY BEGAN TRYING TO COMPENSATE BY READJUSTING THE SEAT TO BE WITHIN REACH OF THE BRAKE! A SCARY AND DANGEROUS CONDITION WHILE THE VEHICLE IS IN MOTION! IF FORD REFUSES TO SIMPLY REVERSE THE OPERATION OF THE SWITCH, MAYBE A SAFETY INTERLOCK COULD BE DEVISED TO PREVENT OPERATION WHILE THE VEHICLE IS IN GEAR. *TR

WITH THE A/C ON AND THE CAR TRAVELING AT LOW SPEED, THE CAR SURGES(LURCHES) FORWARD OR IN REVERSE DEPENDING ON THE GEAR SHIFT SELECTOR. IT HAPPENS, FOR EXAMPLE, WHEN PULLING IN TO A PARKING STALL. AS I'M APPROACHING THE FINAL POSITION WHERE I'M NEARLY READY TO PUT THE GEAR SHIFT IN PARK, THE CAR WILL LURCH FORWARD NEARLY HITTING THE CAR PARKED IN FRONT OF ME. IT ALSO HAPPENS WHEN PULLING INTO MY GARAGE OR AT A STOP LIGHT. OCCURRENCES ARE OBVIOUSLY WHEN IT'S HOT OUTSIDE WHICH IS WHY I'VE GOT THE A/C ON. IT DOESN'T HAPPEN ALL THE TIME WITH THE A/C ON, JUST SOME OF THE TIME. *JS

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2007 FORD FIVE HUNDRED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 45 MPH, THE ENTIRE INSTRUMENT PANEL WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED UNTIL THE ENGINE WAS TURNED OFF. ALSO, WHEN APPROACHING A STOP SIGNAL, THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS APPLIED AND THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO LUNGE FORWARD UNINTENDEDLY. THE FAILURES OCCURRED WHENEVER THE VEHICLE WAS IN OPERATION. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC, WHO REPLACED THE ALTERNATOR. THE FAILURE PERSISTED. THE VEHICLE WAS THEN TAKEN TO A DIFFERENT AUTO SHOP FOR A DIAGNOSIS. THE TECHNICIAN STATED THAT THE FAILURE WAS CONTRIBUTED TO THE THROTTLE POSITION SENSOR. THE DEALER WAS NOTIFIED AND THEY STATED THAT THE PART WAS ON A MASSIVE BACK ORDER. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE PROBLEM. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 97,000.

MY 2007 FORD FIVE HUNDRED SEL FWD WITH THE 3.0 V-6 (81,421 MILES) AND 6 SPEED AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION WILL INTERMITTENTLY SURGE FORWARD OR BACKWARDS WITHOUT GAS PEDAL APPLICATION WHEN IDLING IN GEAR. IT IS AS IF I FLOORED IN A JACKRABBIT START. IT DOES NOT DO THIS EVERY TIME THAT THE CAR GOES TO IDLE IN DRIVE OR REVERSE (FOR EXAMPLE, IF I AM IN TRAFFIC AT A STOPLIGHT) BUT IT WILL DO THIS AT LEAST ONCE EVERY TIME I DRIVE. I HAVE HAD TO KEEP MY RIGHT FOOT FIRMLY ON THE BRAKE PEDAL WHILE BACKING OR IN A PARKING LOT TO KEEP THE CAR FROM HITTING PEDESTRIANS, OTHER CARS, SIGN POLES IN PARKING LOTS AND MY CARPORT'S WALL. IT WILL SUDDENLY REV UP WHEN IN EITHER DRIVE OR REVERSE WITHOUT MY FOOT ON THE GAS PEDAL AND TRY TO MOVE IN AN UNCONTROLLED MANNER. IT MAY ONLY DO IT ONCE OR IT MAY DO IT THREE OR FOUR TIMES IN JUST AS MANY SECONDS. I WAS UNAWARE OF THIS PROBLEM AND NEARLY HIT ANOTHER CAR THE FIRST TIME THIS HAPPENED. THERE WAS NO WARNING. NO CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ACTIVATED. MY CAR IS EQUIPPED WITH A TACHOMETER, I HAVE SEEN IT JUMP AS HIGH AS 2000 RPM FROM A 750 RPM IDLE AND THEN FALL RIGHT BACK TO 750. THE FACT THAT I HAVE NOT HIT ANYONE YET IS PROOF THAT THIS IS NOT A PEDAL MISAPPLICATION ERROR, BUT MY CONCERN IS THAT AN INEXPERIENCED DRIVER OR SOMEONE WHO IS UNAWARE OF THIS DEFECT WILL BE SURPRISED BY IT AND KILL OR INJURE THEMSELVES OR SOMEONE ELSE. THIS IS THE FIRST TIME I HAVE EVER OWNED A VEHICLE WITH SUCH A PROBLEM I TOOK MY CAR TO MY LOCAL FORD DEALER AND WAS TOLD THAT THE PROBLEM IS A DEFECTIVE THROTTLE BODY WHICH IS BEING REPLACED TOMORROW. I RESEARCHED THIS PROBLEM ON THE INTERNET AND HAVE FOUND REPORTS THAT THE REPLACEMENT PART IS NO BETTER THAN THE ORIGINAL. THE FACT THAT A DEFECTIVE PART CAN CAUSE A VEHICLE TO ACT IN SUCH A DANGEROUS MANNER IS SYMPTOMATIC OF A FACTORY DEFECT AND SHOULD BE ACTED UPON BY THE NHTSA AS SOON AS POSSIBLE. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2007 FORD FIVE HUNDRED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHEN SHIFTING OUT OF THE PARK POSITION WITH THE BRAKE PEDAL ENGAGED, THE VEHICLE WOULD UNEXPECTEDLY LUNGE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC AND AN AUTHORIZED DEALER, WHO BOTH STATED THAT THE THROTTLE BODY WOULD NEED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE PROBLEM. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 79,887 UPDATED 7/12/12 *CN THE CONSUMER STATED THE ENGINE WOULD REV UP AND THEN THE VEHICLE WOULD LUNGE FORWARD OR BACKWARD WHEN SHIFTING FROM PARK OR NEUTRAL OR FROM REVERSE TO DRIVE. EVEN WHEN THE BRAKE WAS APPLIED, THE VEHICLE WOULD ACCELERATE. THE DEALER REPLACED THE THROTTLE BODY. UPDATED 07/24/12

STARTING AROUND MARCH 2011, MY 2007 FORD 500 WOULD LURCH WHEN I MOVED IT FROM PARK TO REVERSE OR FROM PARK TO DRIVE. IT SEEMED TO GET WORSE WITH THE AIR CONDITIONER ON. I TOOK IT IN FOR SERVICE AND THEY "CLEANED" THE THROTTLE BODY. THIS DID NOT REALLY FIX THE PROBLEM. SINCE THEN, THE PROBLEM HAS GOTTEN MUCH WORSE. IT NOW LURCHES WHEN I AM SITTING STILL. IF THE BRAKE IS NOT ALL THE WAY TO THE FLOOR, IT WILL LURCH SEVERAL INCHES. I HAVE ALMOST HAD SEVERAL WRECKS BECAUSE OF THIS. I AM SCARED TO DRIVE THE CAR. IT NOW HAS 95,000 MILES ON IT BUT IS NOT PAID OFF YET. I WAS QUOTED $800 TO FIX THE THROTTLE BODY. I FEEL LIKE WITH THE EXTENT OF THE COMPLAINTS ON THIS PART, FORD SHOULD RECALL THIS PRODUCT ON ALL OF THESE VEHICLES. *JS