2005 Ford Freestyle

THIS CAR HAS AN APPARENTLY WELL-KNOWN ISSUE WITH THE THROTTLE BODY FAILING, CAUSING: A) SUDDEN UNCONTROLLED ACCELERATION FROM A STOP, AND B) SUDDEN LOSS OF POWER WHEN TRAVELING DOWN THE ROAD AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS. MY WIFE EXPERIENCED BOTH PROBLEMS YESTERDAY. FIRST, WITH MY WIFE'S FOOT ON THE BRAKE, THE FREESTYLE LUNGED FORWARD AND ALMOST REAR-ENDED ANOTHER CAR THAT HAD CHILDREN LOADING INTO IT, WHILE IN SCHOOL CARPOOL LINE. THEN, WHILE MAKING HER WAY IMMEDIATELY TO THE FORD DEALERSHIP -- WITH MY TWO CHILDREN -- THIS UNCONTROLLED LUNGING FROM A DEAD STOP CONTINUED AT INTERSECTIONS; AND WHILE TRAVELING AT SPEED, IN TRAFFIC, THE CAR WOULD SUDDENLY LOSE ALL POWER. THE SUDDEN LUNGE MAKES IT LIKELY YOU'LL HIT A PEDESTRIAN OR REAR-END THE CAR IN FRONT OF YOU; THE SUDDEN LOSS OF POWER MAKES IT LIKELY YOU'LL BE THE RECIPIENT OF A REAR-END COLLISION. THE REPAIR IS COSTING US $730. IT'S THE THROTTLE BODY, OF COURSE. AND I'VE ASKED THE DEALERSHIP TO GIVE ME BACK THE OLD PART, SO YES, I SHOULD HAVE THAT AVAILABLE WHEN I GET THE CAR BACK. *** IMPORTANT *** THIS IS A WELL-KNOWN ISSUE TO BOTH FORD AND THE ODI OF THE NHTSA. THERE ARE HUNDREDS OF MATCHING, PUBLICLY FILED COMPLAINTS DOCUMENTING THIS CHILLING SAFETY ISSUE IN THIS VERY SAME ODI DATABASE TO WHICH I AM SUBMITTING THIS MIRROR COMPLAINT. WHEN SHOULD WE EXPECT TO SEE SOME ACTION FROM THE ODI/NHTSA AND/OR FORD ON THIS???????? I WANT MY MONEY BACK BUT I ALSO WANT FORD TO FIX THIS, NOT JUST ON MY CAR, BUT ON ALL THE OTHER FAMILY'S' CARS THAT HAVE THIS **WELL-KNOWN** SAFETY DEFECT!!!!!!!!! *TR

WHEN AT A DEAD STOP OR ACCELERATING SLOWLY (AS IN PULLING INTO OR OUT OF A PARKING SPACE), THE ENGINE WILL SUDDENLY SURGE, REQUIRING HARD BRAKING. THIS HAS ALMOST CAUSED ACCIDENTS AT MULTIPLE TIMES. THIS HAS BEEN A PROBLEM THIS ENTIRE SUMMER. THE 9/2/10 DATE WAS WHEN IT WAS PARTICULARLY BAD AND PERSISTENT. OMINOUSLY, THE TYPICAL SETTING DESCRIBES THE SITUATION WHEN IN THE LINE OF CARS WHEN PICKING UP OUR DAUGHTERS AT SCHOOL. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 FORD FREESTYLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING, THE VEHICLE WOULD LUNGE FORWARD WHEN THE AIR CONDITIONING WAS BEING USED. HE HAD TO DEPRESS THE BRAKE PEDAL TO STOP THE VEHICLE FROM MOVING FORWARD. HE NOTICED THAT THE PROBLEM HAD OCCURRED AT LEAST ONCE A DAY, BUT ONLY WHEN THE AIR CONDITIONER WAS ON. TO AVOID ANY PROBLEMS, HE WOULD SHIFT INTO NEUTRAL AT A STOP LIGHT. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN INSPECTED OR REPAIRED AT THE TIME OF THE COMPLAINT. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE CONTACT HAD NOT SPOKEN WITH THE MANUFACTURER. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 72,000. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 69,000.

I OWN A 2005 FORD FREESTYLE. WE HAVE BEEN EXPERIENCING A PROBLEM WITH OUR CAR GOING INTOFAIL SAFE MODE. THIS HAS HAPPEN BACKING UP AFTER FIRST STARTING OUT, BUT HAS ALSO OCCURRED COMING TO A STOP AT INTERSECTIONS. THE VEHICLE LUNGES FORWARD OR BACKWARD AND THEN DISPLAYS THE FAIL SAFE. IN FAIL SAFE, THE VEHICLE WILL NOT ACCELERATE. THE VEHICLE MUST BE TURNED OFF AND RESTARTED TO CORRECT THE CONDITION. THE "LUNGING" AND/OR LACK OF ACCELERATION WHEN NEEDED IN SAFE MODE ARE DANGEROUS SITUATIONS. I HAVE NOT YET SOUGHT REPAIRS. THIS ISSUE HAS OCCURRED QUITE OFTEN LATELY. I WILL BE FORCED TO SEEK PROFESSIONAL ASSISTANCE AS IT BECOMES PROGRESSIVELY WORSE. I PURCHASED THE VEHICLE NEW IN MARCH 2006. THE MILEAGE IS NOW 54,280. THIS CONDITION FIRST BEGAN WITHIN THE PAST 6 MONTHS. *TR

THE VEHICLE WOULD EXPERIENCE INTERMITTENT LOSS OF THE ELECTRICAL TO THE GAUGES AND INTERIOR LIGHTING. THE GAUGES WOULD SWEEP TO ZERO AND THEN MOMENTARILY SWEEP BACK. THE LENGTH OF THE LOSS OF ELECTRICAL IS INCREASING WITH EACH INTERMITTENT FAILURE. TWICE NOW THE VEHICLE HAS ALSO LOST ACCELERATION WHEN PULLING OUT OF AN INTERSECTION CAUSING A POTENTIAL COLLISION CONDITION. THE LAST TIME THIS HAPPENED IT ALSO OCCURRED WITH A LOSS OF ELECTRICAL TO THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER AND INTERIOR LIGHTING. THIS IS A POTENTIAL SERIOUS CONDITION AS THE VEHICLE MAY HAVE BEEN INVOLVED IN A COLLISION DUE TO THE LOSS OF POWER. THE VEHICLE IS CURRENTLY WITH THE FORD DEALER UNDERGOING DIAGNOSTICS. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 FORD FREESTYLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHEN SHIFTING FROM PARK TO DRIVE OR BRAKING TO A STOP, THE VEHICLE WOULD INTERMITTENTLY LUNGE FORWARD. IN ADDITION, THE VEHICLE WOULD LOSE POWER SPORADICALLY AND WOULD ENGAGE THE SAFE MODE. THE DEALER ADVISED THAT THE TRANSMISSION WOULD NEED REPLACING. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 45,000.

2005 FORD FREESTYLE LIMITED AWD, APPROX 80,000 MILES. WITH FOOT ON BRAKE, CAR SURGES OR LUNGES WHEN NOT PRESSING ON THE ACCELERATOR. THIS IS A DANGEROUS CONDITION THAT NEEDS A RECALL FIX PUT IN PLACE. NOTICED THAT THE RPM GAUGE JUMPS UP ABOUT 200 TO 300 RPM, ENOUGH TO OVERCOME THE BRAKES. THIS HAPPENS IN FORWARD OR REVERSE. THIS IS DANGEROUS TO PEDESTRIANS AND WHEN ENTERING INTERSECTIONS. THIS HAPPENS INTERMITTENTLY, AND HAS OCCURRED WEEKLY OVER THE LAST 3 SUMMER MONTHS FOR US. THE CONSEQUENCES OF FAILURE ARE THAT THE VEHICLE IS NOT UNDER DRIVER CONTROL FOR ABOUT 4 SECONDS, SURGING THE VEHICLE FORWARD OR REVERSE. TO CORRECT THE FAILURE, I HAVE REPLACED THE AIR FILTER (NO EFFECT) AND INSPECTED THE MAF (CLEAN), DONE SOME INTERNET RESEARCH, AND WILL BE CONTACTING THE FORD DEALER. THE BEST 3RD PARTY DESCRIPTION I HAVE SEEN IS THAT THE ELECTRONIC THROTTLE FAILS WHEN VEHICLE IS PLACED IN GEAR WITH THE A/C ON. IN FAILURE MODE, THE THROTTLE HAS BEEN SEEN TO OPEN AT 16 TO 18% WITH NO FOOT ON THE ACCELERATOR. OTHERS SAY FORD HAS A NEWLY DESIGNED THROTTLE PART THAT IS HARD TO GET AND COSTS $800. SOME SAY A COMPUTER FIRMWARE UPDATE IS ALSO NEEDED WITH THE NEW PART TO CORRECT THIS DANGEROUS CONDITION. *TR

PURCHASED A 2005 FORD FREESTYLE TWO YEARS AGO. THIS PAST YEAR (2010) HAVE EXPERIENCED SURGING WHEN PLACING MY CAR IN REVERSE- CONSISTENTLY HAPPENS EVERY TIME I START MY CAR AND PLACE INTO REVERSE. THIS PAST WEEK (8.26.2010) I ALMOST REAR ENDED A CAR WHILE WAITING AT A TRAFFIC LIGHT WHEN THE CAR STARTED SURGING (RPMS WERE GOING UP & DOWN) UNEXPECTEDLY. IT SURGED 4 TIMES THEN THE FAIL SAFE LIGHTS CAME ON AND THE ENGINE CUT OFF. I PUSHED THE CAR OFF THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. AFTER A FEW MOMENTS I RESTARTED- CAR AGAIN SURGED WHILE IN REVERSE AND DROVE IT TO THE DEALERSHIP. AWAITING RESPONSE OF THE PROBLEM. AM VERY AFRAID I WILL END UP BACKING INTO SOMEONE OR REAR ENDING A CAR DUE TO THE OVER REVVING WHILE SITTING IDLE. *TR