ON SUNDAY, 12/27/09 WE CAME OUT OF CHURCH AND GOT INTO OUR 2005 FORD FREESTAR TO GO HOME. AFTER STARTING IT UP I PUT THE TRANSMISSION INTO D AND IT WOULD NOT MOVE. WE HAD NO PREVIOUS PROBLEMS WITH THE TRANSAXLE AT ALL. I PUT IT INTO R AND NOTHING HAPPENED. I ALLOWED THE ENGINE TO WARM UP FOR A FEW MINUTES, THEN TRIED AGAIN. THE VAN WOULD NOT MOVE IN D, BUT JERKED AND MOVED WHEN PUT IN 3. I BEGAN TO DRIVE IT HOME IN 3. IT SLIPPED IN AND OUT OF GEAR CONSTANTLY, AND THE TRANSAXLE LIGHT STAYED ON, BUT IT GOT US HOME--ABOUT 5 MILES. I CHECKED THE FLUID WHEN I GOT THERE. IT WAS JUST A LITTLE LOW. I ADDED SOME AND DROVE IT AROUND THE BLOCK, BUT NO CHANGE. I CALLED OUR FORD DEALER THE NEXT DAY, WHO TOLD ME TO BRING IT IN THE NEXT DAY. IT DIDN'T MOVE UNTIL THEN. I WARMED IT UP FOR 1/2 HOUR BEFORE DRIVING, THEN DROVE IT TO THE DEALER--ABOUT 5-6 MILES AWAY. IT SHIFTED FINE IN D FOR ABOUT THE FIRST MILE, THEN IT BEGAN TO SLIP AND JERK IN AND OUT OF GEAR. THE NEXT 3 MILES WERE HIGHWAY MILES. IT WOULD BE DRIVING FINE AT ABOUT 50 THEN KICK OUT OF GEAR AND LOSE MOTION COMPLETELY, THEN GRAB AND TAKE OFF AGAIN. BACK IN TOWN, WHEN STOPPING AT A LIGHT IT WOULD TRY TO STALL. WHEN PUT INTO N IT WOULD REV UP TO 2000 RPM. THE DEALER CHARGED $100 TO CHECK IT. THEY CALLED LATER AND SAID IT MIGHT BE THE STATOR AND NEEDED TO BE TORN INTO--$850. AFTER 2 DAYS, THEY CALLED AND SAID THE ENTIRE INSIDE OF THE TRANSMISSION WAS FULL OF METAL SHAVINGS, THE SPLINES WERE STRIPPED, IT WAS SHOT, AND IT WOULD BE $3400. THE VAN HAS 53,100 MILES ON IT. I BOUGHT IT WITH 4,700 MILES ON IT WHEN IT WAS 6 MONTHS OLD AND SERVICED THE TRANSMISSION AT THIS SAME DEALER AT 36,000 MILES. IT HAS BEEN WELL CARED FOR. *TR
2006
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
TRANSMISSION IN 2004 FORD FREESTAR SLIPPED AND THEN FAILED IN A VERY SHORT PERIOD. THE REPAIR SHOP STATED IT SEEMED LIKE A FACTORY DEFECT FOR SUCH A YOUNG TRANSMISSION TO FAIL. *JB
