DRIVING MY 2005 FORD FREESTAR TAKING A RIGHT TURN WHEN SUDDENLY LOST ALL ABILITY TO GO FORWARD. PULLED OVER TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD, ENGINE WOULD REV AND IDLE, BUT NO MOVEMENT FORWARD OR BACK. PUSHED CAR (IN NEUTRAL) TO A SAFER LOCATION AND TOWED TO DEALER WHO HAS DETERMINED THAT THE PROBLEM IS THE FAILURE OF THE TORQUE CONVERTER IN THE TRANSMISSION. ESTIMATED COST OF $1400 TO REPAIR(WARRANTY IS EXPIRED), BUT MAY BE MORE WHEN THEY REMOVE THE TRANSMISSION. NO WARNING LIGHTS, NO SYMPTOMS, JUST SUDDEN FAILURE TO BE ABLE TO MOVE FORWARD WHILE DRIVING. LUCKILY WAS NOT GOING VERY FAST AND WAS ABLE TO PULL OVER RELATIVELY SAFELY. CAR IS 4 YEARS OLD AND HAS JUST UNDER 29,000 MILES ON IT. DEALER SAYS HAS NOT SEEN A LOT OF THIS PROBLEM BUT THAT THEY ALSO DO NOT GET A LOT OF FREESTARS IN FOR SERVICE AT HIS DEALERSHIP. FORD CORPORATE HAD HEARD OF THE PROBLEM, I STARTED TO SAY TORQUE PROBLEM AND HE CORRECTED ME TO SAY IT WAS THE TORQUE CONVERTER. CANNOT BELIEVE WITH THE ISSUES FOUND ONLINE REGARDING THIS THAT FORD WON'T DO ANYTHING. THIS IS A MAJOR SAFETY ISSUE. I CANNOT IMAGINE HOW THIS WOULD HAVE TURNED OUT IF I HAD BEEN GOING ANY FASTER OR ON A BUSIER STREET. MY CHILDREN WERE IN THE CAR WITH ME. LUCKILY I WAS COMING FROM A STOP AND MAKING A TURN, SO COULD NOT HAVE BEEN GOING FASTER THAN A FEW MPH. FORD IMPLIED TO ME THAT IF I PURCHASED THE EXTENDED WARRANTY ON THE CAR FOR AN ADDITIONAL $1650 THAT THEY WOULD MAYBE BE WILLING TO NEGOTIATE ON THE COST OF THE REPAIR. WE MAY HAVE TO BUY IT IF THIS IS GOING TO BE A REPEAT PROBLEM. SOMETHING NEEDS TO BE DONE ABOUT THIS. *TR
2004
STRUCTURE:BODY
SEVERE RUST ISSUES PLAGUE THE FRAME, JACK POINTS, AND REAR FRAME (SPARE TIRE STORAGE AREA). THE SPARE TIRE WHEEL LOOKS AS IF IT HAS NEVER HAD PAINT ON IT THERE IS SO MUCH RUST. WE JUST PURCHASED THE VEHICLE A FEW DAYS AGO AND ARE CURRENTLY WORKING WITH THE FORD DEALER TO HOPEFULLY GET THE PROBLEM CORRECTED. WE DID NOT REALIZE THE SEVERE RUST ISSUES PRIOR TO PURCHASE. *TR
