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Vans & Minivans Ford Freestar Ford Freestar Transmission Problems
951 messages, Last post on Dec 06, 2009 at 3:15 PM
You are in the Ford Freestar Forum. Your Host is Karens
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Replying to: turtle45 (May 08, 2009 7:36 am) When we are able to get the hearing with the Secretary of Transportation, how many of you will be there to have your voices heard? You know Ford will have a large group there plus the attorneys.
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Replying to: nadineb (May 09, 2009 7:58 pm) If I am able to be there, I will be there. Please let us know the date, time, and place. You are right about the Customer Relationship Center. What a fraud and a sham that was. They treated me so disrespectfully I couldn't believe it. It was a maddening experience. I am just as angry and disillusioned about it today as I was back in November '07 when all of this started. I couldn't believe a company the size of Ford would take a 25 year loyal customer like me for granted and have such an unprofessional, immoral, and unethical approach to customer service. Jim Genovese Annapolis, MD |
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we wpould love to be there, if "life" allows it. i've seen class action suits also that are done thru mail, forms, etc. let us know, please. NO MORE FORDS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! |
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Dear Nadine, Thank you for contacting the Ford Motor Company Customer Relationship Center regarding issuance of a recall. Please note that recalls are issued on items that may cause Safety or Emissions concerns with the vehicle. Many factors are used to determine recalls such as warranty status, vehicle history, customer contacts, dealership comments and so forth. Please keep in mind that The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), which is the federal agency responsible for motor vehicle safety, and is the only organization with the authority to order a recall. Moreover, Ford and the National Highway Traffic and Safety Administration (NHTSA) work together to proactively identify areas of concern through investigation of consumer and dealer feedback. However, we regret to inform you that Ford and NHTSA's investigation of consumer and dealer feedback are considered proprietary and therefore, is unavailable to the public. Consequently, we are unable to provide you with the information you are seeking. Thank you for contacting Ford. Sometimes e-mail communication does not allow us to gain additional information that may be helpful in responding to your inquiry. Should you feel that we have not adequately addressed your questions, please feel free to contact us via telephone at (800)392-3673 between the hours of 8am and 5pm, local time, Monday through Friday. Hearing-impaired callers with access to a TDD may contact 1-800-232-5952. |
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Replying to: nadineb (May 12, 2009 9:25 pm) |
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Replying to: nadineb (May 12, 2009 9:25 pm) It is obvious to me that whatever information Ford/ NHTSA will not provide to you is not favorable to Ford and is likely the evidence we need to take an action against Ford and, potentially, NHTSA itself. In my opinion, NHTSA, having been made aware of this issue and still failing to act, is just as liable as Ford. Also, apparently Ford is not aquainted with the Freedom of Information Act. Under the Act, they are obligated to provide you with the information because it is information that is shared with a federal agency. Please write them back and advise them that you are making your request under the Freedom of Information Act and that their failure to comply is in violation of the law. This is something an attorney would likely be happy to assist you with because it is one of those cases where the law is CLEARLY on your side and, even though Ford/NHTSA might fight it, they will eventually lose and, in the meantime, your attorney would likely get lots of free publicity because, as we all know, this has the potential to be a very high-profile case. All it takes is one action like this to get the attention of one media outlet and it will take on a life of its own from there. This could be the break we need to get this thing out there! Keep us posted! Jim Genovese Annapolis, MD
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Replying to: jgenovese (May 14, 2009 7:21 am) In the meantime, I sent a FOIA to NHTSA seeking any information about the Ford Freestar. I am also looking at the Federal Register for any hearing that took place with NHTSA and Ford about these vehicles. Anyone can access the site because it is in the public domain. This problem has existed since 1999 with the the powertrain control module getting wet and then, if you get rear ended, your air bags will not deploy. What was Fords philosophy - something like let them crash and burn?
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Replying to: nadineb (May 15, 2009 9:13 am) Great work! You are on top of your game. As for Ford's philosophy, I believe that the statement was more along the lines of; "It is cheaper to let them crash and burn," (than to fix the problem). That was nearly 40 years ago. In this case, it is absolutely amazing to me that, in the age of the internet and consumers being more educated and sophisticated than ever before, that Ford maintains essentially the same philosophy. I guess you can't teach an old dog new tricks. It is no wonder that they continue to lose market share. We are not asking them to hold our hands, we are just asking them to build a safe product and, in the event of a defect such as this one which is HUGE, inform the public and fix the problem. By the way, the problem is not just the PCM, it is also the undersized transmission that eventually, literally, comes apart with no warning. Thatis what left my family stranded in the middle of an intersection like sitting ducks. It is a miracle that no one got hurt. It would be more than a shame for Ford to get away with what I believe to be criminal behavior. Afterall, our decision to buy this vehicle was greatly influenced by Ford's marketing of its "safety rating." What else can that be than criminal? Keep up the good work and, as always, thank you and please keep us posted! Jim Genovese Annapolis, MD |
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Replying to: nadineb (May 09, 2009 7:58 pm)
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Replying to: why_me (May 21, 2009 8:41 am) Look at it this way, unlike Ford, you are doing the right thing and you might actually save someone's life! Also, you are very fortunate that you got the dealer to replace your transmission. The rest of us weren't so lucky. My family is out almost 4K between the repair and the rental for the week. All we have been able to do is make minimum payments on the loan we had to take out to pay for this mess since November of '07 when this happened. We havn't even touched the principal balance. We actually owe more on just the repair itself than our van is actually worth! Plus, we have the added benefit of driving in constant fear that it will quit again. The irony of this thing is that the salesman, yes, THE SALESMAN, actually tried to talk me out of buying this thing when it was brand new! I should have listened and probablywould have if he would have been more specific about why he was trying to talk me out of it. Anyway, keep up the good work. Maybe we will all meet in person at the hearing? Jim Genovese Annapolis, MD |
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