This data is from the NHTSA — the US gov't agency tasked with vehicle safety. Complaints are spread across multiple & redundant categories, & are not organized by problem.
So how do you find out what problems are occurring? For this NHTSA complaint data, the only way is to read through the comments below. Any duplicates or errors? It's not us.
Car lunges when holding foot on the brake whether in drive or reverse. The lunging is getting worse. Very scary. Also, air conditioning does not work when idling or stopped; has begun acting like it's going to die and then lunging while driving on highway now. The car has done this since I got it in 2008, but was not as severe and being a woman, wasn't sure if this was just how this car acted for some weird reason. It is getting worse and worse now. It feels very dangerous. Now the air conditioner won't work when car is idling either. It works great when going down the highway or in cool or rainy weather. My life is driving. I am a healthcare contractor and must drive often. I need my car. I understand from what I have read (a lot) that many people are filing class action suits. I just want my car fixed asap.
While driving on vacation to our destination in South Carolina, with my wife, daughter, dog, and myself and a car full of luggage. Traveling at approximately 60 mph in the hills of West Virginia, I applied more throttle approximately 3/4 of the way up one of the large hills. The cvt transmission 'downshifted' (actually it doesn't downshift, rather it just adjusted it's ratio quickly to improve torque output to the wheels -- I'm an engineer) and there was a huge clunk and the accelerator no longer affected acceleration. Fortunately, I had enough momentum to crest the top of the hill and coasted down the hill on the other side. At 67,000 miles, our extended warranty of 5 years or 75,000 miles that we paid Ford for had just expired months before. The outcome? a tow to a Ford dealer, a 40 mile drive to the nearest car rental Agency that was open (it was a Saturday), certainly a big bill coming from the Ford dealer, and a 6 hour delay in reaching our destination left me frazzled. Maybe this is a one-off, issue, I thought. However, when I got to our destination today, I went on-line looking to see about typical repair costs for Ford's cvt transmission and instead I am finding dozens of similar stories on-line about the Freestyle cvt. What's going on here, I thought? how can this be occurring at a mileage so far below the mileage that the oems design for (at Ford this is typically 150,000 miles). Something seems amiss here to me with NHTSA regarding this component design at Ford. I realize that you should and must prioritize the most serious issues first regarding injury and/or death but your mission also speaks of reducing economic losses. I encourage you to respond to me directly if at all possible. As an engineer in the automotive market for 20 years, I am very confident there is a design or manufacturing flaw that consumers are living with.
I drive a 2007 Ford Freestyle, and my car lunges while my foot is slightly on the brakes. I cannot have my air-conditioning on while I'm on a stand still and my key ignition is lose and the car light comes on or the car will just stop. I told it to the dealership and all they say is pay for a diagnostic and get it fixed! this car is not safe to drive and I'm scared to continue to drive it on long road trip with my precious cargo.
The contact owns a 2007 Ford Freestyle. The contact stated that while driving 30 mph, the check engine warning light illuminated on the instrument panel. The vehicle abnormally accelerated and then, lost power. The vehicle was taken to the dealer for diagnosis. The dealer advised that they needed to replace the control module. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was contacted and stated that the vehicle was not under recall. The failure and current mileage was 96,000.
- Richmond , VA, USA
Search CarComplaints.com for these popular complaint phrases...
My car has been lunging both in forward and reverse for the past week, and now it's not really accelerating when I press down on the gas pedal. A couple of times I have come close to hitting cars without even having my foot on the accelerator.
During the week of July 2, 2012, we were in cleveland, Ohio, and it was exceptionally hot. 100+ degree temperatures every day, so we had the air conditioning on full blast. When driving the car at slow rates of speed -- in parking garages, for instance -- or reversing out of parking spaces, the car lunged as though I'd accelerated, but my foot was either not on the accelerator at all, or on the brake. The following week, temperatures cooled, and the lunging was not as noticeable. The week of July 16, 2012, it was again hot, and the symptoms started again -- lunging when driving at slow rates of speed, reverse, etc. During this particular week, though, the car would stall as well. It always re-started, though. On July 27, 2012, the car again stalled, and then would not go more than 50 mph. When we took it to the dealer, we were told we needed a new transmission. For the lunging issue, research online shows that might be due to a dirty body throttle, but two separate dealers say that it's definitely the transmission.
The contact owns a 2007 Ford Freestyle. The contact was driving 45 mph when she heard a nose coming from the tires. The noise was most prominent when accelerating. The failure progressed until the vehicle became unresponsive to acceleration attempts. The vehicle was then towed to the dealer for diagnosis. The dealer advised the contact that the transmission needed to be replaced. The manufacturer was not contacted. The failure and the current mileage was 83,000. Updated 9/17/12 the manufacturer was contacted and offered no assistance. Updated 09/20/2012
On and off over the month of July 2012, when I put my car in reverse to pull out of a parking spot or driveway it surges/jumps without my foot touching the gas pedal. It happens only when I try and reverse. This keeps happening and I'm afraid one day I'm going to hit someone or something as I can't control the surges. Also on July 7, 2012 the engine just cut off on me while reversing out of a parking space. I was able to start it back up again after it died. In December 2011 I had a new transmission put in. Also in June 2011 I had to replace the ac compressor.
My car will lunge forward when my foot is not on the accelerator. I have to slam on the brake to stop the motion before hitting the car in front of me or a pedestrian in a parking lot. I did an internet search and found there is an open investigation on this and thought I should report it on my car. This is very scary to me and happens quite often in a drive through or when I am backing out of a parking space. I am not sure what I should do next.
Car lunges when brakes, traveling forward slowly or even when sitting still with brake applied. Also happens when changing from park to drive or reverse. Started erratically but problem is almost constant now. We have surmised from other postings this is a throttle body problem, however replacement seems to rectify issues temporarily but reappears.
I was stopped and waiting for an on-coming metro bus to pass. I had three passengers in my vehicle and the air conditioner was running. The bus needed to move into my lane to pass a car that was trying to parallel park. I had my steering wheel already turned to the right and stepped off of my brake to coast a little to the right. When I stepped off the brake, the vehicle lurched forward as if I had stepped on the gas pedal. There was a line of parked cars to my right, which is why I chose to not use the gas to move the car over. After the bus passed, I drove forward a few blocks at a low speed and realized I was unable to accelerate and the wrench light had come on. My vehicle was towed back the Ford dealership and the problem was solved by the mechanic following tsb 11-10-21 for P061B.
My transmission light came on and when I took it to the shop, they told me that I had to replace the entire transmission and that it would cost me $5000. They also stated that these cars are known for this. That is when I began to research this particular issue. I can not believe that this is a known issue and thousands of people are having this problem and Ford has not recalled this. I understand this would cost Ford a lot of money but they made a defected transmission and should be liable to replace them. They have plenty of money. People like me cant just afford $5000 to replace a transmission in a car. I have no idea what I am going to do. This is life altering for me. A single mom of five children and very disappointing to find out a name as big as Ford is allowed to do this to people.
My Freestyle has started to lunge forward at times when immediately taking my foot off the brake in forward or backward motion. After making a turn today it did it too, but this time the transmission light came on. It has happened many times over the last couple of months. The weather has been very hot too. I have a new teenaged driver so this is disconcerting.
Have multiple issue with my Ford Freestyle: Engine surges/lunges, then stalls at lights or driving at low speeds. After explaining this to Ford before the warranty expired they kept the vehicle for days and claim issue was not duplicated...when I came back to them a month later I replaced the (etc) at Ford's recommendation. They charged me for this. After about 3 years of having the vehicle, I had to replace the engine mount. The dash lights have been going out one by one. When the first one went, it happened before the warranty expired but, Ford claimed it wasn't covered and wanted to charge me over $200 to replace a.10 cent light bulb. I told them not too and they still charged me $50 for the inspection. Though the surging stopped for a year and a half after replacing the etc, the surging/lunging has returned. And since the warranty has long since expired and I am under-employed, I haven't had the money to replace this part again.
In June 2011 I had to bring my vehicle in for service, I noticed prior to my vehicle breaking down the vehicle would lurch even thou my foot was not on the accelerator pedal (in forward or reverse). The temp outside was in the low 90's. I had bought this vehicle in the fall of 2010. Now today (18 July 2012) I am once again taking my car in for the same repairs (parts replacement). The temp yesterday was near 90, I had the air on and was backing into a parking spot when my vehicle lurched back instantly without my foot on the accelerator (I had to slam on the brakes) so I did not crash into the other vehicle in the stall behind the one I was baking into. All the sudden the engine stalled; I re-started the vehicle (and the check engine light came on and is now on constantly as it was back in 2011). When I left the parking slot I was in I attempted to go home; the vehicle lurched the whole time I was in the parking lot, once I was on the main road the vehicle would not accelerate normally; also the cruise control would not work. Again; these are the same problems I had in 2011. I crept my car to the superior Ford dealership where I had the work done before. I asked the service dept worker if she knew of any tech-issues or concerns and she said no....I was not buying it.
I have been having this problem for a little over a month now. My vehicle 'lunges" on its own. It has been doing it when I put it in reverse from park or in drive from park. It has not done it while driving at this time. I will have my foot on the brake and when I come out of park it seems to idle high on its own and jerk either forward or backward by itself while I have my foot on the brake. Sometimes it does it hard enough that the vehicle will die and I have to turn it off and wait a minute then start it again. Im not sure if its something in the idle or transmission or what but it gets scary as one time I was backing out of a driveway and while I had the break on it went on its own and I almost ran in front of an oncoming car. I have seen alot of complaints about this issue and do not understand why a recall has not been issued. I know that me personally being a single working mom can not afford a high mechanic bill to fix a problem that should have a recall on it. Please advise if this is still under investigation.
I have had the throttle replaced last year around June 2011 and lately (only a year later July 2012) the throttle is accelerating on its on own once again when I'm parking my vehicle and while backing out (reverse). Why isn't this on a recall list by now"?"
After several hours of sitting in the heat (90+ F) the car failed to start. The engine never turned over, or made any sound indicating the starter was even doing anything. After closing the drivers door and turning off the A/C, the engine started up as it would normally. This has happened on 3 separate occasions.
A D V E R T I S E M E N T S
- Bossier City, LA, USA