When I was reversing out of a parking space my car lunged backwards and then shut off and on my dash board it read "failed safe mode". then 2 weeks later this same thing happened to me when I pulled out onto a street. I was at a busy intersection and my car shut off again stating "fail safety mode" after 2 attempts to restart my car the vehicle finally started again. When I go into drive or reverse my car takes a few seconds to shift and will always lunge forwards or backwards while going around 2mph-5mph. This vehicle is becoming more and more unsafe to drive. The cost of a new cvt transmission will run me $5500. I contacted Ford about this issue and they made it clear to me that they have not heard anything about this, although there is currently a class action lawsuit pending against Ford for this matter. I also contacted the dealer who I purchased from less than a year and half ago and they are willing to give me $3000 for my vehicle which I purchased for $12,000 and still owe $9,000 for. There is no way I can afford to pay for this repair, especially because my vehicle is worth roughly $5,000 now.

- West Reading, PA, USA

Sudden, sporadic lunging/surging occurs while at low speeds, I.e. parking. Seems to them, especially on hot days when running A/C. last year I got the "safe mode" and wrench display, bit of course when I took it to Ford they told me I had to bring it in when the message was still showing. It occurred again this year, but I didn't bother going to Ford. But today, as I was trying to park, the car did it again and this time I almost rammed the car in front of me. What can I do?

- Seal Beach, CA, USA

I took my car in to be serviced for maintenance (power steering service and transmission service) to the Ford dealership in thomasville, ga. After a few days my 2005 Ford Freestyle started to display transmission data error, check track control, and check engine lights. I called the company and was advised to bring it in and I did. The alerts were not on at the time but the service man jerry and josh told me they would check my vehicle and let me know what - if anything was wrong. They kept it all day and when I returned to pick it up I was informed that it was fine and they re-serviced my transmission. About two weeks later my car started the same thing all over again while in traffic it seemed not to want to pull off normally with all these alerts lighting up after church one Sunday. I called Ford of course they were closed but the next day was Monday I called and was asked to bring the car back in. This time once it started to do the same things jumping in gear and knocking hard this time the service man who answered my call says they are looking for a transmission and advised me that Ford would pay for half the work and parts. I asked if they didn't cause it why would you offer to pay half. The last time they got my Ford Freestyle they gave me a borrowed vehicle and told my husband 4 days later that the car has electrical problems that they will pay none of the repair. I was told twice my car was fine now my husband just got a new job and no way to get to it because I believe Ford damaged my vehicle and refuses to right their wrong. What can I do now?

- Ochlocknee, GA, USA

Cvt transmission has issues many lawsuits over this our transmission stop yesterday. Reading the cost of replace and this looks like something Ford needs to address please help!

- Indpls, IN, USA

For several years, my car had an unexpected lurching/lunging problem whenever I was pulling in & out of parking spaces. This was very dangerous, since I had to immediately slam on my brakes to avoid hitting something or someone. I noticed on several forums that the suggested fix was to have the throttle body cleaned, so on 9/17/12, I had my regular mechanic perform this repair. In Dec 2012, I received a recall letter from Ford stating that they would repair the throttle body or reimburse me if I had already had it done. This letter was apparently a result of complaints like this with NHTSA and a class-action lawsuit filed over 2 years ago. No sooner had I applied for the refund when the second issue (that the forums all describe) starting occurring - I.e. a loud whine whenever I have the car in park or neutral. The sound goes away once in drive, but I've had 3 garages tell me this is a sign that the cvt transmission is failing. The repair costs anywhere from $4,000 to $7,000. Numerous documentation exists that these cvt transmissions are failing around 100,000 miles and that the manufacturer of the part no longer makes it, so only rebuilt transmissions can be used. Apparently Ford has the market cornered on those and there is a huge back-order problem to even get the work none. All this indicates a problem on Ford's part, but a lack of response until another class action is thrown at them which is already in the works. Needless to say, I have not been driving my car, since it seems inevitable that the transmission is about to die. I do not want to cause an accident, but I do want the NHTSA to put pressure on Ford to correct this problem since most of these vehicles are reaching the mileage point where the failure is bound to occur and an accident will happen. The throttle-body problem is apparently related to the cvt problem so please have them fix it.

- Mckees Rocks, PA, USA

The vehicle 's engine just shut off. After pulling off the road I tried several times to start the vehicle, to no avail. I waited approximately 20 minutes before trying again. The engine started, but would not go in gear. After several attempts of trying to put it in gear, it suddenly worked! knowing I had a 250 mile trip back home, I was very leery about taking a chance with it. Fortunately, I made it. I contacted my mechanic and made an appointment to get the vehicle in the shop the next day. The diagnostic machine was used and it "threw" several different codes, rendering it undiagnosable? the mechanic called Ford Motor Corp. And they said they would get back with him. After 2 weeks of waiting, I called Ford myself and was treated extremely rude and also was told my mechanic was not qualified to diagnose this problem! two months later, I get a letter saying the 'throttle body" needed to be "cleaned out"...at their expense. This procedure was done and I am continuously having problems with the transmission, especially when it gets cold (around 32 degrees). The vehicle will run after warming the engine (shutting it down/restarting repeatedly) before it decides to finally run "normal". I was told this resets the code"?" I will never buy another Ford, they do not back their product or their name! Ford has been made aware of these problems with this cvt transmission and they need to correct the problem there are numerous complaints and we, the consumer, need help with this on going issue. Most can not afford to handle this repair and those who did, had not resolved this issue after spending thousands of dollars! I believe, when I purchased this vehicle (used) in 2007, Ford knew of this issue, but gave no knowledge to me. I did ask about this cvt transmission because I had never heard of it before. They informed me that it was the greatest transmission ever...really!!!!

- Yulee, FL, USA

The transmission of this vehicle is bad. Ford knows it and they it but did not do anything about it. As we are driving down the freeway going 75 / 80 miles an hour the transmission will go to what they call a safe mode or something like that. When this happens it goes down to 40 miles an hour. If you are on the freeway when this happens it could create a problem, crash and thus is a safety concern.

- Grandville, MI, USA

Engine went idle during rush hr on I95 center lane traffic flying by rpms soaring and im at a coast trying to get over scared the bleep out of several other drivers. Dash says engine fail safe mode and as I brake the car is lurching and jerking. I shut it off. I breathe in and out and then start her back up and I limp along the shoulder to the exit ramp. Arrange a day off and take it to Ford (went idle twice on the way) and they "clean out the deposits" in the throttle body free as part of a recall. So Monday back on the highway it happens again.omg so I take it to the local guy and he replaces the throttle body assembly for about $700. Car is running great, acceleration is back she feels like new and it made me realize that the throttle had been acting weird for a while - occasionally things like starting the car and that initial acceleration when pulling forward or back but it never just went idle like that - that's just dangerous. I think it is unfair that Ford did not replace this part - I left Ford confident that they knew what they were doing especially because I told them of my near miss on the highway.

- Tequesta, FL, USA

The car jump in low speed and you have to apply the brakes, this was in direct drive or reverse.

- Miami, FL, USA

The contact owns a 2005 Ford Freestyle. The contact stated that while reversing, the vehicle stalled without warning. The vehicle was not taken to the dealer for inspection or repairs. The contact also stated that months later while driving approximately 55 mph uphill, the vehicle began to jerk abnormally. The vehicle was not taken to a dealer for diagnostic testing or repairs. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 65,000 and the current mileage was 67,695.

- Kingsland, GA, USA

Vehicle lunges or surges when at idle or low speeds in forward and reverse.

- Howard, CO, USA

While maneuvering my vehicle in a small space (forward, reverse, turning the wheel) the car began to surge and lunge (has occurred before, but mostly in reverse.) there was loud whining when I turned the steering wheel (that began recently and is almost constant.) the engine began to rev loudly, the car trying to lunge even with the brake applied. I reversed the car several feet from the road for fear it would lunge into traffic. The engine light (1st time ever) and the wrench symbol came on. Car went into limp mode, would not accelerate or exceed 30mph. (4th or 5th time this has happened in the one year I've owned the car.) diagnostic codes given by autozone on 9/19/12: P2106 (throttle actuator control system) & P061B (internal control module torque calculation performance error.) upon restart, engine light off. Dealer was contacted, and on 9/26/12 I drove the car to repair shop. They said smart junction box melted, must replace (electronic chassis control module )before doing repairs to the throttle body, cvt and suddenly non-working A/C (was working prior). No repairs have been made to the vehicle as the dealership (not Ford) refuses to honor the 36,000ml warranty with car. Recent problems prior to 9/26/12:*highway driving (55+mph/sometimes using cruise) car revs high rpms/will not accelerate at all/resumes later*sputters/stalls/loses power when slowing/stopping (it does restart) instrument panel brightens/dims*power locks malfunctioning (unlock function works with fob only) often while driving car locks/unlocks continuously/car randomly unlocks after being parked/turned off player not working/displayed error code/2 month later working again*security system function inconsistent/disables randomly*gears not engaging right away, then a loud noise and car surges/lunges into drive/reverse* lunging (mostly reverse) and surge/lunge when in drive/brake applied.

- Phoenix, AZ, USA

The car lunges forward. It happen in forward or reverse gear. Ac in on position. It has happen when car starts moving or while it is moving at lower speeds. No accidents, just close calls. In driveways, drive thru's. moving on streets and parking lots. Having to apply brakes harder. Car stalls at hotter outside temperatures.

- St. Louis, MO, USA

The contact owns a 2005 Ford Freestyle. The contact stated that while driving approximately 20 to 70 mph the vehicle would stall without any warning and then turned it self back on. Also, the vehicle would lunge forward on an intermittent basis. The vehicle has not been inspected by a dealer or an independent mechanic. The manufacturer was contacted and they offered no assistance. The failure mileage was approximately 75,000. The current mileage was approximately 80,000. The VIN was unavailable.

- Norton Shores, MI, USA

For quite some time, my 2005 Ford Freestyle lunges and will stall when operating at low speeds (parking, and backing up) with the air conditioning on. It either lunges forward or backwards (if in reverse), then stalls and goes into failsafe mode. This is very annoying. The car should not do this. Now it's happening when idling at stop lights or in traffic with the air conditioning on...which is great in rush hour traffic in Florida when it's 95 degrees outside...having to drive around with the windows down because I can't drive with air on or car will stall is highly annoying. With all the other complaints this should be a recall. The car has 147K miles on it (mostly highway) and I love my car. The lunging is scary though. I'm having to look for parking spaces with limited neighbors so we don't lunge into another car.

- Deland, FL, USA

I've noticed the car to lunge and idling very high. When I back out of a parking stall for instance, the car lunges out and I have to keep my foot on the brake. When I'm at a full stop; at times you can hear the car idling very high and when you let go of brake the car lunges out. During traffic, you have to make sure you continually keep the brake on, or the car will thrust forward and hit the vehicle ahead.

- San Diego, CA, USA

For the past few months my car has been lunging forward or backward when going at a low speed. For example, going into or coming out of a parking space, in a drive thru line, or waiting at a traffic light. The problem seem worse when it is hot outside and/or the air is on. Yesterday the problem happen again, engine stalled and when I restarted the car the check engine light came on. I have had a few near misses with the problem, coming close to hitting a little girl in a parking lot and almost running into a car at a drive thru line just to name a couple. I remember hearing about the same problem last year and am very shocked to see that Ford is taking a chance with peoples lives like this, why has there not been a recall issued to fix the problem?

- Garden City , MI, USA

I just purchased my Freestyle in March from a used car dealer. Over the last 3 months or so it has started lunging at slow speeds. Multiple times coming close to hitting another vehicle after pulling to a full stop at a traffic light and with foot pressed firmly on the brake pedal. I am scared to death to drive this vehicle but since its the only one I have and I'm under contract, its not really a choice at this point. Seeing how many of this vehicles are having this same problem, I am sure that it will cause a serious accident. Why isn't Ford doing anything about this problem"?" if I had known about this before making my purchase, I would not have bought it. I love Ford cars, my previous vehicle was a Taurus, but if they are going to continue to have these kinds of serious problems, I will be rethinking any future purchases!!!

- Wichita, KS, USA

Yesterday I was in line at a drive thru. As I turned the wheel slightly to make a turn and roll forward a bit in the line the car made a dramatic lunge forward with very noticeable increase in throttle, but I did not have my foot on the gas pedal. I had to apply additional brake to hold the car from impacting the car in front of me. It did it several more times as I went through the line and got my food. I was able to get the car to do it again at home in the driveway. This is real bad and has to be a serious defect. In a different situation the car could lunge into oncoming traffic and cause a fatality. I have the car parked and will not drive it.

- Chula Vista, CA, USA

My Ford Freestyle it raves on it's own with out me stepping on the gas. It also trys and takes off on its own it has done it various times. I just got it out the dealership on 8/7/12 due to ac compressor took the dealership a whole week to fix went to pick it up left the dealer and it started accelerating on its on and trying to take off whitout me stepping on the gas. The next day 8/8/12 I went to work when I got to our gate at my job I was getting my badge to open the gate and it started doing it again when I was parking reverse it accelerated and then it died on me it read system failure, I turned on the car again and it did it again and then it shut off again reading system failure. I took it back to the dealership after work thinking they must have did something wrong now there telling me its the throttle body and I have to pay another deductible to get it fixed. There goes 2 deductible payments back to back! they need to recall this part back I looked online and many people are having the same issue!

- Dallas, TX, USA