CarComplaints.com Notes: The Freestar was introduced in 2004, but it was essentially just a rebranded Windstar. While there was a redesign of the interior and exterior, the Freestar still inherited some of the design flaws of its predecessor.
10.0
really awful
Crashes / Fires:
3 / 2
Injuries / Deaths:
5 / 0
Average Mileage:
77,610 miles
About These NHTSA Complaints:
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.
I own a 2004 Ford Freestar. On Wednesday, Jan. 26,2011, I try to move my van in my garage, found the engine started normally, but the van cannot move.. the gear looked not functional at all. The van would not move forward as well. I had my mechanic to take a look, and he informed me that the transmission went on our van. He suggested that we have it towed to the Ford dealership where we purchased it. So, this is what we plan to do. The van only has around 83, 000 miles on it!! I understand, after doing lots of research, that this is a common problem with this make and model, and I am infuriated that we will have to cover the expense associated with the repairs! unacceptable! shame on Ford! I will never purchase another Ford vehicle again.
The contact owns a 2004 Ford Freestar. While driving 45 mph the vehicle began to hesitate as if were running out of gasoline. The vehicle was not taken to the dealer or a local mechanic for the failure. The vehicle was no longer under warranty. The failure began on January 25, 2011. The vehicle had not been repaired. The failure and current mileages were 126,000.
The contact owns a 2004 Ford Freestar. The contact was accelerating at 30 mph when the transmission failed without warning and the vehicle would no longer accelerate. The contact was able to push the vehicle off the roadway. The vehicle was towed to a local mechanic and the mechanic stated that the failure was not from the timing chain but he was unable to determine the exact cause of failure because he was unable to take apart the entire transmission. The transmission was replaced. The failure and current mileage was 119,000.
On December 23, we were driving our 2004 Ford Freestar limited, and while making a left hand turn across traffic, the vehicle simply fell out of gear, and the rpms increased, thus causing the van to coast to a stop. Luckily the van was not in a collision during the incident. After being diagnosed by the mechanic, it was determined that the splines to the output shaft (female side) of the torque converter were stripped, thus not driving the transmission pump due to lack of pressure. As this is a known issue, it appears that the initial manufacturer of the part had a metallurgy flaw and this issue should be corrected. The repairs to the vehicle were $2300 and not covered by Ford.
Was driving home from school with my husband and son. Approximate speed was 40 mph while pressing gas slightly to go up small incline motor revved as if it was in neutral. Van had no power to move, not even reverse. Had to had towed. Mechanic states pump in transmission is out and transmission is completely gone. There was no warning or anything. It was 12 degrees outside when we were stranded. After reading other complaints my story sounds the same as everyone else's. the costs not counting labor to fix will be approximately $2500. Almost equal to what we owe. Very frustrated with Ford- this needs to be looked into.
Ford Freestar 2004- going down hwy, engine suddenly revved loudly then we had no gears whatso ever. The engine was running fine but couldn't propel the vehicle. Mechanic told us this is a recurring problem with this make/model.
My wife was driving 2004 Freestar van when just pass a intersection when transmission went out, she is ok but, had to replace converter in transmission cost $838.34 only 72925 miles on van this should not have happen, I think Ford should recall this van.
2004 Ford Freestar van. Consumer writes in regards to transmission pump failure. The consumer stated as she was driving, the vehicle suddenly lost power without warning. The transmission and a transmission switch range was replaced.
I purchased a 2004 Ford Freestar with 28,389 miles on 6/16/08. In October 2009 my wife was driving the van and when she stopped at a stop sign & tried to turn on the next road, the van wouldn't go. The van acted as if it were in neutral. The van was still running but wouldn't go in to any gears at all. She called me & we had to have the van towed. We had bought an extended warranty/insurance policy on the car so the dealership told us which transmission shop to have the van towed to. We took the van & after almost 2 weeks, the van was repaired. We had to pay for a rental car during the time & pay the deductible for the warranty/insurance to have it repaired. The repair shop said they had to put a rebuilt transmission in the vehicle because the one in it had water. Six months later, in May 2010, the transmission did the exact same thing. We contacted the repair shop that had worked on the transmission previously said the transmission appeared to have water in it and the insurance/warranty wouldn't cover it. We had to take the vehicle to another shop for repairs. We took it to a repair shop in our neighborhood that we have known the owner for a long time & know to be very trust worthy. He looked at the transmission as well & said some how there was water in the transmission. He had to put another transmission in the vehicle also. Since he has put the rebuilt transmission in the vehicle, we are still having problems. The van does fine until after it has been driven for a few hours. It seems the warmer the transmission gets, the more it begins to shift hard, start jerking, & acts like it doesn't want to go. We have had 2 rebuilt transmissions put in, had to rent a vehicle twice, had to have it towed twice, still have payments for another 3 years, & aren't any better off than we were before the vehicle was fixed the first time. The vehicle only has 62, 173 miles on it. I don't know how a vehicle with such little mileage can have the same problem with 2 transmissions.
2004 Freestar- traveling down road when car's engine just started revving and car would not go forward or backwards- had to call tow truck to tow us to shop. This could have been even worse if would have happened on highway, or in bad weather- as my husband is disabled unable to walk very well!!! car did not have alot of mileage for this to have happened- very disappointed will cost us over $2000 to get repaired- very difficult on a fixed income. Have owned many Ford vehicles and have never had anything like this happen. Always felt a Ford was a very dependable vehicle- questioning that now!
I own a 2004 Ford Freestar. On Wednesday, December 22, 2010 I proceeded to back my van into my garage after running errands for the day and after backing up about a foot, the vehicle ceased movement. It would not move forward as well. I had my local mechanic stop by my home to take a look, and he informed my husband and I that the transmission went on our van. He suggested that we have it towed to the Ford dealership where we purchased it. So, this is what we plan to do. The van only has around 60, 000 miles on it!! I understand, after doing lots of research, that this is a common problem with this make and model, and I am infuriated that my husband and I will have to cover the expense associated with the repairs! unacceptable! shame on Ford! I will never purchase another Ford vehicle again.
My 2004 Ford Freestar van transmission slips, have replaced tranny fluid and filter, still having the same problem. Eventualy going to have to replace tranny.
While driving approx. 70 mph on the freeway with out warning the power to the wheels ceased to work. The engine would rev up but there was no power going to the wheels. We were able to coast to the side where we had to be towed. The torque converter had to be replaced at a large cost. The failure happened at approx. 100,000 miles.
2004 Ford Freestar engine control module computer die @ about 80000 miles tranmission fail at about 65000 miles defective oe conformal coating is removed from the entire ECM board including underneath chips and replaced with upgraded conformal coating; corrects an oe design flaw and ensure chips will not lift from the board causing the unit to fail.
Bought new, 2004 Ford Freestar minivan. At 60,000 miles, my wife and daughter experienced a sudden loss of power and coasted to a stop into a parking lot. No power in any of the gears including reverse. Towed to dealership and found out that torque converter pump shaft broke. Had to replace torque converter, pump and pump shaft. Cost of $2125 to repair. Thankfully it did not happen on the highway at high speeds. Considering the number of reported occurrences at such lower mileage and nature of failure, I would like to see a refund of the repair costs from Ford. This type of failure should not be the burden of the consumer.
2004 Ford Freestar transmission died at 48,100 miles. I was driving and all of a sudden there was a loss of motive power. The engine was running with absolutely no acceleration. I almost got hit by a car because the mini van stop moving at an intersection. Had the 2004 Ford Freestar checked and there was water in the transmission. No rain, no flood. Only very cold weather. $4000 to fix and extended warranty don't want to cover.
My wife was driving our 2004 Ford Freestar yesterday with our 10 year old son in the car. At speeds around 35-45 mph, she felt some shuddering as if the transmission was "shifting in and out of gears". she was able to maintain control while driving and drove the car home and parked it fearing that driving it further would result in losing control and ending up in a potentially fatal motor vehicle crash. At this point and time, the vehicle will not shift into any gear which again, thankfully ended up parked at home as opposed to what could have occurred. With research, I discovered that this likely is a manufacturer defect that results in failed transmissions that Ford is aware of but has not addressed. Must somebody die before the issue is addressed?
A D V E R T I S E M E N T S
- Pleasanton, CA, USA