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.
The contact owns a 2006 Ford Freestar. After starting her vehicle it would not move forward or backwards. There were no warning lights illuminated to inform her that there was a problem. The vehicle was towed to a local body shop where it was inspected and confirmed that the transmission needed to be replaced. The Ford manufacturer was called and informed her that there were no recalls and that the extended warranty had expired. The failure mileage was 89,000.
A defective power train:automatic transmission:control module (tcm, PCM) on the Ford Freestar van actually causes a spark plug to misfire and eventually starts to melt. This has happened on my vehicle three or four times. My car bucks and misfires almost causing an accident as I was entering highway.
2006 Ford Freestar approximately 81,000 miles/ before the incident: I drove about 30 miles on the highway and was driving on a side road going about 25 mph up a steep hill. As I was driving the transmission dropped out of drive. I didn't have reverse only park. Had to push the van into a driveway. I had it towed to the local Ford dealer and was told that the "front pump has no pressure at all/internal failure either front pump and or forward clutch packs. Overhaul of unit not a practical repair. Fluid was full but very dirty and has some metal fragments." The transmission was replaced with a Ford reman unit. Total cost was $3361.46.
Transmission failed completely while driving 70 mph on interstate - no prior problems or indications of failure. 2006 Ford freetsar van with 69,000 miles.
- Indianola, IA, USA
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Torque converter went on my 06 Freestar when in traffic on highway. This forced me to pull on the passing lane median side of the highway potentially putting me in danger of passing big-rigs and other vehicles. Thank the lord a state policeman came to block traffic. I read up on this and see its being investigated. This was not an inexpensive fix. I hope Ford reimburses me for not re-engineering their problem and letting it continue without a recall.
Ford Freestar 2006 driving on highway approx. 40-45mph. Lost power, when trying to accelerate the engine RPM went up, and the car had no acceleration. The van coasted to the side of the road. Couldn't get van completely off road. Ford Freestar is being evaluated all indications are complete failure of transmission. Should know more tomorrow. This was a very dangerous situation!!!! please included Ford Freestar 2006 in your investigations.
Ford Freestar 2006 transmission died on highway this morning while highway driving this morning my Ford Freestar would not accelerate, engine continued running.... my husband was driving 40 mph and suddenly he had no acceleration, engine continued running, when he pushed on the gas pedal the engine just reved. He coasted to a stop, and couldn't get the car off of the road. We had the car towed. This was an extremely dangerous situation. We were told at this point, it is the transmission, we never had any indication that there was a problem, this problem happened suddenly. Please look into this dangerous situation! our van only 63,000 mile on it! it has been brought to our attention that there are thousands of Ford mini van owners that have had the identical problem with their Ford van's. please force Ford to issue a recall these transmissions!!!!! at this point, we are going to have to pay what we owe on this van ie..... van payments to the bank......and we don't have the money to pay for a new transmission!!!!! please help us and other's who transmissions have failed. As I see it this problem is going to get worse....ie...van transmissions that haven't failed yet!!! please contact us at your earliest conveniece. Thank you and we look forward to hearing back from you.
While driving down hwy. 163 near monument valley, ut. And then just into AZ., I was pulling over @ diff. Turn-out for picture taking. I pulled out of one, maneuvered back onto hwy. A short bit when I realized the 2006 Ford Freestar I ws driving was going nowhere, just rolling frm own weight. I pulled over to side, still too close to traffic, and stopped and re-started it to see if it would re-engage the gears. No, only engine revving. I was out there for many hrs. With no phone signa. Finally someone went and got mechanic brother to come out with his pick-up truck, chains, and trailer with ramps. Next day it was taken by tow truck to Ford of page, AZ. They want $3700 for whole transmission. They do not know of this pending procedure for safety re-call, but will call Ford on mon. Also told him my van is my home, I am over the road transporter, and would have to camp out in dealer-ship lot indefinitely. The ptice is now $3000. The vehicle has approx. 73,000 miles on it.
On the rainy evening of March 10, 2009, the transmission on my 2006 Ford Freestar with only 45,000 miles completely stopped running. I had just made a right turn onto an unlit residential street when my car just stopped moving. I was pushing the gas and hearing the engine change but with my car in "D" there was no motion. With the vehicle still running, I tried the other movement gears with no reaction. My car had just completely stopped on the road with no warning! thank goodness that was not a lot of traffic that night. Had the vehicle towed to the Ford dealership where it was purchased and the transmission was repaired by replacing the torque converter and whatever other work was required to get it working. They only gave me a 1 yr/12,000 mile warranty, which is just scary. It was in the shop for just over a week. Have noticed that it now seems to occasionally hesitate while I am driving it.
The spines in the transmission torque converter fail because they were not hardened. When this happens the vehicle stops and can not move. This is very dangerous, and at some point ( if it hasn't already) will cause an accident, and possible death.
On 7-22-08 myself, sister and kids were driving and pulled through the mcdonald's drive through for a drink then when I pulled out onto hwy 31 in corsicana to get back on interstate 45 my 2006 Freestar with 52205 miles would not go. It was like the car was in neutral. Lucky the road went down hill a little and could get to the center lane. I then saw a Ford dealer behind me and got the van their because they towed me after a $95 digno fee they told me it was my plantiey gears and need a whole new transmission for $3200 two days later the price jumped to $4200 so I did not get my van fixed yet and towed it home. When I call Ford they said they can not do anything until I take my van to my dealer in town and pay another diogn, fee. Then call them.
Transmission in 2004 Ford Freestar slipped and then failed in a very short period. The repair shop stated it seemed like a factory defect for such a young transmission to fail.
I was standing at the rear of my sister's new 2006 Ford Freestar van. My 2 1/2 year old son was inside the van. The van was not running. My son climbed over the front seat from the back seat and pulled down on the shifter lever causing the vehicle to come out of gear and roll backward out of a graded driveway. The van struck my right leg and right elbow causing minor injuries. After getting the vehicle stopped I needed to know why the vehicle came out of gear, as this could've been a small child behind this vehicle instead of myself, the results of which would've been catastrophic. During my investigation of this circumstance; while I had assumed that you had to depress the brake pedal in order to release the shifter lever, I instead discovered the following: -- 1. if the vehicle is running and in park, you must depress the brake pedal to release the safety feature which prevents the shifter from coming out of gear. -- 2. if the vehicle is not running, you only have to turn the key one notch to release the safety feature which prevents the shifter from coming out of gear. You do not have to depress the brake pedal at all !!! I have since questioned many others to see if the same is true, and was shocked to discover that this is not the only vehicle in which this occurs. This is a very serious defect that the public isn't routinely aware of, and one that could potentially kill someone under similar circumstances. I have come to the conclusion that this supposed safety feature poses a false sense of security, as I have believed for many years that this safety feature prevented accidental shifter actuation. Please look into this or make it known to the public about what could occur under similar (and all too common) circumstances. Thank you for your time and attention to this very valid concern. I look forward to seeing a published warning, or perhaps even a global recall, that addresses this potential danger in the very near future.
A D V E R T I S E M E N T S
- Sewell, NJ, USA