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.
Cvt transmission failed for the second time while driving. Vehicle lurched and the wrench light came on, front end shuddered. Restarted the vehicle and it would drive, but would only achieve 20 mph with very high rpms. Dealer says transmission will have to be replaced. As I understand reading the numerous complaints, they don't make this unit anymore. I am faced with a vehicle that I can't drive. Please do something.
The vehicle started surging without foot on the gas pedal. This occurs at low speeds or when stopping. Have had to rapidly press the brake pedal and hold it to avoid accidents. When the surging occurs, many times the vehicle goes into fail-safe engine mode which does not allow one to shift into higher gears. Check engine light stays on after occurrence and failsafe engine mode was solved by pulling over, killing the motor, waiting, and then restarting.
On the date noted, I was stopped at a traffic light with my foot on the brake when the car suddenly lurched forward (maybe 6-9 inches). I turned the corner to enter a parking garage and while stopped with my foot on the brake, the car lurched forward again, this time the car stalled. I restarted it pulled forward to the garage gate and stopped. It lurched a third time, stalling again and then the service engine light came on. I can best describe it as though I released the clutch (on a manual shift car) with my foot on the brake and not the accelerator. In such a situation, the car will lurch and stall. However this is an automatic and the reason the clutch would engage is from acceleration. I recall the motor revving up prior to the lurch which would explain the event. The Ford dealership finally narrowed the problem to the throttle body and the electronics attached to it and required replacement ($700+). I would say this event occurred at least 6 times in the past year, always while the car was stopped but never 3 times in succession. It stalled maybe two of those times, entered 'engine failsafe mode' but was fine after re-starting the engine. I researched this occurrence on the internet finding it to be an issue on many occasions with this model vehicle. There are several reports on your website as well. I see the investigation is still open. I noted one report referencing a design flaw as to the release of gases in the throttle body and how they are re-routed back throughout the body. The service rep at the dealer noted to me that the new body installed on my car was a new design where the gases are released away from the body. I take this as acknowledgement that the original design was flawed, leading to its unsafe behavior. Note that this last event occurred in 90+ degree weather with the ac on and after highway driving for 3 hours.
We just bought a used 2005 Ford Freestyle and the dealer we bought it from told us the AWD malfunction alert would come on, but it would not stay on long enough for a mechanic to check what was wrong with it. We did notice the alert coming on, but on our 4th day of driving the vehicle, we were pulling away from a drive thru window and preparing to maneuver around two vehicles stopped in front of us and I had just taken my foot off the brake and not even touched the gas pedal when the car lunged forward. I applied the brake and then slowly took my foot away again and the car lunged and the engine died. The car still had enough momentum after the engine died to allow me to coast away from the two vehicles in front of me. I tried to start the car again and it lunged and died again. On the third try, it started and I was able to get out of the parking lot, but I was very frightened. I did make it home alright, but the AWD malfunction alert stayed on and at times the alert would also read "failsafe engine mode". also, the traction control alert icon lit up and a wrench was lit up under it in the instrument panel. We hope Ford will help Freestyle owners soon before someone has a terrible accident.
Update on ODI 10419757: Took car to Ford dealer because engine light came on after car lunged (while backing up). Said it was the throttle control actuator sticking was replaced at a cost of $895. Two other customers with Ford Freestyle have had the same problem.
- Leesville, LA, USA
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Normal driving conditions-when backing out the car lunges and goes dead. Fail safe engine mode is displayed. Have had it lunge forward when foot is on brake and engine dies. Happens more often when air conditioner is on. Check engine light comes on. Ford dealer said air compressor was no good. Did not replace because we saw complaint about Ford Freestyle.
Sudden acceleration at slow speed both in forward and reverse. Worse when air conditioning is on. Dealership states that it is a throttle body issue. Very costly to repair, very dangerous to drive. Already ran into cart corral at grocery store when car lurched forward. No damage.
While sitting in a parking lot on a hot day (A/C running), my 2005 Ford Freestyle suddenly lunged forward. When the brake was applied, it stopped the engine. A message appeared reading "engine in fail-safe mode." Approximately 2 weeks later, this same condition was repeated with the same result. In between these events the car seems to perform as expected. As of now we have taken no action however next Wednesday the dealer can look at the vehicle and hopefully have some good news on the repairs. I had the local autozone technician run a diagnostic check and two codes came up he said were unique to Ford so a Ford service technician would be required to interpret. He lead me to believe these codes read "tac" and something referring to the torque control module. Codes may have been "P061B" and a P1202" (?).
2005 Ford Freestyle transmission surging when placed in reverse. Had been minor up to this point but while my wife was driving it last night, engine revved higher than before and stalled. Check transmission light came on and 'system failure" message appeared. After doing some research, it seems to be the throttle body problem that is prevalent with this vehicle. Of course, my extended warranty expired 2 weeks ago.
I have a 2005 Ford Freestyle sel. In the last month, the car has been surging and taking off without my touching the gas. Last Friday, it surged violently backward while I was parallel parking and ran up on the curb nearly hitting people. I stood on the brake and the engine quit and went into a fault mode. It did this three times after re-starting the car each time. It also about two weeks ago surged forward into the gate of my gated community. It is now surging at a third of my stops. I don't try and back it up if at all possible. I am convinced this is a serious safety problem. I am afraid to allow anyone in my family to drive it. I feel this should be re-called and fixed.
Bought a Ford Freestyle in July 2008 took it to the shop July 2009 because it was lunging and stalling. Ford kept it on their lot until November. When I got it back I had to replace the tire because they had flat spots they did not move the car. They replaced the throttle body and now July of 2011 it is doing the same problem. I was told that this car engine gets to hot and the alternator can't work correctly. My warranty expired July 27th 2011 and I can't afford to fix this car. Something needs to be done about all the problems this car has.
My 2005 Ford Freestyle unexpectedly lunges forward in drive and reverse. This usually happens in high heat after using A/C for a while. Thankfully I've had my foot over the brake during these occurrences, but this issue concerns me. I have also been told by a local Ford dealership that my ac compressor is leaking, and wonder if the two are linked somehow.
Vehicle has a sudden jump in acceleration even when driver is pressing on the brake pedal. It feels as if both the brake and accelerator are being pressed and the car is in conflict. Then the idle seems to drop either to a point of the vehicle dying or almost stalling. When restarted (sometimes this takes 2-3 tries to keep it running) or idle evens out the rpms and acceleration are delayed for some time. While pressing on the accelerator (even pushing almost to the floor) the vehicle will not increase in speed (in a normal response time-within 3-4 miles) and rpms top out at 2000. This happens at both low speeds and when attempting to achieve highway speeds. The trigger for this is typically a sharp turn. This also results in the check engine light coming on and giving diagnostic codes of P061B and P2106 which I have been unable to find a description of these codes. This has happened once every 4-6 weeks to begin with, but has increased in frequency to 3-4 times a month. I have not replaced the throttle body but that appears to be the common fix as reported by others experiencing this problem. After leaving the car sit for several hours and restarting the next day or 4-5 hours later the problem is not apparent until the next time.
2005 Ford Freestyle unexpectedly surges forward while idling at a stop, moving as slow speed or shifting from park into either forward or reverse. The frequency of occurrence increases when the vehicle's air conditioning has been running but the vehicle is not moving, I.e., while either parked or idling. Engine enters "fail-safe" mode and restarting engine temporarily clears the error and alleviates the problem.
For 4 years the car has surged when placing the care in reverse, but I always thought it was the transmission. Two days ago the car surged forward 3 times and I was inches from hitting the vehicle in front of me I turned the car off and back on and it was fine. Yesterday I placed the car in reverse and it surged back wards so forcefully I could almost not contain it with the breaks. Today the car surged back again but I was ready or it and the car stalled stating "failsafe engine mode" I again I turned the car off and on and it worked with out a problem. All 3 times the car was idle in 90+ degree weather for >5 min.
We have experienced 3 instances of unintended lurching with our 2005 Ford Freestyle. After the lurching occurred, there was loss of power steering and the vehicle stalled. Two out of three times damage or injury almost occurred and was narrowly avoided. All three times the vehicle was in reverse then forward. The ac was on.
My car lurches forward if my foot is not fully on the brake or when I begin to accelerate from a stopped position. This has happened several times. My check engine light is now on. I was running my ac in 100 degree weather this last time.
We have an 2005 Freestyle. My wife was picking up our grandson from vacation bible school on 7/19/2011. The car lunged forward and almost ran over some other kids crossing over the road in front of her. The crossing guard frantically waved his arms for my wife to stop which she was trying to do. By luck the engine died. Someone is going to die from this yet and then Ford will have a big lawsuit on there hands with thousands of people on the side of the plaintiff. I can't understand Ford's position on this issue since they are rated highly for quality. They had the publics support when they didn't take a bailout. Why damage a good reputation?
I have a 2005 Ford Freestyle that has been surging forward when I am at a complete stop & the engine fail safe mode with a wrench has shown up. I have 4 kids & this has happened on the highway with them in the car on the highway & it is very scary to lose power on the highway & try to get to the shoulder without getting hit by another car.
My 2005 Ford Freestyle lunges when placed in drive or reverse, it happens before the accelerator is pressed and I must stomp the brake to stop it. I have had many close calls in the past two weeks. Today a "fail safe engine mode" message came on.
A D V E R T I S E M E N T S
- King City, OR, USA