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.
Our car lunges when at low speeds. Usually from a stop as I let off the brake pedal it lunges forward. Aggressively pushing on the brake pedal stops the vehicle. It seems to happen when the ac is on.
I bought my 2006 Ford Freestyle with 23,000 miles within 4 months I started experiencing a whining noise. The noise started getting louder and louder, I then started to feel the car wanting to accelerate while my foot was on the brake, this happened about 5 times. The car would stall and the wrench light would come on. I would turn it off and let it cool a little and it would start right up again. The problems continued especially in the heat. I live in miami Florida and it was just about everyday that this would happen. Then finally it happened, the car just died on me. I want to point out that I took the car to the dealer with 30,000 and they told me there was nothing they could do because no lights came on. I let them service the car and they told me everything was ok. The dealer told me I needed a new transmission. I could not believe it, he also told me the throttle body went and intake manifold had went as well. I asked if there was anything Ford could do they said I would have to call. Ford was the worst at customer service that I ever experienced. They said no to everything because I was out of warranty. After spending almost $6,000 the dealer told me that Ford was now giving 100,000 mile warranty for remanufactured transmissions. To this day, I have replaced brakes, rotors, another throttle body, front engine mount and the car is now experiencing a whining noise again. I still have 15,000 warranty left on last tranny I put in. I'm thinking they may have to put a new tranny in again. Ford knew about this recall and how dangerous it was and never asked for a voluntary recall, I am also very disappointed with the NHTSA. There have been thousand of complaints and they also did nothing about.
I have always owned Ford however this is by far the scariest Ford car ever and to me the unsafest!! I purchased my Ford Freestyle back in October 2010. Ever since then my car seems to have a mind of its own. When I am completely stopped my car will automatically lunge forward and even stall when I am turning my wheel. I have a 5 year old child who I drive everyday to school in this death trap and it scares me to death. I have tried talking to my Ford dealership about this since the car was like this when I bought it but of course they want me to spend all this money I do not have on repairs...after internet research it appears there are hundreds of people that have the same problem with this vehicle. Why isn't anyone doing something about this to protect the consumer? it is very scary and I do not understand why the car is lunging forward and backwards if backing up when my foot is clearly on the brake as well as stalling. I hope someone will do something about it before someone ends up in an accident or even dead because of this!! that would be a serious lawsuit I am sure. This is a serious issue please please do a recall on it now if not for me for the sake of someone's life who is driving one of these unsafe vehicles.
My Ford started jerking backwards when I put reverse or lunging forward when I start driving forwards. This happened twice, once in the jekyll island when we were on vacation (all three days) in July 2011 and also when recently like three months ago, Oct 2011. I first noticed when I was backing out from a hotel parking lot. I thought I am going to it the other cars. Also, I changed the brakes twice, once from the dealer and once from the auto mechanic. My mileage so far is 50K and this is a 2006 Ford Freestyle. I constantly face brake problems in this vehicle. And also other problems.(like front axle) could someone do something about these problems, please!!!
- Oviedo, FL, USA
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I was transporting my children on a hot day. We were idling with the A/C on. The vehicle was not in motion. I had my foot pressed firmly on the brake. The vehicle then lunged forward several feet. There were no impacts or accidents, but as I began to accelerate, the vehicle acted as if it was going to stall. It was sputtering and kept lunging as if I had removed my foot from the clutch the check engine / wrench light came on and the vehicle died. I tried to restart the vehicle multiple times, and it did eventually turn back on, but the vehicle was sluggish and continued lunging. I brought the vehicle to our local Ford dealer, jackson Ford-Mercury tag #540, as it was still under warranty. They checked the air conditioner and found nothing wrong. I took the vehicle back to the same dealer a short time later for the same problem and again they could find no problems. As the season changed, the problem cleared up. We were no longer using the A/C. the following summer, same conditions, same problem. I took it to a different Ford dealership big valley Lincoln Ford Mercury ro # 625097 and explained the problem and provided the repair tag number. After performing a mult-ipoint inspection, not once, but twice, and a diagnostic HVAC system check, they also could find no problem to repair. Concerned that our warranty was getting ready to expire, we asked them to document the incident. We've taken the vehicle to many local mechanics as well. I am unsure of which parts are actually faulty because the vehicle has never been able to be diagnosed. We don't utilize the A/C because it causes the vehicle to stall and fails to cool the air properly anyway. I believe my vehicle is encountering the same defect as many of the others described up here and I think that Ford should repair the defect, as I and many other consumers purchased these vehicles in good faith.
Prematurely worn rear brake pads and rotor damage. Ford initially had a recall on the rear brake pads due to faulty material composition. Since the pads were replaced by recall I have experienced a similar failure on two other occasions. The first failure was about 17000 miles, followed by 33000 miles and at 47000. The vehicle is currently at 67000 miles and the rear pads and one rotor have failed again. Front brake pads where replaced as a courtesy by the Ford dealer at 47000 and front rotors have never been replaced. I spoke with the locak Ford dealership regarding the premature wear and they acknowledge that a problem exists but Ford has not recalled or corrected anything. As a result of that conversation I contacted Ford customer care and was contacted by an investigator to discuss the brakes among other problems. The investigator did not acknowledge that the brake wear was a problem and only stated that it was a wear item. When asked why the rear brakes failed at a rate significantly faster than the front brakes the investigator refused to comment.
Car lunged forward with foot firmly on the brake, this also happened when the car was in reverse. This lunging stopped when the brake was applied, this has happened several times since then.
My husband was stopped at a red light. All of a sudden the car just went forward through the light, even though he was holding the brake pedal down. Thankfully no cars hit us. We thought perhaps it was just something weird that happened. I continued to drive it and it happened two more times. I called Ford. They told me that there was no recall and I should take it to a Ford dealership to have it tested. The dealership said that they had this happen on quite a few of their cars, and that even though the computer didn't show anything, they recommended that we have a new throttle put in the car. We did and paid $800. To have it done. We had also talked to a different mechanic who also confirmed that he had quite a few Ford come in with this same problem. Ford told us that they would not pay for it unless there was a recall. They car was not safe to drive, therefore we paid for the repair.
The car is surging and lunging (see pending investigation from May 2011). Also, when running the A/C it starts to go off and on by itself, then the engine starts to shut off and on, and all gages go to zero, like the car is losing power.
When placed in reverse the auto would surge without warning, as if the fuel pedal were applied. This also did it when going from reverse to forward. Had to keep foot firmly on the brake at all times or risk an accident. Car became very difficult to drive when this occurred. At 80,472 miles. Engine check light stayed on after another surge problem that stalled the auto. Ray skillman Ford in greenwood, in determined it was the "throttle body". it was replaced and while the service man drove the car, the entire A/C unit went out. They put a new clutch & compressor. After calling several Ford dealerships, there has been a huge backorder of these throttle body's. capital city Ford is installing two a day the same with ray skillman Ford.
I was approaching an intersection at about 1-5 mph and pressing the brakes, then the car lunged forward and moved 2 to 4 feet (at no point I pressed the gas pedal). After that, the gas pedal did not work, and I had to restart the car to be able to move it again. This all happened at an intersection. I believe this is a very dangerous problem. With the lunge I could have hit a pedestrian. With the need to re-start at the middle of a congested intersection, I could have been hit by a car moving in the opposite direction.
Rear brakes/rotors on 2006 Ford Freestyle once recalled by Ford and replaced now the rear brakes and rotors are all worn out again after 20000 miles. Front brakes have not even been replaced with 45000 miles no problem there. Old parts are available.
We purchased a brand new 2006 Ford Freestyle in March, 2007. On June 14, 2011, and to a lesser extent, periodically since vehicle purchase, the vehicle's engine surged while my foot was on the brake pedal; the vehicle failed to accelerate to normal speed; and, it acted like it didn't want to shift into next gear. The June 14, 2011 occurrence was the worst one, plus, the wrench light came on. Our local Ford dealership diagnosis is that the throttle body needs to be replaced...at only 37,200 miles. Repair estimate from the dealership to replace the part is $836.48. Dealership also determined that an engine mount bracket/gasket needs to be replaced for cost of $424; rear brakes will be needed within 5,00 miles for $374, if new rotors are needed; and, new battery is needed now for a cost of $138...all this at only 37,200 miles. We foolishly purchased an extended warranty when we bought the vehicle. Ford tells us that the warranty only covers the power train, and since the throttle body is considered to be electronic, the warranty will not apply. We were led to believe that it was a bumper-to-bumper extended warranty when we agreed to purchase the warranty. We are very unhappy campers! no more extended warranties for us. We believe that Ford should be responsible at least for the throttle body replacement, in full. We are afraid to drive the vehicle now, and even when it is "repaired" we will still be afraid because of the history of the Freestyle problems that we have read about online. Please help! thanks.
Vehicle will accelerate while foot is on the brake pedal. Happens mostly when backing but will happen also when in drive. Seems to happen as wheel is turned slightly in either direction, but not for sure. Also seems to happen more in very hot weather or after vehicle has been driven for a while. Acceleration is minor to moderate and happens unexpectedly. Ford reprogrammed computer last summer but still occurs. Vehicle is also wearing out right rear brake faster that other brakes.
My Ford Freestyle has had rear brake problems since I purchased it new from beartooth Ford in hardin, mt. The first time the dealer replaced/repaired the rear brakes while the car was under warranty. The right rear brake was dragging to the extent that the right rear wheel would get so hot you could not touch it creating a danger of fire. This problem has continued each time after it was repaired. The most recent repair was made by the Ford dealership in missoula, mt. At a cost of $500 after the brakes went out again, we took the car back to the missoula Ford dealership and asked them to repair/replace the brakes. They refused to do so. So now I have an unsafe vehicle with only three (3) brakes. This problem is clearly a problem with the design of my car.
My 2006 Ford Freestyle lunges/surges when going from park to drive or park to reverse. Vehicle has been doing this for at least 1 year.it is very scarey and unsafe for my teenage driver who is just learning to drive. I have also replaced the brakes pads and rotors twice already. The brakes wear out very quickly around 15,000 miles. Last I replaced the transmission at 100,000. I bought a used 2007 transmission to save some money. Now I am being told that my transmission is bad again. It is once again slipping and I have only driven 15,000 since the transmission was replaced with one od only 56,000 miles.
Rear brakes wear out unusually fast, in the first 18,000 miles. Sound Ford will not do anything about this issue either. This is the 2nd time I have had to replace my rear brakes and rotors that were completely ruined in 38,000 miles of usual driving. I have also experienced unusual tire wear. The insides of the tires go bald with in the first 35,000 miles even with routine servicing and rotations.
Cv boot failed, motor mounts failed, battery dead, rotten egg smell from exhaust, now putting vehicle into gears with foot on brake vehicle surges like my foot is on the gas pedal but it's on the brake, and does not go over 25 when pulling forward almost got into several accidents from vehicle acceleration, this has been happening everyday now I got my vehicle in 2009 and only had it for a year.
The contact owns 2006 Ford Freestyle. While driving 40 mph the speedometer displayed zero and the contact was unable to apply the brakes. Within a few minutes the gauge began to function properly. The vehicle will be towed to the dealer for diagnostic testing. The failure and the current mileages were 66,000.
A D V E R T I S E M E N T S
- Madison, WI, USA