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 Freestyle cut out on the interstate. Luckily it was in the breakdown lane and no cars were coming. An 8 year old was in the car as well. After spending $1200 on repairs the Freestyle still leaks, and is having the same problems with cutting out, leaking into the car and all the lights coming on. We have spent over $1200 to fix, and the car still has the same problems. The dealership wants us to spend another $1000, and they can not guarantee that will fix the problem, as another Freestyle here in boone has had the same issues.
My car accelerates sometimes while my foot is on the brake pedal. It feels like it is jumping forward or something. Also when I turn on my air condition my car, if in motion, will start to jump forward even though you have your foot on the brake. It even cut off on me several times with the air conditioning on. I now just drive without air at all because I am scared that my car will just stop on me. Also my air only works on the highest level.
I purchased my 2006 Ford Freestyle in December 2009. As soon as the weather got warmer I noticed that when parking, backing up, or trying to stop, the vehicle would surge as if I still had my foot on the accelerator. Soon it also started surging/sputtering when I first started out and would occasionally stall, twice in heavy traffic. I took the vehicle to the Ford dealership to discover that the throttle body position sensor doesn't work properly & that all Freestyles were having the same problem. I was shocked to find that a new unit could be put in but was not covered as a recall and was going to cost $1000. As a single mom, that was just impossible. Luckily my disabled father was previously a mechanic and was able to use carb cleaner to clean the sensor and temporarily stop the problem. Since then, every spring the problem comes back and I have to have the throttle body unit cleaned several times before winter. Another problem I have with this vehicle is that the brakes wear out unusually quickly. I don't know if it's because of having to fight the throttle position sensor to stop the car, or if it's a flaw in the design of the brake system. I do know that when it starts to feel like they are wearing out I have to replace them asap because the more they get worn the faster they wear out, if that makes sense. Something I've just recently noticed is that the lights (interior, exterior, display, all of them) have been almost blinking...getting brighter/dimmer and at the same time my A/C blows harder/softer, like they are surging as well. Upon further examination I found that the top and bottom driver's side motor mounts have cracked/rotted bushings. Ford should absolutely replace these throttle bodies without question; my children ride in my Freestyle every day and one close call is one too many. I want this fixed once and for all.
Sept 2011: Started vehicle and put in reverse to back out of a space and engine revved. If I did not have my foot on the brake it would have leaped backwards thru the parking lot. When I shifted into drive it briefly tried to leap forward. I turned the vehicle off, turned it back on and the diagnostic warning light went off and vehicle seemed normal. Throttle body replaced by Ford ($800+). Nov 2011: Speed over 50 mph, went to pass another vehicle and when I pressed the accelerator the vehicle bogged down, rpms revved and it would go no faster than 35-40 mph. Diagnostic light comes on. Pulled over, turned the vehicle off briefly, restarted, diagnostic light goes out and I proceeded. As long as I do not "punch it" in high gear I can increase speed when going over 50. Increase must be gradual. Condition has happened several times since initial instance.
- Fredericksburg, VA, USA
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Car surges when changing gears. Problem worse with fan controls on. RPM's stay above normal idle (750-800) most of the time. Car will accelerate without using gas peddle at times. Must keep a constant vigilance with foot on brake. Went through all the basic fixes (mainly cleaning of throttle linkage and module). Was told the throttle body needs replaced ($1000+). this module is mounted on top of the engine-why? this is not a unique problem with this car. Many, many, many people with Ford Freestyles have had this same problem. Other people have had this module replaced and that either did not fix the problem or it was a temporary fix. I believe it is a Ford engineering design flaw. Did not fix the vehicle. Bought another car and got rid of this safety hazard.
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.
The contact owns a 2006 Ford Freestyle. The contact stated that while driving 30 to 40 mph, the vehicle would lose power. The RPM S would increase to 4,000, the air bag light, traction control light, and the onboard diagnostic light would also illuminate when the failure occurred. The vehicle was taken to a local mechanic and a diagnostic was performed, but the mechanic was unable to generate a failure code. The contact stated that the vehicle would return to normal function when the engine was turned off for a few moments. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and advised the contact to have a dealer perform the diagnostic. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure and the current mileage was 135,000. The VIN was not available.
This car started surging little by little getting progressively worse as the months went on. Hotter weather seemed to make it worse, stalling in drive thru's and lurching more. A few times cutting out all together, having to wait in parking lots to come back on. Then it began making a high pitched whining sound like the transmission was going to blow up if it got to "over worked" it seemed. Then wow "shock of all shocks" this lemon of a car simply died while finally sputtering it's last gasps sounding like a diesel engine mack truck and had a " catastrophic engine failure" as two different mechanics of ours diagnosed. Now we are faced with replacing the engine, used at a steal for about $3000 to $5000+ or taking a huge loss since we owe on it still. And gee what do we have to look forward to if we do replace the engine" a safe non-lurching ride? no. A future free from more costly repairs? no. New throttle body replacement and new transmission replacements" I can't wait!!! what a joke. I hate this car. Please recall something, anything to take this death trap off my hands!!! and yes I have a small child that has to ride in this bundle of safety too.
On July 16,2010 my Freestyle lunged forward with my son and his two children after a ball game. They were in a line of cars trying to get on the road home. After driving a few miles it quit running and died. It had to be towed in. Service department replaced air flow sensor and other things and said it was ok. On August 10, 2010 I was trying to get on highway and my car lunged again. This time they tried to contact Ford motor. Got no response, so they replaced throttle control. Then in may of 2011 my air conditioner was repaired and while driving slow, my car lunged again. You can tell when it is going to act up. When you push on brakes you have to press really hard to get it stopped. Took it back to service and they drove it and it never happened on them. They said the engine would idle up when driving slow and running air conditioner. But when you have to apply so much pressure on the brakes you raise up off your seat something not right.these automobiles are dangerous. I am on a fixed income since I lost my husband and cannot afford to trade cars. I am stuck with it.
When pulling out of my driveway the car would not accelerate, seemed to not have any power. Then when placing my foot on the brake at a stop sign it surged forward. It was really scary and had there been traffic, I would have been hit broad side, as I felt I couldn't control the car. The wrench light came on, and as I drove my son to school, the car continued to either have no power or was surging forward, I called my local dealer where I had just had the cvt transmission replaced in September, and asked to bring it in. They diagnosed it as a throttle body problem, and replaced it. I had asked about this when the transmission was replaced, and they had told me they didn't know about any problems. Oh please!!!!!! I've also had two very dangerous tire blow outs, and after some research see that unusual inside tire wear has also been a problem on Freestyles due to the sway bar links. Now tomorrow.... I am back at the dealer for the engine mount, yet another repeat problem that needs to be recalled. Please help us get these dangerous cars recalled and repaired!
This incident actually started happening in 2006 not too long after I had bought the vehicle; however it did it only once or twice, or maybe not even so much that I noticed it; however in the past year and a 1/2 I have been experiencing the car lunging forward or backward. It always seems to do it when pulling in or backing out of a parking lot or the driveway. I have noticed that it seems to occur when the ac unit is on. Turn the ac unit off and it doesn't do this. I find this very disturbing because even with foot on brakes the car doesn't want to stop, it wants to proceed. Fortunately for us it hasn't resulted in any kind of collision. I feel it is only a matter of time before something bad happens. Please investigate and issue recall. I understand that it is a throttle body issue which costs a lot of money and this is the only family car we have. I can't afford to pay to have this fixed. Struggling as it is after 2 job losses in 3 years time. Please help!
The car when your at a stop or low speed, in drive or reverse the car will try to lurch. When driving down the highway it's fine but when you come to a stop the wrench light comes on. A couple of times the car wouldn't go right away but eventually it would sometimes after turning the car off and back on again the wrench would be gone and would be able to go. Sounds like sometimes the car isn't shifting right.the lurching is really noticeable when the A/C is on. Can't have the A/C on when at a stop or it will lurch.
Vehicle lunges and engine revs up at low speeds when stopping and at stopped. This seemed to happen at low RPM and when the A/C was on and cycling. Also notice this at times when stopped and the steering wheel was turned, and when backing up.
Vehicle has been lunging when put into drive from park, and when put into reverse from park. Kinda scary actually! this summer, it got severe during the heat wave while using the A/C; vehicle would lunge then stall out. Called the local dealership to complain, and was told the car has too many miles on it. Called the Ford national complant line to report same; was told "it has not been a reported problem". when I searched the problem on line, I found that to be a false statement.
Multiple incidents of engine surging when putting in gear or idling at a stop. Sometimes this causes the engine to stall. Was told it was the throttle-body getting stuck.
The 2006 Ford Freestyle that my wife and I bought in winter of 2008, was a great car for the first year. We noticed after the first 12-13 months that it was having a serious issue with the throttle, as in... the car would start revving while at idle... you could be stopped at a stoplight and it would lunge so hard that it would push itself half a car length into the intersection before you could stop it. If it were in reverse it would lunge even harder. We had taken it to the dealership a couple of times but the could never recreate the issue according to them. Then 1 month out of warranty they could all of the sudden recreate the issue and it cost us $825 for a new throttle body. We replaced it, and we have kept all receipts incase of a recall. The car was good again for another 12 months, then it starts doing it again... again the Ford dealership cannot seem to recreate the issue. Then today they can amazingly assess everything and tell us that will cost us $1300+ to fix yet another throttle control issue. Why is there no recall by the company here... there is already a class action lawsuit in California against Ford for 2005-2007 Freestyle. My wife is scared to death to drive this vehicle anymore. I know that there are thousands of other Freestyle owners with the exact issue here. Something really needs to be done to fix this.
The car will suddenly surge even without my foot on the gas. Sometimes even when we are braking. Has not actually caused an accident yet but worried it could. Took it to the Ford dealer at one point (jones West Ford) but they said they had never heard of such a problem and were unable to find anything. The reset the computer on the car and thought that would maybe help but it still continues to this day and that has probably been close if not more than 2 years ago. I have read that people have experienced this similar type of problem although my sister who has a 1995 has not so it must not be in every one that was made.
A D V E R T I S E M E N T S
- Nc, NC, USA