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 automobile surges when initialing engaging into either reverse or drive. Extreme pressure needs to be applied to the break to prevent the car from surging 5 to 10 feet, either backwards or forwards depending on which gear is selected. Took the car to danvers Ford in danvers, Massachusetts. There service manager stated he had not heard of any surging problems. No error codes were detected. He contacted Ford Motor Company and the recommended the "throttle body" be replaced. For obvious safety reasons reasons, we complied and replaced the throttle body at an out-of-pocket expense to us of roughly $650.
On June 10, 2011 I allowed my son and daughter in-law along with there two small children to use our 2006 Ford Freestyle to drive to there vacation destination in nags head nc. They stopped in woodbridge va to spend the night. After obtaining a motel room they used the car to go to a restaurant to eat and at this time while driving the car it began to accelerate and surge forward. Applying the brake seemed to have know effect on the condition. My son called me and ask what I thought he should do and I told him to take it to a local Ford dealer in the morning. On the morning of June 11 2011 he drove the car to cowles parkway Ford in woodbridge va. They reported to him that the car had a faulty throttle body and it would have to be replaced at a cost of $969. The part was replaced and they proceeded to nags head nc. After some investigation on my part I discovered that Ford Motor Company knew that this problem existed but to the best of my knowledge did not inform owners. I would not have sent my family on a vacation with this car if I had known that this potentionally dangerous situation could arise.
Vehicle lunges at idle, especially on hot days when A/C is running. Almost ran over attendant at oil change location. This has occurred about 30 times since we have owned the car. The dealer has no knowledge of other Freestyles with this problem, but many other Freestyle owners do, as does the Ford corporation.
My vehicle was lurching at slow speeds when pulling into parking spots or parallel parking. In some instances it actually revved up high and I had to slam on the brakes for fear of running into something. With the air conditioner or heater on it's much worse. I took it to the dealer and they told me it was the throttle body but at the time my car only had roughly 48000 miles on it. The car had too few miles on it to have this type of problem, so I looked on the internet and found that many other owners of this vehicle have been having the same issues.
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.
- Kingman, AZ, USA
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Returning home with my children, when my 2006 Ford Freestyle lurched horribly, accelerating first, then dropping down to almost no power at all, with the yellow wrench light turned on, and then would barely accelerate till I got home and turned the engine off, then re-started it and the car acted relatively normal. Fortunately was on a country road, and no other cars around when incident occurred.
Car lurches on its own with my foot on the brake. Happens most in reverse when backing up out of a parking space, but has also happened several times while idling in a drive thru line. I have had several near collisions due to this problem. It happens almost always when first put into reverse. I have learned to keep my foot on the brake. It is an ongoing problem.
My 2006 Ford Freestyle has had a surging problem at low speeds since we bought it with 15000 miles on it in 2006. Even with your foot on the brake and not on the accelerator the care accelerates on its own in forward and reverse. We took the car to the Ford dealer in tucson and they fixed the problem by replacing the throttle body for $1000 at our expense. On one occasion May 1 2010 the car surged forward hitting our garage causing damage to the car. There should be a recall on this car.
When placed in reverse or drive vehicle suddenly and unexpectedly accelerated. This happens even when driver's foot is on the brake petal and usually when A/C is on. Typically happens when the car is first started and placed into gear but will happen even if car has been running a while, stopped, and changed into a different gear.
Vehicle accelerates, without depression of gas pedal. Lunge forward at stop lights while brake pedal is depressed. It surges in reverse as well, even with the brake pedal is depressed and the gas pedal is vacant. I called dealership, and they said it was the throttle body, it needs to be replaced and it would cost up to $1000. This is a huge safety hazard and it is common to all Ford Freestyles. It is most definitely a manufacturing flaw and it is only a matter of time before someone dies. The car already has surged into a pole once, it is getting bad.
2006 Ford Freestyle sudden acceleration- a few months ago my 2006 Ford Freestyle began accelerating, usually going from park to reverse, even while my foot was on the brake. I have to press down on the brake hard to keep the car from lurching forward. Once in drive, there are no problems. No shops have been able to identify a problem even though the wrench light comes on and the car has stalled a couple of time. It never seems to have the problem at the repair shop. Internet research indicates this is a throttle body problem that Ford is well aware of but hasn't taken action on to educate consumers or mechanics. I've learned to compensate by always starting the car with my foot firmly on the brake, but I won't let anybody else drive my car. Desperate to get repaired. This problem is rampant based on internet complaints. In fact, the last mechanic said he had another Ford Freestyle with the same problem which is what prompted me to get on the internet. Why isn't Ford doing something before someone gets hurt?
2006 Ford Freestyle we change the accelerator body it lurched forward and it was dangerous almost hit a few cars in traffic we were terrified of it would not ride the kids in it and the transmission started making a weird ssssssssssss noise few months ago and now its more of a rrrrrrrrrrr loud sound everybody turns to look when we drive by were gonna take it to the Ford dealer today we will probably pay up the was because you wont do anything about this problem you know exists as always with everything the corporations comefirst they have the money you should be ashamed this is afamily vehicle it has a third row seat kids ride in it still you do nothing.and as your first questions indicate no deaths no crashes not your problem right.national safety what was that again ya right, should be national lets take care of the car manufacturer with deep pockets bearue. This is a defect and you know it the accelerator body and the cvt trans. Thousands of people have the same problem yet you do nothing guess we will have to do a class action we have to do it ourselves as always.
My vehicle when in gear and foot on the brake lunges forward and backwards when in reverse, causing me to almost hit 2 pedestrians and several vehicles when I am at a complete stop. This occurs daily when my vehicle is in the drive or reverse position. I have notified the Ford dealership and they said it is the throttle body and the part is on backorder. This problem is very scary because I am afraid of hitting someone or something. This has been happening since I bought the vehicle in 2008 and I did take it back to the dealership where I bought it and they would do something to it and it would stop for awhile but would start doing it again and this has been like this for 2 years now. I cannot let my teenagers drive my vehicle because I am afraid they will not be able to stop the vehicle when it starts lunging forward again.
2006 Ford Freestyle surges while backing up and going forward at slow speeds and sometime at idle. This is an ongoing problem that I have noticed for over the last 60,000 miles, but it seems to be getting worse. Have ordered a new throttle body but is on backorder.
My 2006 Ford Freestyle began to lurch forward in reverse after idling for a few moments. If I slammed on the brakes to keep from hitting something/someone, the car died. The transmission light would come on. If I was able to keep the car from dying, it would lurch forward in drive as well. This went on for days until finally, I had to restart the car twice to get it to operate normally, and then the check engine light came on. I took it to the dealership, and they were looking at it. They mentioned "it might be the throttle body." I decided to google it, and lo and behold, hundreds of complaints about this issue! they knew good and well what was wrong with my car all along!
2006 Ford Freestyle has developed a major throttlebody problem. With the engine running and the car in either drive or reverse with foot only on the brake, not the accelerator, the engine will accelerate and cause the car to lurch forward in drive or backward in reverse. There is no warning that it is going to happen. The lurch is powerful enough to move the car 1-4 feet even with the brakes fully depressed. We have barely avoided a bicycle crossing at a red light, cars at a stop sign, and garage walls. The car is in the shop now and Ford corporate refuses to recognize the problem and is happy to charge over $800 to fix. This is a huge safety issue. This is a very popular family vehicle. This lurching happens without warning, if you do not have your brake pedal firmly planted on the floor the car easily lurches 1-4 feet before you know it. Someone is going to be seriously injured or killed without any action. This just started to happen to my car, but if you look at the number of complaints about this on various websites it is clearly a huge vehicle wide problem not just with a small handful of vehicles! Ford needs to recall this part immediately before serious injuries occur.
2006 Ford Freestyle surges and changes speed at both high and low speeds. Last weekend it happened while pulling into the garage. Car about took out the backside of the wall. I have an appointment with Ford service tomorrow to have it looked at. Based on all the other reports filed here about this issue, it sounds like the root cause has not been established nor ownership taken by Ford for this issue.
How long are you going to look into the Ford Freestyle throttle body problem"?" it has been years...why are you waiting so long to recall these cars.. iam sure this problem will either hurt or kill somebody.
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- Marblehead, MA, USA