2004 FORD FREESTAR Complaints

NOTICED A PANEL LOOSE IN THE REAR DRIVER'S SIDE WHEEL WELL WHILE REMOVING THE WHEEL. THE PANEL WAS COMPLETELY RUSTED AND SEPARATED FROM THE WHEEL WELL, WITH ONLY SOMETHING ATTACHED TO IT ON THE INTERIOR KEEPING IT FROM FALLING OFF. TOOK IT TO A BODY SHOP, WHERE IT WAS DETERMINED THAT THIS PANEL IS THE REAR SEAT ANCHOR AND THE SEAT LATCH WAS THE ONLY THING KEEPING IT FROM FALLING OFF. THE ESTIMATE FOR REPAIR IS $906.99. THE REAR SEAT ANCHOR WAS REMOVED AND THE HOLE TEMPORARILY TAPED CLOSED, AND THE REAR SEAT IS NOT SAFE AND CANNOT BE USED. CONTACTED THE DEALER TO SEE IF ANY RECALLS EXIST FOR THIS CONDITION AND WAS TOLD THERE ARE NONE. CURRENTLY TRYING TO DECIDE WHETHER OR NOT TO REPAIR THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE IS WELL MAINTAINED AND THE CONDITION OF THIS PANEL/ANCHOR IS UNUSUAL WHEN COMPARED TO THE REST OF THE VEHICLE. *TR

THE 3RD ROW REAR SEAT ON MY 2004 FREESTAR DOES NOT LATCH INTO SEATED POSITION PROPERLY. UPON FURTHER INSPECTION, I REALIZED THAT THE DRIVER'S SIDE SUPPORT RING WHICH THE 3RD ROW SEAT LATCHES INTO WAS PUSHED BACK INTO THE TRIM. I LOOKED UNDERNEATH THE DRIVER'S SIDE REAR WHEEL WELL AND NOTICED THAT A STEEL PLATE WHICH THE SUPPORT RING IS MOUNTED HAS COMPLETELY RUSTED THROUGH THE BODY OF THE VEHICLE. ALSO, WHEN IT IS NOT LATCHED IT HAS A TENDENCY TO INTERFERE WITH THE REAR DRIVER'S SIDE TIRE. WHILE THERE IS A SMALL AMOUNT OF METAL HOLDING THE MOUNTING PLATE IN PLACE, IT REQUIRES TWO PEOPLE TO LATCH THE SEAT IN ORDER TO KEEP THE METAL PLATE FROM SCORING THE SIDEWALL OF MY TIRE. THE PASSENGER'S SIDE MOUNTING PLATE CONTINUES TO BE SECURE, YET THERE IS A NOTICEABLE AMOUNT OF RUST ON THAT SIDE AS WELL. IF SOMEONE STOWS THE 3RD ROW SEAT AND TRIES TO FLIP IT BACK INTO SEATING POSITION WITHOUT KNOWING THAT THE SUPPORT RING IS LOOSE, THEY COULD END UP SCORING THE SIDEWALL ON THE REAR TIRE AND CAUSING A COMPLETE FAILURE. FURTHER, THE PROPER FUNCTION OF THE SEAT BELT IN THE THIRD ROW SEAT COULD BE COMPROMISED DURING AN ACCIDENT; THE SEAT COULD PITCH FORWARD OR FLIP BACK BECAUSE IT IS NOT SOLIDLY SECURED TO THE VAN'S STRUCTURE. *TR

OUR TWO DAUGHTERS WHERE IN THE REAR SEAT AND COMPLAINED OF A BAD SMELL AS IF SOMETHING BURNING. AT ABOUT THAT SAME TIME I NOTICED HEARING A RUBBING NOISE EVERY TIME WE TURNED LEFT. WHEN WE GOT HOME SHORTLY AFTER I LOOKED UP UNDER THE INNER FENDER OF THE REAR LEFT WHEEL AND FOUND A LARGE STEEL PLATE LOOSE AND RUBBING THE TIRE. IT WAS SO RUSTY YOU COULD SEE THE INTERIOR PLASTIC PANELS AND INSULATION. AT THAT TIME I PUT AWAY THE REAR SEAT AND NOTICED THE LEFT SIDE ANCHOR WAS TOTALLY LOOSE AND WHEN I ASKED THE GIRLS IF THEY NOTICED THAT THE SEAT MOVED THEY STATED THAT THEY DID NOTICE IT MOVE BUT NEVER SAID ANYTHING ABOUT IT. THERE IS NOW A HOLE IN THE CAR WHEEL WELL AND WE CANNOT USE THE BACK SEAT. WE HAVE A BUNGEE CORD LATCHED TO THE TWO SEAT ANCHORS HOLDING THEM INWARD TO KEEP THE METAL PLATE FROM RUBBING THE TIRE. THE VAN IS NOW LIMITED TO FOUR PASSENGERS AND I AM CONCERNED ABOUT CARBON MONOXIDE ENTERING THE CAR. *TR

EVERY SINGLE TIME GAS IS BEING PUMPED INTO THE CAR THE PUMP STOPS SEVERAL TIMES. IT CAN TAKE UP TO 20 MINUTES TO COMPLETELY FILL THE GAS TANK. NOT ONLY DOES IT JUST STOP, IT FREQUENTLY SPITS GAS BACK OUT. THE GAS, WHICH IS A CHEMICAL, HAS GIVEN AT LEAST 2 PEOPLE CHEMICAL BURNS ON MULTIPLE OCCASIONS. FORD HAS BEEN CONTACTED AND WHILE THIS IS A "KNOWN ISSUE", THEY REFUSE TO REPLACE AND/OR REPAIR UNLESS I PAY FOR IT OUT OF MY POCKET. THIS IS A MANUFACTURING DEFECT, IT HAPPENS OFTEN ENOUGH TO BE A KNOWN ISSUE, IT IS DANGEROUS IN MANY DIFFERENT WAYS AND I BELIEVE THAT THIS SHOULD MOST DEFINITELY BE A RECALL DUE TO THE CHEMICAL BURNS THAT HAVE ALREADY HAPPENED. ALSO THE POTENTIAL DEVASTATION THAT COULD HAPPEN IF SOMEONE AT A GAS STATION THROWS A STILL BURNING CIGARETTE BUTT DOWN AND IT LANDS IN THE REMAINS OF THE GAS THAT HAS BEEN SPIT BACK OUT AND ONTO THE GROUND. ALTHOUGH NO SMOKING SIGNS ARE POSTED, I HAVE SEEN HUNDREDS OF PEOPLE STILL SMOKING WHILE PUMPING GAS. *TR

INABILITY TO LATCH THE REAR SEAT, ENTIRE DRIVER SIDE ANCHOR PLATE COMPLETELY DETACHED FROM THE VEHICLE. *TR

THE LEFT REAR SEAT ANCHOR HAS DETACHED FROM THE BODY DUE TO EXCESSIVE RUST IN THE REAR QUARTER PANEL BY THE LEFT REAR WHEEL WELL. THE THIRD SEAT IS NO LONGER USABLE AND THERE IS A HOLE THROUGH THE BODY THAT LETS AIR AND WATER INTO THE PASSENGER COMPARTMENT. THE RIGHT SIDE WHEEL WELL AREA SHOWS RUST AS WELL BUT THE SEAT ANCHOR HAS NOT YET DETACHED FROM THE QUARTER PANEL. TWO FORD DEALERS HAVE SAID THEY ARE NOT AWARE OF THIS PROBLEM OCCURRING AND DO NOT KNOW IF IT CAN BE FIXED. MY CONCERN IS SAFETY WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE, NOISE AND WATER ENTERING THE PASSENGER COMPARTMENT, AND THE LOSS OF USE OF THE THIRD SEAT. THIS VEHICLE IS TOO YOUNG AND USEFUL TO BE SCRAPPED. *TR

2004 FORD FREESTAR. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO SAFETY RECALL NOTICE CONCERNING WORN SPLINES IN THE TRANSMISSION TORQUE CONVERTER. *TGW THE CONSUMER SUBMITTED THE SERVICE INVOICE. *JB

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 FORD FREESTAR. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE PARKED THE CONTACT PULLED THE REAR SEATS UP AND NOTICED THE STUD WHICH HOLDS THE BACK SEAT IN PLACE WAS LOOSE. THE CONTACT PUSHED THE STUD AND IT FRACTURED. ALSO, THE WHEEL WELD WAS CORRODED ON THE REAR DRIVER AND PASSENGER SIDE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHO WAS UNABLE TO DETERMINE HOW TO REMEDY THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS LATER TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO WELDED NEW METAL PIECES TO THE WHEEL WELLS ON THE REAR DRIVER AND PASSENGER SIDE. THERE WAS AN INVESTIGATION UNDER NHTSA ACTION NUMBER: EA12003 (SEATS:MID/REAR ASSEMBLY STRUCTURE STRUCTURE:BODY) THAT MAY BE RELATED TO THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 90,000. UPDATED 11/14/12*LJ

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 FORD FREESTAR. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 19 MPH THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ILLUMINATED AND IMMEDIATELLY AFTER THE VEHICLE STALLED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER FOR DIAGNOSIS AND THE TORQUE CONVERTER WAS REPLACED. AFTER THE REPAIR HAD BEEN COMPLETED THE CONTACT PICKED UP THE VEHICLE AND ON THE WAY HOME THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE DEALER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE WHO ADVISED THE CONTACT TO BRING THE VEHICLE BACK IN ORDER FOR THEM TO RUN A DIAGNOSTIC TEST. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 94,000.

THE THIRD ROW DRIVERS SIDE SEAT ANCHOR NO LONGER HOLDS THE SEAT IN THE UPRIGHT POSITION. THE PLATE IN THE WHEEL WELL THAT THE ANCHOR ATTACHES TO HAS RUSTED LOOSE. I BROUGHT THE VAN TO MY DEALER AND THEY SAID THEY COULD NOT REPAIR THE PROBLEM. *TR