2006 FORD FREESTAR Complaints

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 FORD FREESTAR. THE CONTACT STATED THAT ON SIX TIMES DIFFERENT OCCASIONS, WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 45 MPH, THE VEHICLE INTERMITTENTLY DECELERATED TO APPROXIMATELY 20 MPH. THE FAILURE OCCURRED WHILE THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED. THE VEHICLE WOULD NO LONGER ACCELERATE AND HAD TO BE PULLED OFF THE ROAD. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER SIX TIMES, BUT THEY COULD NOT DUPLICATE THE FAILURE. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 21,000 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 4,585. THE CONSUMER STATED WAS NOT INFORMED REPAIR WOULD REMEDY THE PROBLEM. UPDATED 12/12/07 *TR

TRANSMISSION IN 2004 FORD FREESTAR SLIPPED AND THEN FAILED IN A VERY SHORT PERIOD. THE REPAIR SHOP STATED IT SEEMED LIKE A FACTORY DEFECT FOR SUCH A YOUNG TRANSMISSION TO FAIL. *JB

THE TRACTION CONTROL SYSTEM ACTIVATES FOR NO REASON ON PERFECTLY GOOD ROAD CONDITIONS. THE BRAKES COME ON HARD, THE GAS PEDAL PUSHES BACK AT YOU. IT HAPPENED CROSSING AN INTERSECTION ONE TIME I WAS ALMOST BROADSIDED. THE DEALER SAYS IT IS AN OPTICAL SENSOR ON THE STEERING COLUMN, LIGHT IS SOMEHOW HITTING IT CAUSING THIS TO HAPPEN. WE WERE TOLD THERE IS NO FIX FOR IT RIGHT NOW JUST LIVE WITH IT. *NM

WE RENTED A FORD FREESTAR FROM A LOCAL RENTAL COMPANY. TODAY, MY 10 YEAR OLD DAUGHTER, WHO IS 59 INCHES TALL AND WEIGHS 71 LBS., WAS SITTING IN THE MIDDLE ROW BEHIND THE DRIVER'S SEAT. SHE WAS APPROPRIATELY RESTRAINED IN THE LAP-SHOULDER BELT ONLY. I HAD TO STOP SUDDENLY. WHILE I WOULD CHARACTERIZE IT AS AN ABRUPT STOP, IT WAS NOT SEVERE AND THERE WAS NO IMPACT. I HEARD A "BREAKING" SOUND. MY DAUGHTER EXCLAIMED THAT HER SEAT BELT HAD BROKEN. I PULLED OVER TO INSPECT IT; AND FOUND THAT THE UPPER SHOULDER BELT ANCHOR HAD BECOME DETACHED (UNBOLTED) FROM THE VEHICLE. I COULD NOT FIND EVIDENCE OF BREAKAGE. THE BOLT SEEMS TO HAVE SIMPLY COME OUT. OF COURSE, THIS FAILURE CREATED CONSIDERABLE SLACK IN THE SHOULDER BELT WHICH I BELIEVE WOULD HAVE CAUSED THE VEHICLE TO EXCEED NHTSA'S HEAD EXCURSION LIMITS. THE FREESTAR WAS MANUFACTURED IN OCTOBER, 2005. BY THE WAY, NO ONE WAS HURT AND I PLAN TO CONTACT FORD TOMORROW. I AM A CERTIFIED CHILD PASSENGER SAFETY INSTRUCTOR AND FORMER CHILD SAFETY SEAT DESIGN ENGINEER. *NM

ANTI SLIP KICKS IN & THE GROUND IS DRY, THIS HAS HAPPENED 6 TIMES NOW. THE TRANSMISSION HAD TO BE REBUILD ON A NEW 2006 FREESTAR. NOW FORD HAS MY VAN (SINCE SEPT.27,06)WAITING FOR THE PAGE, SO IT CAN BE FIXED.THE ANTI SLIP KICKS IN WHEN IT WANTS TO - I ALMOST GOT KILLED TWICE. THEY ARE STATING IT IS A SENOR IN THE STEERING COLUMN THAT OVERHEATS & CAUSES THE ANIT SLIP TO TURN ON. I HAVE ASKED FOR A NEW VAN, BUT I THINK THEY WILL NOT. THE LAST INCIDENT WAS 9-27-06.

I WAS DRIVING MY FORD FREESTAR IN A RAIN STORM AND THE VAN COMPLETELY SHUT DOWN. TURNS OUT THE MAIN COMPUTER CHIP GOT WET. I HAVE HAD THIS VAN FOR 2 WEEKS. *JB

I WAS STANDING AT THE REAR OF MY SISTER'S NEW 2006 FORD FREESTAR VAN. MY 2 1/2 YEAR OLD SON WAS INSIDE THE VAN. THE VAN WAS NOT RUNNING. MY SON CLIMBED OVER THE FRONT SEAT FROM THE BACK SEAT AND PULLED DOWN ON THE SHIFTER LEVER CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO COME OUT OF GEAR AND ROLL BACKWARD OUT OF A GRADED DRIVEWAY. THE VAN STRUCK MY RIGHT LEG AND RIGHT ELBOW CAUSING MINOR INJURIES. AFTER GETTING THE VEHICLE STOPPED I NEEDED TO KNOW WHY THE VEHICLE CAME OUT OF GEAR, AS THIS COULD'VE BEEN A SMALL CHILD BEHIND THIS VEHICLE INSTEAD OF MYSELF, THE RESULTS OF WHICH WOULD'VE BEEN CATASTROPHIC. DURING MY INVESTIGATION OF THIS CIRCUMSTANCE; WHILE I HAD ASSUMED THAT YOU HAD TO DEPRESS THE BRAKE PEDAL IN ORDER TO RELEASE THE SHIFTER LEVER, I INSTEAD DISCOVERED THE FOLLOWING: -- 1. IF THE VEHICLE IS RUNNING AND IN PARK, YOU MUST DEPRESS THE BRAKE PEDAL TO RELEASE THE SAFETY FEATURE WHICH PREVENTS THE SHIFTER FROM COMING OUT OF GEAR. -- 2. IF THE VEHICLE IS NOT RUNNING, YOU ONLY HAVE TO TURN THE KEY ONE NOTCH TO RELEASE THE SAFETY FEATURE WHICH PREVENTS THE SHIFTER FROM COMING OUT OF GEAR. YOU DO NOT HAVE TO DEPRESS THE BRAKE PEDAL AT ALL !!! I HAVE SINCE QUESTIONED MANY OTHERS TO SEE IF THE SAME IS TRUE, AND WAS SHOCKED TO DISCOVER THAT THIS IS NOT THE ONLY VEHICLE IN WHICH THIS OCCURS. THIS IS A VERY SERIOUS DEFECT THAT THE PUBLIC ISN'T ROUTINELY AWARE OF, AND ONE THAT COULD POTENTIALLY KILL SOMEONE UNDER SIMILAR CIRCUMSTANCES. I HAVE COME TO THE CONCLUSION THAT THIS SUPPOSED SAFETY FEATURE POSES A FALSE SENSE OF SECURITY, AS I HAVE BELIEVED FOR MANY YEARS THAT THIS SAFETY FEATURE PREVENTED ACCIDENTAL SHIFTER ACTUATION. PLEASE LOOK INTO THIS OR MAKE IT KNOWN TO THE PUBLIC ABOUT WHAT COULD OCCUR UNDER SIMILAR (AND ALL TOO COMMON) CIRCUMSTANCES. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME AND ATTENTION TO THIS VERY VALID CONCERN. I LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING A PUBLISHED WARNING, OR PERHAPS EVEN A GLOBAL RECALL, THAT ADDRESSES THIS POTENTIAL DANGER IN THE VERY NEAR FUTURE. *JB

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING 55 MPH THE TRACTION CONTROL LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE RPM REVVED FROM 0 TO 2 AND THE VEHICLE BUCKED. THE VEHICLE WAS DRIVEN TO A SERVICE DEALER; UPON INSPECTION BOTH REAR AND FRONT BRAKE SYSTEMS HAD FAILED CAUSING THE TRACTION CONTROL TO AUTOMATICALLY USE THE BRAKES. THE DEALER REPLACED THE COMPUTER SYSTEM HOWEVER 48 HOURS LATER THE VEHICLE IS HAVING THE SAME PROBLEM AGAIN. UPDATED 5/10/2006 - *NM

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED ON 4-18-06 WHILE WASHING THE VEHICLE, THE RUBBER SURROUNDING THE FRONT WINDSHIELD ON THE DRIVER'S SIDE CAME LOOSE. ON 4-20-06 WHILE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY AT 55 MPH THE RUBBER SURROUNDING THE FRONT WINDSHIELD ON THE PASSENGER'S SIDE ALSO CAME LOOSE. THE RUBBER IS STILL ATTACHED AT THE PASSENGER SIDE DOOR. IN ADDITION, WHILE THE VEHICLE IS PARKED, IF YOU PLACE YOUR WEIGHT ON THE VEHICLE, THE VEHICLE ROCKS BACK AND FORTH. *AK

THE FACTORY ISSUED WIPER BLADES ON THE 2004 AND 2006 FORD FREESTAR MINIVAN DO NOT WORK WELL. WHEN WIPING THEY LEAVE MAJOR STREAKS ACROSS MY LINE OF VISION. IN SOME CASES I HAVE HAD TO NARROWLY DODGE ACCIDENTS BECAUSE I COULD NOT SEE. IT DOESN'T MATTER IF THEIR IS LITTLE, OR A LOT OF RAIN OR SNOW. IF IT IS BAD WEATHER IT IS PRETTY MUCH A GUARANTEE THAT THE WIPERS WILL NOT WORK. I HAVE TRIED CHANGING THEM TO DIFFERENT STYLE BLADES BUT IT DOES NO GOOD. I BELIEVE THIS IS A DESIGN PROBLEM WITH THE FORD WIPER. PERHAPS THE WIPER IS SIMPLY TOO LIGHT AND "FLOATS" WHEN DRIVING AT FREEWAY SPEEDS. ANY SPEED HIGHER THAN 35 TENDS TO CAUSE THE WIPERS TO SMEAR RATHER THAN WIPE. *NM