2004 FORD FREESTAR Complaints

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 FORD FREESTAR. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 25 MPH, THE REAR WINDSHIELD UNEXPECTEDLY SHATTERED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A LOCAL REPAIR SHOP AND THEY WERE UNABLE TO DIAGNOSE THE FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 150,000. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 FORD FREESTAR. THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING 65 MPH WHEN THE TRANSMISSION FAILED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A LOCAL MECHANIC WHO REPLACED THE TRANSMISSION. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE WHO ADVISED THAT THERE WERE NO RECALLS. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 76,000.

UPON OPENING THE FOLDING THIRD ROW SEAT, THE BOTTOM LATCH FAILED TO ENGAGE WITH THE SEAT. FURTHER INSPECTION SHOWED THAT THE ENTIRE LATCH PANEL HAD RUSTED AWAY FROM THE BODY OF THE CAR AND WAS SITTING IN THE WHEEL WELL. THERE IS NOW A HOLE IN THE SIDE OF THE VAN AND THE THIRD ROW SEAT IS UNUSABLE. AT 7 YEARS OLD, THIS LEVEL OF RUST IS VERY PREMATURE. *TR

MY WIFE STARTED THE VEHICLE UP AND PUT IT IN DRIVE. AS SHE PULLED INTO TRAFFIC THE VEHICLE LOST ALL FORWARD MOMENTUM WHILE THE ENGINE RPM'S ACCELLERATED TO THE POINT IT CAUSED THE ENGINE TO STALL. MY WIFE WAS ON AN INCLINE WHEN THIS HAPPENED. SHE PUT ON THE BRAKE AND RESTARTED THE ENGINE, IT STARTED FINE AND SOUNDED NORMAL UNTIL SHE PUT THE ENGINE INTO DRIVE. THE MOTOR REVED UP AND THERE WAS NO FORWARD MOMENTUM. THE MOTOR STALLED ONCE AGAIN. SHE STARTED THE VEHICLE AGAIN AND PUT THE TRANSMISSION INTO LOW GEAR AND WAS ABLE TO DRIVE IT ONE BLOCK TO A FORD DEALERSHIP PARKING LOT. THIS ALL HAPPENED WITH NO PROIR WARNIG OF FAILURE. SHE DROVE THE VAN TO WORK A FEW HOURS EARLIER WITH NO INDICATIONS OF IMENENT FAILURE. AFTER RESEARCHING THE INTERNET, I FOUND SEVERAL HUNDREDS OF OTHER 2004/2005 FREESTAR OWNERS THAT HAVE THE SAME SYSTEMATICAL FAILURE OF THE TORQUE CONVERTER. THIS SEEMS TO BE AN ONGOING ISSUE WITH THIS MAKE/MODEL AND SHOULD BE RECALLED BEFORE SOMEONE IS HURT OR KILLED FROM AN ACCIDENT CUSED BY IMMEDIATE LOSS OF FORWARD MOMENTUM DUE TO A FAILED TORQUE CONVERTER/TRANSMISSION. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 FORD FREESTAR. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE ATTEMPTING TO CHANGE A TIRE USING THE MANUFACTURERS JACK, THE JACK FAILED. THE VEHICLE BARELY MISSED LANDING ON THE CONTACTS FOOT. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 113,000. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE.

DRIVING ON FREEWAY AT 60MPH THE VAN JUST STOPPED ACCELERATING, THE RPM ACTED CRAZY. WE PULLED TOO SIDE OF ROAD AND WOULD NOT MOVE IN ANY GEAR. I HAVE HAD ROUTINE OIL CHANGES AND MAINTENANCE, THERE WAS NO SIGNS OR WARNING OF ANY TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS. VEHICLE TOWED. I HAVE BEEN TOLD MY VAN NEEDS NEW TRANSMISSION. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 FORD FREESTAR. WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED THE CONTACT LOWERED THE THIRD ROW SEATING TO THE FLOOR WHEN HE NOTICED THE SAFETY LATCH ATTACHED TO THE REAR WHEEL WELLS WAS CORRODED FROM THE INSIDE OUT AND WERE FRACTURED. THE CONTACT STATED THE THIRD ROW SEAT COULD NOT BE USED BECAUSE IT WOULD BE UNSAFE IN THE EVENT OF A REAR END COLLISION. THE DEALER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE AND REFUSED TO INSPECT THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 92,300. UPDATED 12/20/11*LJ UPDATED 01/19/12

I HAD ARRIVED AT MY BROTHERS HOUSE AFTER A 8-9 HOUR DRIVE, UNLOADED THE VEHICLE & VISITED FOR A FEW HOURS. WE DECIDED THEN TO GO OUT TO DINNER & WOULD TAKE MY FREESTAR. MY BROTHER HAS MS SO I HAD TO PULL FORWARD & TRY TO BACK IN TO GET PASSENGER DOOR CLOSEST TO HIS EXIT FROM THE HOUSE. WHEN I PUT IT IN REVERSE TO BACK THE VAN BARELY STARTED TO MOVE & THEN WOULDN'T MOVE. I THEN LET IT ROLL DOWN TO THE STREET & TRIED FORWARD & REVERSE, BUT THE VAN NEVER MOVED AGAIN. I HAD IT TOWED TO A FORD DEALER & WAS TOLD THE TRANSMISSION WAS GONE. I HAD THEM PUT IN A FORM REMAN UNIT. I HAD TO DRIVE MY BROTHERS VAN BACK HOME & COME BACK FOR MINE THE NEXT WEEKEND. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 FORD FREESTAR. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WATER HAD ENTERED AND REMAINED IN THE REAR CARGO AREA. THE CONTACT INSPECTED THE VEHICLE AND FOUND CORROSION IN THE REAR FENDER WELL AND THE THIRD ROW SEAT LATCH. THE REAR PANEL WAS NOT INSTALLED CORRECTLY AND CAUSED WATER TO PENETRATE THE CARGO AREA. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 105,000. UPDATED 11/25/11 *BF THE CONSUMER STATED THAT IT BECAME EVIDENT, WHILE TROUBLESHOOTING, THE FAILURE OF THE REAR PASSENGER SIDE VENT WINDOW MOTOR. THE WATER LEAKS HAVE BEEN CORRECTED AND THE STRUCTURAL INTEGRITY OF THE FENDER AND SEAT LATCH HAS BEEN RESTORED. UPDATED 06/06/12 *JS THE CONSUMER DISCOVERED THAT WAS ENTERING THE REAR OF THE VEHICLE IN THREE SEPARATE AREAS. INSIDE THE REAR WHEEL WELL ON THE PASSENGER SIDE, IN WHICH A RE-ENFORCING PLAT WAS IMPROPERLY INSTALLED. GASP ACROSS THE TOP TRAILING EDGE ALLOWED WATER TO GET IN BEHIND THE PANEL. WATER WAS ALSO ENTERING THE VEHICLE ALONG THE REAR SEAM WHERE THE INNER FENDER ATTACHED TO THE FLOOR PAN. THE FACTORY INSTALLED SEAM SEALER HAD FAILED. WATER WAS PENETRATING THROUGH CRACKS IN THE REAR ROOF SEAM LOCATED AT THE OUTSIDE TRAILING EDGE OF THE ROOF SEAM THAT SERVED AS THE RAIN GUTTER.

WHEN DRIVING MY CAR, IT WAS HARD TO SHIFT AND WHEN I CAME TO A STOP, IT HAD A HARD TIME SHIFTING GEARS. I BROUGHT IT TO MY MECHANIC WHO DIAGNOSED THE TORQUE CONVERTER HAD GONE BAD. HE REPLACED THE TORQUE CONVERTER AND I HAD THE CAR BACK FOR A WEEK AND THE CAR DIED AGAIN WHILE DRIVING. THE CAR IS NOW DIAGNOSED WITH A BAD PCM AND THAT WILL NEED TO BE REPLACED. *TR