2005 FORD FREESTAR Complaints

2005 FORD FREESTARS APPARENTLY ARE SUBJECT TO A LEAK THAT ALLOWS WATER TO ENTER THE ELECTIRCAL SYSTEM DURING RAINS AND CAUSE SHORTS AND TRANSMISSION FAILURE. WE HAVE EXPERIENCED THIS PROBLEM THREE TIMES - THE THIRD TIME, AFTER COMBING THROUGH SERVICE BULLETINS, OUR DEALER DISCOVERED A BULLETIN THAT PRECISELY DESCRIBED OUR PROBLEM. WHEN THE TRANSMISSION IS AFFECTED, THE CAR STALLS WHILE DRIVING, FAILS TO SHIFT GEARS (INCLUDING SHIFTS INTO REVERSE) AND OTHER TIMES, WHEN STOPPED, ALTERNATELY RACES AND SLOWS. THE SUDDEN STALLS OBVIOUSLY CAN OCCUR IN TRAFFIC WHEN A FAILURE COULD PUT DRIVERS INTO DANGER. OUR DEALER HAS REPAIRED THE PROBLEM BY SEALING THE LEAK. HOWEVER, WHILE FORD IS WELL AWARE OF THIS PROBLEM, AS INDICATED BY THE SERVICE BULLETIN, THE COMPANY WILL NOT REIMBURSE DRIVERS FOR REPAIR UNDER EXTENDED WARRANTIES, CLAIMING THAT IT IS A "BODY" AND NOT A MECHANICAL OR ELECTRICAL PROBLEM. *TR

SUDDEN, PREMATURE FAILURE OF TRANSMISSION THAT HAD BEEN PROPERLY MAINTAINED AND OPERATED WHILE IN PARKING LOT AT WORK, FORTUNATELY NOMINAL SPEED AT TIME. VEHICLE STOPPED DEAD, TOWED TO LOCAL CERTIFIED MECHANIC WHO DIAGNOSED PROBLEM AS TORQUE CONVERTER FAILURE WHERE CONVERTER SPLINES WHERE PRACTICALLY SHREDDED DUE TO INADEQUATE HARDENING OF METAL PARTS; FORD HAS KNOWN ABOUT THIS PROBLEM FOR YEARS AND CHOOSES TO IGNORE THIS SAFETY ISSUE. COST TO REPAIR, NOT INCLUDING LOST WORK TIME, OF $1,700. CLASSS ACTION LAWSUIT APPLICABLE IN THIS CASE. LIKELY TO BE MY LAST FORD PRODUCT UNLESS I RECEIVE SOME FORM OF REIMBURSEMENT, COMPENSATION IN THIS MATTER. RISES TO LEVEL OF RECKLESS ENDANGERMENT.

THIS IS MY 2ND COMPLAINT ON THIS VEHICLE. THE 1ST COMPLAINT WAS FILED WITH THE NHTSA ON 4/17/10 (ODI# 10326164). THIS COMPLAINT ALSO PERTAINS TO THE TRANSMISSION. ON TUESDAY, NOV. 2, 2010 AS I WAS DRIVING THE "TRANSAXEL" WARNING LIGHT ON THE DASH STARTED TO BLINK. I TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE SAME SHOP THAT INSTALLED THE NEW TORQUE CONVERTER ON 4/16/10. AFTER THE VEHICLE WAS EXAMINED I WAS TOLD THAT THERE IS A PROBLEM WITH 3RD GEAR IN THE TRANSMISSION WHICH WILL SOON RESULT IN A TRANSMISSION FAILURE. THE REPAIRS WILL COST APPROX. $2000.00. *TR

2005 FORD FREESTAR TRANSMISSION. SUDDEN AND COMPLETE LOSS OF POWER DUE TO TRANSMISSION FAILURE. OCCURRED AT 60KM/H ON BUSY ROAD. REPAIR OF TRANSMISSION WAS REPLACEMENT OF TORQUE CONVERTER SHAFT SPLINES. WARRANTY WAS 5 YR OR 100,000 KM. VEHICLE WAS STILL UNDER THE 5 YEAR TIME FOR WARRANTY. TOTAL MILEAGE WAS 110,000. MY PERSONAL MILEAGE WAS UNDER THE 100,000 WARRANTY BUT VEHICLE HAD 13,000 DEALER DRIVEN KILOMETERS ON IT. FORD DECLINED COVERAGE DUE TO MILEAGE. TRANSMISSION REPAIR TECHNICIAN STATED FORD FREESTARS HAVE UNDERPOWERED TRANSMISSION AND THEY FIX THEM CONSTANTLY. *TR

VAN STALLS AT LIGHTS. JUST CUTS OFF. MECHANIC SAID IT HAS SOME THING TO DO WITH THE PCM. TRANS HAS BEEN REPLACED. BUT STILL HAVING PROBLEMS WITH THAT. REAR BRAKE CALIPERS CEASED UP . THIS VAN IS A ROAD HAZARD. NEVER KNOW WHAT IT IS GOING TO DO OR WHEN IT IS GOING TO FAIL . *TR

2005 FORD FREESTAR. PULLING OUT INTO AN INTERSECTION AND VEHICLE LOST ALL POWER. TRANSMISSION IS GONE. HAVE NOT GOTTEN REPAIR COSTS YET BUT I ANTICIPATE OVER $2000. I HAVE SEEN THAT THERE ARE OVER 1000 COMPLAINTS IN THE INTERNET FOR THE SAME ISSUE. I COULD HAVE BEEN KILLED BECAUSE I HAD NO WARNING OF THIS HAPPENING AND THERE WAS ON COMING TRAFFIC APPROACHING ME. *TR

2005 FORD FREESTAR. CONSUMER STATES PROBLEMS WITH TORQUE CONVERTER *TGW THE CONSUMER STATED WHILE DRIVING 70 MPH, SUDDENLY THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO SLOW DOWN AND THE TACHOMETER WAS RACING. THE REPAIR SHOP INFORMED THE CONSUMER THE COST TO REPLACE THE TORQUE CONVERTER WOULD BE $1,300.00 *JB

2005 FORD FREESTAR. CONSUMER STATES PROBLEMS WITH VEHICLE TRANSMISSION *TGW THE CONSUMER STATED THE TRANSMISSION FAILED AS SHE WAS DRIVING ON THE INTERSTATE LAST YEAR. *JB

IN MAY 2010, VAN LOST ALL POWER ON THE INTERSTATE. WIFE AND DAUGHTER WERE LEFT STRANDED. ENGINE RAN, BUT VEHICLE WOULD NOT MOVE. TORQUE CONVERTER REPLACEMENT COST $1300. IN OCT 2010 THE VAN AGAIN LOST ALL POWER, BUT FORTUNATELY IN THE DRIVEWAY BACKING OUT OF THE GARAGE. IT IS IN THE SHOP NOW. WHO KNOWS HOW MUCH IT WILL COST THIS TIME. I STILL OWE $2000, SO I HAVE NO CHOICE BUT TO MAKE REPAIRS. THERE IS A CLASS ACTION LAWSUIT FILED AGAINST FORD. I INTENT ON SEEING IF I CAN BE ADDED. *TR

WHILE DRIVING MY DAUGHTER HOME FROM DANCE CLASS, THE VEHICLE COMPLETELY LOST POWER - THE ENGINE WAS STILL RUNNING BUT THE CAR WOULD NOT ENGAGE IN ANY GEAR. I HAD TO COAST TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AND CALL FOR A TOW TRUCK. THE TRANSMISSION HAS COMPLETELY FAILED AND NEEDS TO BE REPLACED. *TR