2005 FORD FREESTAR Complaints

WE WERE DRIVING DOWN THE INTERSTATE AND PRECEDING UP A HILL WHEN THE TRANSMISSION COMPLETELY DISENGAGED. I WAS ABLE TO MAKE IT TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AND GET STOPPED. THE TRANSMISSION WOULD NOT ENGAGE NO MATTER WHAT I TRIED. EVERY TIME I TOOK MY FOOT OFF THE BRAKE WE WOULD START ROLLING DOWN HILL. HAD PURCHASED EXTENDED WARRANTY WITH FORD. CALLED THE FORD HOT LINE THEY SENT A TOW TRUCK AND I GOT A RENTAL. FORD COVERED THE REPAIR AND THE RENTAL. NO WARNING JUST DISENGAGED OR BROKE, RESULTING IN ENGINE REVIVING AND VAN SLOWING. DANGEROUS BUSINESS ON A BUSY INTERSTATE. 2005 FORD FREESTAR WITH 38,483 TRANSMISSION REPLACEMENT HANDLED BY FORD. INCIDENT DATE 12/07. HAVE OVER 63000 MILES ON THE VAN NOW WITHOUT FURTHER INCIDENT. *TR

DRIVING MY 2005 FORD FREESTAR TAKING A RIGHT TURN WHEN SUDDENLY LOST ALL ABILITY TO GO FORWARD. PULLED OVER TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD, ENGINE WOULD REV AND IDLE, BUT NO MOVEMENT FORWARD OR BACK. PUSHED CAR (IN NEUTRAL) TO A SAFER LOCATION AND TOWED TO DEALER WHO HAS DETERMINED THAT THE PROBLEM IS THE FAILURE OF THE TORQUE CONVERTER IN THE TRANSMISSION. ESTIMATED COST OF $1400 TO REPAIR(WARRANTY IS EXPIRED), BUT MAY BE MORE WHEN THEY REMOVE THE TRANSMISSION. NO WARNING LIGHTS, NO SYMPTOMS, JUST SUDDEN FAILURE TO BE ABLE TO MOVE FORWARD WHILE DRIVING. LUCKILY WAS NOT GOING VERY FAST AND WAS ABLE TO PULL OVER RELATIVELY SAFELY. CAR IS 4 YEARS OLD AND HAS JUST UNDER 29,000 MILES ON IT. DEALER SAYS HAS NOT SEEN A LOT OF THIS PROBLEM BUT THAT THEY ALSO DO NOT GET A LOT OF FREESTARS IN FOR SERVICE AT HIS DEALERSHIP. FORD CORPORATE HAD HEARD OF THE PROBLEM, I STARTED TO SAY TORQUE PROBLEM AND HE CORRECTED ME TO SAY IT WAS THE TORQUE CONVERTER. CANNOT BELIEVE WITH THE ISSUES FOUND ONLINE REGARDING THIS THAT FORD WON'T DO ANYTHING. THIS IS A MAJOR SAFETY ISSUE. I CANNOT IMAGINE HOW THIS WOULD HAVE TURNED OUT IF I HAD BEEN GOING ANY FASTER OR ON A BUSIER STREET. MY CHILDREN WERE IN THE CAR WITH ME. LUCKILY I WAS COMING FROM A STOP AND MAKING A TURN, SO COULD NOT HAVE BEEN GOING FASTER THAN A FEW MPH. FORD IMPLIED TO ME THAT IF I PURCHASED THE EXTENDED WARRANTY ON THE CAR FOR AN ADDITIONAL $1650 THAT THEY WOULD MAYBE BE WILLING TO NEGOTIATE ON THE COST OF THE REPAIR. WE MAY HAVE TO BUY IT IF THIS IS GOING TO BE A REPEAT PROBLEM. SOMETHING NEEDS TO BE DONE ABOUT THIS. *TR

FREESTAR PROBLEM WHILE DRIVING DOWN SEAWALL BOULEVARD IN GALVESTON, TX LATE ON THE NIGHT OF 11/5/2007 MY 2005 FORD FREESTAR SIMPLY LOST THE POWER TO MOVE FORWARD. THE TRANSMISSION WAS IN DRIVE AND YET THE CAR BEHAVED AS IF IT HAD BEEN PLACED IN NEUTRAL. I WAS ABLE TO COAST TO A STOP ALONGSIDE A BUSINESS DRIVEWAY AND CALL FOR A TOW. THE CAR WAS TOWED TO SAND DOLLAR FORD IN GALVESTON, TEXAS FOR REPAIR. ACCORDING TO THE REPAIR BILL, THE TORQUE CONVERTER WAS REPLACED AND GUARANTEED FOR 12 MONTHS OR 12,000 MILES. IT HAS SINCE FAILED AGAIN (07/31/09). *TR

I AM AN OWNER OF 2005 FORD FREESTAR. WHILE DRIVING TO WORK ON MORNING, MY VAN WITH APPROXIMATELY 52K MILES ON IT STOPPED MOVING. IT WAS LIKE I HIT THE GEARSHIFT INTO NEUTRAL. AFTER COASTING INTO A PARKING LOT AND HAVE MY VEHICLE TOWED TO THE REPAIR SHOP, I WAS TOLD THAT IT WAS A KNOWN FORD FREESTAR TRANSMISSION ISSUE. I CONTACTED MY FORD DEALERSHIP WHO INFORMED ME THAT MY VEHICLE WAS OUT OF WARRANTY. I HAVE HAD A MULTITUDE OF PROBLEMS WITH THIS VEHICLE SINCE THE DAY AFTER I PURCHASED IT, STARTING WITH HEATING/COOLING ISSUES TO A LEAKING HATCHBACK. MY SERVICE, OR LACK OF SERVICE, AT THE DEALERSHIP IS INEXCUSABLE. WHEN I PURCHASED THE VEHICLE IN 2005, I NEVER IMAGINED THAT I WOULD BE DUMPING THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS INTO IT WITH ONLY 50K MILES. *TR

OUR 2005 FORD FREESTAR SUDDENLY QUIT WORKING ON THE HIGHWAY JULY 26, 2009 WITH ONLY 65,000 MILES ON IT. IT WAS IN CRUISE CONTROL AND THE RPMS STARTED REVVING UP BUT WOULD NO LONGER GO FORWARD OR INTO REVERSE WHEN WE TRIED THAT. IT IS CURRENTLY IN THE SHOP AND WE HAVEN'T HAD THE COMPLETE DIAGNOSIS YET. *TR

I WAS DRIVING MY 2005 FORD FREESTAR SE W/3.9L V6 ENGINE ON MI HWY M-29 JUST NORTH OF ALGONAC, MICHIGAN. I WAS DRIVING ABOUT 45 MPH, AND AT ONE POINT, I WAS PRESSING THE ACCELERATOR AND THE VAN WAS SLOWING DOWN. I COASTED OVER TO THE SHOULDER AND STOPPED MY FREESTAR SAFELY, WITHOUT ANY DAMAGE TO PROPERTY. I TRIED SHIFTING INTO REVERSE, BUT NO ENGAGEMENT OF THE TRANSMISSION TOOK PLACE. THERE WAS ALSO NO ENGAGEMENT IN FORWARD GEARS 1 OR 3. I WAS "FOUND OFF ROAD DEAD". :-) I HAD VAN TOWED HOME TO SAINT CLAIR SHORES (37 MILES) AT A COST OF $50 TO ALLSTATE ROAD SERVICE AND $116.25 OUT-OF-MY-POCKET. I HAD MY VAN TOWED AGAIN (COVERED UNDER ALLSTATE'S $50 LIMIT) TO MY SELLING DEALER, ROY O'BRIEN FORD, ALSO IN SAINT CLAIR SHORES. I WAS INFORMED LATE THE NEXT DAY THAT TO DIAGNOSE THE PROBLEM WOULD COST $850. THEN THE TECH GAVE MORE INFO TO MY SERVICE WRITER THAT HE THOUGHT THE TORQUE CONVERTER SPLINES WERE STRIPPED. REVISED ESTIMATE WAS $1525 TO REMOVE THE TRANSMISSION, PULL THE TORQUE CONVERTER AND REPLACE SAME AND REINSTALL THE TRANSMISSION. THE TRANSMISSION PAN WAS "DROPPED' FOR EXAMINATION, SCREEN AND GASKET CHANGE, AND NEW TRANS FLUID WAS ADDED TO FILL THE SYSTEM AGAIN. ACTUAL OUTLAY TODAY WAS $1524.72. I HAD NO WARNING THAT I WAS ABOUT TO LOSE POWER TO THE WHEELS. I'M GLAD I WAS ON A QUIET SEMI-RURAL ROAD WITH HOMES AROUND. ONE HOMEOWNER CHECKED ON MY WIFE AND I TO SEE IF WE WERE OK. HE EVEN OFFERED TO LET ME USE HIS LAVATORY. AT LEAST THERE IS SOME KINDNESS LEFT. THE PHONE CALL TO ALLSTATE WAS EXASPERATING, AS THE CALL CENTER STAFFER WAS USING A PAPER MAP OF MICHIGAN AND HAD NO IDEA WHERE WE WERE. BEING STUCK ON A SUNDAY EVENING AFTER BUSINESS HOURS COULD HAVE BEEN VERY EERIE. EVERYTHING TURNED OUT OK, BUT AT A SUBSTANTIAL COST. *TR

ON 5/26/09 WE TOOK OUR 2005 FORD FREESTAR IN FOR AN OIL CHANGE, FLUID, BELT AND FILTER CHECKS AND FRONT BRAKES. ON 6/12/09 WE LEFT NW OH FOR WASHINGTON, D.C. WE WERE 18 MILES EAST OF CUMBERLAND, MD, ON RT. 68, GOING DOWNHILL WHEN THE VAN SUDDENLY AND WITHOUT WARNING, WENT OUT OF GEAR. THE TACHOMETER RACED AS IF THE VAN HAD BEEN PUT IN NEUTRAL, BUT WE STILL HAD THE VAN IN DRIVE AND MY HUSBAND HAD HIS FOOT ON THE GAS PEDAL. AFTER IT WENT OUT OF GEAR, THE MASTER LIGHTING SWITCH ICON CAME ON. WE COASTED OVER 3 MILES TO THE NEAREST EXIT AS IT WAS NOT SAFE TO PULL OVER ON THE SIDE OF THE ROAD BECAUSE WE WERE GOING DOWNHILL. WHEN WE GOT ONTO THE EXIT RAMP AND STOPPED, WE TURNED THE ENGINE OFF AND RESTARTED IT. THE VAN WOULD GO INTO PARK, BUT REVERSE, NEUTRAL AND ALL 3 DRIVES WOULD NOT ENGAGE AND THE VAN WOULD ROLL FREELY. WE CHECKED THE TRANSMISSION FLUID AND IT WAS STILL FULL AND CLEAN. IT WAS TOWED TO HAGERSTOWN FORD IN MD ON 6/13/09. ON 6/15/09 WHILE WE WERE IN VIRGINIA BEACH, WE GOT A CALL FROM THE SERVICE DEPT. SAYING THAT THE TRANSMISSION WAS SHOT AND IT WOULD COST $3100 TO REPLACE IT WITH A BRAND NEW TRANSMISSION. WHEN WE ASKED WHAT INSIDE THE TRANSMISSION WAS BROKEN, ALL WE WERE TOLD WAS THAT IT WAS SHOT. WE DIDN'T PICK IT UP UNTIL 6/19/09 BECAUSE WE WERE IN VIRGINIA BEACH UNTIL THAT DATE. ON 6/22/09 WE TOOK THE VAN TO OUR LOCAL FORD SERVICE SHOP AND EXPLAINED WHAT HAD HAPPENED. AFTER GIVING THE DETAILS OF THE BREAK DOWN TO ONE OF THE MECHANICS, HE CAME BACK OUT WITH A ROD WITH RINGS GROUND INTO IT. HE TOLD US THIS PART WAS PROBABLY ALL THAT WAS WRONG WITH THE TRANSMISSION AND THAT WE PROBABLY DIDN'T NEED TO HAVE THE ENTIRE TRANSMISSION REPLACED. *TR

ON SATURDAY, JULY 18, 2009, MY FAMILY AND I WERE TRAVELING ON HWY 9A (IN JACKSONVILLE, FL JUST OFF OF I95). WE WERE TRAVELING AT APPROXIMATELY 70MPH WHEN OUR 2005 FORD FREESTAR SIMPLY STOPPED ACCELERATING. MY HUSBAND ATTEMPTED TO SHIFT FROM DRIVE TO NEUTRAL AND BACK TO DRIVE BUT NOTHING HAPPENED. THE TRANSMISSION SIMPLY LOST POWER. WE COASTED AS FAR AS WE COULD OFF THE BUSY HIGHWAY AND CONTACTED ROADSIDE ASSISTANCE. TODAY WE FINALLY GOT AN ESTIMATE FROM OUR REPAIRMAN. HE SAYS IT IS THE TORQUE CONVERTER AND PUMP AND IT IS GOING TO COST $1100 TO REPLACE THEM. WE ARE A FAMILY OF 7. MY HUSBAND IS IN THE NAVY AND DEPLOYING SOON. I NEED RELIABLE TRANSPORTATION! MY VAN HAS 128000 MILES ON IT AND HAS BEEN CARED FOR VERY REGULARLY. UPON RESEARCHING THE ISSUE, I SEE THAT THIS IS A VERY COMMON PROBLEM WITH 2005 FORD FREESTARS AND IT HAS BEEN REPORTED NUMEROUS TIMES HERE. SUPPOSEDLY THERE IS AN INVESTIGATION GOING ON BY ODI IN REGARDS TO THIS SAME PROBLEM. THE OLD PART CAN POSSIBLY BE AVAILABLE DEPENDING ON HOW SOON I HEAR THAT YOU NEED IT. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 FORD FREESTAR. THE CONTACT HEARD A LOUD PITCHING NOISE COMING FROM THE FRONT END OF THE VEHICLE. HE TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER ON FIVE OCCASIONS AND A TECHNICIAN REPLACED THE FRONT AND REAR BRAKING COMPONENTS, BUT THE FAILURE CONTINUED. THE MANUFACTURER STATED THAT HIS MODEL YEAR WAS EXCLUDED FROM NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 04V446000 (WHEELS:CAP/COVER/HUB); THEREFORE, HE WOULD NOT QUALIFY FOR THE FREE REMEDY. THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 32,000 AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 42,000. UPDATED 8/10/09 *CN UPDATED 08/13/09.*JB

TRANSMISSION STOP WORKING CROSSING AN AVENUE TRAFFIC LIGHT. IT WAS LIKE GOING NEUTRAL. *TR