2005 FORD FREESTAR Complaints

WE PURCHASED THIS VEHICLE NEW FROM THE DEALER IN SEPTEMBER 2005. IN THE WINTER OF 05-06, THE DOORS MALFUNCTIONED ON REPEATED OCCASIONS. WE HAD OVER 3 INSTANCES WHERE THE EXTREME COLD WOULD CAUSE THE AUTOMATIC DOOR FEATURE TO OPEN AND CLOSE THE DOORS RANDOMLY, EVEN WHILE THE CAR WAS IN TRANSIT. THERE WAS ONE INSTANCE IN WHERE BOTH SIDE PASSENGER DOORS OPENED IN THE MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT, EVEN THOUGH THE DOORS HAD BEEN LOCKED WHEN WE CHECKED THEM. WE ALSO HAD AN INSTANCE IN WHERE THE REAR DOOR OPENED IN OUR FRIEND'S DRIVEWAY AT NIGHT, WHEN THE TEMPERATURE WENT BELOW 0. WE FOUND THE ONLY WAY TO GUARANTEE THE DOORS STAY CLOSED IN THE WINTER IS TO DISENGAGE THE AUTOMATIC DOOR OPENER FEATURE. WE BROUGHT THE CAR TO OUR DEALER AND WE WERE TOLD THEY COULD FIND NO ISSUE WITH THE CAR. IN EARLY 2007, NEW JERSEY EXPERIENCED A COLD SPELL WHICH RESULTED IN BELOW FREEZING TEMPERATURES. IT WAS AT THIS TIME THAT WHILE MY HUSBAND WAS GETTING SOMETHING OUT OF THE BACK OF THE VAN, THE HYDRAULIC FEATURE FAILED AND SLAMMED THE DOOR ON HIS HEAD. HE DID NOT SUFFER LIFE-THREATENING INJURIES, BUT DID GET BUMPED AND BRUISED. WE CONTACTED THE DEALER, BECAUSE IN 2006 THE HYDRAULICS HAD TO BE REPLACED DUE TO A RECALL AND WE DID SO, AND THE DEALER HAD US BRING THE CAR IN FOR SERVICING AGAIN. ONCE THE SYSTEM WAS REPLACED FOR THE SECOND TIME, WE WERE TOLD BY FORD THAT WITH EXTREME TEMPERATURE CHANGE, THIS ISSUE CAN OCCUR YEAR AFTER YEAR AND THERE IS NOTHING WE CAN DO ABOUT IT. I FIND THIS TERRIBLE CONSIDERING I ONLY LIVE IN NEW JERSEY, NOT ALASKA. MY CAR'S HYDRAULIC SYSTEM SHOULD NOT FAIL EVERY TIME IT GETS COLD, AND EVEN WORSE, I WAS TOLD THAT ONCE MY WARRANTY EXPIRES, IT WILL BE ON ME TO KEEP REPLACING THE PARTS THAT FREEZE. I AM LUCKY MY CHILDREN WERE NOT IN HARMS WAY WHEN MY HUSBAND WAS KNOCKED IN THE HEAD BY THE FALLING DOOR, BUT NOW I AM NERVOUS ABOUT USING THIS CAR IN THE WINTER MONTHS BECAUSE FORD HAS GUARANTEED THIS PROBLEM WILL BE A RECURRING ISSUE. *TR

I RETURNED FROM A CROSS COUNTRY TRIP AND HEARD A GRINDING NOISE COMING FROM THE REAR OF MY 2005 FORD FREESTAR. TO INVESTIGATE I REMOVED THE WHEELS AND FOUND THE PASSENGER REAR ROTOR AND DISC PAD WERE METAL TO METAL. I CHECKED THE OTHER WHEELS, THEY SHOWED NO SIGNS OF DAMAGE, PADS STILL HAD A LOT OF MATERIAL REMAINING. I TOOK THE VEHICLE TO CRAIG FORD, IN CRAIG, COLORADO FOR REPAIRS. AT FIRST I WAS TOLD THAT IT WAS A DEFECTIVE BRAKE CALIPER AND THAT WARRANTY WOULD COVER THE CALIPER, ROTOR AND PADS. HOWEVER I WAS TOLD LATER THAT THE CALIPER WAS NOT DEFECTIVE AND THAT I WOULD BE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE TOTAL REPAIR COSTS. NOTE, I HAD LESS THAN 30,000 MILES ON THE VEHICLE AT THE TIME OF THE BRAKE FAILURE. I HAD TO PAY FOR THE NEW ROTOR FOR THE PASSENGER REAR, REAR PADS AND TURNING THE DRIVER REAR ROTOR WHICH I WAS TOLD IS A NORMAL PROCEDURE FOR E REAR BREAK JOB; I WAS NOT CHARGED FOR A CALIPER SO I PRESUME CRAIG FORD REUSED THE CALIPER. SINCE WORK WAS BEING DONE ON THE REAR, AND I WAS HAVING TO PAY FOR THE REPAIRS, I INSTRUCTED CRAIG FORD TO DO A COMPLETE BRAKE JOB REPLACING PADS AND TURNING ROTORS ON THE FRONT AS WELL SO THAT I WOULD BE STARTING AGAIN WITH 100% NEW BRAKES ON ALL 4 WHEELS. WHEN I PICKED THE VEHICLE UP, I WAS ADVISED BY THE SERVICE MANAGER, ROB SOVINE, THAT HE CHECKED AND THERE APPEARED TO BE A NUMBER OF INCIDENTS OF 2005 FORD FREESTAR PASSENGER REAR BRAKES WEARING PREMATURELY, WITH NO KNOW REASON FOR THIS PROBLEM; AND THAT THERE WAS NO RECALL OR SERVICE BULLETIN REGARDING THIS PROBLEM. I HAD NO CHOICE BUT TO PAY FOR THE REPAIRS AS THE VEHICLE WAS INOPERABLE, BUT SINCE I WAS NOT THE ONLY OWNER EXPERIENCING THIS PROBLEM, ACCORDING TO MR. SOVINE, I FELT AND STILL DO FEEL THAT FORD SHOULD DO SOMETHING ABOUT THIS PROBLEM. *NM

WHEN ACCELERATING AT ABOUT 1800-2000 RPM, THE TACHOMETER MAKES A NOISE SINCE DAY ONE. *NM

POWER STEERING STARTED MAKING A LOUD NOISE. ON INSPECTION, POWER STEERING FLUID CONTAINER WAS BONE DRY. FILLED IT UP. THE NEXT DAY, THE SAME THING. HAVE BEEN HAVING TO REFILL EVERY 3 TO 5 DAYS. PUMP IS WORKING. CANNOT DETERMINE WHERE LEAK IS. *JB

REPEATED SPONGY BRAKE PEDAL..SOMETIMES GOES TO FLOOR ON SUDDEN BRAKING. RANDOM 'SQUEAL AND SQUEAK' FROM FRONT BRAKES. ACCORDING TO SERVICE MGR. AT ORANGE FORD-LINCOLN IN ORANGE, TEXAS, THIS IS COMMON SINCE ASBESTOS WAS REMOVED FROM PADS ABOUT 4 YEARS AGO. VERY IRRITATING AND DANGEROUS. *JB

I WAS DRIVING THROUGH A CONSTRUCTION ZONE; LANE SHIFTED ONTO THE SHOULDER. TRAFFIC WAS DENSE, BUT MOVING AT NEAR NORMAL SPEEDS. VEHICLE IN FRONT OF ME BRAKED ABRUPTLY AS WE HIT THE RUMBLE STRIP. MY VEHICLE SHOOK DRAMATICALLY; AS I TIPPED IN TO ACCELERATE, I DISCOVERED THE VEHICLE HAD DIED (STALLED). I RESTARTED ON THE FLY BY SHIFTING INTO NEUTRAL. HAD I NOT DONE SO, MY VEHICLE WOULD HAVE COME TO A STOP IN DENSE, FAIRLY HIGH SPEED TRAFFIC--EXPOSING ME AND MY FAMILY TO A POTENTIAL HIGH SPEED REAR IMPACT. *JB

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE STOPPED AT A TRAFFIC LIGHT, ANOTHER VEHICLE REAR ENDED THE CONTACT AT AN ESTIMATED SPEED OF 40-45MPH. THIS RESULTED IN THE CONTACT REAR ENDING A VEHICLE. THERE WERE THREE OCCUPANTS IN THE CONTACT'S VEHICLE, THE DRIVER; THE CONTACT WHO WAS SEATED IN THE PASSENGER SEAT, AND AN OCCUPANT IN THE REAR SEAT ON THE DRIVER'S SIDE. DURING THE ACCIDENT THE SEAT BELT WEBBING SPOOLED, ALLOWING THE OCCUPANTS TO MOVE FORWARD. AS A RESULT, THE SEATBELTS DID NOT LOCK CAUSING INJURIES TO ALL OCCUPANTS. THE DRIVER MADE CONTACT WITH EITHER THE STEERING WHEEL OR THE CORNER OF THE DOOR CAUSING A NECK SPRAIN. THE PASSENGER'S RIGHT SHOULDER MADE CONTACT WITH THE DASHBOARD CAUSING INJURY. THE REAR PASSENGER RECEIVED BRUISING TO THE TOE. IMMEDIATELY FOLLOWING THE ACCIDENT AFTER EXITING THE VEHICLE, ALL SEATS WERE OBSERVED IN THE RECLINED POSITION. ALL OCCUPANTS OF THE VEHICLE WERE TRANSPORTED TO THE HOSPITAL FOR OBSERVATION. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED AT THE SCENE OF THE ACCIDENT. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A TOWING YARD AND LATER RETURNED TO THE RENTAL AGENCY.

WHEN FUEL TANK IS AT OR BELOW 1/4 TANK AND VAN IS PARKED ON A STEEP INCLINE, VEHICLE WILL NOT START UNTIL IT IS PLACED ON A LEVEL SURFACE. *JB

BRAKE PEDAL WHEN PUSHED HARD GOES TO THE FLOOR. BRAKE PEDAL WHEN PRESSED NORMAL HAS A SPONGY FEEL TO IT. ALMOST RAN INTO THE BACK END OF A CAR THAT WAS STOPPED AT A STOP SIGN BECAUSE I WAS EXPECTING THE VEHICLE TO STOP WHEN I APPLIED THE BRAKES BUT THE VEHICLE CONTINUED UNTIL I PRESSED THE BRAKE PEDAL HARD. VEHICLE MAKES HORRENDOUS NOISE "POPPING SOUND" WHEN THE ABS SYSTEM IS ENGAGED. THIS POPPING SOUND HAPPENS EVERY TIME BETWEEN 30 -45 MILES PER HOUR DURING A "HARD' BRAKE SITUATION. THESE INCIDENTS HAVE BEEN REPORTED TO THE DEALER ON 3 OCCASIONS BUT THE DEALER SAID THE ABS SYSTEM AND BRAKES CHECKED OUT OK ACCORDING TO FORD'S SPECIFICATIONS. *JB

AIR BAG LIGHT INDICATING THE AIR BAG WOULD NOT DEPLOY IN CASE OF AN ACCIDENT STAYED ON. DEALERSHIP SUGGESTED THAT THE LIGHT COULD COME ON IF I WERE USING AN AFTERMARKET CELL PHONE CHARGER WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE. FORD ISSUED AN ALERT TO DEALERSHIPS THAT STATED SAME. I WAS MADE TO GO OUT AND BUY REPLACEMENT CHARGERS WHILE THE DEALERSHIP INVESTIGATED THE PROBLEM USING MY CAR CHARGERS TO EXPERIMENT. AFTER PICKING UP THE VEHICLE THE LIGHT HAD NOT COME BACK ON. I WAS TOLD THE FORD INSTRUCTED THEM TO REPLACE THE COMPUTER LOCATED NEAR THE RADIO. I AM STILL SHOCKED TO HEAR THAT A CELL PHONE CHARGER COULD CAUSE AN AIRBAG TO NOT DEPLOY. FORD ISSUED AN EXTENDED WARRANTY FOR THIS VEHICLE GIVEN THE SERIOUS NATURE OF THE FAILURE. *NM