2006 FORD FREESTYLE Complaints

THE PASSENGER SIDE PUDDLE LIGHT UNDER THE MIRROR WAS SMOKING. I'D HAD THE DRIVER SIDE DOOR AND TRUNK OPEN FOR JUST ABOUT THREE MINUTES WHEN SOMEONE PASSING BY BROUGHT IT TO MY ATTENTION THAT THE RIGHT SIDE MIRROR WAS SMOKING. YOU COULD SMELL PLASTIC BURNING AND FEEL THE HEAT WHEN YOU TOUCHED THE MIRROR. AFTER A PERIOD OF TIME IT STOPPED SMOKING. THE FOLLOWING DAY JULY 3RD IT HAPPENED AGAIN. I DECIDED NOT DRIVE THE CAR FOR A COUPLE OF DAYS RATHER THAN CHANCING ANY ADDITIONAL DAMAGE. I TOOK THE CAR TO THE LINCOLN DEALER ON MONDAY WHERE THEY CUT THE WIRE FOR THE PUDDLE LIGHT AND SHOWED ME THE DAMAGE TO THE UNIT. I WAS TOLD THAT TO REPAIR THIS I WOULD HAVE TO REPLACE THE ENTIRE MIRROR ASSEMBLY AT A COST OF $500.00. AT THIS POINT I AM UNDECIDED AS TO WHAT I WILL DO. APPARENTLY THIS IS A PROBLEM THAT FORD KNOWS ABOUT, BUT I COULD NOT FIND ANY TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETINS. I DID FIND NUMEROUS COMPLAINTS ABOUT THIS PARTICULAR PROBLEM WITH THE PUDDLE LIGHTS NOT JUST LIMITED TO THE FREESTYLE. *TR

DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD, PRESS ON THE GAS PEDAL TO ACCELERATE - THE TRACTION CONTROL AND WRENCH LIGHT COME ON, THE ENGINE REVS, RPMS GO UP, CAR DECELERATES AND WON'T GO OVER 40 MPH. TRACTION CONTROL LIGHT GOES OFF, WRENCH LIGHT STAYS ON. HAVE TO PULL OFF THE ROAD TO STOP AND RESTART THE CAR - WRENCH LIGHT GOES OFF. HAPPENED 5 TIMES WHEN I WAS DRIVING OVER THE MOUNTAIN ON I-40 FROM TENNESSEE TO NORTH CAROLINA. NOT A LOT OF ROOM TO BE STOPPING ON THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. PUTS EVERYONE IN A VERY DANGEROUS SITUATION. HAVE BEEN LIVING WITH THIS FOR OVER 2 YEARS. HAVE SEEN MANY OTHER FREESTYLE OWNERS WITH THE SAME PROBLEM. IT IS TIME FOR FORD TO RECALL THE CAR AND FIX THE PROBLEM. *TR

VEHICLE WAS PARKED FOR APPROXIMATELY 15MINS, SITTING IDLE. I SHIFTED TO REVERSE AND SLOWLY RELEASED BRAKE PEDAL. VEHICLE RPMS SURGED TO ~2000RPM AND VEHICLE ACCELERATED IN THE REVERSE DIRECTION RAPIDLY. VEHICLE WAS HALTED BY A HARD BRAKE RESPONSE. I NEARLY COLLIDED WITH ANOTHER VEHICLE. LEAVING THE VEHICLE IN REVERSE AND HOLDING THE BRAKE FIRMLY, RPMS OSCILLATED BETWEEN 800-2000 REPETITIVELY (APPROXIMATELY 1-2 SECONDS PER OSCILLATION). VEHICLE EVENTUALLY STALLED. I HAVE NOTICED THIS BEHAVIOR FREQUENTLY, AND FOUND IT CAN OCCUR IN THE FORWARD OR REVERSE DIRECTIONS. FORDS CLAIM THAT RPM ONLY FLARES ~1300 IN WORST CASE IS FALSE. THE CLAIM THAT A THE VEHICLE WILL ONLY ACCELERATE TO 4 MPH IS FALSE. THE ACCELERATION EXPERIENCED BY THIS FLAW IS VERY ACUTE AND COULD EASILY RESULT IN INJURY AND/OR DEATH; ESPECIALLY GIVEN THE AGGRAVATING FACTOR THAT IT OCCURS MOST FREQUENTLY IN LOW SPEED AREAS (DRIVEWAYS, PARKING LOTS WITH PEDESTRIANS, TRAFFIC STOPS, ETC...). *TR

MY 2006 FORD FREESTYLE HAS HAD THIS HAPPEN BEFORE AND NOW IT IS HAPPENING AGAIN. THE CAR WILL LUNGE FORWARD AT LOW SPEEDS. WHEN THIS OCCURRED BEFORE THE DEALERSHIP REPLACED THE THROTTLE BODY AND IT COST ABOUT $700. HERE ALMOST TWO YEARS LATER, IT IS DOING IT AGAIN. THERE IS NO WAY OF KNOWING WHEN IT WILL DO IT, AND IS A MAJOR SAFETY HAZARD. I CANNOT AFFORD TO PAY TO REPLACE THIS PART EVERY OTHER YEAR. FROM READING ONLINE FORUMS, IT SEEMS TO BE A MAJOR PROBLEM WITH THIS VEHICLE. FORD NEEDS TO TAKE RESPONSIBILITY AND FIND A FIX THAT WILL NOT HAPPEN AGAIN. YET FORD DOES NOTHING ABOUT IT!! *TR

I TURNED LEFT AT THE TRAFFIC LIGHT AND THE CAR WAS HAVING TROUBLE ACCELERATING. THEN I NOTICED THE WRENCH SYMBOL ON THE DASH BOARD LIGHT UP. ALTHOUGH THE CAR WAS MOVING FORWARD IT WAS NOT DOING SO AS IT WOULD HAVE NORMALLY. WENT HOME AND TURNED IT OFF. I TOOK IT TO THE DEALERSHIP AND THEY HAVE TOLD ME I NEED A NEW THROTTLE BODY. THIS WILL BE THE SECOND REPLACEMENT OF THAT PART SINCE WE HAVE OWNED THE CAR( IT WAS PURCHASED NEW IN APRIL OF 2006). SO IT WILL BE THE THIRD THROTTLE BODY IN THAT CAR IN SEVEN YEARS. WHETHER THIS IS A PART FLAW OR A DESIGN FLAW ON THE PART OF FORD OR IT'S MANUFACTURING FACILITIES SOMETHING NEEDS TO BE DONE ABOUT THIS. I HAVE READ SO MANY COMPLAINTS ONLINE ABOUT THIS PROBLEM IT SEEMS IT WOULD BE TIME FOR THE GOVERNMENT TO STEP IN AND MAKE THEM PAY FOR THE REPAIRS, AS I'M SURE THERE ARE MANY. IT WAS NICE OF THE TAX PAYERS TO BAIL OUT THE AUTO INDUSTRY WHEN THEY NEEDED IT, SO WHAT ABOUT US , THE CONSUMER, DON'T WE COUNT. WE'RE THE PEOPLE THAT KEEP IT IN BUSINESS IN THE FIRST PLACE.I'M HOPING SINCE THIS IS MY SECOND REPORT TO YOU THAT PERHAPS A PATTERN IS EMERGING ENOUGH, FOR SOMETHING TO BE DONE ABOUT THIS PROBLEM FOR ALL OF US. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 FORD FREESTYLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 65 MPH, THE WRENCH WARNING ICON ILLUMINATED ACCOMPANIED WITH A SLIGHT REDUCTION IN ENGINE POWER. THE VEHICLE WAS MANEUVERED TO THE SIDE OF THE ROADWAY AND RESUMED NORMALLY AFTER SEVERAL MOMENTS. THE FAILURE RECURRED FIVE TIMES. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER, WHO WAS UNABLE TO LOCATE A PROBLEM. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE DEFECT. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 80,000. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 FORD FREESTYLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE IN REVERSE WITH THE BRAKES DEPRESSED, THE ENGINE RPMS INCREASED AS THE VEHICLE JERKED IN REVERSE. THE SAME FAILURE RECURRED WHILE STOPPED AT A LIGHT WITH THE BRAKES DEPRESSED. THE VEHICLE ALSO DECELERATED WHILE THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING HIGHWAY SPEEDS. THE CONTACT NOTICED THE FAILURE OCCURRED MOSTLY WHEN THE WEATHER WAS WARM AND WHEN THE AIR CONDITIONER WAS ACTIVATED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARD OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 73,000. *TR

THE FREESTYLE CUT OUT ON THE INTERSTATE. LUCKILY IT WAS IN THE BREAKDOWN LANE AND NO CARS WERE COMING. AN 8 YEAR OLD WAS IN THE CAR AS WELL. AFTER SPENDING $1200 ON REPAIRS THE FREESTYLE STILL LEAKS, AND IS HAVING THE SAME PROBLEMS WITH CUTTING OUT, LEAKING INTO THE CAR AND ALL THE LIGHTS COMING ON. WE HAVE SPENT OVER $1200 TO FIX, AND THE CAR STILL HAS THE SAME PROBLEMS. THE DEALERSHIP WANTS US TO SPEND ANOTHER $1000, AND THEY CAN NOT GUARANTEE THAT WILL FIX THE PROBLEM, AS ANOTHER FREESTYLE HERE IN BOONE HAS HAD THE SAME ISSUES. *TR

THIS CAR HAS A KNOWN ISSUE, WHICH I EXPERIENCED, WHERE CARBON DEPOSITS IN THE THROTTLE BODY CAUSE IT TO SURGE OR STALL UNEXPECTEDLY. THE REMEDY AS GIVEN BY FORD IS TO HAVE THE THROTTLE BODY CLEANED AND THE COMPUTER (PCM) REPROGRAMMED. LOOKING IN TO VARIOUS FORUMS FOR INFORMATION ON THE TOPIC, SUCH AS EDMUNDS AND FREESTYLE OWNER FORUMS, MANY OWNERS REPORT THE PROBLEM RECURRING AFTER THIS FIX HAD BEEN IMPLEMENTED, MOSTLY A FEW 10'S OF THOUSANDS OF MILES LATER. OTHERS, WHO HAD THEIR THROTTLE BODIES COMPLETELY REPLACED, WITH A THROTTLE OF NEWER DESIGN, REPORT NO FURTHER ISSUES AT ANY REPORTED RANGE. I AM ASKING WHY FORD IS ALLOWED TO TEMPORARILY BANDAGE A KNOWN SAFETY ISSUE, THAT IS ALSO KNOWN TO RECUR AFTER THIS FIX HAS BEEN IMPLEMENTED, RATHER THAT APPLYING WHAT SEEMS TO BE A PERMANENT SAFETY FIX, REPLACEMENT OF THE THROTTLE? THE SURGING IS BAD ENOUGH THAT HAD I NOT EXPERIENCED IT PREVIOUSLY, AND BEEN SEMI-ANTICIPATING IT, I WOULD HAVE BEEN PUSHED INTO AN INTERSECTION AND INTO TRAFFIC. NONETHELESS, THE CAR DID MOVE FORWARD SEVERAL FEET. THIS WAS ON MY TRIP TO THE FORD DEALERSHIP (24 JUNE 2013) TO HAVE THE PRESCRIBED FIX APPLIED. I DO NOT BELIEVE A TEMPORARY FIX, ONE THAT ALLOWS TO PROBLEM TO RECUR, IS IN THE BEST INTEREST OF PUBLIC SAFETY, AND THAT FORD SHOULD, INSTEAD, FOCUS ON A PERMANENT FIX TO ITS SAFETY ISSUE. I WOULD LIKE TO NOTE, THOSE WHO HAVE HAD THEIR THROTTLES REPLACED STATE THE NEW ONE IS OF A DIFFERENT DESIGN. FOR EXAMPLE: THE NEW ONE IS A NON-HEATED BODY, VS THE PREVIOUS DESIGN WHICH HAS A HEATED BODY, WHICH IS SUSPECT TO FAILURE. THE OLD THROTTLE (5F9Z-9E926-AA) VS THE NEW ONES (6F9Z-9E926-A) ARE DESIGNATED BY THE DIFFERENT PARTS NUMBERS PROVIDED, FURTHER SHOWING FORD'S KNOWLEDGE THE OLD (HEATED) VERSION OF THE THROTTLE IS, ITSELF, CAUSING THE SAFETY ISSUE, AND THAT THEIR ONE-TIME FIX IS ONLY TEMPORARY. *TR

THIS CAR IS ABSOLUTE JUNK AND EXTREMELY UNSAFE! YES, I'VE HAD THE SAME THROTTLE BODY ISSUE AS EVERYONE ELSE, AND AFTER I TOOK IT TO FORD FOR THE "WARRANTY" IT GOT WORSE! INSTEAD OF SURGING AT LOW SPEEDS, NOW THE ENTIRE VEHICLES PULSES...LIGHTS, ENGINE, INSTRUMENT PANEL, ETC. AT 60MPH THE ENGINE WILL RANDOMLY SPUTTER AN THE RPM'S WILL SHOOT WAY UP - EVERY LIGHT GOES BRIGHT/DIM, THE ENGINE IDLE GOES UP AND DOWN, THE AIR CONDITIONING PULSES AND EVENTUALLY TURNS ITSELF ON AND OFF - THEN SUDDENLY THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER GOES NUTS WITH THE SPEEDOMETER GOING FROM MY SPEED DOWN TO 0 AND BACK UP, WRENCH AND ALL KINDS OF OTHER LIGHTS FLASHING, CHARGING SYSTEM ERRORS - IT'S INSANE. I TOOK IT BACK TO FORD AND THEY SAID IT WAS A LOOSE BATTERY CABLE (!) AND OF COURSE AFTER I PICKED IT UP IT DID THE EXACT SAME STUFF GOING BACK HOME. NOW IT APPEARS I NEED TO REPLACE ALL 6 COILS AND THE COMPUTER FOR ABOUT $1500 - THIS THING IS ONLY WORTH $3500 AT THIS POINT AND I STILL OWE $9000 - IT'S A NIGHTMARE. ALSO HAVING THE TRANSMISSION ISSUES - DOESN'T WANT TO GO WHEN YOU FIRST PUT IT INTO GEAR AND KIND OF HOPS AT LOW SPEEDS - I DON'T EVEN KNOW HOW MUCH THAT WILL COST. I HAVE TWO SMALL KIDS AND DEPEND ON THIS VEHICLE TO GET ME TO WORK AND GET MY FAMILY WHERE WE NEED TO GO AN I'M SCARED EVERY TIME I GET IN THE THING...WITH SO MANY OF THESE HAVING THE EXACT SAME PROBLEMS I REALLY DON'T UNDERSTAND HOW FORD EXECS CAN LIVE WITH THEMSELVES AND NOT REPLACE THESE FAILING PARTS. SOMEONE IS GOING TO GET KILLED, IF THEY HAVEN'T ALREADY - I'M DESPERATELY TRYING TO FIND A WAY TO UNLOAD THIS THING! *TR