2006 FORD FREESTYLE Complaints

SUMMARY: I WAS PUTTING GAS IN MY CAR, AS I ENTERED THE CAR AFTER FUELING, I WAS TALKING TO MY MOTHER FOR A MOMENT, AND AS I WAS ABOUT TO PLACE THE KEY IN THE IGNITION, THERE WAS BLACK SMOKE COMING FROM THE PASSENGER MIRROR. I GOT OUT AND RAN OVER, AND SAW FLAMES. I RIPPED THE BLACK COVER WITH THE MIRROR OFF, SAW THAT THERE WAS AN ELECTRICAL FIRE. BURNING MYSELF, I PUT THE FIRE OUT IN TIME TO KEEP IT FROM GETTING OUT OF CONTROL. WITH THE FIRE SAFELY OUT, I SAW THAT IT WAS FROM THE LED COURTESY LIGHT ASSEMBLY AT THE BOTTOM OF THE PASSENGER SIDE MIRROR. IT WAS COMPLETELY MELTED AND BURNED. I REMOVED THE PART, (AS WELL AS THE ONE FROM THE DRIVER SIDE FOR SAFE MEASURE), AND TOOK THEM TO MY LOCAL FORD DEALERSHIP SO THEY COULD REPORT IT AS A FAULTY PART. THE PART IS THE WAGNER PART 71077. ACCORDING TO THE DRIVER SIDE (I COULD NOT READ THE PASSENGER SIDE TO SEE IF IT HAS THE SAME PART NUMBER, OR IF IT IS DIFFERENT FOR RIGHT AND LEFT.) THE WIRE ASSEMBLY, WAS BURNED NEAR THE BASE OF THE WIRES WHERE THEY ENTER THE ASSEMBLY. HAD I NOT BEEN THERE TO PUT OUT THE FIRE, MY CAR WOULD HAVE BURNT TO THE GROUND!!! MY HAND IS RECOVERING AT THIS TIME. *TR UPDATED 09/19/13*LJ THE CONSUMER SOLD THE VEHICLE, A YEAR AGO. UPDATED 09/24/13

MY FORD STARTED JERKING BACKWARDS WHEN I PUT REVERSE OR LUNGING FORWARD WHEN I START DRIVING FORWARDS. THIS HAPPENED TWICE, ONCE IN THE JEKYLL ISLAND WHEN WE WERE ON VACATION (ALL THREE DAYS) IN JULY 2011 AND ALSO WHEN RECENTLY LIKE THREE MONTHS AGO, OCT 2011. I FIRST NOTICED WHEN I WAS BACKING OUT FROM A HOTEL PARKING LOT. I THOUGHT I AM GOING TO IT THE OTHER CARS. ALSO, I CHANGED THE BRAKES TWICE, ONCE FROM THE DEALER AND ONCE FROM THE AUTO MECHANIC. MY MILEAGE SO FAR IS 50K AND THIS IS A 2006 FORD FREESTYLE. I CONSTANTLY FACE BRAKE PROBLEMS IN THIS VEHICLE. AND ALSO OTHER PROBLEMS.(LIKE FRONT AXLE) COULD SOMEONE DO SOMETHING ABOUT THESE PROBLEMS, PLEASE!!! *TR

CPSC#I11C0348A. 2006 FORD FREESTYLE. CONSUMER STATED THAT THE CAR HAD A FLAT TIRE. ALSO STATED ON THE WAY GOING HOME THE CHECK BREAK LIGHT CAME ON AND THE SPEEDOMETER STOPPED WORKING. ALSO THE CAR MADE A GRINGIND NOISE AND SHUT DOWN. *LN

VEHICLE SURGES WHEN IDLING OR GOING SLOW. ACCELERATES AT TIMES LIKE PARKING OR MOVING THROUGH PARKING LOTS OR WHEN STOPPED AT STOPLIGHTS. *KB

MY CAR BEGAN HAVING PROBLEMS LUNGING FORWARD WHILE I WAS STOPPED AT A SCHOOL ZONE CROSS-WALK WAITING FOR CHILDREN TO CROSS. IT LUNGED FORWARD AND STOPPED JUST INCHES FROM HITTING 4 CHILDREN. IT TERRIFIED ME!!!! IT HAPPENED SEVERAL TIMES THAT DAY AND THE NEXT DAY UNTIL I COULD GET IT IN THE SHOP. I WAS TOLD IT NEEDED THE THROTTLE BODY REPLACED BY THE FORD MECHANICS BUT LUCKILY I GOT BY WITH JUST A THROTTLE BODY CLEANING. THE CAR NO LONGER LUNGES FORWARD. ABOUT THE SAME TIME, THE CAR HAD PROBLEMS FEELING LIKE IT WOULDN'T GET PAST 2ND GEAR AND IT WOULDN'T ACCELERATE. I STILL DON'T KNOW WHAT CAUSED THIS. A FEW MONTHS LATER THE CAR STARTED MAKING A STRANGE CLICKING NOISE THAT WOULD GET FASTER WHEN I WOULD ACCELERATE THEN SLOWER WHEN I WOULD BRAKE. IT QUIT MAKING THE NOISE BY THE TIME I COULD TAKE IT TO GET IT LOOKED AT A FEW DAYS LATER. THE AIR CONDITIONER WON'T GET COLD UNLESS THE CAR IS IN MOTION. THE HEATER DOES THE SAME THING. IT ONLY SEEMS TO HAPPEN ON EXTREME TEMPERATURE DAYS. THEN SPONTANEOUSLY, BOTH THESE PROBLEMS SEEMED TO FIX THEMSELVES. JUST THIS WEEK, MY CAR BACKFIRED 2 TIMES, THEN THE NEXT MORNING WHEN I STARTED IT, IT SMELLED HORRIBLE! I TURNED IT OFF IMMEDIATELY, THEN THE NEXT DAY, IT WOULDN'T START. TOOK IT TO MY FORD MECHANIC, AND HE SAID EVERYTHING CHECKED OUT OK. HE NOW THINKS THERE IS SOMETHING WRONG WITH THE COMPUTER SYSTEM. EVERYTHING I HAVE READ ON THE INTERNET SUGGESTS THAT THESE HAVE BEEN HUGE PROBLEMS FOR MANY FORD FREESTYLE OWNERS. AND YET NO RECALL? COME ON FORD!! YOU HAVE LOST MANY LOYAL CUSTOMERS OVER THIS!! PLEASE HELP ALL OF US TO GET A RECALL ISSUED FOR THIS CAR!! I AM A SINGLE MOTHER OF THREE CHILDREN, AND IF I GET STRANDED, I, LIKE MANY PEOPLE, HAVE NOBODY TO CALL AND NO WAY TO PAY IF I GET STRANDED. PLEASE HELP BEFORE SOMEONE GETS SERIOUSLY INJURED OR EVEN KILLED. MANY OTHER PROBS BUT NO ROOM TO LIST. *TR

VEHICLE LUNGES RANDOMLY WHEN I AM BACKING UP AND OCCASIONALLY WHEN I AM GOING FORWARD. IT HAS BEEN DOING IT FOR A WHILE. I HAD TO PUT BOTH FEET ON THE BRAKE PEDAL TO KEEP IT FROM HITTING A POLE. TOOK IT TO THE DEALERSHIP AND THEY DIAGNOSED IT AS BEING THE THROTTLE BODY. UPON DOING RESEARCH, I SAW THAT IT HAS BEEN A PROBLEM WITH SEVERAL VEHICLE OF THE SAME MAKE. AS FOR A DATE WHEN THIS OCCURS, IT IS LIKE I STATED BEFORE IT IS RANDOM AND HAS BEEN DOING IT FOR A WHILE AND MORE FREQUENTLY. *TR

WHILE ACCELERATING FROM A STOP THE CHAIN-DRIVEN CVT FAILED. ACCORDING TO 2 TECHNICIANS THAT I SPOKE WITH THE UNIT REQUIRES REPLACEMENT DUE TO INTERNAL DAMAGE, AT A COST OF APPROXIMATELY $6,400. UPON DOING RESEARCH ON THE MAKE/MODEL/TRANSMISSION IT APPEARS THIS IS NOT AN UNCOMMON OCCURRENCE. I REALIZE THIS VEHICLE IS BEYOND IT'S WARRANTY, HOWEVER, A 5 YEAR OLD CAR WITH 61K MILES SHOULD NOT REQUIRE A $6K REPAIR UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCE BARRING A COLLISION. THE VEHICLE (WITH A FUNCTIONAL TRANSMISSION) IS WORTH APPROXIMATELY $9K AS A TRADE. UNLESS I RECEIVE A SUBSIDY FROM FORD OR A CHRISTMAS MIRACLE, THIS OTHERWISE FUNCTIONAL AND SAFE CAR WILL BE SOLD FOR PARTS/SCRAP. SHAME ON FORD FOR NOT BACKING IT'S PRODUCTS. *TR

VEHICLE WILL NOT START. DEALERSHIP CLAIMED THAT THE THROTTLE BODY NEEDS TO BE REPLACE ALONG WITH A COMPUTER UPDATE TO A TUNE OF $800+. VARIOUS POSTS HAVE BEEN FOUND ON THE INTERNET REGARDING A KNOWN DEFECT WITH THIS MODEL YEAR'S THROTTLE BODY INCLUDING A "LUNGING ISSUE" CAUSED BY THIS FAILED COMPONENT. I WOULD LIKE THIS ISSUE TO BE INVESTIGATED AND FORD TO BE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE REPLACEMENT AND REMEDY OF THIS DEFECTIVE COMPONENT. *TR

WHEN PULLING OUT OF MY DRIVEWAY THE CAR WOULD NOT ACCELERATE, SEEMED TO NOT HAVE ANY POWER. THEN WHEN PLACING MY FOOT ON THE BRAKE AT A STOP SIGN IT SURGED FORWARD. IT WAS REALLY SCARY AND HAD THERE BEEN TRAFFIC, I WOULD HAVE BEEN HIT BROAD SIDE, AS I FELT I COULDN'T CONTROL THE CAR. THE WRENCH LIGHT CAME ON, AND AS I DROVE MY SON TO SCHOOL, THE CAR CONTINUED TO EITHER HAVE NO POWER OR WAS SURGING FORWARD, I CALLED MY LOCAL DEALER WHERE I HAD JUST HAD THE CVT TRANSMISSION REPLACED IN SEPTEMBER, AND ASKED TO BRING IT IN. THEY DIAGNOSED IT AS A THROTTLE BODY PROBLEM, AND REPLACED IT. I HAD ASKED ABOUT THIS WHEN THE TRANSMISSION WAS REPLACED, AND THEY HAD TOLD ME THEY DIDN'T KNOW ABOUT ANY PROBLEMS. OH PLEASE!!!!!! I'VE ALSO HAD TWO VERY DANGEROUS TIRE BLOW OUTS, AND AFTER SOME RESEARCH SEE THAT UNUSUAL INSIDE TIRE WEAR HAS ALSO BEEN A PROBLEM ON FREESTYLES DUE TO THE SWAY BAR LINKS. NOW TOMORROW.... I AM BACK AT THE DEALER FOR THE ENGINE MOUNT, YET ANOTHER REPEAT PROBLEM THAT NEEDS TO BE RECALLED. PLEASE HELP US GET THESE DANGEROUS CARS RECALLED AND REPAIRED! *TR

I WAS TRANSPORTING MY CHILDREN ON A HOT DAY. WE WERE IDLING WITH THE A/C ON. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT IN MOTION. I HAD MY FOOT PRESSED FIRMLY ON THE BRAKE. THE VEHICLE THEN LUNGED FORWARD SEVERAL FEET. THERE WERE NO IMPACTS OR ACCIDENTS, BUT AS I BEGAN TO ACCELERATE, THE VEHICLE ACTED AS IF IT WAS GOING TO STALL. IT WAS SPUTTERING AND KEPT LUNGING AS IF I HAD REMOVED MY FOOT FROM THE CLUTCH THE CHECK ENGINE / WRENCH LIGHT CAME ON AND THE VEHICLE DIED. I TRIED TO RESTART THE VEHICLE MULTIPLE TIMES, AND IT DID EVENTUALLY TURN BACK ON, BUT THE VEHICLE WAS SLUGGISH AND CONTINUED LUNGING. I BROUGHT THE VEHICLE TO OUR LOCAL FORD DEALER, JACKSON FORD-MERCURY TAG #540, AS IT WAS STILL UNDER WARRANTY. THEY CHECKED THE AIR CONDITIONER AND FOUND NOTHING WRONG. I TOOK THE VEHICLE BACK TO THE SAME DEALER A SHORT TIME LATER FOR THE SAME PROBLEM AND AGAIN THEY COULD FIND NO PROBLEMS. AS THE SEASON CHANGED, THE PROBLEM CLEARED UP. WE WERE NO LONGER USING THE A/C. THE FOLLOWING SUMMER, SAME CONDITIONS, SAME PROBLEM. I TOOK IT TO A DIFFERENT FORD DEALERSHIP BIG VALLEY LINCOLN FORD MERCURY RO # 625097 AND EXPLAINED THE PROBLEM AND PROVIDED THE REPAIR TAG NUMBER. AFTER PERFORMING A MULT-IPOINT INSPECTION, NOT ONCE, BUT TWICE, AND A DIAGNOSTIC HVAC SYSTEM CHECK, THEY ALSO COULD FIND NO PROBLEM TO REPAIR. CONCERNED THAT OUR WARRANTY WAS GETTING READY TO EXPIRE, WE ASKED THEM TO DOCUMENT THE INCIDENT. WE'VE TAKEN THE VEHICLE TO MANY LOCAL MECHANICS AS WELL. I AM UNSURE OF WHICH PARTS ARE ACTUALLY FAULTY BECAUSE THE VEHICLE HAS NEVER BEEN ABLE TO BE DIAGNOSED. WE DON'T UTILIZE THE A/C BECAUSE IT CAUSES THE VEHICLE TO STALL AND FAILS TO COOL THE AIR PROPERLY ANYWAY. I BELIEVE MY VEHICLE IS ENCOUNTERING THE SAME DEFECT AS MANY OF THE OTHERS DESCRIBED UP HERE AND I THINK THAT FORD SHOULD REPAIR THE DEFECT, AS I AND MANY OTHER CONSUMERS PURCHASED THESE VEHICLES IN GOOD FAITH.