FORD Freestar Reliability by YearBest & worst years, problems & recalls — NHTSA data

I HAVE A 2007 FORD FREESTAR SE. VIN# [XXX]. AT 102,296 MILES THE TRANSMISSION FAILED. I WAS DRIVING IT ON A SIDE STREET AT APPROXIMATELY 15 MILES PER HOUR. I WAS ACCELERATING FROM A STOP SIGN, WHEN THE TRANSMISSION APPEARED TO SLIP INTO NEUTRAL. I LOOKED AND IT WAS STILL IN DRIVE, I TRIED DOWNSHIFTING, PUTTING IT INTO NEUTRAL AND BACK INTO DRIVE AND NOTHING WORKED. I COASTED TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AND PUT IT INTO PARK. THAT APPEARED TO WORK. I THEN TRIED USING REVERSE AND IT DID NOT ENGAGE. I THEN TRIED ALL GEARS AND NOTHING HAPPENED. I THEN HAD THE VEHICLE TOWED TO MY HOUSE. I LET IT COOL DOWN AND IT STILL DID NOT WORK. THE TRANSMISSION FLUID IS A CLEAN PINK AND SMELLS BRAND NEW. I PROCEEDED TO DO ONLINE RESEARCH TO DETERMINE THE PROBLEM AND IF IT CAN BE EASILY REPAIRED, WHAT I FOUND WAS VERY INTERESTING. IT WAS A VERY COMMON PROBLEM OCCURRING AROUND 103,000 MILES. MANY (HUNDREDS IF NOT THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE HAD THE SAME ISSUE WITH THIS VEHICLE SPANNING SEVERAL YEARS, MOST NOTABLY FROM 2004 THROUGH 2006. THERE WAS A RECALL ISSUED FOR THOSE YEARS. THERE WAS NOT, HOWEVER, A RECALL FOR THE 2007 MODEL YEAR. THERE ARE NUMEROUS PEOPLE WITH THIS YEAR AND PROBLEM AS WELL. I AM CURIOUS AS TO WHY THE 2007 MODEL YEAR WAS NOT INCLUDED WHEN IT OBVIOUSLY SUFFERS THE SAME ISSUE.. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR

"TAKATA RECALL" WHILE DRIVING MY VAN I LOST TO GO TO THE BANK, WHEN I WENT TO PUT MY FOOT ON THE GAS PEDAL IT WOULD NOT GO. THERE WAS NO MOVEMENT. IT MADE THIS FUNNY SOUND UNDER THE HOOD. I HAD NO WARNING, IT SHIFTED GEARS, MY HUSBAND EVEN PLUGGED IN THE CODE READER AND NOTHING CAME UP. AS WE ARE LOOKING INTO THE ISSUE THE TORKE CONVERTER WENT OUT IN THE TRANSMISSION. SO NOW THIS NEEDS TO BE REPLACED. WE WE'RE ON A IT STREET AT A STOP LIGHT GETTING READY TO MAKE A LEFT HAND TURN.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2007 FORD FREESTAR. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 25 MPH, WHILE THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED, THE CONTACT HEARD A RATTLING NOISE UNDER THE HOOD. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE RATTLING NOISE SEIZED ONCE THE SPEED WAS REDUCED. THERE WERE NO WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO HOMER SKELTON FORD OF MILLINGTON (9030 US-51, MILLINGTON, TN 38053 (901) 873-3673) WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE TRANSMISSION NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 152,000.

NOISE FROM THE TRANSMISSION. CAR WILL SURGE JUMP WHILE IN GEAR.MY CAR ONLY HAS 48000 MILES

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2007 FORD FREESTAR. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE REAR QUARTER PANELS ON THE VEHICLE WERE RUSTED AND CORRODED. THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 13V081000 (STRUCTURE). THE CONTACT INDICATED THAT THE VEHICLE EXPERIENCED THE SAME FAILURE LISTED IN THE RECALL. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 120,000.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2007 FORD FREESTAR. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE WHEELS SEIZED WHILE DRIVING, WHICH RESULTED IN A LOSS OF CONTROL. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO DIAGNOSED THAT THE SUBFRAME WAS SEVERELY CORRODED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 142,900.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2007 FORD FREESTAR. WHILE DEPRESSING THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL AT ANY SPEED, THE VEHICLE DID NOT RESPOND AND A WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE FAILURE RECURRED NUMEROUS TIMES. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A MECHANIC WHO DIAGNOSED THAT THE TRANSMISSION NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 103,000.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2007 FORD FREESTAR. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 30 MPH, THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED, BUT THE VEHICLE FAILED TO ACCELERATE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE TORQUE CONVERTER FAILED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 140,000.

TRANSMISSION JUST STOPPED WORKING WITH ROUGHLY 77,835 MILES, IN A STATIONARY MODE PARKED. FORD TRANSMISSION THEY PUT IN HAD A BETTER WARRANTY THAN ON THE NEW CAR.

WHEN I TOUCHED THE TRANSMISSION GEAR SHIFT ONE MORNING, THE CAR BEGAN ROLLING DOWN MY DRIVEWAY & ROLLED INTO THE STREET. I HAD A HARD TIME STOPPING THE VEHICLE BECAUSE THE ENGINE WAS NOT YET RUNNING & THE POWER BRAKES WERE NOT ON. THE GEAR SHIFT LEVER WOULD NOT HOLD IN PARK OR ANY OF THE OTHER GEARS. I HAD THE VEHICLE TOWED TO A TRANSMISSION REPAIR SHOP. WHEN I TOLD THE MECHANIC WHAT HAD HAPPENED, HE SAID IT WAS THE TRANSMISSION TORQUE CONVERTER & SAID, "THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH THIS VEHICLE." "I HAVE REPLACED HUNDREDS OF THEM OVER THE YEARS. OTHER INDEPENDENT TRANSMISSION REPAIR SHOPS HAVE SAID THE SAME THING. WHEN I ASKED THE CLERK AT THE LOCAL FORD DEALER PARTS DEPT., THEY WOULD NOT TELL ME HOW MANY OF THE TORQUE CONVERTERS THEY HAVE REPLACED. NOR COULD I GET ANY INFORMATION FROM THEIR TRANSMISSION REPAIR MECHANICS. MY INDEPENDENT MECHANIC DID SHOW ME THE DEFECTIVE PART OF MY TRANSMISSION & DEMONSTRATED HOW THE SPLINE IN THE CONVERTER HAD WORN OUT BECAUSE IT WAS NOT PROPER HEAT TREATED FOR PROPER HARDENING & THUS THE PART MALFUNCTIONED. NEEDLESS TO SAY, THE PUMP SHAFT GEAR WHICH INSERTS ITSELF IN THE SPLINE DOES NOT HAVE THIS MALFUNCTION. THEREFORE, ANY TRANSMISSION MECHANIC OR LAYMEN CAN ONLY COME TO THE CONCLUSION THAT THIS PART #06050700015 IS A DEFECTIVE PART & SHOULD HAVE BEEN RECALLED. THIS MALFUNCTION IS CORRECTED WITH AN AFTER-MARKET PART. I HAD TO PAY $1200 TO HAVE THIS DEFECTIVE PART REMOVED & REPLACED. YOU CAN IMAGINE THE HUNDREDS OR THOUSANDS DOLLARS FORD OWNER ALL OVER THE COUNTRY HAVE HAD TO REPLACE THIS DEFECTIVE PART. I HAVE SPOKEN TO TWO FORD MOTOR CO. CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRS. & THEY SAY, "THERE IS NOTHING THEY CAN DO ABOUT IT." I ALSO WROTE A REGISTERED LETTER TO FORD MOTOR CO. CORPORATE OFFICE & RECEIVED A MAIL REPLY WITH THE SAME RESPONSE. INITIALLY I WAS ONLY ASKING FORD MO. TO COMPENSATE ME $250. FOR THE DEFECTIVE PART & NOT THE $1200.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2007 FORD FREESTAR. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT APPROXIMATELY 55 MPH, THE VEHICLE STALLED. THE VEHICLE WAS UNABLE TO RESTART. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A DEALER WHERE IT WAS UNKNOWN WHAT NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 70,430. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE. UPDATED 11/09/15*LJ *CN

DRIVEN CAR STARTED TO SOUND LIKE BROKEN AXLE,TOOK TO FORD DEALER GEORGE WALL SHREWSBURY,N.J. IT COST A $ 150.00 THEY HELD CAR FOR 2 DAYS AND TOLD US THAT THERE WAS NOTHING WRONG WITH THE CAR. NOISE KEPT GETTING WORST FREND FOR CHRYSLER LISTENED TO IT AND DROVE IT HE SAID IT WAS TRANSMISSION PROBLEM. I HAD NEW TRANSMISSION PUT IN CAR AT COST OF $3500.00. I KEPT CALLING FORD WITH NO LUCK. THIS VEHICLE WAS MANUFACTURED IN JUNE06,2006

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2007 FORD FREESTAR. WHEN THE CONTACT ACTIVATED THE VENT CONTROL FOR THE AIR CONDITIONER, THERE WAS A PROGRESSIVE FAILURE AND THE VEHICLE SURGED FORWARD. THE CONTACT HAD TO ENSURE THAT THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS APPLIED. THE CONTACT ALSO MENTIONED THAT THE VEHICLE IDLED VERY POORLY WHILE DRIVING AT A LOW RATE OF SPEED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA ACTION NUMBER: PE11018 (VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL). THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 85,000.