Owner-reported complaints naming the powertrain system, filed with NHTSA
Data refreshed
Powertrain reports that are not specifically the engine or transmission — driveshafts, axles, transfer cases and differentials. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 2007 Ford Freestar submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 26 reports on file name it.
Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.
The 25 most recent of 26, in the owner's own words
TORQUE CONVERTER IS SHOWING SIGNS OF FAILURE WITH VAN A LESS THAN 50K MILES. A TRANSMISSION FLUSH AND SERVICE INCLUDING FORD'S FRICTION MODIFIER DID NOT FIX.
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. 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.
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
REPORTED THIS INCIDENT AS IF HE LIVED IN THE US, IN FACT THIS STEP IN VANCOUVER CANADA SERCA THE BORDER WITH UNITED STATES, CAN NOT FIND WHO RECEIVES MY COMPLAINT IN CANADA, CALL TRANSPORT CANADA TRABJO IN HOURS AND NOBODY ANSWERS. NOT COMMIT ANY CRIME BUT IF I COMPLAIN I'M VERY ANGRY ESTUBO ENDANGER MY LIFE DRIVING DOWN THE HIGHWAY AT 55-60 MILES / HOUR WHEN THE CAR STOPPED ROLLING, PROBE D, 3.1, R AND DO NOT PERFORM ANY MOVEMENT, NOT PRESENT ANY NOISE OR NO LIGHT IS LIT IT, THE MOTOR TURNS ON AND SOUNDS GOOD BUT NOT MORE. *TR
WAS DRIVING AND PULLED INTO A SHOPPING CENTER, WHEN ALL OF THE SUDDEN, THE VAN WAS NO LONGER RESPONSIVE TO THE GAS PEDAL. THE VAN COASTED TO A STOP, AND I HAD TO THEN PUSH THE CAR OUT OF MOVING TRAFFIC INTO A PARKING LOT. THE VAN ACTED AS IF IT WAS IN NEUTRAL, AND COULD BE PUSHED WHEN IT WAS IT R, N, D,1AND 3. THIS OCCURRED IN THE LATE EVENING, IN SUB-ZERO WIND CHILL TEMPERATURES AND I HAD MY 5 YEAR OLD SON WITH ME AT THE TIME. LUCKILY THE VAN WAS ABLE TO KEEP RUNNING, SO WE HAD HEAT UNTIL WE COULD GET PICKED UP. HAD THE VEHICLE TOWED TO A LOCAL MECHANIC SHOP, AND THE INITIAL VALUATION IS THE TORQUE CONVERTER FAILED DUE TO SPLINE SHAFT BEING STRIPPED, JUST LIKE IN THE PREVIOUS 2005-2005 MODEL FREESTARS. FAMILY OF SEVEN, NOW WITH NO VEHICLE!! *TR
WITHOUT ANY WARNING THE VAN WILL JUST LOSE POWER DURING TRAVEL. THIS HAPPENS EVERY FEW DAYS. MECHANICS DON'T KNOW WHY. *TR
WATER LEAKS DOWN THE HOOD THRU THE COWL. VANS PCM HAD TO BE REPLACED. THERE IS A TSB ON THIS. POOR DESIGN OF HOOD ALLOWS WATER TO LEAK INTO COWL AND INTO THE PCM. HAD PCM REPLACED AT $500 PLUS. THIS VAN IS A NIGHTMARE. *TR
TRAVELING ON THE PA INTERSTATE VAN LOST ALL POWER. TOWED NEED COMPLETE TRANSMISSION REBUILD DUE TO FAILURE OF TORQUE CONVERTER. WE WERE LUCKY WE WERE NOT HURT. THERE WAS NO WARNING AT ALL THAT THERE WAS A ISSUE. VAN IS A NIGHTMARE. *TR
PULLED IN TO DRIVEWAY TO PICK UP A PASSENGER, STOPPED AND PUT IT IN REVERSE AND BANG, THE MOTOR DIED. RESTARTED AND SAME THING. GOT IT TO GO FORWARD BUT SAME PROBLEM, STARTS FINE AND RUNS UNTIL YOU PUT IT IN GEAR, AND IT DIES. *JB
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2007 FORD FREESTAR. THE CONTACT STATED THAT HE BEGAN TO DRIVE IN REVERSE AND HEARD A LOUD BANGING SOUND. THE CONTACT STATED THAT HE PUT THE VEHICLE IN PARK AND EXIT THE VEHICLE; HOWEVER, IT BEGAN TO ROLL BACKWARDS. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION .THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 54,423. ...UPDATED 08/22/13 *BF THE CONSUMER HAD THE VEHICLE TOWED TO THE DEALER. AN INSPECTION REVEALED, THE RIGHT FRONT AXLE WAS BROKEN.
TRANSMISSION FAILED WITH NO SIGNS. I AM PREGNANT AND HAD MY 3 OTHER CHILDREN WITH ME. CHECKED ONLINE AND FOUND OUT THAT FORD IS USING A FAULTY TORQUE CONVERTER/TRANSMISSION. *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2007 FORD FREESTAR. THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 25 MPH WHEN THE TRANSMISSION FAILED WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC FOR DIAGNOSIS WHERE THE CONTACT WAS ADVISED THAT THE POWER TRAIN REQUIRED REPLACEMENT. THE VEHICLE WAS IN THE PROCESS OF BEING REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE PROBLEM. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 94,000.
DRIVING ON FREEWAY AND SUDDENLY CAR WOULD NOT ACCELERATE! IT WAS RUSH HOUR AND I WAS TERRIFIED. MIRACULOUSLY, I WAS ABLE TO COAST TO THE SHOULDER WITHOUT MAJOR INCIDENT. AT THAT TIME, CAR WOULD NOT ENTER ANY GEARS. UPON ACCELERATION THE CAR WOULD JUST REV, BUT WOULD NOT MOVE, EVEN IN REVERSE. FORTUNATELY, I HADN'T PICKED UP MY CHILDREN FROM SCHOOL YET! I COULDN'T IMAGINE BEING STRANDED ON THE SIDE OF THE FREEWAY WITH THEM. IT WAS SCARY ENOUGH FOR ME! CAR WAS TOWED TO LOCAL FORD DEALERSHIP, WHERE IT TOOK THEM A WEEK TO REBUILD/REPLACE THE TORQUE CONVERTER. THANKFULLY, IT WAS COVERED UNDER WARRANTY, BUT IT STILL COST ME $100 DEDUCTIBLE, PLUS THE ENORMOUS INCONVENIENCE OF NOT HAVING A CAR. I HAD 3 YOUNG CHILDREN AND A FULL TIME JOB AND NO CAR FOR A WEEK. FORD REFUSED TO PROVIDE ME A RENTAL. CONSIDERING SOME OF THE OTHER HORROR STORIES, I GUESS I GOT OFF PRETTY LUCKY. TOO MANY OF THESE STORIES OUT THERE, FORD NEEDS TO RECALL!! *TR
I WAS AT A BUSY INTERSECTION IN MY TOWN. WHEN THE LIGHT TURNED GREEN, I STARTED THROUGH THE INTERSECTION BUT SUDDENLY THERE WAS NO POWER. I WAS STALLED BUT EVENTUALLY DISCOVERED THAT I COULD PUT THE VEHICLE INTO 3RD GEAR AND COULD EKE MY WAY THROUGH THE INTERSECTION. I HAD MY 5 YEAR OLD SON IN THE CAR, PEOPLE WERE HONKING, IT WAS A MESS. FORTUNATELY, WE DIDN'T GET HIT. I TOOK THE FORD FREESTAR TO TWO SHOPS THAT BOTH TOLD ME THE TRANSMISSION HAD FAILED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE SHOP I TOOK IT TO ALSO TOLD ME THE RADIATOR WAS LEAKING INTO THE TRANSMISSION SO THE RADIATOR NEEDED TO BE REPLACED AS WELL. THE WHOLE ORDEAL COST ME $4,900 FOR THE CAR REPAIR + RENTAL CAR. I'M VERY GLAD MY CHILD AND I DIDN'T GET HURT, AND I AM DEFINITELY UPSET THAT A CAR THAT WAS ONLY A FEW YEARS OLD WOULD REQUIRE SUCH AN EXPENSIVE REPAIR. ALTHOUGH I GOT THE CAR FIXED, I WONDER IF THE TRANSMISSION WILL FAIL AGAIN. *TR
I WAS ON MY WAY TO CALDWELL COMMUNITY COLLEGE FOR EVENING CLASS AND THE TRANSMISSION WENT OUT. I WAS DRIVING AT 55 MILES PER HOUR IN THE FAR LEFT LANE AND HAD TO TEDIOUSLY MANEUVER OVER TO THE RIGHT HAND LANE TO GET INTO A PARKING LOT. IT WAS VERY CONGESTED ON THE HIGHWAY DUE TO IT BEING AT ABOUT 5:30PM AND I COULD HAVE EASILY BEEN INVOLVED IN A MOTOR VEHICLE CRASH. *TR
I WAS MAKING A LEFT HAND TURN FROM THE MIDDLE LANE OF A BUSY 5 LANE HIGHWAY WHEN I LOST ALL POWER TO THE DRIVE TRAIN. FORTUNATELY I HAD GAINED ENOUGH SPEED FROM THE DRIVE TRAIN TO BARELY AVOID ON COMING TRAFFIC. THREE SECONDS EARLIER AND THIS COULD HAVE BEEN A TRAGEDY. THERE WAS NO WARNING OR INDICATION OF FAILURE. THERE WERE NO SOUNDS, SMELLS, OR ERADICATE MOTIONS. I IMMEDIATELY HAD THE VEHICLE TOWED TO A FORD DEALERSHIP GARAGE. AFTER AN INSPECTION THE SERVICE ADVISOR STATED THAT THE TORQUE CONVERTER HAD COME APART AND WOULD NEED TO BE REPLACED. SINCE THEN I HAVE DONE SOME INVESTIGATIVE RESEARCH INTO FORD FREESTAR TORQUE CONVERTER FAILURES. IT APPEARS THAT THIS IS A PROBLEM THAT STARTED WITH THE 2004 FREESTAR. I HOPE THAT FORD TAKES CARE OF THIS PROBLEM BEFORE INJURY OR FATALITY. IN MY CASE, THREE SECONDS MADE THE DIFFERENCE. *TR
SUDDEN FAILURE OF THE TRANSMISSION. *TR
MY FORD FREESTAR HAS SPORADIC ISSUES, I HAVE NOTICED THAT THIS ISSUE ONLY HAPPENS WHEN IT RAINS. I HAVE TAKEN IT TO MECHANIC AND THEY ARE NOT ABLE TO LOCATE THE PROBLEM. I HAVE BEEN DOING RESEARCH ONLINE AND NOTICE THAT THERE IS A LOT OF COMPLAINTS ABOUT THIS ISSUE AND NOTHING IS BEING DONE ABOUT IT. WE GET THE PCM REPLACED AND THEN BECAUSE OF THE DEFECT IT GETS WET AGAIN. WHEN WILL THIS ISSUE BE RESOLVED? *TR
Higher-selling and older vehicles accumulate more reports. Counts are not failure rates and are not directly comparable between vehicles that sold in very different numbers.
Categories with enough reports to have a page of their own
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