Owner-reported complaints naming the other system, filed with NHTSA
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Reports whose component NHTSA recorded as unknown, or that do not map to one of the categories above. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 2005 Ford Freestyle submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 18 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.
Shown in the owner’s own words, exactly as filed
VEHICLES SAYS AWD MALFUNCTION AND TRACTION CONTROL SENSOR WON'T SHUT OFF WHILE DRIVING ON HIGHWAY. THE POWER LOCKS ALSO MALFUNCTIONED SHORTLY BEFORE THE AWD MALFUNCTION, MAKING IT WHERE IT WAS UNABLE TO SHUT. THE POWER LOCK WAS UNLOCKED/LOCKED A COUPLE TIMES FIXING THE ISSUE FOR NOW.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 FORD FREESTYLE. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 25 MPH, THE ALL-WHEEL DRIVE MALFUNCTION INDICATOR ILLUMINATED. APPROXIMATELY TWO WEEKS LATER, THE CHECK TRANSMISSION INDICATOR ALSO ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT CALLED AN UNKNOWN LOCAL DEALER, BUT THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED. THE FAILURES WERE NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 161,000.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 FORD FREESTYLE. WHILE DRIVING 55 MPH, THE TRACTION CONTROL AND ALL WHEEL DRIVE WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED. AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC DIAGNOSED THAT THE BRAKES AND WHEEL SENSOR NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED, BUT THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 224,000. ...UPDATED 03/13/17 *BF *JS
IT FIRST STARTED WHILE DRIVING DOWN THE STREET MY TRACTION CONTROL LIGHT AND MY WRENCH LIGHT SUDDENLY CAME ON. MY VEHICLE WAS PUT INTO "SAFE MODE"WHICH CAUSED MY CAR TO STOP LOSING ALL POWER. I LOOKED UP MY VIN NUMBER AT FORD.COM AND IT SAID A RECALL IS IN ACTION BY THE COMPANY TO REMEDY A SAFETY OR EMISSIONS-RELATED CONCERN RELATED TO A VEHICLE TO THE DEALER FOR SERVICE. I CONTACTED THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT AT FORD AND THE CUSTOMER RELATIONSHIP CENTER AND WAS TOLD ITS NOT A RECALL IT WAS UNDER AN EXTENDED WARRANTY THAT EXPIRED IN MAY 31ST 2013. JUST ON OCT 4 2014 I WAS DRIVING ON THE EXPRESSWAY WITH MY WIFE AND CHILDREN AND THE CAR SUDDENLY PUT IT INTO SAFE MODE AND ABRUPTLY STOPPED! IM SORRY BUT IT SOUNDS LIKE A SAFETY CONCERN TO ME AND SHOULD BE CONSIDERED A RECALL. *TR
I HAVE A 2005 SEL FREESTYLE WITH ABOUT 130K MILES ON IT. THIS MORNING WHILE DRIVING TO WORK WITH SPEED OF 55MPH ALL OF A SUDDEN THE ABS AND AWD LIGHTS CAME ON AND THE MESSAGE CENTER DISPLAYED "CHECK TRACTION CONTROL" AND "AWD MALFUNCTION", THEN ENTIRE PANEL WENT DARK (RPM, GAS, OIL, SPEED AND ODOMETER). I NOTICED THAT THE GAUGES WERE MAKING A TICKING NOISE AT THAT TIME AS WELL. I PULLED OFF THE MAIN HWY AND SHUT CAR OFF, I THEN TRIED TO RESTART THE CAR. ALL OF THE GAUGES LIT UP AGAIN, BUT CAR WOULD NOT START, ACTED LIKE BATTERY/ALTERNATOR WAS SHOT. HAD TO GET IT TOWED HOME AND WAS LATE TO WORK. NOT SURE WHERE TO START TO SOLVE THE ISSUE, HAVE SEEN TOO MANY POSTS WITH THE SAME ISSUES. I THINK THAT FORD NEEDS TO STEP UP AND TAKE THE APPROPRIATE STEPS TO RECALL THESE VEHICLES BEFORE FATALITIES BEGIN. *TR
BOUGHT IT 7/23/2013, DAY ONE FINE. DAY 2, SPOUSE IN CAR, WITH 3 CHILDREN, CHECK TRANSMISSION LIGHT, TRACK CONTROL LIGHT, CHECK ENGINE LIGHT, WRENCH LIGHT ALL CAME ON. .ON THE HIGHWAY. CAR LOST SIGNIFICANT POWER, ALMOST RESULTING IN ACCIDENT, CAR BUCKING AND USING SIGNIFICANT RPMS TO ACCELERATE . RESTARTED THE CAR AFTER 3-4 TIMES, LIGHTS GONE CAR RUNNING SMOOTHLY. DAY 3, SAME THING. I'VE OWNED IT FOR 6 DAYS! TERRIFIED FOR MY FAMILY AND OTHER DRIVERS WITH THIS VEHICLE. TOO MANY SAFETY COMPLAINTS ON THE VEHICLE/TRANSMISSION FOR FORD NOT TO RECALL. AN AMERICAN COMPANY PUTTING AMERICANS AT RISK FOR HARM. *TR
WENT TO START MY 2005 FORD FREESTYLE - THE RPMS ON THE VEHICLE INCREASED SLIGHTLY, THE WRENCH, TRACTION CONTROL AND ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON, WHEN I PUT THE CAR IN REVERSE, THERE WAS A LOUD THUNK NOISE. I TURNED THE ENGINE OFF AND TRIED IT AGAIN. SAME THING, I HAD TO DRIVE IT APPROX. 2 MILES, THERE WAS NO POWER, BUT IT GOT ME TO MY CLASS. WHEN I CAME BACK OUT TO MY CAR AN HOUR AN A HALF LATER, ONLY THE ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AND THE VEHICLE DROVE NORMALLY. SINCE THEN I HAVE HAD IT TO THE DEALER TO DIAGNOSE. AT FIRST THEY SAID IT WAS THE TRANSMISSION THAT WOULD NEED TO BE REPLACED. THIS IS A $4000 REPAIR. THE DIAGNOSTIC CODES WERE GENERIC AND THEY COULD NOT TELL FOR SURE WHAT THE PROBLEM WAS. THIS BEHAVIOR USUALLY STARTS AFTER THE VEHICLE HAS SAT FOR A FEW HOURS. WHEN ALL THE LIGHTS FIRST COME ON, IT SAYS IT HAS HAD A DATA TRANSMISSION ERROR. I TURN OFF THE CAR AND RESTART. THIS USUALLY RESETS THE COMPUTER IN SOME WAY. WHEN ONLY THE ENGINE LIGHT COMES ON, IT WILL SAY "CHECK ENGINE, CHECK TRANSMISSION". SOMETIMES NO LIGHTS COME ON. IT DRIVES NORMALLY. I TOOK IT BACK TO THE DEALER SO THEY COULD EXPERIENCE THE WHOLE ISSUE FIRST THING IN THE MORNING. THEY HAVE NOW SAID THAT IT IS A SHORT IN THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER. THE REPAIR WILL BE $1025.00, BUT THEY CAN NOT GUARANTEE THAT THIS WILL RESOLVE THE ISSUE FOR SURE. I HAVE ALSO EXPERIENCED WHERE THE LIGHTS WILL COME ON WHILE I AM DRIVING. I HAVE TO TURN MY VEHICLE OFF IN TRAFFIC TO RESET IT. THIS IS NOT REAL SAFE. I SEE THAT MY YEAR OF CAR AND NEWER HAS HAD SEVERAL COMPLAINTS FOR THIS ISSUE AND A LUNGING ISSUE. I WILL BE CONTACTING FORD TOMORROW TO SEE IF I CAN GET SOME HELP ON THIS ISSUE. *TR
I WAS DRIVING MY 2005 FORD FREESTYLE ON AN INTERSTATE HIGHWAY AT APPROXIMATELY 72 MPH. WHILE DRIVING ON A STRAIGHT SECTION OF HIGHWAY AND WITH BOTH OF MY HANDS ON THE STEERING WHEEL, THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY WENT COMPLETELY OUT OF CONTROL. I TRIED DESPERATELY TO STRAIGHTEN UP AND TO CONTROL THE CAR BUT IT WAS USELESS. THE VEHICLE WENT SIDEWAYS AND THEN STARTED TO SPIN OUT OF CONTROL. THE VEHICLE ENDED UP IN A BERM ON THE SIDE OF THE HIGHWAY FACING IN THE OPPOSITE DIRECTION. ONLY BY THE MERCY AND GRACE OF GOD WAS OUR VEHICLE NOT STRUCK BY A PASSING VEHICLE OR DID OUR VEHICLE ROLL. WE WALKED AWAY FROM THE ACCIDENT WITH NO INJURIES JUST THANKFUL HEARTS. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A SERVICE STATION AND THE TECHNICIAN QUICKLY DIAGNOSED THE PROBLEM AS A BROKEN LOWER LEFT REAR CONTROL ARM SUPPORT BRACKET. THE CONTROL ARM IS WHAT KEEPS THE REAR WHEELS FROM TURNING LEFT OR RIGHT. THE LOWER CONTROL ARM SUPPORT BRACKET IS WHAT HELPS TO KEEP THE CONTROL ARM IN PLACE. UPON FURTHER INVESTIGATION AFTER THE ACCIDENT WE HAVE IDENTIFIED A NUMBER OF OTHER VEHICLE OWNERS WHO HAVE EXPERIENCED THIS SAME PROBLEM. THE PART IS CONSTRUCTED WITH AN INEXPENSIVE AND WEAK GRADE OF STEEL AND IS SUBJECT TO DAMAGE. *TR...UPDATED 08/31/2012 *BF UPDATED 09/05/2012 *JS
TRACTION CONTROL LIGHT COMES ON AFTER A COUPLE OF MINUTES OF THE CAR BEING TURNED ON (DOES NOT HAVE TO BE IN MOTION). STEERING GETS REAL SENSITIVE. *TR
1. THE AIR CONDITIONER FAILED, HAD TO BE REPLACED JUNE 2011. IT JUST GRADUALLY DID NOT COOL THE AIR AT ALL. FAN ON AC WORKED FINE, ALL CONTROLS AS WELL, JUST NO COOL AIR. $850. THE VEHICLE LUNGES FORWARD OR BACKWARD, MORE NOTICEABLE WHEN STARTING TO BACK UP. HAD VALVES CLEANED. WORKED TEMPORARILY. LOOKING AT MAJOR REPAIR BILL FOR THROTTLE BODY OR TRANSMISSION, DON'T KNOW WHICH.. *TR
I HAVE A FORD FREESTYLE 2005 THAT HAS AN A/C ISSUE. AS I HAVE DONE SOME ONLINE RESEARCH THERE ARE MANY COMPLAINTS. IT DOESN'T STAY COOL WHEN THE CAR IDLES. NEITHER DOES IT COOL THE CAR DOWN IN THE 90-100 DEGREE WEATHER. TOOK THE CAR TO A MECHANIC AND HE SAID IT WOULD COST $1100 TO REPLACE THE COMPRESSOR. HE SAID THE PROBLEM IS THAT YOU HAVE TO GET THE COMPRESSOR FROM FORD AND THEY HAVE A HUGE BACK LOG OF ORDERS AND THEY WEREN'T SURE WHEN HE COULD GET IT. I THINK THIS PROBLEM SHOULD BE LOOKED INTO. ONLINE THERE ARE MANY, MANY, MANY COMPLAINTS EXACTLY LIKE MINE. FORD SHOULD STAND BEHIND THEIR PRODUCT AND OFFER SOME KIND OF REIMBURSEMENT TO THOSE OF US WHO OWN THIS VEHICLE. *KB
2005 FORD FREESTYLE-LUNGES FORWARD AND BACKWARD WITHOUT TOUCHING GAS PEDAL. FORD DEALER REPLACED THROTTLE BODY ($700) JUNE 2010 AND WORKED FINE TILL MAY 2011 AND NOW IT IS HAPPENING AGAIN. INTERMITTENT NOW. RPM GAUGE FLUCTUATES WHEN LUNGING. WRENCH LIGHT CAME ON-BURNING. *TR
2005 FORD FREESTYLE HAS "AWD MALFUNCTION" MESSAGE (FORD DIAGNOSTIC CODE: P1889). MALFUNCTION MESSAGE COMES ON SPORADICALLY. NO CLEAR REASON FOR THE MALFUNCTION. HAPPENS WHILE DRIVING OR IDLING. WHEN THIS HAPPENS THE VEHICLE REVERTS TO 2WD. THIS CAN BE DANGEROUS WHILE DRIVING (ESPECIALLY IN WET, SNOWY, ICY CONDITIONS) AND HAPPENS UNEXPECTEDLY. HAVE TAKEN VEHICLE TO FORD DEALER, WITH NO SUCCESS IN FIXING. THE DEALER FOLLOWED WHAT FORD SAYS TO DO ACCORDING TO THE CODE AND CAN'T FIX PROBLEM. DEALER HAS REPLACED OIL PRESSURE AND TEMP SENSOR WITH NO CHANGE IN ISSUE. NOW WANTS TO TRY TO CHANGE THE TRACTION COUPLER AT THE REAR DIFFERENTIAL WITHOUT ANY GUARANTEE THAT WILL WOK EITHER. FORD DOES NOT HAVE A CLEAR FIX FOR ISSUE AND WILL NOT COVER COSTS OF REPAIRS FOR AWD DEFECT.
DURING VEHICLE OPERATION, THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER SUDDENLY AND CATASTROPHICALLY FAILS, APPARENTLY DISABLING SEVERAL CRITICAL SAFETY FEATURES. THE MALFUNCTION AT FIRST OCCURRED INTERMITTENTLY, THEN MORE FREQUENTLY, BUT NOW OCCURS CONTINUOUSLY. A LOCAL FORD DEALER HAS REPLACED THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER TWICE WITHOUT RESOLVING THE PROBLEM, INDICATING THAT ORIGINAL FORD EQUIPMENT MAY BE DEFECTIVE. THE SPEEDOMETER AND TACHOMETER NEEDLES SUDDENLY DROP TO ZERO AND FREEZE. THE DIGITAL DISPLAY SHOWS 'ODOMETER DATA ERROR.' ALL WARNING LIGHTS ON THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER COME ON AT ONCE. WITHOUT THESE INSTRUMENTS, THE DRIVER CAN NO LONGER MONITOR VEHICLE PERFORMANCE, SUCH AS SPEED AND ENGINE TEMPERATURE. THE MALFUNCTION DEFINITELY DISABLES THE AUTOMATIC DOOR LOCKS AND TRACTION CONTROL. IT MAY VERY WELL ALSO DISABLE THE AIR BAG SYSTEM SINCE THE SELF-CHECK DISPLAY ALSO DOES NOT WORK. *TR
WHILE THE CAR IS IN IDLE OR NO ACCELERATION MADE, AT A STOP OR IN REVERSE, MY CAR WILL SURGE, EVEN WITH THE BRAKE ON. I CHECKED WITH THE BETTER BUSINESS BUREAU, AND ALSO WITH FORD.COM. THEY SUGGESTED I SCHEDULE A CHECK UP, WHICH I DID. I WENT TO THE DEALER REPAIR SERVICE AND THEY WERE UNSURE OF WHAT TO DO. ONE MECHANIC SUGGESTED A THROTTLE BODY REPLACEMENT WHICH IS 700 DOLLARS, BUT SAID HE'S UNSURE OF HOW TO PROCEED. THIS SEEMS TO ME LIKE A SAFETY ISSUE THAT SHOULD CONSTITUTE INVESTIGATION BY NHTSA. ESPECIALLY CONSIDERING WHAT HAPPENED WITH THE TOYOTA. I SEARCHED ONLINE AND FOUND THOUSANDS OF INQUIRIES BY CONSUMERS. SOME OF WHICH REAR-ENDED VEHICLES. WHEN WILL NHTSA TAKE ACTION? *TR
FOR THE PAST TWO YEARS I HAVE HAD TROUBLE WITH MY 2005 FORD FREESTYLE SURGING WHILE IN DRIVE OR REVERSE AT SLOW SPEEDS. AGAIN YESTERDAY THIS HAPPENED WHILE IN A PARKING LOT AS I WAS PULLING INTO THE PARKING SPACE. THIS IS TYPICAL OF WHEN THE CAR LURCHES/SURGES FORWARD. HOWEVER, YESTERDAY THE CAR ALSO WENT INTO "FAIL SAFE ENGINE MODE". I HAVE BEEN COMPLAINING TO MY DEALERSHIP ABOUT THIS INCIDENT SINCE PRIOR TO THE STANDARD WARRANTY EXPIRING ON THE CAR. I HAVE ALSO FILED A COMPLAINT DIRECTLY WITH FORD MOTOR COMPANY. SINCE THE CAR DOES NOT 'THROW ANY CODES' WHEN THIS OCCURS THERE HAS NEVER BEEN ANY ACTION TAKEN TO RESOLVE THE ISSUE ALTHOUGH I CONTINUE TO NOTIFY MY DEALERSHIP EVERYTIME THE CAR IS IN FOR SCHEDULED MAINTENANCE, REPAIR, ETC. IT APPEARS THE PROBLEM IS WITH THE THROTTLE BODY/THROTTLE BODY CONTROL. *TR
SITTING AT A RED LIGHT AND THE CAR LURCHED FORWARD WHEN FOOT WAS ON THE BRAKE. ALMOST GOT HIT IN THE MIDDLE OF AN INTERSECTION. CAR THEN IMMEDIATELY WENT INTO FAILSAFE MODE AND WOULD NOT GO OVER 30 MPH. TOOK IT TO DEALER AND WAS DETERMINED THAT THROTTLE BODY ASSEMBLY NEEDED TO REPLACED. THEN WAS TOLD A WEEK LATER THAT THE PART WAS BACKORDERED AND WOULD NOT BE AVAILABLE FOR OVER 90 DAYS. DEALER THEN TOLD ME IT WAS OK TO DRIVE. NO WAY I'M PUTTING MY FAMILY IN THIS CAR WHICH COULD GAS FORWARD ON IT'S OWN AS IT IS A DRIVE BY WIRE SYSTEM. MANY PEOPLE REPORTING THE SAME PROBLEMS. FORD EVEN HAS A TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN ISSUED REGARDING THIS PROBLEM--TSB 05-25-13. SAME PROBLEM HAPPENED TO VOLVO'S WHICH USE SAME PARTS. HOPEFULLY MORE REPORTS OF THIS WILL CAUSE FORD TO RECALL THE PART! AND ALSO AFTER EVERY TWO FILL UPS THE FUEL LEVEL SENDING UNIT GOES BAD. *TR
DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THE VEHICLE WAS MODIFIED TO ALLOW THE DRIVER TO BE SEATED IN A WHEEL CHAIR. SHORTLY AFTER THE MODIFICATION A PROBLEM BEGAN WHILE ATTEMPTING TO OPEN THE DOOR TO LOWER THE RAMP. THE DOOR DOES NOT OPEN AUTOMATICALLY TO ENGAGE THE RAMP FOR EXIT OR ENTRY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE LOCAL DEALER WERE THE MOTHER BOARD WAS REPLACED. THE REPLACEMENT OF THE PART DID NOT REMEDY THE PROBLEM. THE VEHICLE WAS RETURNED TO THE LOCAL DEALER WHERE THE KEYLESS ENTRY REMOTES WERE REPLACED. THE REPLACEMENT OF THE REMOTES DID NOT REMEDY THE PROBLEM. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE ORIGINAL MODIFICATION DEALER WERE IT WAS INSPECTED AND WAS DETERMINED THE REMOTES WERE OBSTRUCTED BY A FOREIGN BODY WHICH WAS REMOVED. THIS DID NOT REMEDY THE PROBLEM. THE VEHICLE WAS THEN TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MOBILITY DEALER WHO DETERMINED THE ENTIRE FLOORING MATERIALS NEEDED TO BE REMOVED IN ORDER TO SECURE THE LOCK DOWN FOR THE FRONT SEAT WHEEL CHAIR. THIS PROCEDURE WAS COMPLETED TO REMEDY A SECOND PROBLEM THE CONTACT WAS UNAWARE EXISTED. ADDITIONALLY, THE INDEPENDENT MOBILITY DEALER RECOMMENDED REPLACING THE MOTHER BOARD BECAUSE OF UNPREDICTABILITY. THE DEALER DETERMINED THE ORIGINAL AND REPLACEMENT BOARDS WERE NOT THE APPROPRIATE APPLICATION FOR USE IN THE CONVERSION. THE DEALER RECOMMENDED THE USE OF A COMPLETELY DIFFERENT BRAND OF MOTHER BOARD. THE DEALER ORDERED THE NEW MOTHER BOARD AND IS AWAITING SHIPMENT. CURRENTLY THE ONLY WAY THE DOOR AND RAMP CAN BE USED IS BY SOMEONE MANUALLY OPENING THE DOOR AND PULLING OUT THE RAMP. THIS PROCESS RENDERS THE VEHICLE IMPOSSIBLE TO USE BY THE CONTACT ALONE.
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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