RoadVitals

2005 Ford Freestyle Visibility Problems

Owner-reported complaints naming the visibility system, filed with NHTSA

Data refreshed

Visibility reportsComplaints are reports submitted to NHTSA by owners and drivers. NHTSA does not verify most reports before publishing them, and a complaint does not establish that a defect exists. Volume is influenced by how many of a vehicle were sold, how long it has been on the road, and how much attention an issue has received.
12
Latest Apr 24, 2023
Share of all reportsThis category as a share of every owner report on file for this model year. One report can name more than one component, so the categories overlap.
<1%
of 1,459 total
Crash or fire reportedReports in this category whose submitter recorded that a crash or a fire occurred. The reporter's own answer on the NHTSA form, not a verified finding.
0
Injuries or deaths reportedTotals the submitters entered on their own reports in this category. Not verified by NHTSA and not a casualty statistic.
0

What this page shows

Reports naming windshields, glass, wipers, defrosters and mirrors. 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. 12 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.

Owner reports naming visibility

Shown in the owner’s own words, exactly as filed

Visibility
Filed Apr 24, 2023

Driving my 2005 Ford Freestyle today when I suddenly heard a loud explosion or crash sound overhead. At first I thought something had fallen from the sky and crashed into the top of our vehicle. I immediately slowed down and pulled the car off the side of the road. My husband was a passenger in the vehicle. He carefully got out of the vehicle and looked on top of and around the vehicle. That is when we discovered that the glass in the sunroof had literally exploded and blown out of the vehicle. The track was still in place and operating normally. The glass was completely blown out of the vehicle. Because the Ford Freestyle was only in production for 3 years (I believe), there probably are not many still in use. Thus, there are probably not many Ford Freestyle owners having or reporting this problem. Besides being scared, the potential for being hit by the exploding glass and suffering substantial injuries to our heads, eyes, face, shoulders, bodies, could have been tremendous, if not deadly. I reported the incident to Ford Motor Company. The vehicle has not been inspected yet by manufacturer, police, insurance, or others. There were no warning lamps, messages or other symptoms of the problem prior to the sunroof glass failure.

NHTSA ID
11518753
Incident
Apr 24, 2023
Driver assistanceFuel systemVisibility
Filed May 20, 2019

DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD AND LOST POWER THE CAR WAS STILL RUNNING. THE REAR WIPER DOESN'T WORK AND THE TRACTION CONTROL SYSTEM IS MALFUNCTIONING

NHTSA ID
11208744
Incident
May 19, 2019
Mileage
150,000 mi
Visibility
Filed Jan 17, 2013

THE AIR CONDITIONER BLOWS WARM AIR ONLY. *TR

NHTSA ID
10493350
Incident
Jun 6, 2012
Mileage
80,000 mi
Driver assistanceElectricalInterior & seats+1 more
Filed Dec 8, 2012

THE FIRST INCIDENT MY FUEL GAUGE IS OFF & PRODUCING INCORRECT DATA OF GAS REMAINING IN CAR & DRIVER WINDOW WOULD ROLL UP AND DOWN WHEN TRYING TO JUST ROLL IT UP. I TOOK THE CAR BACK TO THE DEALERSHIP THEY DID NOT FIX THE ISSUE. ANOTHER INCIDENT I WAS ON THE HIGHWAY AND THE STALLED WHILE DRIVING. THIRD INCIDENT I WAS AT A STOP LIGHT WITH MY 5 YEAR OLD DAUGHTER IN THE CAR, ALL OF A SUDDEN THE CAR MADE A LOUD REVVING UP NOISE THEN SHOT US FORWARD INTO ONCOMING TRAFFIC. I WAS BARELY ABLE TO BACK UP BEFORE THE CARS REACHED US. ANOTHER TIME I WAS DRIVING WITH MY DAUGHTER TAKING HER TO DAYCARE THEN GOING TO WORK AND WE WERE GOING THROUGH A SCHOOL ZONE. WE STOPPED AT A STOP SIGN AND THERE WAS A FAMILY WITH 3 CHILDREN CROSSING AND THE CAR SHOT US FORWARD AGAIN AND WE ALMOST HIT THE FAMILY. SEVERAL TIMES WHEN PICKING UP MY DAUGHTER I WOULD PUT THE CAR IN REVERSE AND MY FOOT WAS ON THE BRAKE PEDAL STILL ALL OF A SUDDEN THE CAR SHOT US BACK INTO THE CARS BEHIND US. THIS CAR IS VERY UNSAFE. I FEAR FOR THE SAFETY OF OTHERS AND MY DAUGHTERS AND MY LIFE WHEN GETTING INTO THIS CAR. FORD SHOULD RECALL THIS VEHICLE AND REPLACE IT WITH A NEW CAR. PEOPLE SHOULDN'T BE AT RISK FOR THIS. *TR

NHTSA ID
10487747
Incident
Jan 11, 2012
Mileage
55,000 mi
Visibility
Filed Apr 26, 2010

REAR WINDOW OF 2005 FORD FREESTYLE EXPLODED WHEN DRIVING OUT OF THE GARAGE. *TR

NHTSA ID
10327624
Incident
Apr 26, 2010
Mileage
26,000 mi
Body & structureVisibility
Filed Dec 13, 2009

WHEN IT RAINS WATER LEAK INSIDE THE CAR CAUSING THE WINDSHIELD AND WINDOWS OF THE CAR TO FOG REAL BAD. I HAD TO STOP IN THE MIDDLE OF I - 65 BECAUSE I COULD NOT SEE ANYTHING. THE WINDSHIELD AND THE WINDOWS FOGGED SO FAST THAT I COULD NOT SEE THE HIGHWAY. THIS IS THE THIRD TIME THIS HAS HAPPEN TO US. *TR

NHTSA ID
10295536
Incident
Oct 30, 2009
Body & structureVisibility
Filed Jul 3, 2006

REFLECTION ON WINDSHIELD MAKES VISIBILITY VERY DIFFICULT. THIS CAUSES DRIVING BLIND FOR SHORT INSTANCES AND MAKES MANEUVERING/PARKING IN TIGHT SPOTS ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE. *NM

NHTSA ID
10161263
Incident
Jul 7, 2005
Body & structureVisibility
Filed Sep 6, 2005

WINDSHIELD GLARE UNSAFE. E.G. ROUNDING CORNER INTO SUNLIGHT CAUSES DASH REFLECTION ONTO WINDSHIELD & UNABLE TO SEE OBJECTS OR VEHICLES IN FRONT. USE OF POLARIZED SUNGLASSES HELPS...BUT CAN'T WEAR THEM ALL THE TIME. DIFFICULT TO JUDGE DISTANCE, SEE OTHER VEHICLES.*JB

NHTSA ID
10135388
Incident
Sep 6, 2005
Visibility
Filed Jun 10, 2005

THE REFLECTION OF THE DASHBOARD ONTO THE WINDSHIELD IMPEDES VISIBILITY OUT OF THE WINDSHIELD. GOING FROM THE OUTSIDE (BOTH SUNNY AND CLOUDY DAYS) INTO A GARAGE OR TUNNEL, THE EXTREME GLARE PROHIBITS VISIBLITY THROUGH THE WINDSHEILD. WHEN IN A PARKING LOT AND BACKING OUT OF A SPACE, VISIBILITY IS RESTRICTED SEEING THE ADJACENT CARS.

NHTSA ID
10124970
Incident
Apr 26, 2005
Mileage
15 mi
Visibility
Filed Jun 9, 2005

DT: CONTACT STATES THE INTERIOR COLOR OF VEHICLE IS CAUSING A GLARE IN THE WINDSHIELD, MAKING IT DIFFICULT TO SEE. THIS HAPPENS ON A CLEAR AND SUNNY DAY. WHEN IT IS CLOUDY THE REFLECTION IS NOT AS BAD. THE SERVICE DEALER SUGGESTED PUTTING A RUG ON THE DASHBOARD TO ELIMINATE THIS PROBLEM.*AK

NHTSA ID
10124799
Incident
Jun 1, 2005
Visibility
Filed May 17, 2005

GLARE ON DASH. NO ACCIDENT YET, BUT WILL BE.

NHTSA ID
10121127
Incident
May 13, 2005
Visibility
Filed May 6, 2005

DT: WHEN WINDOWS IN BACK SEAT ARE ROLLED DOWN THE NOISE IS DEAFENING. IT HURTS THE EARS OF ANYBODY IN VEHICLE. WHEN THE WINDOWS ARE DOWN THE WHOLE VAN VIBRATES. TOOK IT TO DEALER, AND THEY HAVE NO SOLUTION. HE CALLED FORD,THEY SAID IF THEY DECIDE THERE IS A PROBLEM THEY WILL CALL HIM BACK. CONTACT HAS CONCERNS ABOUT OTHER PEOPLE BUYING THIS VEHICLE. CONTACT DOES NOT KNOW WHAT TO DO NEXT.*AK

NHTSA ID
10120125
Incident
Apr 20, 2005
Mileage
3,400 mi

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.

Other components reported on this vehicle

Categories with enough reports to have a page of their own

Elsewhere on this vehicle

Data sources

Data on this page last refreshed .