2007 Ford Freestyle

On November 29, 2012, Ford Motor Company (Ford) initiated Customer Satisfaction Program 12N03 to extend warranty coverage terms for repair of engine idle RPM surge caused by throttle body deposits in all model year (MY) 2005 through 2007 Ford Freestyle, Five Hundred and Mercury Montego vehicles.The program extends the coverage for up to 10 years of service or 150,000 miles from the warranty start date of the vehicle (all vehicles are eligible for the program through May 31, 2013, regardless of mileage).Dealers will repair vehicles exhibiting the condition by removing and cleaning the throttle body and reprogramming the PCM with software containing an updated idle speed control strategy.According to Ford, some of the affected vehicles may experience momentary, intermittent engine idle RPM surge (idle flare) when stopped or during low speed driving maneuvers such as in a parking lot or driveway.Unstable idle speed control (dips and flares) around the target engine speed (700 rpm) can occur in vehicles with deposit build-up in the throttle body when the system adjusts engine speed in response to changes in engine load, typically from power steering application or air-conditioner compressor cycling.Idle speed control logic is only active at vehicle speeds below 3.5 mph and when the accelerator pedal is not applied.Ford testing of a vehicle with a worst case throttle body measured a maximum idle flare of 1360 RPM lasting approximately 1 second, which Ford indicated was consistent with system design to limit vehicle speed and acceleration in idle control mode.Ford indicated that the test vehicle was held in place with normal brake effort and that vehicle speed remained under 4 mph without the brake pedal applied.In addition to throttle body deposit accumulation, symptoms associated with the condition may include Check Engine lamp illumination and diagnostic trouble codes (DTCs) P0505, P0506 or P061B.Ford attributed the surge condition to changes in idle air flow resulting from the progressive buildup of deposits in the throttle body from normal Positive Crankcase Ventilation (PCV) system operation.This condition was not adequately compensated for in the original Powertrain Control Module (PCM) calibration.Ford issued a technical service bulletin on August 15, 2011 (TSB 11-8-5), releasing an updated powertrain control calibration for vehicles with CVT transmissions.On October 19, 2011, Ford issued a second bulletin (TSB 11-10-21) superseding TSB 11-8-5 and including updated powertrain control calibration for vehicles with 6-speed transmissions.Prior to Ford issuing the TSB?s, owner?s experiencing the alleged defect either received no repairs, if dealers could not duplicate the condition, or had the throttle body cleaned or replaced, which only provided temporary correction until the throttle deposit build-up returned.Ford?s revised powertrain calibrations appear to be effective remedies for the idle instability caused by build-up of throttle body deposits.However, even after the TSB?s were released, many owners experiencing the condition continued to have difficulty with proper diagnosis and repair as dealers were often either unable to duplicate the condition or were unfamiliar with the new repair procedures.Ford's new program addresses those concerns.NHTSA's testing and complaint analysis indicate that the idle speed control issue in the subject vehicles can only occur at very low speeds, are very brief events, are easily controlled by moderate brake pedal forces and result in minor increases in vehicle speed even with no braking.This investigation is closed.The closing of this in

ON OCTOBER 14, 2008, ODI OPENED PE08-060 TO INVESTIGATE ALLEGATIONS OF CRACKED AND LEAKING SNAP-IN TIRE VALVES IN MODEL YEAR (MY) 2007 VEHICLES MANUFACTURED BY FORD MOTOR COMPANY.THE VALVES WERE SUPPLIED TO FORD BY TOPSEAL AUTO-PARTS, A SUBSIDIARY OF THE SHANGHAI BAOLONG AUTOMOTIVE CORPORATION IN CHINA.VALVES MADE BY TOPSEAL FOR AFTERMARKET SALE WERE THE SUBJECT OF TWO RECENT SAFETY RECALLS BY TECH INTERNATIONAL (08T-018) AND DILL AIR CONTROLS (08T-028), THE LATTER OF WHICH WAS INVESTIGATED BY ODI IN PE08-036 AND EA08-022.THE DEFECT CONDITIONS ADDRESSED BY THE AFTERMARKET TIRE VALVE RECALLS BOTH INVOLVED INADEQUATE RESISTANCE TO OZONE CRACKING DUE TO ISSUES WITH THE SUPPLY OF ANTI-OZONANT CHEMICALS TO TOPSEAL FOR A PERIOD FROM JULY TO MID-NOVEMBER 2006.THE AFTERMARKET VALVES WERE COMPOUNDED WITH A BLEND OF EPDM AND NATURAL RUBBER, USING A RELATIVELY LOW PERCENTAGE OF EPDM (EPDM PROVIDES INHERENT RESISTANCE TO OZONE CRACKING).HENCE, THE NEED FOR ANTI-OZONANT CHEMICALS AND THE PROBLEMS WITH CRACKING WHEN THOSE CHEMICALS WERE MISSING OR OUT OF SPECIFICATION IN SOME LOTS OF VALVES.BOTH RECALL CAMPAIGNS INVOLVED INSPECTION PROGRAMS TO IDENTIFY AND REPLACE VALVES WITH VISIBLE SURFACE CRACKING.ALTHOUGH THE TOPSEAL VALVES SUPPLIED TO FORD ALSO APPEAR TO HAVE BEEN AFFECTED BY THE ANTI-OZONANT SUPPLY ISSUES IN MID TO LATE-2006, FORD INDICATED THAT ITS VALVES WERE MADE AT A DIFFERENT TOPSEAL PRODUCTION LINE AND WERE COMPOUNDED WITH A HIGHER PERCENTAGE OF EPDM RUBBER TO MEET MORE STRINGENT SPECIFICATIONS FROM FORD.ODI'S ANALYSIS OF COMPLAINT AND WARRANTY DATA PROVIDED BY FORD SHOWED THAT PROBLEMS WITH CRACKED TIRE VALVES WERE SIGNIFICANTLY HIGHER FOR MY 2007 VEHICLES PRODUCED FROM DECEMBER 2006 THROUGH MARCH 2007.FORD RESPONDED BY IMPLEMENTING CHANGES IN ITS MATERIAL SPECIFICATIONS FOR SNAP-IN RUBBER TIRE VALVES AND ALSO INCREASING THE QUALITY AND ACCEPTANCE STANDARDS FOR VALVES IMPORTED FOR USE IN ITS VEHICLES.WHILE THE COMPLAINT AND WARRANTY CLAIM RATES ARE ELEVATED FOR SUBJECT VEHICLES PRODUCED FROM DECEMBER 2006 THROUGH MARCH 2007, THE RATES OF LEAKING VALVES ARE WELL BELOW ONE PERCENT OF PRODUCTION FOR EACH OF THE PEAK MONTHS FOR ALL OF THE AFFECTED MODELS.A SUBSTANTIAL MAJORITY OF THE SUBJECT VEHICLES ARE EQUIPPED WITH TIRE PRESSURE MONITORING SYSTEMS (TPMS) WHICH WARN THE DRIVER WHEN ANY TIRE PRESSURES DROPS BELOW 25 PERCENT OF RECOMMENDED INFLATION PRESSURE. AS OUTLINED IN A LETTER TO ODI DATED APRIL 6, 2009, FORD HAS AGREED TO SEND LETTERS TO OWNERS OF CERTAIN MY 2007 AND 2008 FORD, LINCOLN AND MERCURY VEHICLES TO PROVIDE INFORMATION ABOUT THE CRACKING CONCERN. LETTERS WILL BE SENT TO OWNERS OF VEHICLES BUILT FROM NOVEMBER 2006 THROUGH MAY 2007.OWNERS CAN OPT FOR A FREE DEALER INSPECTION.VALVES EXHIBITING SURFACE CRACKS OR AIR LEAKAGE RELATED TO OZONE ATTACK WILL BE REPLACED BY FORD UNDER ITS NORMAL WARRANTY TERMS.FORD EXPECTS TO SEND THE LETTER BY APPROXIMATELY MID-MAY 2009. BASED ON THE USE OF TPMS IN THE MAJORITY OF SUBJECT VEHICLES AND THE RELATIVELY LOW RATES OF REPAIRS ASSOCIATED WITH LEAKING VALVES AND RESULTANT TIRE DAMAGE, ODI BELIEVES THAT THE ACTIONS FORD HAS AGREED TO TAKE WILL PROVIDE EFFECTIVE AND EXPEDITIOUS RESOLUTION FOR VEHICLES THAT WERE BUILT DURING THE PERIOD WHEN VALVES WITH INADEQUATE RESISTANCE TO OZONE CRACKING WERE MOST LIKELY TO HAVE BEEN USED IN VEHICLE PRODUCTION.FURTHER INVESTIGATION OF THIS MATTER WOULD NOT BE AN EFFICIENT ALLOCATION OF AGENCY RESOURCES.ACCORDINGLY, THIS INVESTIGATION IS CLOSED.THE CLOSING OF THIS INVESTIGATION DOES NOT CONSTITUTE A FINDING BY NHTSA THAT A SAFETY-RELATED DEFECT DOES NOT EXIST.THE AGENCY WILL CONTINUE TO

The contact owns a 2007 Ford Freestyle. The contact stated while driving approximately 10 MPH in a parking lot, the contact depressed the brake pedal and the vehicle jolted forward. The contact stated that the vehicle was also hesitating before moving forward when the gear shifter was shifted into drive. The contact stated that the failure was a recurring failure and there was an abnormal sound coming from underneath the vehicle. The contact stated no warning light was illuminated. The contact stated that the failure recurred at various speeds. The contact had taken the vehicle to an independent mechanic who diagnosed the vehicle and determined that there was an internal failure that had caused the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 80,000.

NHTSA ID

11635828

Incident

Jun 14, 2024

Mileage

80,000 mi

Under carriage is completely rotten floor boards ,shock mounts, rear frame. Garage on lunenburg st.in Fitchburg,MA said that it was so rotten that he couldn't find a safe spot to put the car on the lift to do exhaust work. Put in a complaint in Sept 2023 with NHTSA ID number 11544728. I explained to them that I had contacted Ford Motor Co. and Ford didn't want to hear it. This car is problematic.Transmission does not shift properly. This vehicle never had a recall. There is dozens of consumer complaints. This vehicle is a hazard on the road and is very expensive to repair. Under carriage is unrepairable making this vehicle junk.

NHTSA ID

11561385

Incident

Sep 11, 2023

The contact owns a 2007 Ford Freestyle. The contact stated while driving at various speeds, the transmission failed to shift properly. The contact stated that the transmission warning light was illuminated. Additionally, the contact stated that the floorboard, undercarriage, and shock mounts were rusted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and determined that the VIN was not under recall. The failure mileage was unknown.

NHTSA ID

11544728

Incident

Aug 23, 2022

I had an oil change for vehicle. Service technician listed on report of vehicle that the subframe has several holes in it and a long crack along the seam . It was serviced by the facility that does my servicing so I believe that qualifies as a dealer. I transport four children back and forth to school and am very concerned about the vehicle “ falling apart!” I understand that the Taurus and the Freestar have the same subframe and those have been recalled. I would think that the Freestyle should be recalled also. There were no warning lights or messages related to this problem. I have now reported this and am asking you to take action to repair this problem. Thank you!

NHTSA ID

11471210

Incident

Jun 13, 2022

Front crossmember/subframe that supports the motor and transmission as well as connects controls arms for both front wheels rusted out almost causing an accident due to loss of vehicle control.

NHTSA ID

11458114

Incident

Mar 23, 2022

The contact owns a 2007 Ford Freestyle. The contact stated that while driving approximately 55 MPH or above, the vehicle would suddenly go into limp mode and fail to accelerate. There was a warning light that displayed a wrench however, the contact did not know what was indicated specifically. The contact had not taken the vehicle to the dealer to be diagnosed. The contact stated that after researching the cause of the failure he became aware that the transmission was faulty. Additionally, that type of transmission was discontinued by the manufacturer. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 100,000.

NHTSA ID

11445274

Incident

Jun 28, 2021

Mileage

100,000 mi

THE CAR SUDDENLY STARTED MAKING NOISE THEN A WRENCH LIGHT SHORTLY AFTER CAME ON AND MOTOR/ TRANSMISSION MAYBE REVES VERY HIGH AND CAN'T DRIVE IT

NHTSA ID

11404483

Incident

Mar 28, 2014

Mileage

90,000 mi

MY 2007 FORD FREESTYLE 2WD CVT TRANSMISSION MAKING NOISE IN PARK AND NEUTRAL. TOOK TO MECHANIC AND WAS INFORMED THAT THE INPUT SHAFT AND BEARING WAS BAD. TRANSMISSION SHOP SAID SAME THING. DID RESEARCH AND FOUND HUNDREDS AND HUNDREDS OF COMPLAINTS ABOUT SAME ISSUE.

NHTSA ID

11373752

Incident

Sep 1, 2020

Mileage

180,000 mi

Motorcraft® Continuously Variable Chain-Type Transmission Fluid (XT-7-QCFT in non-Canadian markets, CXT-7-LCF12 in Canada) is no longer manufactured and will only be available until inventory depletes. The recommended replacement fluids are Phillips 66 VersaTrans® CVT Plus Fluid or Kendall VersaTrans® CVT Plus Fluid. Mixing Motorcraft® CVT fluid (blue-green color) with these replacement fluids (red color) in the same transmission is acceptable.

The Powertrain Control/Emissions Diagnosis (PC/ED) manual has been revised for diagnosing electronic throttle bodies (ETBs). The ETC_ACT and ETC_DSD PIDs should not used to diagnose possible ETB concerns. The IDS has a limited refresh rate when reading these PIDs and cannot display quickly enough to validate a concern. The PCM automatically monitors these inputs more accurately and will set diagnostic trouble codes (DTCs) when appropriate. Using these PIDs for diagnostics will lead to inaccurate results and improper ETB replacements. If a concern is intermittent and no DTCs are present, refer to historical DTCs and the PC/ED, Section 3 No DTCs Present Index chart for further information.

FORD: SEE DOCUMENT SEARCH BUTTON FOR OWNER LETTER. MOMENTARY ENGINE IDLE RPM SURGE MAY BE INTERMITTENT AND MAY OCCUR, DUE TO DEPOSITS BUILDUP IN THROTTLE BODY, AT LOW SPEEDS, WHILE PARKING OR ENTERING DRIVEWAY AND CHECK ENGINE LAMP MAY ILLUMINATE. MODELS 2005-07 FREESTYLE, 500, MONTEGO. *PE

FORD MERCURY SERVICE CAMPAIGN: SEE DOCUMENT SEARCH BUTTON FOR OWNER LETTER. CERTAIN 2005 THROUGH 2007 FWD AND AWD FORD FIVE HUNDRED, FREESTYLE AND MERCURY MONTEGO VEHICLES - REAR BRAKE WEAR. ALSO HAVE AN OWNER'S LETTER. *NJ UPDATED 1/25/08. *NJ

MIL WITH DTC P0106 AND/OR P0109. *KB

FUEL GAUGE ERRATIC/INACCURATE AND/OR MIL ON WITH DTC P0463, B1202, B2627, B2879, AND/OR P2068. *KB