10.0

really awful
Crashes / Fires:
1 / 0
Injuries / Deaths:
1 / 0
Average Mileage:
115,525 miles

About These NHTSA Complaints:

This data is from the NHTSA — the US gov't agency tasked with vehicle safety. Complaints are spread across multiple & redundant categories, & are not organized by problem.

So how do you find out what problems are occurring? For this NHTSA complaint data, the only way is to read through the comments below. Any duplicates or errors? It's not us.

2005 Ford Freestar drivetrain problems

drivetrain problem

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2005 Ford Freestar Owner Comments (Page 3 of 13)

« Read the previous 20 complaints

problem #219

Jun 142017

Freestar

  • 189,000 miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

While driving down a city road at any speed, rpms will suddenly increase slightly, then vehicle will drop in rpms creating a sound similar to a horse neighing. Sometimes vehicle will loose all motor power, which will require a shift into neutral, turning off key then turning on key, restarting engine. This will typically happen when turning onto a road from a dead stop, or when going up hill. This is an on going issue since purchase of the vehicle. Vehicle was purchased via side of road deal on 6/14/2017, at 189,000 miles. Vehicle is now at 190000. In field of "when did this happen date will be purchase date. Hard to provide documentation since video would be better to provide proof of problem.

- Parkersburg, WV, USA

problem #218

Jun 052017

Freestar

  • miles
On June 5th 2017 we hit a deer with our van on the drivers side. After the deer hit the van the deer spun around and went under the van. The van was driveable and there weren't any fluids leaking. On our way home that same night when you would get up to 60 miles per hour it would jerk really bad in the transmission. Well when we had the damage on the side of the van fixed we had them look at it. They couldn't find the problem then. We took it back to them again and it was getting worse. They figured out that it mow had a bad torque converter.

- Monroe, WI, USA

problem #217

Jul 012017

Freestar

  • 152,000 miles
Torque converter and output shaft. When accelerating internal shaft splines sounds stripped with no power to go. Tachometer in take off reves up when changing gears.

- Lawton, OK, USA

problem #216

Apr 222015

Freestar 6-cyl

  • miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

2005 Ford Freestar. Consumer writes in regards to unsatisfactory customer service at dealership and unresolved vehicle problems. Consumer sent additional correspondence. The consumer stated the check engine light remained on after multiple repairs were made. The vehicle would also stall. The torque converter went out and the vehicle had to be towed. The vehicle was traded in.

- Selbyville, DE, USA

problem #215

Jun 082017

Freestar

  • 96,000 miles
Vehicle was making a sound kind of like a misfire in the air intake or back fire in the exhaust. Listened several times and sounded like the noise was actually coming from under the vehicle. Took it for a diagnosis to J&a transmission in morris, il their diagnosis was it's the torque converter which is a recall for this year make and model but Ford is unwilling to help us be safe and repair the issue since our VIN isn't listed in their system for the recall. NHTSA issued the recall for all 2004-05 models. See PE09-033

- Cicero, IL, USA

problem #214

Apr 222017

Freestar

  • 215,000 miles
While driving the RPM would drop to zero and no power would go towards movement. Then RPM would suddenly jump to over 1500 causing my van to lurch and jump even while brake was applied. I was driving within the city, speed of 30 mph.

- Moline, IL, USA

problem #213

Feb 192017

Freestar

  • 160,000 miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

2005 Ford Freestar recall I have a 2005 Ford Freestar and didn't know that it had been recalled. I was driving an hour away from my home when coming down an extremely busy offramp the transmission just stopped working. It took me an hour at least to get the van to the side of the road as people were honking and flying down the offramp. I had my two kids with me and they were terrified. I looked up the symptoms of my vehicle and discovered the recall of the torque converter and how it can kill the transmission immediately so I felt confident Ford would help S the van had a recall on the torque converter and I had it towed to phil long in springs, because it quit shifting in the springs, and they told me today it was the transmission. I did research and its doing the same thing all 05 Freestars were doing to get recalled. The guy at the service place also said that it had already been fixed which was not true because I ran the VIN previously ten he tod me it was the whole transmission but I don't trust them. I should still have a new torque converter put in as well right? I called a Ford dealership and the lady who answered the phone said that she doubted my vehicle was recalled but I assured her I had already called and checked so she told me to have it together. I called roadside assistance. When I had the van towed to phil long in Colorado springs they were very rude. Initially they didn't want to help but I explained the row truck driver already left it. They asked us to wait I'm the waiting area for quite a while then told us they'd fix the torque converter Thursday. After waiting a week with no transportation they told me they would need 4500 to fix it. I don't know what to do I can't affordable another vehicle or the repairs and it doesn't seem fair that even though this has happened to so many people Ford still profits so much.

- Pueblo, CO, USA

problem #212

Nov 152016

Freestar

  • 65,948 miles
Had the torque converter replaced as per recall at 53692 miles. Two years and 12000 miles later the van lost power on the road. Dealer estimated $1300 to diagnose and $3000 if it is the transmission.

- Clovis, CA, USA

problem #211

Oct 082016

Freestar

  • miles
Backed out of driveway and noticed that the transmission seemed to hesitate or shudder. Pulled onto interstate and transmission shifted very sluggishly and started slipping. Pulled off the road and vehicle would not move. With transmission in gear, engineering just reved. Had to have vehicle towed home. The next morning the vehicle would move but continues to shudder/slip. Went online and discovered recall. Had received no notice from Ford.

- Charlotte, NC, USA

problem #210

Aug 182016

Freestar

  • 220,000 miles
In motion and in drive on state route 309 the vehicle suddenly and without warning lost all ability to move. We had myself, my husband, my three daughters (17, 10, and 1) plus our new born son in the vehicle. The vehicle had to be coasted to a near by gas station but not before being very close hit in the back by a semi truck. The vehicle was placed in park, then drive again to see if the vehicle would go into gear. The vehicle failed to go into gear. The other gears on the vehicle were tested only to confirm the vehicle would not go into any gear or move. At this time Ford corperate had been contacted and they suggested we pay to have it towed to the nearest Ford repair garage. (we has just got the vehicle back 4 days prior to the inability to move, to have a power train sensor they diagnosed as bad because the power train light had been blinking and the vehicle had been jerking when put into drive.) unable to have the vehicle towed to Ford, due to lack of funds from the previous week, we had to push the vehicle home.

- Caledonia, OH, USA

problem #209

Aug 302013

Freestar

  • 100,000 miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

My Freestar was recalled for a problem with the torque converter, ( my vehicle never really had good pick-up) anyway the trans went and a Ford dealer in NY state (watkins glen) repaired it it still didnt have any pick -up now about 1.5 years later im having same problem my vans been sitting now for a year could they have installed another faulty torque converter" what can I do"08

- Voorhees, NJ, USA

problem #208

Aug 092016

Freestar

  • 120,000 miles
The contact owns a 2005 Ford Freestar. The contact stated that the vehicle decelerated and would not accelerate past 5 mph. The transaxle warning indicator illuminated. The vehicle was not diagnosed nor repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 120,000.

- Franklinville, NC, USA

problem #207

Jun 092008

Freestar

  • 60,000 miles
The contact owns a 2005 Ford Freestar. While driving 25 mph down a steep decline, the transmission failed to operate. The contact lost slight steering control on the mountainous road. After regaining control, the vehicle came to a complete stop and failed to restart. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic who stated that the transmission would need to be replaced. Additionally, within the past eight years, the transmission was replaced twice. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified. The approximate failure mileage was 60,000.

- Clayton, GA, USA

problem #206

Jun 092016

Freestar

  • 62,000 miles
The contact owns a 2005 Ford Freestar. While driving in reverse at approximately 5 mph, the vehicle stalled without warning. The vehicle restarted; however, the transmission failed to operate in the desired gear selection until several hours later. The failure recurred on a separate occasion. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where it was diagnosed that the torque converter and transmission would need to be replaced. The VIN was not included in NHTSA campaign number: 12V006000 (power train). The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 62,000. The VIN was unavailable.

- Louisville, KY, USA

problem #205

May 112016

Freestar

  • 180,000 miles
An incident from about a month ago: After traveling on the freeway and coming to a stop at a red light at the off ramp at 2am, my car began to sputter and rev. I proceeded to the next red light where my car shut off. Every time I started it, it would shut off right away. I drive for a taxi service and luckily I did not have passengers in the car with me at the time. I called a family member to come look and help. He ended up pushing my car with his into a nearby parking lot. After some investigation, I concluded it was the PCM. It was taken out to dry completely and the windshield area where water may have leaked into it was sealed with silicone. It started working again fine and has been since then. Now it has rained again and the problem has reoccurred. Today, after driving on the freeway and entering a neighborhood, my trans-axle light started blinking. Then my oil and battery light appeared and seconds after my steering wheel stopped turning and the car shut off. I was able to park in the street and restart the car, but once I put it in drive and moved about 1 foot, the car shut off again. It will turn on and stay idle, but once I start moving, it shuts off again. It has been raining the past 2 days. I suspect it is from the same issue as before. I also had my children in the car with me as I was taking them to school. I'm very lucky this did not happen on the freeway or major street.

- Toledo, OH, USA

problem #204

Nov 102015

Freestar

  • 192,000 miles
The contact owns a 2005 Ford Freestar. While driving approximately 40 mph, the vehicle stalled. The vehicle restarted, but would not shift into gear. The vehicle was not diagnosed nor repaired. The manufacturer was not notified. The VIN was unknown. The approximate failure mileage was 192,000.

- Hammond, LA, USA

problem #203

Mar 022016

Freestar

  • 140,000 miles
Takata recall my transmission start slipping when 1st gear to 2nd gear. Feel like some times loosing power.

- East Rutherford, NJ, USA

problem #202

Mar 032016

Freestar 6-cyl

  • 151,206 miles
The contact owns a 2005 Ford Freestar. The contact stated that the vehicle experienced a loss of power. Prior to the failure, the vehicle hesitated. The failure occurred without warning. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, but the failure could not be duplicated. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The contact referenced NHTSA campaign number: 12V006000 (power train); however, the VIN was not included. The failure mileage was approximately 151,206. Updated 04/07/16 updated 04/26/16

- Moraine, OH, USA

problem #201

Oct 301015

Freestar 6-cyl

  • 54,378 miles
In 2014 we bought a Ford Freestar, found out later the torque conv. Was recalled and replaced. I took the van to Ford in our area and they flushed out the converter $185+ and that worked for a month or so and it did it again. Took it back to Ford and they kept it a week before they told me I needed a new transmission. I reported about this van before to steve kenner nvs-215kjs 12V-006 I believe that it is not just the torque converter that should have been recall but the transmission too.I had to pay alan jay Ford of wauchula, fl $40.00 for that transmission. This is just not right.! Ford said pay us the money here is a 3 year warranty and good bye. My van cost me $5300 and now I have $10,000. Into this vehicle which is not acceptable!!! my tele is [xxx] I have an invoice/request #15-6151 tis@NHTSA.gov letter by email came back. Can you help me. I really think people are in danger with this type of van. Ford needs to take a look at these transmissions because they would not even rebuild that particular one so I had to get another new/rebuilt one. That's not right. [xxx] [xxx] bowling green, fl. 33834 information redacted pursuant to the Freedom Of Information Act (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6).'

- Bowling Green, FL, USA

problem #200

Oct 222015

Freestar

  • 160,000 miles
On freeway, car lost all forward power. Motor running. Made it to shoulder. Shut all down. Started motor..put in gear.. managed to get home please see. Carcomplaints.com

- Mesa, AZ, USA

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