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.
The contact owns a 2005 Ford Freestyle. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds for a year the driver noticed that all the warning lights would illuminate on the instrumental panel on a intermittent basis. The vehicle would also stall on different occasions without warning. The vehicle was inspected by a dealer who informed the contact that the instrument cluster had failed and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired for the instrument cluster. The contact also stated that when trying to decelerate the vehicle it surge forward. The vehicle was also repaired for the instrument cluster for this failure as well. The failure continued to occur for the mentioned failures. The failure mileage was approximately 60,000.
The contact owns 2005 Ford Freestyle. The contact stated that the instrument cluster lost power and all of the gauges stopped working and the interior lights shut off. The failure last from a few seconds to a few minutes. The dealer inspected the vehicle and stated that they could not diagnose the failure. The dealer also stated that this did not mean there was not a problem because they could not duplicate it. The failure mileage was 78000 and the current mileage was 79000.
The contact owns a 2005 Ford Freestyle. While driving at various speeds, the contact noticed the entire instrument panel gauges would not function correctly with the illumination of the "check engine low fuel level" warning light. In addition, the wrench warning symbol and air bag warning indicator would illuminate. The failures occurred intermittently when the vehicle was in operation. Also, both turn signals failed to function properly. The vehicle was taken to the dealer for diagnosis and they were unable to detect a problem. The failure mileage was approximately 50,000. The VIN was unavailable.
The contact owns a 2005 Ford Freestyle limited. While driving approximately 50 mph at night, the vehicle suddenly lost power. The instrument panel was not lit and all lights turned off. The contact was able to be restarted after ten seconds. The failure occurred intermittently and the contact replaced five batteries due to the problem. The vehicle was taken to an authorized dealer but the failure could not be duplicated. The VIN was unavailable. The failure mileage was approximately 59,000 and the current mileage was approximately 100,000.
My 2005 Ford Freestyle with 58,000 miles suddenly looses all the instrument panel indications and the engine then dies. Restart is possible and instruments then return to normal. This usually occurs within a few minutes of starting the car but has happened at speed on the highway. The dealer claims this is a common Freestyle problem and the entire instrument cluster has to be replaced at a cost of $700. Why has this obvious safety issue not been subject to a recall?
- Lincoln, MO, USA
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The car lunges forward or backward depending if you are in drive or reverse. It is so fast you have to brake with both feet and pull against steering wheel to stop car. Car trips into failsafe mode after this happens (would be too late, you would have hit something by then)dealer says it is the bad throttle body. Seems to be a systemic problem with Freestyle 2005-2007? very dangerous a matter of time before someone is run over or killed with vehicle.
The vehicle would experience intermittent loss of the electrical to the gauges and interior lighting. The gauges would sweep to zero and then momentarily sweep back. The length of the loss of electrical is increasing with each intermittent failure. Twice now the vehicle has also lost acceleration when pulling out of an intersection causing a potential collision condition. The last time this happened it also occurred with a loss of electrical to the instrument cluster and interior lighting. This is a potential serious condition as the vehicle may have been involved in a collision due to the loss of power. The vehicle is currently with the Ford dealer undergoing diagnostics.
2005 Ford Freestyle. 3 different incidents when the car was stopped, lurched forward and then the dashboard light came on reading "engine safe failed" turned car off and restarted. 3rd time it happened the check engine light remained on with the emissions light on the dashboard. Took car to dealership to be serviced. We are now told the throttle body needs to be replaced and the electric system needs to be rebooted. The car only has 58,000 miles and we purchased only 30 days ago used.
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.
Car accelerated when placed in reverse and brake was applied, 2005 Ford Freestyle... took to dealer... replaced the throttle sensor w a kit. Problem was resolved to the tune of $700,00.
2005 Ford Freestyle experiencing electrical instrument failure. All gauges fail (drop to zero) and dash light goes out while driving. Gauges may resume to working position, but sometimes continue to fail while driving. Very scary when speedometer registers 0 mph at highway speeds!
I was driving my car (pulling out of a mall) approaching the highway, I stopped for traffic to clear. With my foot on the brake, my car suddenly leapt forward toward traffic. Thinking that maybe I didn't have my brake pedal pushed hard enough (scaring me) I pushed my foot harder on the brake pedal. But the car kept lurching forward. Luckily the traffic cleared & I proceeded onto the highway. Then, the car didn't seem to move, so I pressed the gas pedal a little harder. The car acted like it was in neutral, then moved forward very slowly. I pushed the gas pedal harder, and again, the car acted like it was in neutral, then finally moved forward very slowly. Traffic was coming from behind so I kept going forward. Luckily the Ford dealership was just a couple blocks away (around the corner). So I drove it very carefully straight to the dealership service department. At most I was going about 30-35 miles per hour. The dealership says the problem is the throttle body needs to be replaced. They have to order parts. Luckily my extended warranty is in effect, so it's supposed to be covered, except for a $100. Deductible. (plus we"ll need to pay charges to have the parts shipped asap). Today, my husband checked online and found that this has been an ongoing problem with Ford Freestyle's. this is absolutely dangerous! my car could easily have lurched out into heavy 40-45 mile per hr traffic, if I hadn't had fast reflexes! or if I had pulled out in front of the higher speed traffic I could have been hit from behind! my car has only about 37,000 miles. I've had about four incidences of electrical problems with it. First, they replaced my alternator. Then my battery. Then my instrument cluster panels & (in the dashboard) airconditioning panels. At least they're the things that I know they've done (because the don't tell you all the things they've fixed or replaced). I don"T know if these things are connected. Also according to the internet, these parts have be hard to find.
We bought a new 2005 Ford Freestyle in October 2005. We had no problems until our 3 year warranty expired in October 2008. Beginning in 2009 we began to notice that our instrument panel would lose power. All dials would go down to zero, flicker and the entire panel would be dead for a short time. It happened intermittently and we lived with it for a year before taking the vehicle back to the san leandro, ca Ford dealer, paying $250 for an engine diagnostic in January 2009. The diagnostic which took all day, revealed that there was a short in a wire in the instrument panel which meant the panel would have to be replaced in its entirety ($700). Not having the $700 to pay for the solution I came home to do some research. I found that per Ford tsb 06-17-9 all Ford dealerships were told about this defect. It was investigated by the NHTSA and because the problem did not involve the operation of the exterior functions of the vehicle, there was no recall. I would like to know why Ford mc is taking $250 from its customers to diagnose a problem that it already knew about. Also, if it were your vehicle, would you be satisfied in paying $700 for a replacement part that Ford readily admits to having been soldered incorrectly during the manufacturing process? I can testify that there is a safety issue involved here. When driving home from yosemite np at night, along steep mountain roads, my family of 4 children, mom and dad nearly drove off the road when our entire cabin went dark because the instrument panel shut down. We had to brake hard and cars behind us and in front had to do the same in response. I could not tell how fast we were going, nor how much gas was left in the tank for a period of 10 minutes. Reverse lights come on whilst driving in forward direction causing drivers to brake behind us. The investigation should be reopened because this problem is ongoing and will cause loss of life for the sake of a replacement part that was badly made.
Re-experiencing electrical instrument cluster problems. Battery and alternator replaced 6/2008 when car dead in driveway. 8 months later 4/2009 electrical gauges fail and reset and same local mechanic replaced fuses. Two months later 6/2009 gauges continue to fail and reset leading dealer, referencing tsb, to replace with new instrument cluster. Luckily covered under extended warranty. Mileage then 63,000. In last year the car running fine until month ago June /July 2010 when electrical gauges continuously stopping and resetting on highway with and without A/C running mostly within first 30 minutes of driving. Also, subtle engine delay and fanlike sounds coming from underneath experienced during and after these episodes. While on vacation with these problems, two local mechanics suggested bad alternator but took to another NY Ford dealer who diagnosed and replaced alleged leaking battery which was only 2 yr old battery. Of course, did not correct problem. Symptoms of electrical failure and reset are daily now and external lights dimming on off. Calling back original dealer for diagnosis and next steps. Extended warranty now expired. Very concerned that car electrical power will shut down on highway while traveling with 3 children. 76,000 miles.
I have had this problem from about 2 months after obtaining the vehicle. And I currently have 49500 miles approx. The vehicle will lunge going forward or backwards, stall at times, clunking noises. Have taken vehicle in many times, and was at one time nothing wrong. Then Ford dealer replaced some part in engine. While the vehicle was running and A/C was on in park, placed in reverse vehicle lunged again then the fail safe notification along with the wrench came on. Took vehicle to dealer as I was told to bring it back when it was happening again. They told me today that it was the throttle body and map sensors that need to be repaired as they mechanically failed I have an extended warranty and it is not a covered item which for both items will cost almost $1500 which should have been covered under the comprehensive coverage of any extended warranty as it is part of the engine and working comprehensive parts. I know of at least 100 people in my area that have had the same problem with the throttle body, yet Ford will not do a recall on this as it is considered a fire/safety hazard as the map sensors are on the manifold which controls the fuel. If you review the internet you will find many people with the 2005 Ford Freestyle are having the same problem with these items and should be a national recall on it.
Started car and put in gear then it lunged forward with foot on brake. Turned car off for a moment (15 seconds) turned back on put in reverse and it lunged backwards into a pole (thank god someone wasn't behind me). Failsafe engine mode light came on, a wrench and check engine also showed up. As of now car is being towed to dealer. It is not under warranty. 96 K miles.
2005 Ford Freestyle with 54K miles. Instrument cluster intermittently goes completely dark. All gauges including speedometer stop working. Happens randomly about 2 times per day. Taken to Ford dealer who looked up tsb (06-17-9). Charged $750 for parts and labor. No responsibility taken by Ford for this obvious and dangerous manufacturing defect. This is an all to common problem in this year vehicle should be recalled.
I own a 2005 Ford Freestyle with 33,200 miles on it. I bought it new. In late March 2010, the needles on the gauges started sweeping down to zero and the car lost power. Then the car regained power again. This happened 4 times in the last two weeks. The last time it happened I was driving down I-85 at 55 mph with tractor trailer trucks directly in back of me and also along side of me. The gauges swept and the car lost power but the power did not come back and I was barely able to get the car to the side of the road. It had to be towed in for service. Of course, Ford said it was not covered under my warranty and I would have to pay to repair 'cluster' failure. This was extremely dangerous as I had my 3 yr old granddaughter in a car seat in the rear passenger position. If I had not been able to get the car off the highway, the probability of being rear ended by another vehicle was high. That stretch of I-85 is highly traveled by commercial vehicles. Tractor trailer's cannot stop quickly. My granddaughter could have been killed. I did some research and learned that NHTSA defect investigation peo7058 has not resulted in a recall of the 2005 Freestyle. At what point does NHTSA determine that a 'defect' is serious enough to warrant a recall" and is it fair that I have to pay to correct manufacturer's defects"
A D V E R T I S E M E N T S
- Brinkley, AR, USA