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.
While driving on the highway at a speed of approximately 70 mph, the car (2005 Ford Freestyle) would not accelerate/maintain speed and quickly decelerated and had to be pulled into the emergency lane, coming to a complete stop. The car had to be turned off and restarted in order to continue traveling the 3 hours left in the 9 hour trip back home. The Ford service shop said the throttle body ($900), ac compressor ($1,300), and top engine mount ($330) need to be replaced. Based on what I've been able to read on the internet, this appears to be a recurring and dangerous theme with this Ford vehicle.
I just recently had my Freestyle(05)become increasingly horrible lunging in parking lots, drive thru's, etc. Upon reading about it on your website I realized how much of the same problems are occuring for all the owners of this vehicle. It just recently has gotten worse since I just had the A/C compressor replaced.
For a number of weeks, my 2005 Ford Freestyle has lunged forward while sitting still. After the car lunges forward the dashboard readout says: "engine failure mode". this happened on Friday July 6th while stopped at a red light and almost lunged into speeding traffic, and more recently on Friday August 3rd while at a stop sign. This issue comes 18 months after replacing the vehicle transmission at 50,000 miles at the cost of more than $5,000. I wish to report this issue to the NHTSA as I am seeing many other reports for this very issue reported and think that this needs to be a recall as this is a very big safety risk.
1. pulling into parking space, vehicle surged forward, steering was turned sharply at the time and foot on brake 2. pulling in garage and vehicle surged while foot on brake.
- Mount Joy, PA, USA
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My 2005 Ford Freestyle surges violently after warming up when the transmission is in drive and you come to a stop. The car lurches forward quickly and without warning several feet and when you try to brake to stop the forward progress, it usually dies and gives the "wrench" check engine light. It will not restart until you turn the ignition off and back on. It does this mostly during warm to hot weather. Rarely through the cool or cold weather.
Waiting in line on the exit ramp in dallas. Ac was on. The car started surging forward and engine started revving up. This happened 4 times and I had to apply brakes hard to keep from hitting a car in front of me. A wrench light came on and the engine fail safe mode light came on. Turned ac off and limped into the parking lot of the united airline center. After the program, we made it back to our hotel with running the ac. I don't need to tell you that this is extremely dangerous and after reading several cases on line, there seems to be a lot of Freestyle owners experiencing the same issue. Is this issue being reviewed?
When car is stopped, transmission in drive, foot usually on the brake, the car suddenly surges forward for 2 -3 seconds. This has happened at least a dozen times since and have to this point been able to stop the car before damage or injury has occurred.
I have experienced the "surging" problem being investigated by NHTSA. I was in a parking lot and put the vehicle into reverse, started to back out of the space and the engine surged and lurched backwards into the driving area. I put it into park and noticed the engine rpms going up and down instead of staying constant while idling, then it evened out. I tried again and the car surged again (I was ready for it this time and applied the brakes to slow the vehicle down) and was able to back out of the space and drive normally. This is not the first time that the vehicle has done this, but I am not sure how long it has been doing it.
Road trip from bc to Ontario, driving through mountains, first occurrence in chase, bc, at dairy queen car lunged in drive through, heard whiny noise from engine, gets worse when turning steering wheel. Last occurrence on trip, driving back into hope, bc, after cruise control want to speed up a bit but no power, get out of cruise control and car stalls while going about 60 kph!!! manage to get off the highway onto merging lane. Husband checked fluid levels but everything is topped up. Manage to start up again after 3 tries and get home safely. Address is in Canada, please ignore californa and zip code.
Well its been happening for awhile now my 2005 Freestyle has the tendency to lung forward and in reverse in low speeds or even at stops causing the car to rattle and stall or go into engine protect mode which makes it drive very slow. But its is happening more frequent. I also notice that the tranny wines now and one of the engine mounts is broke. Very unsafe to drive my wife wont even let me take my kids in the car. Very frustrating that Ford has not done anything about this what does it take someone to get killed"???"
Pulling into parking space facing restaurant, with foot on brake pedal, car lunged forward. Curbing kept me from hitting people walking into restaurant. A/C compressor replaced a few day prior to this incidence; however, car has been lunging since A/C compressor was replaced. The day the ac compressor was replaced and I drove the car off of the Ford dealership lot, my car lunged pulling into parking space at the post office -- I thought the floor mat had gotten caught on the gas pedal and was causing the problem the lunging happens both going forward and backwards. Took car back to Ford dealership where A/C compressor was installed; gentleman at "quick lube" desk said he had never heard of this problem with the Freestyle or at least he had never written up a service report for this problem. Have discovered on-line numerous entries regarding this problem with the Freestyle. Feel Ford Motor Company should take responsibility for correcting this problem.
When in reverse or drive if turning the sterring wheel the car take off and you have to but the brake on hard to stop car. This happens 95% of the time.
My 2005 limited edition Freestyle has a few issues that I am very concerned about. My throttle is having major issues. The car will surge forward with no warning when I am at a complete stop. It also has caused it to have a lot of difficultly accelerating when in motion and starting the ignition. I'm afraid that it will surge forward and cause me to hit something or someone. I've read online about people that have had this issue where it gets so bad that they've even lost all acceleration while driving down the highway and one person who hit something in his garage sending it flying through the garage wall. My husband has tried cleaning out the throttle with no success. We bought the car used less than a year ago with no warranty and this problem has been getting progressively worse over the last few months.
When driving at low speeds (5-10 mph), whether in forward or reverse, the car will lunge forward (or backward if in reverse). This has happened at least 10 times over the last 4 days, resulting in several near-miss accidents with vehicles, as well as almost hitting a pedestrian multiple times. The engine lunging has only occurred at low speeds, mostly when the temperatures are above 85 degrees. The engine lunging occurs when I'm driving at low speeds, such as when I'm backing out of a parking spot, or driving in traffic in which I'm driving at a low speed. The time before last, it was in the school parking lot when I was picking up my son from summer school. Both these times, a pedestrian was almost hit when the car lunged forward. Today, I was in traffic in the walmart parking lot when the car lunged forward, almost causing me to hit the car in front of me. When this happens, the check engine symbol lights on the dashboard, as well as the engine failsafe mode coming on. I have to turn the car completely off and back on to get these lights off.
Engine surged when shifted from park to reverse on multiple occasions. Engine stalled, wrench light came on and engine safe mode appeared.. dealership replaced throttle body.
The engine has begun surging, particularly at low speeds. Happens most often when it is very hot outside the A/C is on and the car is in reverse. The car will suddenly surge and I have to jam on the brakes to stop the car. This has happened several times when backing out of parking spaces and once now at a stop light as I was slowing to a stop. I've found many references to this problem online that the throttle body is the problem and has to be cleaned. Ford needs to alert owners of this issue and initiate a plan to remedy it before someone gets killed.
When I shift from park to drive or reverse while applying the brakes the vehicle will lung forward. Recently check engine came on and had hard time stopping vehicle and stalled. Luckily did not hit anything or person. Took vehicle to Ford dealer and they stated I had trouble codes: PO61 and P2106. Ford stated that I needed a new throttle body. Replaced throttle body and seems to have stopped stalling and lunging. Also have issues with upper motor mount and ac.
Vehicle unexpectedly and with great speed lurches in both forward and reverse. I notice the issue most often when pulling into or out of a parking spot or just after using the brake. The car suddenly accelerates without warning forcing me to slam on the brakes so that I do not hit other vehicles or unintentionally enter traffic. The issue is very dangerous because there is no forewarning and has appeared to be happening more often and with greater force.
I own a 2005 Ford Freestyle which lurches backward when you have the A/C on and you back up. It also started doing the same in foward. Ford should act upon this before there is a death.
A D V E R T I S E M E N T S
- Wellington, OH, USA