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Ford Freestyle Accessories

245

Comments

  • nitromaxnitromax Member Posts: 640
    Nice find !

    I might be getting one of those dash covers even though I have the gray interior. I like the signature series suede type myself.

    :-)
  • rgngrgng Member Posts: 10
    I just installed the Thule rack system, including crossbars on the Freestyle. I need to use a cargo box on top for those times when the inside is full. The system seems to fit the factory installed bars fairly well. I could not find a listing for a Yakima system that fit the Freestyle. I have not noticed much wind noise coming from the rack, therefore I will probably leave it on most of the time. :shades:
  • nitromaxnitromax Member Posts: 640
    Somebody else here brought up those soft bags for extra roof storage. I at first thought the cargo box was a better idea, but now lean towards one of those bags. If you are still trying to decide what to get, you might want to consider those.
    The nice feature about them is that you can fold it up and store it somewhere when not in use where as the roof top boxes are more clumsy to remove and then take up lots of space when not being used.

    I would imagine leaving a hard box on the roof all of the time would give poor mileage also.
  • rgngrgng Member Posts: 10
    Thanks for the reply. I am going to leave the crossbar rack on, but take the hardbox down when not in use. While the hardboxes do require a more room to store, I have found they are easier to load than a soft bag, and will not rub against the roof like a soft bag. I did briefly consider getting a basket to use with the soft bag, but that led me back to selecting a hardbox.
  • puckyhuddlepuckyhuddle Member Posts: 52
    I had an old Yakima system from my Jeep Grand Cherokee that I put on my new Freestyle this weekend. Fits fine, although the front bar just fits - width wise. I guess the rack on the freestyle is tapered in towards the back (front wider than back), since the back bar overhangs the FS rails, while the front doesn't.
  • stmssstmss Member Posts: 206
    Leaving the cargo carrier on full time would be penalizing. I did a cross country trip with my car with a carrier and there was about a 4-5mpg highway penalty (high 30's to low 30s) - ouch! Suspect it may be similar here. I now take it off whenever not in use - only takes 10 minutes.
  • armyguy14075armyguy14075 Member Posts: 1
    I purchased an '05 Limited about 5 weeks before my dealer had the '06s in stock. The Navigation System was not available as an option on the 05's (kinda wish I would have just waited a little). Has anyone tried to get the OEM nav system installed on their 05? I know I can go aftermarket, but I wanted to try the Ford route first.
  • maymaymaymay Member Posts: 16
    We wanted an 06 for the nav but couldn't wait any longer. Prodded the dealer about it, and he had absolutely no idea if that was possible. The nav system looks fabulous, so I'm hoping it's possible to add since it fits in exactly the same space the radio takes up now. If I find out if it's possible I'll come back and post.

    If it's not, we might opt for the portable system that features John Cleese telling you where to go ;D
  • kitchenerkitchener Member Posts: 2
    Hi, A quick glimpse at recent threads suggests folks feel the same as I do, that the Freestyle is pretty neat and doesn't get the manufactuer (or dealer) support that it should. I drive a Freestyle as my personal car and quite like it.

    If one looks at how the mid-1990s floundering Subaru company took the poor selling Legacy awd wagon, raised it another inch off the ground, raised the roofline an inch or two, put on a faux hoodscoop and outsized fog lights up front, and voila, the Outback is born and Subaru is reborn.

    I'd like to find a way to accessorize the Freestyle to give it that "Paris-to-Dakar" look, even if with just a couple cosmetic touches to give it a bit more edge. Anyone know of any re-stylers that has tackled the Freestyle in such a way? Be a neat set-up, and I'm certainly willing to dress up one of my 06's to see how it turns out, assuming the right touches exist to begin with...

    Aaron
  • niklinniklin Member Posts: 1
    We recently had a 2" hitch installed by RacknRoad for our 2005 Freestyle. They did a great job, the hitch is well hidden and does not interfere with the backup sensor system. It cost about $260. installed. website http://www.racknroad.com
  • dzdncnfzddzdncnfzd Member Posts: 34
    Just received my '06 FWD LTD on Thursday. So far we are loving it.

    I just started the move from our old car to the Freestyle and I have some things that I normally keep in the trunk of the car (jumper cables, window scraper, hazard lights, tool kit, etc.). I put this stuff in the back of the freestyle but I feel that it is cluttering up my nice new car since it is now in the passenger compartment instead of the trunk. Because of this I am contemplating the rear parcel shelf accessory available from Ford. I asked at the ford dealership and they said they can order one for me but they don't carry them in stock. I'm a little reluctant to buy one site unseen (well not completely unseen I have seen the picture on the web site). If anyone out there has one, I would like to know what you think about it.

    Any comments are welcome but I am specifically interested in:

    1. What do you do with it when the 3rd row seats are stowed?

    2. Is it strong enough to put groceries, a stroller, etc. on top of it?

    3. Is there a place to store it in the vehicle if I don't want it in or do I need to remove it from the vehicle?

    4. With the crates fold up does it still look OK or does it look cheap?

    5. Is it worth the $200.00?

    6. What is the color black or gray?
  • rgankiewiczrgankiewicz Member Posts: 6
    Did you try a dash mat on your vehicle? I have so much reflection from my 2006 Freestyle dash board. I want to try a carpet dash mat or suede mat? any suggestion?
  • cmunizcmuniz Member Posts: 604
    A dashmat does help. I got the cheapest one from Dashmat in beige. It cuts glare, fits the dash ok but I don't really like the way it looks on the dash. A more expensive one may look better but I think it is so complicated to fit the Freestyle dash that none will ever fit flat on the dash exactly right. Since it does help and it's safer with it on I will keep it. That and polarized sunglasses have done the trick for me.
  • funfunfunfun Member Posts: 5
    Has anyone tried the floor mats offered at Premier Motoring Accessories, Inc.?

    This is the link:
    http://www.premiermotoring.net/cgi-bin/webc.cgi/st_main.html?catid=1919&sid=5iRDJe1EwCh7EO- 9-25105168978.c4

    We should be picking up our Freestyle this week, and we would like to get some “winter” mats. We have ordered the tan interior. Are there any “winter” mats that match the interior? The Ford rubber mats seem small for winter use.

    Does anyone have any suggestions?
  • jrtexasjrtexas Member Posts: 13
    I got the Weathertech mats. They fit pretty well and seem to cover the floor area well. The tan ones are a pretty good match for the tan interior but they're also the most expensive. Here's their website:

    http://www.autoanything.com/products/product_fm.aspx?p_id=1462&se=weathertech_floor_mats
  • amber_randyamber_randy Member Posts: 1
    Hi everyone. I'm new to this forum think, but thought it might be a great way to share info. I've found it some what difficult to find accessories for our Freestyle. Finally got a tow hitch installed. Now am agonizing over which bug deflector to invest in. Any pointers or suggestions? I also haven't been able to find anything on a lift kit. We have a steep driveway and drag the tow hitch if there's any weight in the back. I also like to sit up a little higher in traffic ;) Might have to go custom, but dread the cost! Has anyone heard about a lift kit for an '05 AWD Limited?
  • vwcarcrazyvwcarcrazy Member Posts: 52
    Personally, I had the 3M clear vinyl film installed instead of a bug shield on my new 2006 Freestyle SEL. I normally have a bugshield installed, mostly to protect the paint on the leading edge of the hood. My last bugshield (GM factory unit - dealer installed on a 2002 Tahoe) whistled and had to be checked regularly as it tended to loosen up. Also, could not run it through an automatic car wash unless they had the option of turning the drop-down hood dryer off. Only 3 months and 2000 miles, but I am impressed with the 3M film (invisible protector). It was recommeded to me by a few friends who have it on their cars and trucks. I am still waiting for my custom cut and painted body-side molding that I ordered from the same place that did the 3M film. There should be someone local that can do it for you. Good luck with your decision.
  • kitchenerkitchener Member Posts: 2
    Yeah, ok. Thanks.
  • dgulinodgulino Member Posts: 38
    I'm replacing the factory CD/radio in my '05 Freestyle SE with a JVC unit with attached satellite radio tuner. In removing the factory radio, I found TWO connectors on the rear in addition to the antenna connection. One of them is the large one that I expected to find that has the power and speaker wiring, and the other one has just two wires coming out of a connector that has room for about a dozen or so.

    One of the two wires is white with a black stripe and the other is black with a green stripe. These will not be connected to the new radio once it is installed since there is no place for them. Does anyone have any idea what these extra wires do?
  • cmunizcmuniz Member Posts: 604
    Just a wild guess, but the radio on my Limited had to be "programmed" in order for the backlights to work. Maybe those wires connect the radio to the program module or whatever Ford calls it.
  • passat_2002passat_2002 Member Posts: 468
    This is where it really helps to have purchased from a Crutchfield type vendor. You might pay a few dollars more for product, but save yourself many hours of agony trying to get things right. Try your vendor. Maybe they can identify the wires for you. Good luck.
  • dgulinodgulino Member Posts: 38
    I was going to buy from Crutchfield (and I have bought from them many times in the past), but I bought from a different vendor this time because the dollars I saved were more than a few (nearly $80, and this other vendor, CarDomain.com, threw in all the freebies--dash installation kit, wiring adapter, and connector kit--that Crutchfield always does), and, having put in at least a half-dozen car stereos in different cars over the last few years, I thought I could figure out most anything on my own. Besides, JVC, the brand of head unit I put in, has its own 800-number for advice on installation, if you need it.

    Anyway, the installation went without a hitch, and the radio plays just fine with those two extra wires not attached. They're neatly folded out of the way behind the trim panel should I ever wish to put the factory unit back in. In fact, the new unit looks absolutely gorgeous in the dash, and being "regular" DIN in size, rather than the "double DIN" size of the factory radio, I picked up a little extra storage space in the form of a cubby hole just below the unit. My cell phone fits well in it. Below are a couple of photos of the installation.

    image

    image

    The sound is wonderful, and having the built-in satellite radio is very convenient. (I've been a Sirius subsriber for almost a year now, and I love it--now I've got it in both cars and in the house.)

    For all you folks out there who have been writing in to these boards complaining about all the problems with the 6-CD changer that came with your Freestyle (I had the single-CD player, and I never had a problem with it, but I still took it out and put this in!), here's another option. Instead of making repeated trips back to the dealer to have them replace the unit yet again, bite the bullet, toss the darn thing, and put in a nice aftermarket unit. You'll be glad you did! :)
  • volfangaryvolfangary Member Posts: 105
    Thanks for the information. It looks great! One question, Are you able to use the controls on the steering wheel?
  • passat_2002passat_2002 Member Posts: 468
    He said in a previous post it's an SE. No steering wheel audio controls on an SE model. But if there were, I don't believe they would work now.
  • dgulinodgulino Member Posts: 38
    This is correct, and I also think you are correct in that they wouldn't work, anyway, if there were any. There seemed to be no connectors for them.

    I replaced a factory cassette/radio in an Acura Legend a few years ago, and the steering wheel audio controls the Legend had no longer worked, either.
  • k9uwk9uw Member Posts: 1
    I've got a 2005 FreeStyle SEL with the stock tires that proved to be very poor in a mild Wisconsin winter and I dread driving in a winter with more snow than we had last year. I had hoped that someone would manufacture a snow/ice tire for the 'Style by this time but I have not been able to find one.

    Has anyone been able to find a good snow/ice tire for their FreeStyle?
  • tourist1234tourist1234 Member Posts: 30
    Hi,
    I am in the process of looking for snow tires for our Limited which has 18" rims. These are really hard to find. While doing my research though I found several for the 17" rims which I believe came standard on the SEL.

    Did your Freestyle come with Continental Conti touringcontact, size P215/65R17 98T?
    Here are the snows I found that come fairly well recommended by Consumer Reports.
    Blizzak P215/55R17 or X ICE P215/60R17.

    For my Limited I am thinking of buying 17" rims and getting one of the above.
    Hope this info is a start on your quest.
  • nitromaxnitromax Member Posts: 640
    I recommend getting a seperate set of rims with snow tires on them. I did this with my other car and I love it. I can swap the tires in less than an hour and I don't have to schedule any appointments or pay any installation fees. I bought a set of rims (with tires already mounted) on e-bay for a real good price and will not have to pay again until the tires are worn.
  • brantybranty Member Posts: 53
    I have a LTD AWD and made it through last winter with no problems. The Pirelli P6's were great in the snow.
    Since I now have 22,000km on them I decided to get winter tires. I am leasing the vehicle so it really did not make sense to spend money on rims so I purchased the 18" size (225 60R18).
    As others have found, there are not many winter tires that will fit. The store I went to indicated only Continental and Pirelli were available in that size.
    I have always had great luck with Pirelli's (winter and summer) so I purchased Pirelli's (210 Sottozero). Now let it snow!
  • tourist1234tourist1234 Member Posts: 30
    Thanks for sharing your experience with the Pirelli P6s. We have 12K going into winter on our tires. Instead of rushing out and getting snows we will see how they the P6s do. :D
  • skovatchskovatch Member Posts: 24
    See my message #3398 in Forums -> SUVs -> Ford Freestyle. If you want to keep using the steering wheel controls you'll need an additional converter available from Crutchfield, and your aftermarket stereo must have a wireless remote. I've been using mine on a regular basis, and it still works great.
  • stmssstmss Member Posts: 206
    I usually do the same, try them first.

    However, after my first trip skiing this past weekend I am not overly impressed with the P6 tires.

    The AWD, stability (when not windy) turning and acceleration all seemed okay but stopping on ice or snow pack from even slow speeds don't even come close to either of my other two cars with winter tires.

    I will still wait and see how the winter shakes out here (as I lease also) as we don't get much snow in city where I live but I think next ski trip to the mountains I will just take the car with the snow tires, even if it is front wheel drive.

    The other thing I noticed is the Freestyle is terrible in the wind. I hit some good wind gusts that were frightening and caused me to reduce speed much more than others were travelling. I hate to see what it may be like with a cargo box on top.
  • bobw3bobw3 Member Posts: 2,989
    What are you other cars you drive? If you're used to driving smaller, more rounded cars, maybe you're not as used to the larger, flat vehicles?
  • mwanthalmwanthal Member Posts: 2
    I have owned an '05 SEL for since February. Overall it's been great, but there are a few quirks. One that I noticed the most is the 6 disc CD system. You need to really crank up the volume to get any kind of quality sound out of it. Compared to the Expedition I got rid of, it is not nearly as good. Also, no RDS. I was very surprised by this as my 99 Expedition included that. Does anyone else have this issue?

    Also, I have been reading with interest the posts on the in-dash nav system. I have been wanting to change to this, but I am was looking for info on if it can be a direct replacement. I assume you'd need to run the GPS receiver somewhere, but I don't see why it won't work. Maybe I'll take my chances and order one. I did this with the HOMELINK sun visor from a Limited and it works great in my SEL. The crazy thing is that Ford charges $115 for this from the factory and I paid $42 for the visor/homelink and installed in 15 minutes.
  • passat_2002passat_2002 Member Posts: 468
    Regards the sound system... make sure the "compression" is turned on while listening to CD's. (Press the Menu button to see this.)The default setting from the factory is "off". Makes a considerable difference.
  • stmssstmss Member Posts: 206
    I am running an 01 Saab 9.5 and a 99 V70. The Freestyle was to replace the wagon but so far I still have both cars. I can't seem to decide which one to give up as we will miss either one. I also have the P6 tires on the Volvo. My wife says her 6 yr old Nordfrosts (due to be replaced this year) are better in the snow.

    I have owned Suvs in the past and have rented a number of them over the years but don't seem to remember the wind effect being as bad as the Freestyle. A wind gust almost put me in the other lane - and not gently. Maybe just the freak conditions that day. I was well loaded up with 5 people and all our weekend gear.
  • mwanthalmwanthal Member Posts: 2
    The CD is OK, its the radio. You need to be half way up in the volume to get good sound.
  • barnstormer64barnstormer64 Member Posts: 1,106
    "Regards the sound system... make sure the "compression" is turned on while listening to CD's. "

    I have to disagree with that.

    The compression algorithm Ford is using has some problems with it. It'll scare the **** out of you in some situations. I have several tracks that start off with some lower-volume drum kicks, and with compression on, I just about jump out of my seat when they start up.
  • nitromaxnitromax Member Posts: 640
    A week or so back I mentioned that Ford is coming out with a kit to install heated seats in non-Limited Freestyles.

    update:
    The kits will be available "supposedly" next week. I got a quote from my dealer to have them installed for $350 per seat. Price includes all factory parts and includes being covered under the warranty.
    Timeframe for installation is about one day.
  • bobw3bobw3 Member Posts: 2,989
    Know anything about a kit to put in the A & B memory seats/mirrors for Freestyles that didn't come with this option?
  • nitromaxnitromax Member Posts: 640
    No, but I suspect that may be a little harder to do. There would have to be a control wire(s) coming from each mirror and each seat and heading back to the computer. The software would have to be re-programmed for activation of that process....including the key FOBs.

    Of course, if the control wires are already in place, then it would simply be a matter of re-programming.

    I'll try to remember to ask about this when I get the seats done. (next week or the week after)
  • vwcarcrazyvwcarcrazy Member Posts: 52
    I had the same issue with my radio when I first got my 2006 SEL Freestyle. The radio sound was terrible (even worse than my 2000 Mustang, which I finally fixed the problem by replacing all the speakers with new factory units. But, I went through the radio menu and adjusted all the speakers, compression (on sounds worse than off to be honest)and speed volume (level 2 works good). That helped a lot and the sound is very good now. So, play with it and you should be able to do the same.
  • barnstormer64barnstormer64 Member Posts: 1,106
    http://www.engadget.com/entry/1234000073048307/

    Saw one of these at CarToys today. Man, is it SWEET!

    I think I'm going to have one installed, along with an XM Commander (which will go in the flip-down eyeglasses holder).

    The screen for the I-drive will mount underneath the rearview mirror. I've got a couple of ideas on the joystick, but no final decision yet.

    This is the Commander.

    http://www.xmradio.com/commander/index.jsp

    If you have the muti-disc changer and do NOT have the rear-seat entertainment system, you'll also need one of these to allow a direct-connect (via the Aux button on the radio):

    http://www.logjamelectronics.com/piefrd04aux.html

    You can use one of these to allow switching between the Ipod and XM Commander:

    http://www.logjamelectronics.com/soundaux3.html
  • barnstormer64barnstormer64 Member Posts: 1,106
    It turns out that you do NOT need the Soundgate Aux3 device after all. The Harmon-Kardon I-drive contains a switchable Auxiliary Input.

    http://www.harmankardon.com/drive-1/default.aspx

    The guys at Cartoys missed that. The input is on the SIDE, not the back (where the other inputs/outputs are).
  • barnstormer64barnstormer64 Member Posts: 1,106
    The LTD model has a subwoofer included in the system.

    Does anybody know the specs of this subwoofer?

    1) Does it have a separate amp? Or is it self-powered?

    2) What size amp drives it?

    3) What size subwoofer is it?

    4) Is there a decent subwoofer that one could replace it with (along with the speakers) to noticeably improve the sound . . WITHOUT adding an amp or replacing the factory stereo?
  • woodinvawoodinva Member Posts: 19
    Have been using Kleen Wheels on my 2004 Sport Trac in Summer & Winter without a problem. It doesn't invalidate my Ford Warranty and it keeps my 5 slotted wheels clean 7 days after a car wash. Before I was washing my wheels every 3rd day because of brake dust !

    When your car is under Ford warranty for 6 yrs/100k miles you can't change brake parts to some other type of brake pad. <-----That will invalidate your warranty. Quick, Fast & in a hurry.

    Buy the regular set of Kleen wheels & if you like paint them yourself Reg set is 35. a wheel (painted they are 75 a wheel.) Can of Rustoleum Pro Paint & Primer is only 10.00.
    ;)
  • vwcarcrazyvwcarcrazy Member Posts: 52
    Just got my Catch-all carpeted 4-piece floor mats for front, middle and rear seats (I passed on the cargo area, since the only one offered is for when the rear seats are folded down). They fit great, look great and the beige color is just slightly darker than the pebble - which makes a nice contrast and does not show debris as much as the factory light pebble mats. I ordered from ThePartsBin.com at the best price I could find - no shipping charges or sales tax and got them in 5 days. Later today I am having my custom molded and painted body-side molding installed. I will post pictures later (when the car can be cleaned in our sloppy Minnesota winter weather). I got these from dawn-ent.com. They are a brand new offering, mine were supposedly the 1st set they have made - so they now have a template for ordering. All you need is your paint code and they will be painted to match and look like factory installed ones. These are 1" wide and do NOT have a chrome insert like the Ford 500 factory units.
  • vwcarcrazyvwcarcrazy Member Posts: 52
    Just got back from having the Dawn's body side moldings installed on my 2006 Freestyle SEL. They look like factory moldings! They are actually almost 1.25" wide, with both ends molded, painted to match my factory Pueblo Gold main body color. They were installed approx 6" above the lower body cladding. You can contact Susan at Auto Images in Minnesota 612-716-1955 or factory direct from Dawn's at dawn-ent.com. My installed price was $150 plus tax - a good deal in my opinion. I will put up a photo once I get the car clean in a week or so.
  • nitromaxnitromax Member Posts: 640
    Well, I dropped my SEL off at the Ford dealer last Thursday to have the heated seats installed. When I set up the appointment a few weeks ago, I was told that they were the aftermarket heated seats similar to the Limited. the kit was apparently "new' and had just come out.
    The contract company that installs all of the Ford accesories never made it out to the dealer on Thursday due to delays at other jobs and then a "supposed' flat tire.

    We left it overnight assuming they would get to it on Friday. Friday came and the installers had to tend to their Friday customers and blew off all of their Thursday customers. (don't ask me...sounds like wacky business practice to me)
    So we left it over another night because the installers said someone would be coming out on Saturday to handle my car personally.

    *Now here's where it gets even more interseting*

    I got a call from the dealer telling me that the installer came by and said that the seats could not be put in the Freestyle because the heating pad did not fit. Apparently the heating pads are a universal pad but don't fit the Freestyle. I reminded them that I was told that the kit was an "OEM" Freestyle kit and that was one of the reasons why I had to wait for it.....grrrrr
    So, I was misled by the dealer.....I was without vehicle for three days while they jerked me around.....

    Let's all thank another great Ford dealer for a job well done.

    I'll get the name of the contract company that was supposed to install the seats. I need to know the name of the company that I'm never going to do business with again...the Ford dealer may be off my list also.
  • bobw3bobw3 Member Posts: 2,989
    It's amazing to me that Ford Corporate allows such stupid dealers to see their cars! I too found most dealers (sales, finance, service) all to be pretty stupid, of course, with some exceptions. It's reasons like this that prevent people from buying more Fords. You should sent your complaint to:

    Board of Directors
    Ford Motor Company
    P.O. Box 685
    Dearborn, MI 48126-0685
    U.S.A.

    If enough people send their dealer complaints to Ford Corporate, they may begin to understand why they're selling less cars every year, especially with cars like the Freestyle that's really a good car hampered by poor dealers.
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