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There is a dedicated thread for brakes only:
Freestyle Brakes Forum
I don't think they come in that size. Odd. I picked up Sylvania H13 XtraVision, a twin-pack at Pep Boys.
What I really want for my birthday is to fit a pair of LED fog lamps to the Freestyle. Gotta have that. Anybody seen anything like that? LEDs would be cool because they draw so little current (amps).
Pads are considered wear items, and I don't think they are covered by warranties.
500.00 doesn't sound that bad for new gear
it has stoped deicing and i want to check for broken wire.
john from cor. canada.
TSB? Technical Service Bulletin right
TSB 06-20-7
10/16/06
LONG CRANKING TIME OR NO START ON INITIAL
START ATTEMPT - VEHICLES BUILT ON OR BEFORE
6/6/2006
FORD:
2005-2007 Five Hundred, Freestyle
MERCURY:
2005-2007 Montego
ISSUE
Some 2005-2007 Five Hundred, Freestyle, and Montego vehicles built on or before 6/6/2006 may exhibit a long cranking time or a possible no-start on initial start attempt. This symptom may also be accompanied by the malfunction indicator lamp (MIL) on with diagnostic trouble codes (DTCs) P0300, P0316, P2107, and P2110. If the vehicle exhibits the long crank / no start issue, reprogram the powertrain control module (PCM). If the vehicle just exhibits these DTCs without the long crank / no start symptom follow normal Powertrain Controls/Emissions Diagnosis (PC/ED) manual diagnostics instead of this TSB.
ACTION
Reprogram the powertrain control module (PCM) to the latest calibration using IDS release 44.24 and higher or 45.3 and higher. This new calibration is not included in the VCM 2006.9 DVD. Calibration files may also be obtained at the website.
It downshifts (allows the engine to rev-up) when going down a steep hill to maintain a steady speed. It means you don't need to downshift into a lower gear, like you would in most cars, to allow the engine to do most of the braking. This prevents brakes from overheating will extend the life of the brake pads. So, if you are coming down a hill, it keeps the truck from go more than ~5 MPH faster than when you were at the crest. To defeat this feature and let it coast faster, simply hold the gas pedal slightly depressed for about 3 seconds. If you push it very slightly, you won't rev-up the engine, but you will signal the computer that you want to let the truck coast faster.
The trans also downshifts when you go uphill greater than a ~5% grade so that the engine will be reving alittle faster, just in case you want to pass or accelerate, so the truck will have better throttle response. I don't know of any way to defeat this, unfortunately.
I like the feature where it downshifts on the downgrade because I don't even need to touch the brake, even though everyone else on the road has their brake lights going on & off. Just sit back, and let the engine do it's thing. I wish I could disable the downshifting on uphills though--while the passing response is nice, I usually just want to maintain a steady speed up the hill and don't need any downshifting.
(Yes, I was an automotive engineer in the past...)
BTW - I believe NAPA also had the struts but they were ~$30 - not much different.
CC
My wife and I bought our 2006 Freestyle with 80,000 miles on it last month. We love almost everything about it, the cargo space the comfortable ride, and its apperance. We have had a couple of things happen that I did not see addressed here in the posts I read. (I only read about half, but did do a 2006 search.)
The first thing that has been happening is that after sitting at an idle for 5 minutes or more with the AC on it behaves strangely when put into gear. The warning lights come on and it revs and jerks. When truned off and then turned back on it is fine.
The other issue is with the car surging as i did see on here. It does this at low speeds such as in a parking lot or when I slow down to park. This is disconcerting to say the least. I thought it was because I was hitting the acc. with my big foot while applying the break, but that is not the problem.
Any help on how i can fix these issues would be greatly appreciated. I'm glad i found this board. It has a ton of great info. thanks to you all.
Also, where can we get an owners manual? It was not in the car when we bought it.
Thanks in advance for any help provided.
The throttle body sensor (on the engine) and the accel pedal transducer are both possible failure points, and the discussion and Technical Service Bulletins cited may help you in a conversation with a Ford technician. Possible anyway.
http://www.myfordfreestyle.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=2537
Seems to be not uncommon and a bit early for them to wear out. Does anyone know if there's a TSB out (couldn't find one)? Should i complain and try to get some money back or do i just have to accept it?
Thanks, Carsten
Back on carstenb's subject (#1293 above), rockauto.com sells a motor mount (articulated bushing) for $71. Couldn't find the torque strut or transaxle roll resistor for sale anywhere.
Caution: It seems very unlikely that all three of these would suddenly go bad at the same time. I wonder if the repair shop is putting their thumb on the scales here. A little extra business for them. I'd ask for the old parts back, although, if this is fraud, they might be able to rough the old parts up a little to fake wear. Just suspicious. Those parts normally break if the vehicle is operated over rough roads, but even then its incredibly rare for all three to fail at the same time, and especially after just 56k miles. Has the car hit any severe bumps recently? Those mounts and torque structural elements get stressed heavily when curbs or railroad tracks are hit hard, or just rough roads.
I think if you complain to Ford it will go nowhere.
it's the one shown in the link in my first post.
the car's just back from the repair. $214 for the part (it is huge and includes the aluminum bracket) and $306 for the work
the problem seems to be that if that one fails the other rubber mounts are going to fail soon as well.
oh, the master brake cylinder was replaced as well. the brake pedal feel got really mushy over the past months and made a squeekie and grinding sound. fortunately that was covered by the ESP...
I just looked at mine, 4 years and 51,000 miles in a Colorado 6,000 ft altitude climate, and it looks 90% new. Just a few millimeter-sized cracks starting on the intake manifold side, and zero cracks on the battery side of that chunky rubber bushing.
Seems very cold weather could make it brittle and susceptible to cracking, or a manufacturing material rubber formula defect could make it crappy, too.
Are you in a cold climate? Although mine is garaged at night, it has seen a few single digit Fahrenheit temps and doesn't show the excessive aging/stressing yours has.
It would be nice if they made that piece of rubber replaceable, but they make you buy the whole aluminum bracket, too.
I'd speculate that the poor and bumpy roads put some stress on the rubber :sick: Or my wife's driving style
The technician said they've changed the part number so the new ones might be more durable.
I agree, it would be much easier and cheaper to just replace the rubber piece. You need to remove many parts to get to the bolts at the bottom of the bracket and the part seems to be only available through Ford.
I bought my car brand new 34,000 the tranny goes, 2 years later AGAIN! They say this is not a saftey issue, but that is ridiculous! I was going to pull out on the highway and my car would not go...then I got out and had to stop on the highway and I went to go and had my foot all the way to the floor and it crept along! What if? I crept out on the highway with my whole family in the car and a mack truck was coming?! How is that not a saftey issue!
They took the CVT out of the newer models...obviously it is an issue and for those of us who bought a freestyle with the CVT in it are paying the price..
I want to be compenstated for this, I don't think I should have to put a USED tranny in my vehicle...I had a brand new one and look where that has gotten me! Whose to say this is not going to happen again...next time I might not be so lucky!
I bought my car brand new 34,000 the tranny goes, 2 years later AGAIN! They say this is not a saftey issue, but that is ridiculous! I was going to pull out on the highway and my car would not go...then I got out and had to stop on the highway and I went to go and had my foot all the way to the floor and it crept along! What if? I crept out on the highway with my whole family in the car and a mack truck was coming?! How is that not a saftey issue!
They took the CVT out of the newer models...obviously it is an issue and for those of us who bought a freestyle with the CVT in it are paying the price..
I want to be compenstated for this, I don't think I should have to put a USED tranny in my vehicle...I had a brand new one and look where that has gotten me! Whose to say this is not going to happen again...next time I might not be so lucky!
If you don't have and 05 but you have a cvt issue please post year too please. Thank you!
#1051 We really liked our 2005 Freestyle when we first got it but then the problems started. At 16,000 miles the CVT (continously variable transmission)failed. The dealer replaced with a remanufactured CVT. I'm at 40,000 miles and there are problems with the CVT again. Now Ford is renaming the Freestyle the Taurus X for 2008 and it comes with a 6-speed automatic transmission (they no longer offer the CVT). The rear brake pads and one rotor needed replacing at less than 20,000 miles. I complained that it was premature wear. The service tech agreed but said there was no recall so I had to pay over $400 for brakes. In July 07 I received a recall notice about premature wear of rear brake pads and rotors, and I need new brakes again. Who knows what is going to go wrong next.
#1059 This was a problem I forgot to post (see #1051). My battery died at 22,000 miles. No warning signs. I stopped at a gas station on the way to work and it wouldn't start after I pumped the gas. It couldn't be jumped so I had to pay through the nose for a new one on site. There is enough lock protruding for your kids to manually unlock the doors and the front doors unlock when you use the handle.
To recap, at 40,600 miles the CVT has been replaced twice, the brakes and rotors have been replaced twice, and my battery needed to be replaced. Any of you believers want to put your money where your mouth is and buy my Freestyle? I've done the research and this vehicle has more issues than a model normally has. A car manufacturer doesn't change the name of a vechile and re-engineer it (transmission) if it has been reliable. I'm trading it in for a Toyota Sequoia.
I had bought Fords exclusively since 1990 owning a 1990 Probe, 1992 Ford Escort, 1993 Ford Ranger, 1997 Ford Explorer, 1998 Mercury Mountaineer, 2000 Ford Focus, and the 2005 Ford Freestyle. Never again Ford!! I didn't want a new vehicle, but had little choice. The dealer I bought the Freestyle from also had 2 other CVT cars with the same problem and were fighting with Ford. They were hoping that if they got their hands on my car, the 3rd car would help to give them leverage with Ford. The dealer got no where with Ford.
Good luck with your lawsuit.
Have had it to two shops - only resolution is replace the transmission at 3500 +.