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Ford Freestyle Maintenance and Repair

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Comments

  • bobw3bobw3 Member Posts: 2,989
    yoyo123...How's your mazda5 in comparison to your Freestyle? I have an '05 FS with75,000 miles. No problems yet, but my extended warranty ends in Feb 2010 and I like the Mazda5. How much better MPG is your mazda5 getting in comparison to your FS? How about the space inside and the ride? Just wondering your views.
  • yoyo123yoyo123 Member Posts: 33
    My family loves the car. It gets about 8 mpg more than what we got on the FS as I get anywhere between 24-28 mpg; usually around 26. I have 35k miles on it. I really like it for its reliability, gas mileage, sliding doors and perfect size. I love so many things about this car that there are too many to list. I would buy it again in a heart beat. But when someone asks me my opinion, I always want to point out the things I wish it had or didn't have. This is nitpicking, though:

    - tires are expensive to replace as they have a 50 aspect ratio.
    - it doesn't ride as smooth as the FS, but I enjoy that it handles better.
    - It will only accept a 1 1/4" hitch for my bike rack so I can only carry 2 bikes vs. 4 on a 2" hitch. Of course, if it could handle a 2" hitch, it would be a heavier car and then mpg would suffer. It's a tradeoff I have no trouble living with.
    - Mazda does not recommend towing with this vehicle and I believe it will invalidate your warranty if you do. I could be wrong on this, but I don't tow, so I don't worry about it.
    - brakes tend to "moan" when backing up when damp. I have read and been told that this is normal.
    - It has a fan for the rear seat, but it doesn't come directly from the heater/ac. It just helps circulate the air. It doesn't seem to take any longer to warm up the back seat occupants. I just asked my kids and they have no complaints.
    - It is smaller than the FS, but makes really good use of the space, so we haven't really noticed the difference except when going on vacation. I figured we can always buy a car rack and a storage compartment for much less than the difference between the cars. We haven't needed to, though.

    That's all I can think of. I have only taken it back to the dealer once and that was to replace a piece of missing interior molding that we noted when we picked up the car. We have had to replace the tires; 2 at 20k miles because I hit a pot hole and damaged one of the tires and the other 2 just last week because I didn't do a wheel alignment when I replaced the first 2. I hit a REALLY deep pot hole that I saw at the last minute. I am very surprised that I didn't flat the tire and do other damage. I won't write what I am thinking as that will jinx me, but let's just say that I am very happy with its quality.

    In summary, I love the car and would buy it again. Hope that helps.
  • nutabugnutabug Member Posts: 8
    The problem with the cvt issue is that can't even detect it! So I would tell you to have it checked, but if the engine light and the wrench light is not going on, then they can't run any codes! The whinning noise has been said to be normal, but who knows with these vehicles. You could ask them to run the codes, just to be on the safe side! Good Luck!
  • sindersinder Member Posts: 37
    I'm in nutabug....I'm ready to take on FORD !!! I have had it ! I am going to start a Facebook Group for EVERYONE with any CVT transmission problems. Facebook has over 200 millions users.....That's a start and we'll move on from there. I will contact you once I get the group up and running..
    Do you have a FB account?
  • haulthault Member Posts: 130
    I have 2005 49,000 miles. Only big problem was rear brake issue. I put ceramics pads on at 15000 before rotors were damaged and now have 49000. ford reimbursed eventually. Have not had any CVT issue yet. I heard Ford switched to 6 spd because it was cheaper to manufacture.
  • nutabugnutabug Member Posts: 8
    I do have a FB account. Keep me posted! My parents wanted to give me the money to fix it so I am in the process of fixing it for a 2nd time!! Unbelievable! It is so dishearting and I am so worried it will happen again and myself and my family won't be so lucky next time pulling out on the highway! I can't afford a car payment so I am STUCK!
  • bobw3bobw3 Member Posts: 2,989
    I'd say once it's fixed, go out an buy another car and sell your FS while it's running good. You really don't want to drive a car you don't feel confident in. How many passengers do you really need to haul around?
  • sindersinder Member Posts: 37
    Hi Bobw3,

    :lemon: You may be surprized to learn that many of us are STILL paying on our Freestyles. We are NOT particulary thrilled to have to walk into any deal completely upside down!
    FORD has the market cornered with the CVT's in the Freestyles.

    There is a right and a wrong in life....and people ought to know the difference.

    Now, I'm not trying to be rude, but what difference does it possibly make, how many people any Freestyle owneres haul around ?
    Whether it is a single owner, OR we deliver meals-on-wheels to the elderly..WE DESERVE to have a transmission that lasts MORE than 65k miles.

    How appropriate that you would suggest to "nutabug" to sell it whilst it is running good. Fairly confident it's going to "fail" again??? :sick:
  • bobw3bobw3 Member Posts: 2,989
    "How appropriate that you would suggest to "nutabug" to sell it whilst it is running good. Fairly confident it's going to "fail" again??? "

    I mentioned selling it after it's fixed because nutabug indicated that they wouldn't feel confident driving it...it's not a good idea to drive any car you don't feel confident with.

    The reason I asked how many people nutabug hauls around is that if they are going to sell the Freestyle and buy another vehicle, maybe some money could be saved by buying a used, smaller vehicle.

    My comments we're in no way a defense of Ford. Generally it's a bad idea to put so little down payment on a car that you're "upside down" on it. Folks in that situation would be bette off buying a 2-3 year old model than brand new.

    And as several others have posted...individual failure instances don't necessarily point to a overall problem. For example, my brother had a Honda Civic engine fail on him at 70,000 miles (out of warranty). He'll never buy another Honda because of that experience. Does that mean that all Hondas are lemons because of that failure...it does to my brother! But you get my point.

    That being said, by all means go after Ford....good luck!
  • stevedebistevedebi Member Posts: 4,098
    "You may be surprized to learn that many of us are STILL paying on our Freestyles. We are NOT particulary thrilled to have to walk into any deal completely upside down!
    FORD has the market cornered with the CVT's in the Freestyles.

    There is a right and a wrong in life....and people ought to know the difference.

    Now, I'm not trying to be rude, but what difference does it possibly make, how many people any Freestyle owneres haul around ?
    Whether it is a single owner, OR we deliver meals-on-wheels to the elderly..WE DESERVE to have a transmission that lasts MORE than 65k miles."

    I actually sold my 2006 FS a couple of years ago, but mainly because I wanted a smaller vehicle.

    Ford has not "cornered the market". Anyone who wishes could set up a repair shop and get the parts from the suppliers by negotiating the prices and contract at the wholesale level. But there simply aren't enough ZF CVT units out there to make it profitable.

    I must point out that each auto manufacturer warrants a specific car part for a certain amount of time. In the case of the FS drivetrain, I think that is 50-60K depending on when you bought the car. This is the length of time that Ford, and each owner, agreed upon when the vehicle was purchased. I realize that people tend to expect longer periods, but any part on any vehicle is subject to breakdown. I'm sorry your FS tranny went bad, but it is not the result of bad design - the transmission is actually more reliable than most. But you, and the other people reporting problems here, got a bad one, or simply had some combination of bad luck.

    Good luck in your efforts to resolve the issue.
  • sindersinder Member Posts: 37
    Ummm Stevedebi ????

    You SOLD your FS before anything happened to it, so you haven't a clue on what it's like to a) get parts for it b) get ANYONE to work on an existing one c) have to pay over 5K for a remanned one from FORD because nobody else will touch them.

    That, is CORNERING THE MARKET....... There are even FORD dealers that won't work on the damn things.

    I called EVERY transmission ship in a tri-county area. NOT ONE shop will touch this CVT transmission. They all have the very SAME negative comments to say about it. Quite similar to the Saturn IVT......which btw is a "type of" CVT....and Saturn LOST in a class action lawsuit addressing the transmission.

    If there " simply aren't enough ZF CVT units out there to make it profitable" (your quote) , where are the parts coming from, Stevedebi ???? There are people on this forum that have waited 5-6 weeks for a parts.

    How does somebody that did NOT have a problem with this transmission and SOLD thier vehicle, chime and and tell ALL of us that are out thousand and thousands of dollars, that we just suffered a little bad luck. Give me a break. :lemon: It is what it is.....
  • stevedebistevedebi Member Posts: 4,098
    "If there " simply aren't enough ZF CVT units out there to make it profitable" (your quote) , where are the parts coming from, Stevedebi ???? There are people on this forum that have waited 5-6 weeks for a parts. "

    I probably wasn't clear on the statement. The parts are coming from Europe. But there are not enough Ford ZF transmissions (i.e., 2005-2007 Freestyle and Ford 500) on the road to make it profitable for an independent transmission shop to get set up to fix them.

    I agree that Ford should have allowed for more spares. It would be interesting for people to indicate their manufacture date; perhaps there is a correlation in dates and failures.

    I didn't like the "cornering the market" phrase because it implies that Ford is intentionally restricting the market. That is illegal and is not the case. The people with problems got a bad transmission, and (again) there just weren't that many of them produced in those three years; they are uncommon.

    This is different from the Saturn problem, in which case the transmission design was defective. I think it is in production that the Ford CVT problems occurred, rather than design.

    I am sorry for your troubles, and it would bother me too if it had happened, although my FS was a lease and I had the extended warranty added so that it would finish the lease while under warranty. But I tend to do that with all my leases; it wasn't because of any particular FS part or concern.
  • bobw3bobw3 Member Posts: 2,989
    It makes sense to me that the cost of repairing a FS CVT transmission will cost more because there are less of them out there and you'll probably be restricted to a dealer.

    That being said, the cost of replacing ANY transmission on a vehicle of this size will probably be a few thousand dollars, so if I need to replace my CVT, I'll end up paying an extra $1000 in comparison to a non-CVT.

    However, if I'd have driven a 7 passenger vehicle (eg minivan or SUV) with a normal transmission, I'd probably average about 18-19mpg. With my Freestyle after over nearly 80,000 miles my average has been 22-23mpg. It rarely goes under 20mpg and on long road trips I'll get 25-27mpg. So if I would have owned another SUV or minivan, after 80,000 miles at 18mpg at $2.5/gal, I'd have spent $11,111 in gas, and with my FS at 22mpg at $2.5/gal I spent $9,091. That's a savings of $2020 for me.

    So at least in my case, if my transmission ever does need replacing (so far no problems other than a Transmission Control Module replaced under the emissions warranty) and costs me $1000 more than a normal transmission, at least I'll know I've already saved twice that amount in gas.

    No I won't be happy about replacing the transmission (or making any other repair) but I have to look at the total cost of ownership and not just a single repair.

    For those of you that have had multiple transmission repairs/replacements I agree, that does really stink, as does it stink for anyone with any car that has multiple problems. I've read many other car forums here on Edmunds (Freestar transmission, Odyssey, transmission, Suburban transmission, Ram transmission, Lexus RX 300 transmission) and every car out there as similar stories with a few folks who have a lot of problems and then a bunch of other folks saying they’re not having any problems...the Freestyle is no different, and the owners of those other vehicles are just as irate as those here.
  • danallandanallan Member Posts: 32
    Bob, you are my kind of guy. That's exactly how I would look at things too. Plus, the difference in price paid for my Freestyle versus the higher price I would have paid for a comparable model of a competing brand.
  • explorerx4explorerx4 Member Posts: 19,250
    did you ever look into replacing the hitch bar with a 2 inch version?
    i am assuming the current one can be unbolted and a larger one can replace it.
    try etrailer dot com.
    2023 Ford Explorer ST, 91 Mustang GT vert
  • sandra24sandra24 Member Posts: 1
    How do you remove the rear bench (fold up) seat permantly in a Ford Freestyle 2005?
  • asa203asa203 Member Posts: 10
    Your fuel estimates are flawed. I drive a Freestyle AWD and My wife drives Honda Oddysey EXL. The best gas mileage I have ever gotten on the Freesystyle is 23.5. We have gotten 27.5 on the Oddysey more than once. Both of these vehicles have complaints about transmission failures, but so far we have been ok. I would not be happy to pay 5K for a tranny repair on any kind of vehicle.
  • sindersinder Member Posts: 37
    My mileage runs like yours, asa203. The best I have EVER fot was 23.5 as well.

    Now here's the "kicker" on the transmission. $5500 to have a "remanned" one installed.
    HOWEVER ::::::: FORD provides a 3 year 100K mile warranty on the REMANNED one ! Does anyone else find this just a bit odd ?

    Any particular reason they wouldn't offer that on a brand new one???? :confuse:
  • stevedebistevedebi Member Posts: 4,098
    "My mileage runs like yours, asa203. The best I have EVER fot was 23.5 as well.

    Now here's the "kicker" on the transmission. $5500 to have a "remanned" one installed.
    HOWEVER ::::::: FORD provides a 3 year 100K mile warranty on the REMANNED one ! Does anyone else find this just a bit odd ?

    Any particular reason they wouldn't offer that on a brand new one???? "

    The maximum I ever got was 27 on my 2006 SEL, at 70 MPH.

    I think they don't have new ones because the transmission is no longer manufactured. They have to remanufacture them.
  • import32import32 Member Posts: 1
    edited February 2010
    We bought our '07 FreestyleSEL used and it's now time to replace the tires (the Conti's made it to 56K miles). We now live in Chicago, so have to deal with snow & ice and I sometimes tow a very light sailboat/trailer (400 lbs approx) I've been reading the discussions and see that the general rec. is to go to 225/65/17's from the OEM 215. Hate to admit it, but being a 'chick' I'm not used to evaluating these kind of products, so I wanted to know if your recomendations from earlier last year still stand or if getting the Michelin Hydroedge at Costco is a good decision. I appreciate your input & now I'll get back to territory I'm more familiar with - helping my freshman twin girls find dresses for an upcoming dance! (-: ;)
  • curtisc63curtisc63 Member Posts: 10
    I replaced mine after 50K with the orignal size 215s. I ended up buying Yokohama AVID TRZs. Good price and good ratings. They did great here in Maryland over the last week and two blizzards. Very confidence inspiring. here is some mroe info:

    http://www.tirerack.com/tires/TireSearchResults.jsp?tireIndex=0&autoMake=Ford&au- toYear=2005&autoModel=Freestyle&autoModClar=&width=215/&ratio=65&diameter=17&sor- tCode=49581&skipOver=true&minSpeedRating=S&minLoadRating=S&tab=All

    As for the dresses for the dance - I recommend royal blue dresses :)
  • coldcrankercoldcranker Member Posts: 877
    You can add +1 MPG by simply switching to the new Goodyear Fuel Max new tread compound tires....

    I've been running Pirelli Scorpion high speed snow tires year around capable, and really love them.
  • bobw3bobw3 Member Posts: 2,989
    My fuel estimates are not flawed. For one thing, you're comparing your AWD Freestyle with your FWD Odyssey. Also, according to fueleconomy.gov, the average '05 Freestyle FWD owner gets 21.4mpg as compared to an '05 Odyssey owner getting 19.3mpg, which means that the Freestyle driver is getting about 10% better mpg. For me personally I average about 23mpg getting 26-27mpg on long road trips.

    Additionally the initial purchase cost of a Freestyle was a lot less than an Odyssey a my time of purchase, so that's another savings.

    I do agree that no-one wants any big repair costs.
  • madinpamadinpa Member Posts: 1
    I have a 2006 Freestyle and it had unintended acceleration and stalling. I have three little kids, the car accelerating while my foot was not on the gas in the driveway is a major safety problem. There is a national backorder on the part, implying that it is a nationwide problem and it is definitely a safety issue. WHY is it not a recall? The car is only 4 years old -- not even paid for yet!
  • curtisc63curtisc63 Member Posts: 10
    A backordered part does not necessarily mean there is a huge demand for the part. It could also indicate that there are very few problems with them and they do not keep a large inventory. Regardless, if what you state is true it is a safety issue and needs to be addressed. I am sure all of the auto manufacturers are on edge after the Toyota debacle and if there is a systemic problem it will be identified and announced quickly. I have had my 05 FWD SEL since new and have never had any indication of such a problem. But that does not matter. What is important is getting your car's issue addressed as quickly as possible to insure the safety of you and your family.
  • sindersinder Member Posts: 37
    Better have the transmission checked as well.

    Most definately a problem with these CVT transmissions in the 05-07 Freestyles. You cannot get a new transmission because they no longer make them. ( I know, shocking, right ?)

    I have been having this discussion/argument about these transmissions for almost a year. Mine did NOT accelerate at all, as I was in the middle of a very busy intersection. Damn near got me killed. I had to cut off the engine, turn it back on, drop it into gear and then it BOLTED me across the road. Nice, huh?

    Oh...I hate to add insult to an "almost injury" but be prepared to get your checkbook out. My "remanned" tranny plus installation was $5,500. :mad:

    I called FORD, wrote to FORD..... nobody seems to care. :lemon:
  • mrachedimrachedi Member Posts: 6
    All problems are stored in your car computer and dealer can do diagnostic to check any saved errors. We had wrench dash symbol come on (73,198 miles) three times two weeks ago Fri, and were going out of town 7/1 to Phoenix.

    Have seen lot of postings saying wrench light and check transmission light most were for throttle body replacement. Told parts on back order but dealer found part and replaced throttle body same day. Have extended warranty and cost was deductible of $50.

    You should take to dealer and have diagnostics ran on memory of computer. Should find problem and fix under your "new car" warranty.
  • mrachedimrachedi Member Posts: 6
    All problems are stored in your car computer and dealer can do diaognostic to check any saved errors. We had wrench dash symbol come on (73,198 milles) three times two weeks ago Fri, and were going out of town 7/1 to Phoenix.

    Have seen lot of postings saying wrench light and check transmission light most were for throttle body replacement. Told parts on back order but dealer found part and replaced throttle body same day. Have extended warrenty and cost was deductible of $50.

    You should take to dealer and have diaognosits ran on memory of computer. Should find problem and fix under your "new car" warranty.
  • kieracmkieracm Member Posts: 5
    I purchased a brand new 2007 ford freestyle and now after 72,000 miles and many other problems that I had to fix on my own because I didn't purchase the warranty, I had to take it today to the dealership because of the Throttle Body that needs to be replaced. This will cost me about $1,000.00. My car is accelerating on it's own, the wrench light comes on after the acceleration, and I loose power all together. I am forced to shut off the vehicle, wait a couple of minutes and start the car back on. Just imagine this situation on a busy highway...

    The only way we can make sure the dealer fixes this problem is to call the Department of Transportation, National Highway Traffic Safety Administration at 1-888-327-4236 and file a complaint. After they review the complaint they have the authority to request that the Dealer issues a recall and fix the issues. I just did this myself and it took me about 20 minutes, however, a case number was sent to me immediately. If we all take 20 minutes of our time, we can have Ford fix these problems and who knows? maybe even save somebody's life...
  • aishac7aishac7 Member Posts: 5
    I am SO glad you posted this problem! I am having the same issue with my '06 Freestyle accelerating and stalling on its own. I have taken it to Ford service on three occasions and they have not been able to detect a problem. I have brought 2 different Ford technicians into the car and they felt the surges, but no error codes come up on their computers. I'm completely frustrated, as I also have kids whose safety is at risk. I'm taking the car back tomorrow with a copy of your message for them to see. Maybe my throttle body (whatever that is :-) needs repair as well.

    Again, thanks for posting.
  • danallandanallan Member Posts: 32
    I had a similar acceleration problem. Car would really want to jump on me at times. Had to really stand on the brakes one time...scary.

    Turns out it needed a fuel induction service. Service guy said should be done every 60k. Cleaned what they needed to clean and the car runs perfectly again. I have 81k on my 2007 now and it runs just as good as the day I bought it.

    Just finished a 4,250mile tour of middle America and the car was flawless.
  • danallandanallan Member Posts: 32
    And I still get 21mpg combined, 26 mpg at 70 mph....couldn't be happier
  • lcjesselcjesse Member Posts: 30
    very useful information. I am taking my car in for service tomorrow as i have been having this problem increasingly more this summer (it started last summer). My biggest concern is that my 15 year old son is driving this car with me a lot and it makes me really nervous. I have noticed that my problem is worse when the following conditions exist at the same time 1) the engine is warm, 2) the air conditioner is on, 3) i am at a complete stop with the brakes applied and 4) i turn the steering wheel left or right. I am learning to always either slightly release the brake before i turn the wheel and it seems to help, or turn off the A/C before pulling into or out of a parking space. Would love to get to 81K with this car
  • danallandanallan Member Posts: 32
    Sounds just like my problem...air on was when it would really act up. Should cost around $300 or so. Let us know if you have the same solution as I did.
  • danallandanallan Member Posts: 32
    Also, it was explained to me that the engine was getting "gummed up" (my technical term) and then the computer would think there wasn't enough gas getting to where it was needed, so it pushed a lot more in and the engine has no choice but to rev up, all the while I was hitting the brakes to stop the car.
  • aishac7aishac7 Member Posts: 5
    Those are the exact conditions that cause the problem with my '06 Freestyle with less than 44,000 miles on it. They also prevent the service technicians from "duplicating the problem" when they service the vehicle. I dropped it off again to Ford Service this morning and explained how I have found multiple people having the same problem with this car. I was told that just because others are having this issue doesn't mean that it is the same issue I have. I beg to differ. I have sent an email to Ford's national headquarters, as well as to the Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. If my car is not repaired to my satisfaction, my next stop is the media. I almost hit the gas attendant when my car accelerated. Completely unacceptable. And unnecessary.
  • lcjesselcjesse Member Posts: 30
    just got the call today from the dealership telling us we needed a new throttle body
    ($600),plus $500 for labor. They would try order 1 but it was on "backorder". At first we told them to order but once i got my husband to read up on Fuel induction service, we are called them back to hold off on part (as we would have to pay for it if it arrived but we decided we did not want it.) Will take it somewhere else later in the week. In the meantime, i'll turn the AC off and get my car slightly rolling BEFORE or turning steering wheel in parking situations. This is a HUGE safety concern and a BIG disappointment for me as this is my 1st Ford.
    I'll keep you posted.
  • lcjesselcjesse Member Posts: 30
    upon driving my car home after getting it evaluated, it is worse now than it was. It is idling at a lower RPM (400-500) and fluctating constantly (even with the A/C off) and is trying to die when in come to a cpmplete stop. Now even turning A/C off when stopping to make a turn is not sufficient. I cannot trust this car to get me safely anywhere now. My husband is out test driving it just to make sure I am not crazy (i will likely be before this is over)
  • aishac7aishac7 Member Posts: 5
    My car was worse when I drove it home from being "serviced" as well. I finally got somewhere after contacting Ford Motor Company via email on their site. I explained the problem I was having with the car accelerating on its own and mentioned I found several other Freestyle owners with the same concern. Two days later, the service guys ordered the throttle body (which is on backorder until August 7th) and gave me a service loaner.
  • lcjesselcjesse Member Posts: 30
    i am glad to hear that you have a part coming and i hope it fixes your problem. I filed a complaint with NHTSA on line and also wrote to Ford Customer Relations explaining my frustrations and suggested that loaner car would be nice sine mine is "not safe to drive" and the part is not available and i am still making payments. I got a response from them assuring me they would be in contact with the dealer and would expedite the part (not sure from where) and that i would be hearing from someone w/in 2 days. I am taking my car to another mechanic shop tomorrow and getting the fuel induction service done that another owner recommended. I figure it can't hurt and wouldn't it be wonderful it it fixed it for only $200 as opposed to $700+ from the dealership. I highyl encourage all owners having this problem contact Ford directly. Keep us posted on what happens to your vehicle after you get the new throttle body.
  • lcjesselcjesse Member Posts: 30
    Got the call for the shop today with "good news". With what we had discussed when i took it in he said he skipped over all of the diagnostics to keep from running up a tab and went straight to doing the FUEL INDUCTION service. He said something to the effect that there was some air flow part ( over my head) that was REALLY dirty and with that cleaned out it is running great. It cost me $125. This is the exact experience that danallan had. I have yet to pick up my car today but am so excited about the possibility that if is fixed that i wanted to share.
  • lcjesselcjesse Member Posts: 30
    THANKS YOU very much. I just had this done and think it fixed it.
  • danallandanallan Member Posts: 32
    You are welcome. Not that I did anything.....

    That's what makes these forums so important to follow. I am bummed only because you paid about half as much as I did......I'll put that down to a more extensive cleaning on my car....not that I would know either way....good news
  • angel_76angel_76 Member Posts: 3
    We just bought an '06 Freestyle back in April, have only had it for 3 months, and our car did the same thing. We were about 160 miles from home, to pick up my 84 year old grandmother. Stopped by the Sonic to grab something to eat, left the car running with the AC on b/c it was so hot outside, my husband put the car in reverse, and it surged backwards. The little wrench light came on. It went into limp mode, we limped to a Ford Dealership in Ft. Smith, AR, they ran a diagnostic on it, told us it was the electronic throttle body, but had no idea when they could get a part. They reset the computer, we made it back to Hot Springs, AR without any further problems. My husband went the local dealer where we bought the car, and the service managers, told him yes they were aware of the issue. We called Ford Motor Co. to file a complaint about the car, they said we had to have a diagnostic reading from the dealership we bought it from. So we have to wait for the car to mess up again, and get another reading, and pay yet another $87.00 for it...ugh. So we contacted the Attorney Generals office to file a complaint, they told us to fill out the online paperwork, and send them copies of our receipt from the dealer in Ft. Smith, and everything that we have read about the issue, this includes everything on this site. We also filed a complaint with Nat'l Safety transportation ppl. So if you are having an issue like this our suggestion is to also file a complaint with the Attorney Generals office.
  • angel_76angel_76 Member Posts: 3
    have an '06 freestyle, having the same problem, we contacted NHTSA, Ford Motor Co, and now have a call into the Attorney Generals office.
  • lcjesselcjesse Member Posts: 30
    are you still having problems? i would strongly suggest finding someone to do Fuel Induction Service on the car. It really worked on mine (though it has only been a day). Danallan had this done and it worked for him (30K miles since w/o problems). Others have reported problem being fixed by cleaning the throttle body themselves, however, i believe that the Fuel Indcution service is a much more deep cleaning of the system
  • repairdaily2repairdaily2 Member Posts: 4
    I am having the same problems that you have been regarding the throttle body. The car i jumping backwards when my foot is on the brake and it is in reverse. The dealer told me he never heard of such a thing and that he has never seen a problem with the Ford Freestyle. I am on my potential second throttle body. The dealer told me he could do nothing for me. He told me to contact Ford which I did and they said they could do nothing and have never heard of this. Today in line at the bank the car jumped forward. I then seem to see the engine revving when in park with the ac running. I believe this is a safety issue. Before somebody gets hurt as in the toyota situation we should file a class action law suit.
    WHAT DO ALL OF YOU THINK WITH THE SAME PROBLEM?
  • repairdaily2repairdaily2 Member Posts: 4
    You are describing my problem exactly Lets contact the National SAFETY BOARD BEFORE SOMEBODY GET HURT IN AN ACCIDENT
  • lcjesselcjesse Member Posts: 30
    i have filed a complaint with the NHTSA and am going to follow up and tell then how (so far) just having the Fuel Induction (cleaning) service has seemed to fix it.
    I SERIOUSLY urge you to find a shop in your area that does Fuel Induction service and get it done BEFORE you do have an accident. Mine got worse when i had my A/C compressor replaced ( wonder if the guncked up fuel system air flow system is not what made my A/C go out.) It costs about about $125-150 and i am amazed at how much better my cars runs in general and NO lurching. My Ford dealer called yesterday to say that they had the throttle body in now. We told them that we did not need it as this fuel system cleaning seems to have fixed the problem.
    I am also going to follow up with Ford Customer Care ( i wrote them earlier trying to alert them to the problem as well) and recommend that they should be advising their dealers to take this Fuel system cleaning approach 1st before replacing the throttle body. It makes sense that the diagnostic system would indicate at throttle body failure if the throttle body is not getting enough of what it needs to work and thus is having to work harder.
  • aishac7aishac7 Member Posts: 5
    Glad the fuel system cleaning worked for you. My car still sits at the Ford service center awaiting a throttle body (still driving the service loaner). If it doesn't work, I'll suggest the fuel system cleaning. I also followed up with Ford Customer Care suggesting that a note should pop up on the service center computer when customers complain about their Freestyle surging. Customers shouldn't have to go back and forth with the service guys until we think to google the problem which leads us to this site.
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