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Ford Freestyle - Taurus X

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Comments

  • ramj70ramj70 Member Posts: 28
    Just an FYI, Freestyle is a Ford product last I checked, so who knows how this might affect the Freestyle in the future. There are other posts in this forum that are not specific to the Freestyle also, didn't notice your comments on those.
  • mmccloskeymmccloskey Member Posts: 168
    Thanks to those members for your input regarding replacement tires/alignment for my 2005 FS Limited AWD. The Goodyear Assurance tires that were installed yesterday provide a much quieter and smoother driving experience over the Pirelli P6’s. The 700 treadwear rating will hopefully allow for a longer life than the old tires. The handling is not quite as crisp but the GY tires are so much quieter that it’s worth the tradeoff. My Freestyle is now almost Luxury Car quiet except when the RPM's rise above 3000!

    Regards -

    M. J. McCloskey
  • lenwoodrufflenwoodruff Member Posts: 17
    I have been running 32psi but the tires look low on pressure.
  • stevedebistevedebi Member Posts: 4,098
    I'm running 35 in front and 33 in the rear. The manual says to use two lb more pressure in the front.
  • mmccloskeymmccloskey Member Posts: 168
    The service tech didn't recommend a specific TP. I should have checked the pressure before driving off the lot but didn't. I checked the pressure this evening and it's at 38psi. Way too high. I will check again in the morning when the tires are cool. I will adjust to 33psi front/rear if necessary. I can't understand why an authorized dealership would not ensure the proper psi based on vehicle recommendations when installing new tires. To top it off, the tech left grease smears on the armrest when I picked up my car. They came off w/o issue but still! I don't expect Lexus type service from Ford, but since I keep my car in above average condition, one would hope it would be recognized and respected. Nonetheless, I am glad I got the Goodyear Assurance tires and will certainly enjoy many peaceful miles.

    M. J. McCloskey
  • bruneau1bruneau1 Member Posts: 468
    The recommended pressure is 32 front 34 rear. Check the placard on your car.
  • passat_2002passat_2002 Member Posts: 468
    "The recommended pressure is 32 front 34 rear. Check the placard on your car."

    Correct for the FWD Freestyle with 17" wheels. I believe it is different for those with either 18" wheels or those with AWD. As you say.. the placard will tell.
  • coldcrankercoldcranker Member Posts: 877
    I can't see how tires are really that terribly sensitive to air pressure. As long as the tires are within 4 psi of 35 psi, you should be fine. (Never go above 39 psi cold, and never let them get below 31 psi cold.) In fact, one technique is to inflate them to 39 psi cold at the service station, then check and adjust them at home every week until one week you see them at 31 psi, at which time you go to the service station again to put them back up to 39 psi. And I never start a long highway trip without about 35 psi cold, to make sure there is enough for high speed driving, since an underinflated tire builds up more heat than one at 35-to-39 psi. A few extra psi is OK, but don't go overboard on it.
  • passat_2002passat_2002 Member Posts: 468
    Or you could just put in the recommended pressure.
  • coldcrankercoldcranker Member Posts: 877
    "Or you could just put in the recommended pressure."

    Reply: The point is, air pressure drops gradually over time, so that if you air them up to the precise numbers, you could never keep them there. Instead, save some time and air them up a little over the placard specs, then let them drop a couple of psi below the spec before taking the trouble to air them back up again. Otherwise, you'd be airing them up constantly! Check them at home in your driveway and note when they finally get too low. Its actually like you have a clock that you know runs fast, so you set it 1 minute behind, wait until it gets 1 minute fast, and then set it back to 1 minute behind, reducing the number of times you have to hit the stupid thing.
  • mmccloskeymmccloskey Member Posts: 168
    Passat_2002 is correct. As I have the AWD w/18" wheels, the label on the lower portion of the 'B' pillar states 32 PSI for both front & rear tires (225/60HR18). I checked the pressure this morning and it was at 36PSI. I bled the tires down to 34 as this is what I ran with the Pirelli's.

    Over and out for now in regards to tire pressure -

    M. J. McCloskey
  • stevedebistevedebi Member Posts: 4,098
    "The recommended pressure is 32 front 34 rear. Check the placard on your car."

    I made no statement as to what exact pressure was recommended. I said that I keep them at 33 / 35, and that the manual recommends 2 lb more in the front. OK, so I should have said that the placard says to keep 2 lb more in the front.

    I trust you are aware that one can fill the tires up to the maximum cold pressure marked on the sides?
  • kjnormankjnorman Member Posts: 243
    [Quote] The point is, air pressure drops gradually over time [/Quote]

    I can say that I have never experiance a tire gradually losing pressure over time, unless it was faulty/installed incorrectly or had a slow leaking puncture (such as a nail). You should get your tires inspected if you suffer these problems.

    There is one other time, where the tire might loose pressure, and that is if you live/drive on an unmade road frequently. Then I can expect to have some air pressure squeased out by hitting BIG pot holes. I had this happen to a low profile tire I had on an Eclipse once. I hit a HUGE pot hole at about 70 mph. There was a huge thunk that came up through the car and at the time I though I broke the suspension. It turned out that shock of the pot hole knocked about 10-15 psi out of the tire. Once I reinflated it, it was fine after that and it never needed to be adjusted again except for period seasonal temperature induced changes.

    /K
  • barnstormer64barnstormer64 Member Posts: 1,106
    My tires have ALWAYS lost pressure very slowly over time. Every set I've ever owned.
  • mrfurious19mrfurious19 Member Posts: 8
    Hi all.
    Just picked up a new 2006 Freestyle and like it a lot. When I test drove the "Oil Change" message came on when the engine started. Salesman told me it would be reset but I noticed after leaving with it that the message still displayed. This car was on the lot for almost 1 year and had 130 miles on the odo. when I test drove it. The oil looks, smells and feels just fine but I'm wondering if I should ask the dealership for an oil change due to the car being on the lot so long. Does the oil change message turn on after "x" amount of miles driven or does it actually test the properties of the oil and advise to change when the oil is no longer capable of performing it's job?
    Thanks!
  • player4player4 Member Posts: 362
    Hey guys, well my parents are looking to get a new car. Since Ford is currently doing te 0% for 72 months, they are thinking on Explorer or Freestyle so fari like both but Freestyle has better fuel economy and more freindly like interior. My only concern is the CVT tranny, how do you guys feel about it? Any problems? Does it feel weird when you are driving not to feel the car shift? Is there alot of engine noise?

    I really would appreciate if you guys reply because we are going to the dealership this weekend because those are the lsat days of the 0% for 72 months thing so...

    Thc in advance...
  • coldcrankercoldcranker Member Posts: 877
    It is a pretty simple algorithm: The Ford oil life percentage is just the percentage left to 6 months or 5,000 miles, whichever comes first. Its not as sophisticated as GM's oil life monitoring system, which does take into account outside temperature, driving style, and the length of the trips taken. The one-year on the existing oil does reduce its life a little, but a new engine is very tolerant. If I were you, I'd change the oil at between 500 to 1,000 miles to get the initial metallic wear particles cleared out, then change it at 5,000 miles or 6 months, whichever occurs first. Mobil 1 0w-20 synthetic with a Mobil 1 M1-210 oil filter appears to be the best for the car. That oil is a 0w-20, which flows best cold (the "0" part means great cold), and it still meets stringent high-temperature specs (the "20" part, the Ford specs, and the ACEA A1/B1 test specs for hot operation).
  • coldcrankercoldcranker Member Posts: 877
    The CVT is great. Its computer program determines the best RPM to run the engine at depending on the accelerator pedal position and engine load. Very easy. Very efficient. On an '05 FrontWheelDrive model, I get 27 MPG on the highway. I love mine. Its especially good in hilly driving, where the gear ratio changing is seamless and extremely smooothe without the violence of gear shifting seen on an old-style automatic or manual.
  • jschreiberjschreiber Member Posts: 50
    Hi--in my freestyle this is manually set by pushing in the odometer button for about 15 seconds--it goes to 100% oil--this goes down by miles so by 3000 miles it reads around 25%--you should have no reason to change your oil
  • mrfurious19mrfurious19 Member Posts: 8
    Thanks coldcrank and jschreiber! I appreciate the replies. I called the dealership service guy(not that I don't trust you but I am severely OCD ;) ) and he told me the exact same thing that you mentioned. He did say that the oil from the factory is break-in oil and it would be good to leave it in for a some miles before changing it. He said it's a synthetic blend and very resilient so I should have no worries even though it has been in the engine for quite awhile.

    Thanks Again!
  • tim156tim156 Member Posts: 308
    I watch my tire pressure very closely and I also have not experienced any drop in pressure with the 17" Continentals on my Freestyle. The only time the pressure has fluctuated is during the Minnesota late fall/winter/early spring seasons when temperatures fluctuate more than 10 degrees. For every 10 degree change in temperature, the pressure can change +/- 2 pounds.
  • coldcrankercoldcranker Member Posts: 877
    Pressure loss is very slow. Some molecules sneak out eventually. Pressure = AirDensity x Temperature, so, yes, as the Temperature varies, so does the Pressure. Slight leakage over a long period of time is normal. I'd say tires might lose 1 psi per month just due to leakage alone. Tires never gain air, just leak it.
  • tim156tim156 Member Posts: 308
    Tires never gain air, just leak it.

    I didn't say that tires gain air, I said the pressure increases or decreases due to temperature changes. As I stated before, I have not noticed a measurable difference in the air pressure when my tires were checked at or near the same ambient temperature. I may be limited because my digital air gauge only detects pressure changes one half pound at a time.
  • northlakesnorthlakes Member Posts: 368
    I just made another 650 mile trip to Ann Arbor, MI. With a full "college load" of stuff, my AWD Freestyle averaged 26.5 MPG. Nice. The Freebie felt great.

    Ann Arbor seems to be swimming in Freestyles. I think I counted two dozen in one day. Whether it is the good financing or the mileage improvement over other SUVs, they are popular here. I did see a new Ford 0% financing TV ad that only featured the Freestyle. I am in good company here. :shades:
  • coldcrankercoldcranker Member Posts: 877
    northlakes,
    Thats above average for an AWD model. With my FWD model with a heavy load and high speed highway driving, I could get a tad over 27 mpg. With people reporting way less MPG, I wonder if internal engine/tranny parts tolerance variations sometimes play a role in sapping MPG. A lot of low MPG I hear about can't be explained by bad driving style necessarily. Yours must be "dialed-in".
  • kjnormankjnorman Member Posts: 243
    Similarly the only time I tend to put air into my tires is as we drop into Winter (here in Wisconsin) as the temperature plunges from 70s to 20s in the space of a month.

    Then in the Spring I seem to be constantly taking air out of the tires as the weather warms up again.
  • oldgwtholdgwth Member Posts: 25
    Northlakes I’m jealous!! ;) Just made a 2800 round trip high country drive from Washington to Colorado and back. AWD, light load, climate control set at 68 and cruise at 75mph with resulting average mileage of 24.6. Love my Freebie but didn’t see hardly any on the road. Sure as heck beats my old Explorers mileage.
  • northlakesnorthlakes Member Posts: 368
    I think you have a point. A friend with a Murano, also with a CVT transmission, got 3-4 MPG less than a co-worker also with Murano. The difference couldn't be explained by driving habits. Tolerances and calibration must be involved.

    I remember posts on this site in the past that talked about the firmware for the Freestyle transmission getting "re-flashed" (software update) and mileage improving. The other thing I remember is that the sweet spot for Freestyle mileage is around 2000 RPM, so I set the cruise to 65-70 MPH and let the electronics do the rest.

    Since mine is working well, I'm not messing with it. Last fall, after making the same trip I got 27 MPG on my AWD without the cargo. :shades:
  • dougmalissadougmalissa Member Posts: 24
    Just got my 2006 SEL AWD a week ago and LOVE it. Was wondering if anyone has tried swapping the sunglasses holder for the conversation mirror. With the sunroof option, it removes the mirror, but I like that since I have 2 small kids. Thanks! :)
  • kelru2000kelru2000 Member Posts: 5
    I just noticed this article over at slate.com about a freestyle commercial. I haven't seen the actual commercial, but it doesn't sound like the best publicity one could ask for!!

    Ford's bizarre new SUV ad
  • dougmalissadougmalissa Member Posts: 24
    Yep. I read the article. I am a divorced dad. I certainly did NOT buy the Freestyle because I am a divorced dad. Not sure what the marketers were thinking when they came up with that.... :confuse:
  • stmssstmss Member Posts: 206
    Well, you know what some say - there is no such thing as bad publicity. And the fact that it may be causing a stir is exactly what the advertisers wanted.
  • mrfurious19mrfurious19 Member Posts: 8
    Weird commercials or not, I'm just happy to see Ford throwing a little love at the Freestyle. This is a great car. I can't understand why Ford has left it on the sidelines. Compact/Small crossovers have a huge following, the full size crossover would too if people knew they could buy one.
  • saabturboidsaabturboid Member Posts: 178
    tim156 wrote:

    "I watch my tire pressure very closely and I also have not experienced any drop in pressure with the 17" Continentals on my Freestyle. The only time the pressure has fluctuated is during the Minnesota late fall/winter/early spring seasons when temperatures fluctuate more than 10 degrees."

    I live in Minnesota too and in the fall top off my tires with a couple of extra PSI so they will have a little better air pressure when it is - 20F. By spring the PSI seems about the same as it was before I topped them off so they must lose 1 or 2 PSI every 6 months. By the way, where do you live? I want to sneak over at night and add some air pressure to your tires just to freak you out. ;)

    - Chad
  • explorerx4explorerx4 Member Posts: 20,792
    does the expression, "go blue" mean anything to you?
    2024 Ford F-150 STX, 2023 Ford Explorer ST, 91 Mustang GT vert
  • northlakesnorthlakes Member Posts: 368
    Yes, Go Blue means a lot to me. It may also have something to do with a blue oval the way the Freestyles are running around the town. :shades:
  • tom_holsingertom_holsinger Member Posts: 58
    It all depends on whether your parents tow a trailer - they should get an Explorer if they do and a Freestyle if they don't.

    My wife and I love the CVT because it is so quiet and smooth. The only issue here is that it will be an orphan transmission. Otherwise it improves milage significantly.
  • explorerx4explorerx4 Member Posts: 20,792
    'blue' did ok today. on my vacation down in hatteras(outer banks) a couple of weeks ago, i was surprised how may freestyles i saw.
    2024 Ford F-150 STX, 2023 Ford Explorer ST, 91 Mustang GT vert
  • verdugoverdugo Member Posts: 2,288
    I attended the California State Fair yesterday. Many car companies had displays. I wanted to check out the Freestyle, but Ford didn't have it. There was a Fusion, but no 500/Freestyle. huh???
  • dougmalissadougmalissa Member Posts: 24
    Does anyone know where to get a locking gas cap? That would be about my only complaint about the Freestyle, no release latch or locking gas tank. Thanks.
  • volfangaryvolfangary Member Posts: 105
    Dealer sells them.
  • brumilbrumil Member Posts: 2
    I am disappointed that my SEL Freestyle only has privacy glass in rear window and 3rd row. Almost all other makes with privacy glass also have it in the 2nd row. How cheap can Ford get? Why don't they provide the dark privacy glass for the second row seating like most other models? Even the Escape has 2nd row privacy glass. Any thoughts on this??
  • brumilbrumil Member Posts: 2
    Was disappointed with my SEL Freestyle. Ford does not provide 2nd row privacy glass. Only has it rear window and 3rd row. Just about all othe vehicles including the Escape have 2nd row privacy glass. Is Ford trying to save $$ or what is the reason for this? I am thinking of getting the 2nd row done in privacy glass afte market. Is this possible?
  • stevedebistevedebi Member Posts: 4,098
    "Does anyone know where to get a locking gas cap? That would be about my only complaint about the Freestyle, no release latch or locking gas tank. Thanks."

    Got Mine Here
  • dougmalissadougmalissa Member Posts: 24
    My dealer's parts department said they didn't make them yet. This does not give me confidence in Ford.
  • northlakesnorthlakes Member Posts: 368
    OK. I reset the MPG indicator on my AWD Freestyle in Michigan, and 650 miles later, it read 28.3 MPG. I'm not sure I believe it, but with a good tailwind... Whatever the reality is, it felt nice to go from Michigan to Wisconsin, (through Indiana and Illinois) on less than a half tank of gas (the smaller half).

    On a related note, I learned that a cousin in Michigan is also a proud Freestyle owner. We will have to compare notes next time I am in his backyard. :shades:
  • pnewbypnewby Member Posts: 277
    Not sure what it has to do with Ford, but I wouldn't have much confidence in the dealer. ;)
  • den123den123 Member Posts: 5
    I had the second row windows tinted in our Freestyle back in the spring to match the rear row. Looks much nicer, and the kids like it better, too -- neighboring cars can't see them so easily! Had it done at the Ford dealer by an outside vendor, wasn't too costly.

    Have had our Freestyle now since May05, and we absolutely love it. Went from a Mazda MPV to the Freestyle, love the space, love the mileage (25 mpg on last trip to Myrtle Beach from Richmond, but attribute that to not driving the speed limit!), only thing we miss from the MPV is the sliding doors: Easier for the kids to get in and out.

    Seeing more and more Freestyles in Richmond, ours is the one with the tweety bird on the antenna -- if you're in town, give us a honk! : )
  • stevedebistevedebi Member Posts: 4,098
    "My dealer's parts department said they didn't make them yet. This does not give me confidence in Ford."

    Take a look at the replies, there were a couple of sources for Ford branded locking gas caps.
  • barnstormer64barnstormer64 Member Posts: 1,106
    and the kids like it better, too -- neighboring cars can't see them so easily!

    Amazing what kids expect these days. Sheesh!
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