Ford Freestyle - Taurus X

428cj

I am not making this up. This is pasted from the online version of the Pittsburgh Gazette. If they had not bought a Freestyle, the kid would be taking a dirt nap right now. It turns out each parent thought the other had the baby when they went into the game. Think about this the next time someone mentions a Subaru or Pacifica or other less popular vehicle.

A baby boy strapped in a safety seat inside a vehicle parked in a lot across from PNC Park last night probably would have gone unnoticed if he had been in any other sport utility vehicle.

But a Robinson couple passing by on their way to the Pirates game had been thinking about buying a Ford Freestyle, so they stopped to peek at the interior.

When they saw the child inside, the couple ran and told Alco Parking manager Bruce Miller.

Miller and city police Detective John Gagliardi raced to the car, shattered the driver's side window with a flashlight and retrieved the 18-month-old, who was slumped over and clammy. At 6:45 p.m., when they broke into the car, the outside temperature was 90 degrees.

The child woke up but had a hard time catching his breath, Gagliardi said. Emergency crews took him to Allegheny General Hospital, where he was checked and later released to his parents.

passat_2002

Exactly how much had the parents had to drink before casually walking (or staggering) off to a baseball game while leaving their child strapped into a carseat in a sealed vehicle on a hot day. Sheesh... Where is child protective services? There is no excuse for this.

naffy

thanks for those thoughts--I never thought about the ease of getting into the very back seats. I have 2 teenagers and am thinking that the console might be a good thing for them (No arguments about being on each other's side!!), but I will rethink it since you mentioned those ideas.

northlakes

I saw a new ad tonight on NBC talking about the Ford Family discounts, but primarily featuring the Freestyle and 500. Maybe they heard us about how the Freestyle was barely visible in the earlier ads. :shades:

jethrojackson

We just ordered a 2006 Limited AWD and inquired about the Daytime Running Lamps that are shown as a "Fleet" only item in the order guide. I'm told you have to order at least 15 Freestyles to have the factory install that option but the dealer locally says he can do it once it arrives. Has anyone had the DRL option installed by their local dealer? If so, does the automatic on/off feature of the headlamps still function properly? Are you happy with the install....anything else you care to share about it....cost?

We're looking forward to the arrival of our new Freestyle, as I've been following these boards for some time now and have enjoyed reading all the positive comments about everyone's ride. As one who drives about 32,500 miles a year, I'll be sure to chime in as the miles rack up.

Thanks!

archer_

Tony,

Thanks a million for these detailed instructions! Most helpful! I picked up a kit at Best Buy for $30 and got my SkyFi2 wired up quite nicely. Again, your instructions were just what I needed.

Archer

jpetruzzo

Jethro,

I'm about to order a 2006 Limited AWD myself. Can you please let us know what kind of a deal you were able to negotiate? According to the 2006 Freestyle pricing I've seen, it barely budged over the 2005 price.

http://www.blueovalnews.com/2005/products/prices.2006.htm

Thanks
Joe

barnstormer64

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

Note: Doesn't work if you have the Entertainment System installed. But if you have that, you already have RCA inputs on the DVD-player you can use.

This will provide a pair of RCA inputs that will work when you select the AUX input button on the radio.

Just ordered one for my Five Hundred (my Freestyle has the Entertainment System).

Note: supply is limited!

PS: Not affilliated with LogJamElectronics in any way. Just saw this today, and thought I'd pass it along

paulsan

We've owned our SEL AWD since April and took (2) 1000+ mile trips. One was mostly (90%) highway through New England, 4 adults, each a medium sized carry-on bag and some various antiquey things. We averaged about 24 mpg. Second trip was a tougher through the OuterBanks of NC. Again, mostly highway to get there from PA, but then mostly short city-like trips. I calculated 22.5 mph highway and 18.5 city. This time on the highway, we were heavily ladened with 4 adults and 1 yellow lab. The third row was down and packed to the max, including the cooler connected to the power port. We bought the crossbars on the roof and secured our circa 1980 Sears S-Cargo bubble on top. Talk about wind resistance! I was pretty pleased with the mileage and drivability.

One thing really stuck out from all the reviewers I read in Car and Driver, MSN Carpoint, etc - each were disappointed Ford didn't put in a larger engine. Maybe the specs seem conservative in today's market, but I don't feel that's an objective observation. Looking back on those trips, I had no trouble driving the way I wanted compared to my everyday driving. I would agree if the reviewer had driven my 2002 Subaru Forester, which has a poor power zone in second gear. Try pulling away from the curb or from a stop light. First zoom, then a noticeable lull in power. This is disastrous when pulling into moving traffic from a stop! Forester has an impressive engine, yet combined with the transmission, had us looking for a replacement. Other vehicles appear to have a problem from the start off the line, the vehicle can't seem to get out of it's way. The Freestyle may be heavy but I don't think there is any evidence that the engine is underpowered. Can't wait for snow!

jethrojackson

Hi Joe,

I ordered under the "X-Plan" with the understanding that if the "A-Plan" aka Family Pricing is extended to the 2006 Freestyle, I'll be able to have that price along with any rebates in effect when it arrives in about 6 weeks. As of now, the price will be strictly X-Plan.

Jethro

Joe said:

Jethro,

I'm about to order a 2006 Limited AWD myself. Can you please let us know what kind of a deal you were able to negotiate? According to the 2006 Freestyle pricing I've seen, it barely budged over the 2005 price.

kjnorman

Thank you for the heads up on the RCA inputs. I have place my order!

barnstormer64

You can pay me back by installing mine when it gets here. :P

branty

Being in Canada we have had daytime running lights standard on our vehicles for many years (since the late '80's I think). The daytime running lights are fully integrated with the automatic lights on our LTD AWD Freestyle. I presume that the dealer will install a control unit that is compatible with the lighting system that comes with the Freestyle so the automatic lights should continue to work. I really can't understand why you can only get daytime running lights on fleet vehicles in the States - they should be standard on all vehicles (makes your vehicle far more visible).

barnstormer64

" they should be standard on all vehicles (makes your vehicle far more visible)."

Those who can't see vehicles without DRL in daylight shouldn't be given a license to drive!

sharonsel

I have two children (ages 8 mos. and 3 yrs) who have to use car seats and I am having an awful time getting them to fit. I have a sel 7 passenger freestyle. I also have an older daughter who plays soccer so I fill up frequently carrying her friends. If I place the seats side by side in the middle row filling up the left and middle position, they will barely fit. When more people get in the back and I have to flip the right seat, the seat scrapes the carseats badly and I have to push on the carseat and pull hard on the seat to get it to move. I even bought my 3 year old a brand new seat and got the most narrow one I could find. I would like to seperate them because my 3 year old is rough with the baby. However, if I did that and placed her in the right seat, I would have to remove the car seat every time someone got into the back which I do not want to do. Finally I have decided to put the baby in the middle and my 3 year old in the very back of the car on the passenger side. I leave the middle right seat folded down unless I need it. That way I can always have 3 seats available for quick use. I don't like this situation because I have to put the baby in on the left side and walk around and put the 3 year old into the back on the other side and have to climb in to fasten her but there is no alternative. I also can't hand her anything if I need to. This car is not made for two car seats. I am kind of displeased with the car for this reason. It really needs to be another 5 inches wider to be a good family car. Also, with two car seats in the middle row, my 15 year old is squashed and my dad can barely fit. I do love how the car drives. I am not happy with my gas mileage. I haven't reset it the last 5 fillups and I am at 17.4 mpg. I drive about 70% city and 30% highway. I have @4500 miles on it and it is not improving like everyone says it will. If I drive city only it will be around 15 - 17. If I drive highway only it will go up to 25. My husband drove it and hates the knee room in the drivers seat. He is tall 6'3" and after a 2 hour trip was feeling very confined and his knee was aching from bumping the console. He tried sitting in the middle of the middle row once and said it was very uncomfortable. I have had no mechanical problems. I did have a semi truck scrape the gray lower area around my tire. It was replaced at a charge of only $164.00 but it took ford 5 days to do it because the part came in damaged on a Monday and they finally got another in on Friday and they kept telling me each day that it would be in tomorrow. I do not trust ford service centers. We have problems with them every time with our other vehicles. I dread taking them to them. The car is fairly quiet until you roll down a window. The air condition is awfully loud on high. You can't hear what anyone is saying especially in the third row. I have seen the new chevy uplander and have thought about trading it in. It is more of a minivan with the sliding doors but doesn't really have the look of one and it is more roomier inside. My cd player has always worked fine. I don't have any glares. My interior color is gray. I hate the look of the pebble. It is too yellowish and would get old too quickly in my opinion. I love my sunroof though I hardly use it and love my backup sensors and remote start I had installed. Another thing I hate is that there is no place for my purse or for packages in the front seat when there is another passenger up front. I like the looks of the interior but notice if water gets on the seats it leaves a spot when it dries. I like a lot of things about the car but in order for it to be used as a family car wagon type, it needs to be a little larger. If you need it for 7 passengers I would not recommend it.

oldgwth

"Those who can't see vehicles without DRL in daylight shouldn't be given a license to drive!"
barnstirner64
I live in the Pacific Northwest and on a dark winter rainy day it is not always easy to see the other cars without DRL's or lights on. Especially on the rural roads where I drive a lot. IMHO I think they are a great safety feature and I have considered getting the module. Did it on my 02 Explorer and it worked fine.

globecanvas

Very detailed critique of the car!

We have three kids in car seats, 18 month old twins and a 5 year old in a booster seat. We extensively test drove the Freebie against the Toyota Sienna minivan and the Honda Odyssey minivan. In both minivans, the 7-seat configuration is 2 seats in the 2nd row and 3 seats in the back, and we didn't want to have to exile one kid to the 3rd row permanently. The Toyota minivan has a split 2nd row, so as far as I know that's the only vehicle out there that would have suited your specific needs: 2 kids in the 2nd row not next to each other while preserving access to the 3rd row.

We put all three kids in the 2nd row booster-baby-baby. Then we can pull out the booster easily to get access to the 3rd row. We do have to push the 2 baby seats over to get the access seat to fold down, but as I said there is no other vehicle option that allowed us seating for 3 in the middle without this problem. Once your 3 year old is in a booster (or a seat that doesn't need to latch to the car), your flexibility will increase.

In our opinion, the Freestyle was the best all around bulk people moving vehicle, which is why we bought it. Consumer Reports just tested the Freebie and the results in all particulars were almost identical to the Toyota Sienna, with two key differences: the Freebie was cheaper and achieved the same mpg with AWD that the Toyota managed with 2WD.

And I know it's the eye of the beholder and all that, but for my money vehicles don't get much uglier than the Chevy Uplander!

jschreiber

Well I've had my AWD SE since last December-getting around 23 mpg mixed hiway stop and go
Also had whole family with grand parents in fully laden vehicle--actually did quite well for acceleration--some of the underpowered complaints I think are really the CVT--which takes some getting used to but performs well

In terms of snow, I live in the Twin Cities and the AWD was the best snow performer I've ever had
bar none (this includes 4WD Jeep and AWD others). Seamless engagement of AWD and excellent tight handling even in several unplowed inches.

So enjoy!

bobw3

That's why it's good when you buy any car to test drive it the way you'd really drive it...with the car seats in place. Didn't your husband test drive it either? Based on your use of the car, you probably should have just bought a minivan. Or you should have got it with the 2nd row captain chairs with nothing in between so the 3rd row passengers could just walk between the two seats so you wouldn't have to remove the car seats. But then if you need it for 7 passengers on a regular basis then you should have bought a minivan.

scotts1512

Three weeks into our purchase (SE, FWD, Safety and comfort pkgs), and no regrets. Was hoping for some more input on crossbars - ie success with non-Ford crossbars. The dealer wanted about $350, which isn't going to happen. Any details on success with the Yakima crossbars, ease of use, cost, where purchased, etc? Would be much appreciated. Any other crossbar info/experiences of course also welcome.

barnstormer64

" and on a dark winter rainy day it is not always easy to see the other cars without DRL's or lights on"

Dark, rainy days are when you use that MANUAL ON switch for the lights. :P

If one wishes to improve daylight visibility, I'd suggest going to bright primary colors for all the paint jobs!

stever

Check out Roof racks, Bike Racks and Cargo Carriers (OEM, Thule, Yakima) while waiting for responses in here.

Steve, Host

freealfas

http://ford.autowebaccessories.com/store/ford-freestyle-accessories-cat831_865.php

is A LOT cheaper than dealer rip off of $350. have had Yakima on every car I have owned for last 20 yrs, You CANNOT find a better rack system. Do not hesitate to invest in Yakima stuff. Do what I am doing and buy rails from the web site noted above and then shop the mounts, carriers, etc. on ebay and such. The website above had decent prices but I think you can get all the rest of the bits and pieces cheaper elsewhere.

If liftover onto the top of the freestyle is an issue then you might have to look at a tow hitch mounted solution. Ebay had a hitch for $120, then you could investigate other solutions from there, Yakima included.

Good luck...

freealfas

I can't figure out why so many people "have to get used to the CVT transmission", "aren't sure about the transmission", etc. What is there to get used to with it other than not having a discernable shift while driving. In the week of having and driving our new FWD limited it seems to me the best possible transmission Ford could have put in a rig of this type and I have had nothing but manuals for 20yrs. The technology has been proven here and in Europe with Audi, the seemless acceleration is almost electic car like, it's comfortable, effective, and did I say SEEMLESS, unobtrusive. Can't say enough positive about our new buy.

We were one of the 1st 1998 Passat Wagon owners and you can see how successful they have been(value, engineering, content, safety one of first with standard side airbags) since their slow start, I can't help but feel a sense of dejavu with our purchase of the Freestyle, Volvo SPACE safety architecture and chassis, Airbag Curtain for 3 seats(should be standard FORD, are you listening???) CVT tranny, boundless room for our new family member, pricepoint being barely more expensive then our 1998 Passat when we bought it, slow sales start.... I got a feeling with a little marketing they could make this the success it deserves to be. I just wish the American car makers would realize the importance of material selection, The 7 yr old Passt interior materials for the dash, surfaces, etc. still spank anything Ford put in the Freestyle.

Still looking forward to our FS ownership though, each drive makes the purchase a little bit sweeter. It will be a great drive to bring our Newborn home come the end of September.

barnstormer64

"I can't figure out why so many people "have to get used to the CVT transmission", "aren't sure about the transmission", etc. What is there to get used to with it other than not having a discernable shift while driving. In the week of having and driving our new FWD limited it seems to me the best possible transmission Ford could have put in a rig of this type"

________________

AMEN to that.

I guess people just can't get used to the lack of a sudden down-shift. Personally, I've always HATED sudden down-shifts . . . even though that's what was required to "get up and go" in a standard "slush-box".

The CVT seems like the perfect transmission. OK, so ANT14 thinks the IVT may be even better. Could very well be, but I'm hard-pressed to express the perceived differences while driving them since I haven't driven an IVT.

tidester

and did I say SEEMLESS

Yes, you did. But we all know you meant seamless!

tidester, host

explorerx4

although at this point, i'm more concerned with 4 passengers and a dog, than trying to fit 3 car seats.

dgulino

When we bought our FWD SE in early June, we went through the exact same decision process. In the end, bought the FWD because it was less expensive and should give better gas mileage. The FWD does have traction control, and we're assuming/hoping that'll be all we need come wintertime. We have since gotten about 20-21 mpg in the city and about 27-28 on the highway.

On a side note regarding AWD/FWD, while I've not read many stories in this forum regarding transmission problems, it seems that the preponderance of problems that HAVE been reported have been with the AWD Freestyles, including the fellow who reported that his transmission failed completely at 15,000 miles and had to be replaced.

Regarding the seven versus six passenger seating and whether you want bucket seats in the second row, we went with the open space between the second row seats, rather than the console, both because we thought it would ease entry into the third seat and because that space between the second row seats would be a handy place to store small packages, purses, backpacks, or whatever it is kids take with them when we're traveling. We've since been proven right on both counts. I'm very glad we bought the configuration we did.

By the way, we just turned 6,000 miles on our Redfire FWD SE. We bought it on June 8, so that's less than two months! Love it so far.

nvbanker

"Dark, rainy days are when you use that MANUAL ON switch for the lights."

Yeah that works. That's what I do too. I am conflicted about DRL's. Fundamentally, I'm against them because they annoy me. However, I'll admit that on highways, they do help. On a 2 lane highway, I always turn my headlights on for that reason. So-if I drove a GM car, I guess I'd not have the DRLs shot out. But I have not had a module added to my Fords.

barnstormer64

When I bought my Freestyle, the salesman told me that the far left position of the switch (fog lights) was my DRL's. LOL

You know, they could make the fog lights into DRL's, I'd think, without any problems. As it stands, they don't turn on unless the main lights do.

nvbanker

Yes, I use those for DRLs most of the time....

passat_2002

Has anyone in the U.S. investigated what it would take to activate the DRL feature on a non-Canadian Freestyle? I'm a little envious of all the Cadillac SRX's I see driving around with their DRL's on. It does indeed draw attention to a vehicle. Is it just a matter of buying some sort of electronic module and adding it to a stock Freebie?

barnstormer64

"Yes, I use those for DRLs most of the time...."

The fog lamps? But how do you turn them on by themselves?

barnstormer64

" Is it just a matter of buying some sort of electronic module and adding it to a stock Freebie?"

Per a previous post, ask your dealer about it. It sounds like the dealer can add this option, as well as the factory.

toddk

Any particular reason you ordered an '06 versus buying an '05? Been looking at the Freestyles myself and curious if you knew about any changes for '06 or if it was a matter of color choice/options kind of decision.

barnstormer64

"changes for '06"

A Navigation System is now available. Nothing else, really.

jethrojackson

I wasn't able to find one with the options and color I wanted in my area. We didn't want the sunroof or adjustable pedals. We like the spy mirror. Since I ordered under X-Plan I was able to get a slight break. The Family Pricing with the 2005s is the same as "A" plan which is a better deal...however, you're limited to what's available as they're not making any more 2005s. When I ran the numbers and considered the depreciation factor as well, for us it was better to order what we wanted and get a 2006. We plan on keeping it a long time. I plan on using Mobil 1 and doing my own basic service on the Freestyle.

nvbanker

I think the dealer can turn those on for you with a secret combination.

hault

So far I like the Freestyle. I have 1200 miles. Handling is good for its size. I thought it was odd to have a transmission drain plug, but made it difficult to replace fluid. Gas mileage has been 19-22 mpg so far. Traded a 2000 Windstar. Wife loves it. Would have liked the middle row to be on tracks to move like the Equinox.

naffy

A couple of you have mentioned that you are glad you did not get the console in the 2nd seat. Would most of you agree? If you don't get the console, does the bucket seat have an armrest?

northlakes

Naffy, the second row captain's chairs do not have armrests. I bought my SEL with the 2nd row console for teens to adults to be comfortable on long trips. We don't have baby or booster seats or need for "dynamic" access to the third row like some do. I also like the extra storage space for CD players or cameras. It all depends on how you will use the Freestyle. :shades:

pnewby

I just realized this weekend, speedo went from 9999.9 to 10000. Suddenly the .n went away, no more tenths, and the display shifted to the right.

nitromax

My wife remarked that the ride on our Freestyle seemed "soft" so I checked the tire pressure over the weekend and all of the tires were at 30 psi. Seems kind of low to me. I raised them up to ~35 psi. (max for the tire is 44 psi) and she said it rides a lot better now. Perhaps we'll get better mpg now too (currently 24 all highway, 18 all city, 21 mixed)

Our Frsty only has 1200 miles on it so it definately came from the dealer like that.

I remember Ford dropping the air pressure on the Explorers to make them ride more car-like. We all know what happens when your tire pressure is too low....more friction and the tire abnormally heats up.

northlakes

Good choice to add air. I know the sticker recommends 34 PSI in the front, and 32 PSI in the rear, but I use 34 all around and the handling is great!

P.S. Saw a black Limited Freestyle with cardboard license plates (new purchase) heading into my place of work today. A positive sign. :shades:

belljohn

I have had my SEL Freestyle a week and half now, and I love it. One thing that has always annoyed me is automatic locks after you put the car in gear. Of course the Freestyle has these too, but I was very impressed the that manual gave the keypad combination to turn this off. I am now much happier that the doors don't lock when I put the car in gear. I also read about the other codes to unlock doors.

Does anyone know any other codes that can turn features on/off that might not be covered in the manual? I am just curious.

Thanks,

Brook

globecanvas

I would be especially interested in secret keypad codes that give unlimited fuel or make the doors transparent.

dzdncnfzd

I'm going to order a 2006 Freestyle and I am trying to decide if I should get the Navigation system or not. It is a very pricey option (~$2000) and although I like the coolness factor I am having a hard time justifying the cost. Most of the places I drive I know where I am going and there would be few times that I actually need the navigation.

The dealer I went to doesn't have any 2006's on the lot yet so I can't test out the navigation system. Can anyone out there with experience with similar navigation systems give me some advice? Are there other things that are useful besides navigation such as the audio controls, etc? Do you discover after having such a system that there are a lot more times you would use it than you thought? Does having such a system make the audio controls etc. harder (more complex) to use?

Also, in the specifications it doesn't mention 6-disc capabilities or MP3 with the navigation system. Does anyone know if adding the navigation system reduces you to 1 disc CD and loss of MP3 capabilities?

deasun

My wife and I are looking into replacing our current dogmobile, Suzuki Aero hatchback AWD, with a new bigger dogmobile
Looking at the Magnum, me , and the Freestyle, wife .
I had not heard of this car till wife showed it to me. Went to look at it at the dealer. Seemed real nice and a better fit for our dogs.

Ok heres the ? I have a Bernese Mountain and a Wolfhound.
Would these fit in the back with the third row down ?

Thanks
Deasun
http://www.tirnaog.com

nitromax

In my opinion, you're better off getting an aftermarket nav system instead of an integrated system. Aftemarket systems typically have better features and cost less. Not only that, they are removable and can transfer from car to car.
And if (or should I say when) it breaks a couple years down the road, you can have a aftermarket one replaced with a upgraded model instead of being stuck with what the dealer offers (in addition to having the dealer have to install it for you)

freealfas

that black freestyle wouldn't be in Burr Ridge Illinois would it, We have a new Black limited with cardboard plates... Just a shot in the dark on that one...