Ford Freestyle Maintenance and Repair

pierresardain

Hi Thanks so much!!!
I will call my dealer tomorrow and mention this and keep everyone posted.

stevedebi

I think the TSB was for the instrument cluster, not MPG...

rick2456

I replaced the front and rear 6x7 speakers with high end Sonys. Big difference and great improvement. The Ford speakers have a built in faceplate in addition to the door cover, thus it is not suprising that the volume was so muted. It cost me about $140 including speakers and installation at circuit city. Good luck.

phinfan63

I am thinking of buying a 2006 FWD SEL Freestyle but I can't find much information about towing with this vehicle. We have a pop-up camper (1200-1500 lbs) and it is within the weight limits suggested but would really like to know if anyone has tried towing with it.

Thanks
Phinfan63

hault

Check AMSOIL web site for comparison data. Amsoil appears to be #1.

hault

Can't find the web sites you sited? Do they still exist?

vicenac

You might remember me complaining about 12 MPG in the past. After re-flashing the computer the MPG improved and so did other acceleration problem. The only thing that went bad was engine breaking. When switching to L the engine would break for a second or two and then it will "release". The behavior was not consistent so I did not made a fuss about it.
I planned a trip for the Memorial Day weekend. During our trip, after breaking (or sort of) with L, I switched back to D and the wrench and transmission signs came on and the car felt like in neutral. There was also no acceleration. Reading previous posts about this kind of behavior I was not worried. I managed to exit the freeway and waited about half an hour, hoping the problem will go away.
It didn't. The accelerator worked fine in P, but once I switched to other position that would stop working too.
The car was towed back to the dealer ($170 :confuse: Ford covers 35 miles only). I was sure the metatronic was to blame.
Today I've got the diagnostic: "Front end pump". Parts are ordered - it will take few days.
The dealer gave us a free rental until the dead FS is ready.
05 FS SEL FWD 7K.
Do you have any questions for my dealer?

Victor

passat_2002

Yes.. thank him for the free rental car.

What's a metatronic?

and..

What "Front end pump"? Can you be more specific in a later post when you perhaps know more about what went wrong?

barnstormer64

I think he meant mechatronic

vicenac

See post 99 for metatronic. Although I am not sure about the term. My understanding is that it is a solenoid.
Anyway in my case it does not mater, because the mechanic said "Front End Pump". I assume it is an oil pump inside the transmission.

carstenb

may i ask why you switch "gears" during driving? the FS is my first car with automatic transmission (moved to the US from Europe last year) and my understanding was that the L position is only for very slow driving and i never had the need to use it so far.

for whatever reason i would fear to damage something in the gear box when switching "gears" during driving and i think the CVT does a pretty good job wrt engine breaking in the D position. but compared to a manual diesels i drove before the engine breaking is almost non-existent and it took me quite a while to get used to it. is it really improved in the L position? just wondering how it would work, sounds a bit like you would shift into 1st gear on a manual at high speed.

Carsten

passat_2002

Good question Carsten. As you say.. using the engine for braking force works great in a manual transmission car where you're operating your own clutch. Downshifting to do the same with an automatic is asking for trouble down the road. Brake pads are a lot cheaper than fixing transmissions.

vicenac

I beg to differ. Please read the Ford Fusion review on edmunds.com. They complain about the fact that L was not as predictable as they would have liked.
Now, L stands for "low" and it is the means of downshifting and engine breaking. Highly recommended on going on long downhill. Much better then brakes on slippery roads etc.
Unfortunately I had to use auto transmissions in the last 5 years and I had always make use of lower gears. Actually, on long downhill using L is mandatory. Brakes will boil by the time you are done.
The L gave me good breaking power, but not like a manual. In D there is no breaking. There is a lot of coasting. Using L helps breaking performance even in the city in sticky situations.
I'll post a quote from the manual.

passat_2002

Yes of course. The use of low gear (as necessary) when descending a long mountain stretch is entirely correct vicenac. I suppose it's because I live where things are as flat as a pancake that cause's me to forget this important exception to the rule. It's the whole reason that "L" is there to begin with. It's very nice to still have working brakes when you get to the bottom of the mountain.

But just how steep of a grade does it have to be to require the use of "L"? It has always seemed to me that just regular "D" provides considerable braking force when going downhill.

murphy4

We purchased a 2006 Freestyle SEL AWD and it has @ 10,000 miles on it now. Overall it has been a good family car, short on power but solid. So far in the last four (4) weeks it has spent 6 days out of commission at the dealer.

1. Auto headlights would not go completely off. They would continue to flicker. The dealer took 2 days to figure out what was wrong.

2. Humming that turn to grinding sound in the transmission. The humming sound was passed off by the dealer as "typical of a CVT". Then it turns to grinding and RPM's fluctuating all over the place. Three days out of commission.

3. Front end vibration and alignment. Vibration at highway speeds. Dealer took an over night to figure it out.

Are we unlucky or is this typical of the Freestyle?

Getting frustrated.

barnstormer64

Probably a bit unlucky to have all of those problems at this point, I'd say.

#1 is a known issue, I believe. There should be a TSB out on it.

Seen one or two people complaining here of symptoms like #2, as well as #3.

pietro

I had the "cluster board" replaced on my car about May 8th and then a few days later took the car for a trip approx 1000 round trip Seems the problem has been cured. Haven't had it re occur yet!
Love the car and the gas mileage!

nitromax

vicenac,

Using L for long downhills is different than using it for standard braking. The use of low gear requires a complete shifting of the internals inside the tranny. Fluid needs to be diverted to different channels for shifting and THAT's why the front end pump died. The front end pump is most likely an internal pump inside the tranny that provides fluid pressure back and forth inside the tranny.
When you know you're going to be going down a long steep hill, you should put the tranny in L and leave it.
If you drop it into L halfway down a hill, bad things are going to happen.
You might as well take a manual transmission and drop it into 1st gear at 60 mph!

sheeesh...stop abusing your car

dnash

nitromax,

You have to keep in mind that we are dealing with a CVT here which only has the 2 variable pullies. All gear changing is electronically controlled. When shifting into low, the computer is just going to adjust those pullies and the engine speed appropriately to provide more braking. There should be no problem shifting into low at normal highway speeds. The owners guide states:

"L (Low)
Provides more engine braking when the accelerator pedal is released than D (Drive)."

A typical AT may have a 1 or 2 instead of a low, in which case, shifting into a particular gear could be harmful (although I would guess the ones that just say low probably pick an appropriately lower gear based on speed).

In general, if you are driving down long hills, using the L feature will be much safer by not overheating your brakes.

stevedebi

"When you know you're going to be going down a long steep hill, you should put the tranny in L and leave it.
If you drop it into L halfway down a hill, bad things are going to happen.

sheeesh...stop abusing your car"

Sorry, I must disagree. If the transmission cannot handle mid-downhill shifts, Ford should have used the computer to prohibit such shifts until it was safe for the CVT.

I have switched to "L" many times on the downhill, without any problems.

nitromax

In general, if you are driving down long hills, using the L feature will be much safer by not overheating your brakes.

I agree, but you shouldn't drop it into Low at the bottom of the hill. It's a shock to the system. The cones and pulleys have to jump to their respective positions. The pump that provides the hydraulics to do this has to work overtime to move averything in such a short span.....and under LOAD! That was my main point that I was tryingto get across.

Doing it at the top of a hill is one thing...doing it at the bootom or when there will be a lot of load is another.

cmuniz

I,too, have shifted to "L" on many occasions when going down steep hills under a variety of different conditions and have had no problems after 20,000 miles. In fact it's one the things that I like best about the CVT and the Freestyle.

rick2456

I believe it is 2000 lbs. I don't tow with my 2005 FS, but the owners manual and dealer noted the 2000 lbs towing figure. I am sure you could tow a bit more as they typically have a good safety margin built into their figures, but as you don't even need to tow that much, I am sure it will be fine for you.

This is what I read online about the FS

Engines (standard): 3.0-liter dohc 24v V6
Engines (options): 3.0-liter double overhead cam 24-valve V6
Horsepower: 203 @ 5750
Torque: 207 @ 4500
EPA Fuel Economy: 19/24
Turn Circle: 40
Front Suspension: independent strut, coil springs, stabilizer bar
Rear Suspension: independent, multi-link, coil springs, stabilizer bar
Towing Capacity: 2000
Tires: P215/60R17
Front / Rear Brakes: disc/disc with ABS and EBD
Fuel Capacity: 19

murphy4

with a CVT I would not tow to much.....this is the weak link of this car.

murphy4

I have had a nightmare with our freestyle tranmission.....do not tow much the CVT can no take it.

murphy4

I was just informed by my dealer that my Freestyle, that I took in a week ago tomorrow, we be, "best case" another week. This car has just over 10k on it an it has been a bust. If it is not perfect when it comes back it will be gone on the LEMON LAW.

FORD is a joke with this car.....old useless motor, CVT is a joke and a bandage for lack of power. WE WILL NOT BUY FORD AGAIN.

mgtq

I just bought a 2006 limited FWD. 3,500 miles...no problems yet. Although I keep hearing strange noises or feel a quick jerk when taking off and the glare at times spooks me when I'm looking at my side view mirrors.
Sorry about your experience. So when did things start to fall apart? I like the car but it's a new design and does not have a track record of reliability. The engine is not refined and the CVT is new. Curious, how many miles did you drive before the breakdowns.

passat_2002

I believe he states he has just over 10k miles. The CVT has been a trouble-free experience for the overwhelming majority of Freestyle owners, but those who have had problems tend to be owners of the AWD model. AWD adds complexity to any vehicle (not to mention a good deal of weight) and vehicles equipped with AWD tend to require more maintenance than vehicles without.

I'm curious as to why you refer to the 3.0L Duratec as "not refined". Sounds suspiciously like something you might have read in Consumer's. Actually, the Duratec's a pretty well-respected engine out there in the automotive world.

saabturboid

It's really too bad people tend to base their entire view of a manufacturer on one experience. I'm sorry that you have had trouble with your Freestyle, but far more people love theirs. We have 21,000 miles on ours and it has not needed anything but maintenance, and this is with an early build '05 AWD SEL.

Just as I shouldn't claim that Fords are the best vehicles on the road just because of my good experience, you shouldn't claim they are the worst because of yours.

By the way, my wife and I believe that the Freestyle is one of the best family vehicles on the road, hardly a joke as you claim. We love the CVT, the interior space management, the sensible exterior size, and the good gas mileage. I have never been a big Ford fan, but the Freestyle is a winner. If you really hate yours that much it is probably more to do with it not being the right vehicle for you than anything inherently wrong with it.

Chad

bruneau1

Trouble with a new car is always disheartening, but I don't think the engine is unrefined- it certainly lets you know it's there under hard acceleration, but I like its feel, and the CVT is terrific. ours has run flawlessly, and is very responsive and smooth. However, I would never tow with it.

vicenac

I saw my Freestyle today with it's guts on the floor. I had a chance to talk with the mechanic. He said that it's the CVT's oil pump. I asked him if I did it to it by using the L extensively. He said that it has nothing to do with it. He has no idea why it broke. He only saw only other problem with FS - the mechatronic, which is fine on mine.
---
I've slammed with criticism for using L. If it's there, you can use it! The change is not sudden by any means, and the result is taking the engine from 2000 or 2500 RPM to 3000, when it works. This car got 12 MPG in the past on a long 1400 mile trip and showed inconsistent acceleration, but good L breaking. After re-flashing the computer at 5000 miles, the acceleration problems went away, the MPG improved to a 17 average, but L breaking was almost gone.
L does not simulate the 1st or 2nd gear of a manual. It simulates "the lower" gear. So if you would shift into the 4th from the 5th while driving at 50-60 Mph, you should also use L.

murphy4

We are probably over reacting..... but we are very disappointed in the car at this point. Overall we do like it.... lots of room.... good mileage..... drives well and nice looking.

We decided to buy American again for the first time in a long while and it just let us down. We are crossing our fingers that this is a bump in the road and the worst is behind us.

Now if they can just get those back ordered parts!!!!!!!!!

mgtq

Your suspicions are correct,I have read in many if not all reviews that the engine does not have a proven track record in this car and a newer 3.5 engine is in the future. Personally, I like the engine performance and the CVT combo. And I'm quiet happy with my FWD Limited. Enjoy driving it and I bought it because of the functional space and it's unique looks and the promised gas mileage. I hope you can give me some history on the 3.0L Duratec that counters what I'm reading. I did google the engine but I didn't find much. Any information is appreciated. Always good to learn what the reviewers are not saying. Murphy's situation is worth knowing and understanding. Did he say at 10K things started going wrong? I wanted to know if there were any signs that might have been ignored before the problems started. Thats it.

passat_2002

You say that:

1) you like the engine performance and CVT.
2) you bought it for it's space, looks, and gas mileage.
3) you like driving it.
4) you're quite happy with it.

Why would you care what anybody in any magazine has to say? You know more about the Freestyle than they do because you own and drive one. If they told you who to vote for in the next election, would you take that advice blindly and vote for that person?

The Duratec is a proven powerplant that has been around since 1996. It has been considerably improved upon and updated since that time. Ford uses many variations of it in it's family line-up, including Jaguar and Lincoln. The version in the Freestyle has been especially tailored for use in this vehicle in conjuction with the CVT transmission. The transmission itself is a marvel of modern technology that was jointly developed by Ford and the same German firm (ZF Friedrichshafen AG) that makes CVT's for Audi. It's assembled in Batavia, Ohio by Ford, and it's worth noting that some CVT's made in this plant are exported to Europe for use in vehicles there. (CVT's are more popular overseas than they are here.) The Duratec itself is made in Cleveland and will last virtually forever if you take reasonable care of it.

mgtq

Thanks for the information. It's a good start!

bruneau1

Right. There's nothing wrong with the Duratec. It received 11 refinement changes for 2005. It's not the quietest engine on the market, but ours pulls strongly and smoothly. On using the L, position: the drive position has hill calibration built in and in ours works very well to slow the vehicle down hills. The L position is best used to increase the time the CVT remains in a certain ratio for increased control. I would never suddenly put it into L on a steep grade. I don't do that in my other two vehicles with 4 spds either. Brakes are cheaper than transmissions.

bobw3

I have travelled through the mountains of West Virginia many times, and I keep it in D, not L, but I use the cruise control (set st 65-70mph) for the long downhills and it's kept the speed great without having to use Low.

PS 35,000 miles and zero problems

vicenac

Do a search on wikipedia on dureatec.
link title
In an older article I read that Porsche developed it and Ford bought it for their European division. It has an excellent track.
---
My dealer gave us a Fusion to drive until the FS is fixed. It's a 6 cyl SE. The surprise is that the sticker was in the glove compartment and I saw the MPG: 21-27. It has the same engine as the FS. How is the FS with all the added weight to be able to achieve the same MPG as a Fusion?
The ride in this car is a dream. I've never seen such well tuned suspension. But there are quirks, like the steering wheel and the trunk require too much effort etc. Maybe a Millan has a better mix.

passat_2002

"How is the FS with all the added weight to be able to achieve the same MPG as a Fusion?"

CVT transmission.

bruneau1

CVT, that's how.

passat_2002

I just said that.

tidester

Sometimes people post replies before reading follow up messages.

tidester, host

dram615

We've had our 05 AWD LTD Freestyle since about Oct 05. Currently at 34K miles. The PG indicator for the most part has never gone higher then 20.4 MPG but yesterday it dropped to 16.7 MPG and was the same today. I recently had in in at thedealre becasue the steering would knock when the wheels were cranked all the way. I replaced the fuel filter about 2 months ago, reg oil changes, etc. Anyone ever have the MPG drop so low with average driving (meaning nothing outside the usual city)?

passat_2002

dram615 wrote:
"The PG indicator for the most part has never gone higher then 20.4 MPG but yesterday it dropped to 16.7 MPG"

Possible reasons might include:

1) The ethanol now being used in most automotive gasoline.
2) Shorter trips? Greater A/C use?
3) A longshot. Fuel leak at the new fuel filter? (Who did the work?)

dram615 wrote:
"...the steering would knock when the wheels were cranked all the way."

Ouch! Don't ever hold the steering wheel at it's furthest travel. (i.e.,against it's stop) Most owner's manuals (including the Freestyle's) will warn against this.

34K in eight months? Holy cow.

vj0119

Were thinking of buying an 05 used freestyle with 13500 miles. Are there any problems with these? I've seen something about the tranny's going bad??

Any input is appreciated...

passat_2002

vj0119,

There's nothing wrong with the Freestyle (or it's trany), but as with any used vehicle, ask questions and be cautious.

Is the seller a dealer or an individual?
Front-wheel-drive or All-wheel-drive?
What's the vehicle's history? Is it a program vehicle?
Does the seller have maint. records to show you?

digitalfreak

Apparently there is a TSB out for this (on the 2006 model anyway). #19087

2006 Freestyle TSBs on Ownersite.com

digitalfreak

You can also search at the NHTSA ODI

stever

Same info is here too in the Edmunds Maintenance Guide.

For full text, sometimes you can find that at the NHTSA site; otherwise you can buy it at Alldata.com or ask your friendly service writer to give you a copy.

Steve, Host

digitalfreak

I'm looking at purchasing a '06 FS Limited this week, and have been searching through this forum and the TSBs. Are TSBs only for when a problem occurs, or will the dealer do them as a preventative measure?