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Ford Freestyle Maintenance and Repair

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Comments

  • manasotamanasota Member Posts: 28
    Why did you get the DVD if you didn't want it? That's insane. There are thousands of Freestyles on the lots. Why settle for less than the exact car you want?

    Having said that...try to push down or squeeze while you slide the battery door.
  • pnewbypnewby Member Posts: 277
    I bought my Limited last Nov, and didn't especially want the DVD or the Moon roof. Wanted all the other goodies though. My grandson is glad it's there though. It was the only one I could find back then.
  • k952k952 Member Posts: 6
    Several months ago I posted a question to the forum about a surging/pulsing CVT or engine around 2000 RPM. There were some other folks experiencing the same issue with no known resolution. After 14K miles, it appears that the problem is fixed. The PCM and TCM both needed reprogramming following the recently issued TSB 05-17-5. Several hundred miles after the reprogramming - no surging or pulsing. Seems like we finally have a winner.
  • igot12igot12 Member Posts: 7
    Yesterday made 10 days my Izzy has been in the shop. I called every other day to check the status. When I spoke with them Wednesday. The said that they were were going to see if the sub-frame was the culprit but it appeared to be tight. They removed it, greased all possible grease points reassembled and was on a test drive when I called late Wednesday. They called me Yesterday about 3:00pm and said that the noise is finally gone but don't know how they did to stop it because everything seamed tightened. This morning a factory rep was flying in just to look at my Izzy and to see what they have have done to it. It seams that a technical bulletin will come out on this one. Hopefully I can go get Izzy this afternoon. I hate this Jeep Cherokee rental. Too many blind spots.

    I'll let you guys know what the factory rep reports.
  • nitromaxnitromax Member Posts: 640
    Glad to hear Izzy is better, but...

    how can they write a TSB when they don't know what they did?

    (TSB says to tighten everything...ok, boss, I'll go tighten everything!)
    LOL
  • maymaymaymay Member Posts: 16
    I have a 22 year old jerk driving daddy's Tahoe to thank for me needing to get a car as fast as possible (jerk t-boned my old car trying to cross 3 lanes filled with traffic). Sure I could've waited a few days to get just the right car delivered, but it came down to falling in love on the spot with the blue pearl. I joked with the sales guy that maybe I could play cat videos on it for my dog ;)

    Thanks for calling it insane :D It's one thing if you have the luxury of time on your hands, but sometimes you just have to do your best to get as close as possible to what you want. Actually I've found it's incredibly fun to pop a movie in and just listen to the audio. I'm planning on burning a copy of Two and a Half Men to play in there, let's just hope I don't drive off the road laughing :P

    And nope, pushing or squeezing doesn't help open the battery cover. It's just so odd. I'll have someone else see if they can get it off, and I suppose as a last resort take them back to the dealer and drive them crazy :D
  • caf49caf49 Member Posts: 6
    We've owned our FS SEL FWD for about a month and are really enjoying it. A couple of questions to other owners in regards to several mechanical issues that don't quite fit anything else I've read on the forum:
    1.) We came off the freeway onto a main street and upon coasting to a stop light, the engine RPM did not idle down appropriately as I applied the brakes. The engine continued to rev at about 2,000-2,500 RPM to where it 'fought' the brakes a bit when trying to stop. I put it into neutral at the stoplight and it then idled down fine. This was a week ago and there has been no other repeat of this, but it does make me a bit edgy.
    2.) Lots of brake dust "smear" on the rims. Seems to be an inordinate amount. No one wheel more than another, though. We do live in the foothills, more braking than most folks the reason?
    3.) We too hear a distinct 'clunk' coming from the underside of the vehicle but only first thing in the morning when coming out of the driveway and then down a slight grade - within 150 yards of the garage. We have made sure it is not the AC engaging. It only does it then and we cannot repeat it at other times. Wierd!
    Otherwise, this is one smooth vehicle that we are "fighting" to take turns driving.
    Any opinions will be appreciated.
  • manasotamanasota Member Posts: 28
    One phone call to the dealer (after an hour of looking online) is all it took. He called me back a few hours later and said he found the exact car I wanted on another dealers lot. I gave him my CC number and they had it ready and waiting the following day. A few signatures and away I went. It took about 3 hours total and one phone call. I thought about having it delivered to my house. Next time maybe.
  • maymaymaymay Member Posts: 16
    I would appreciate it if you stopped implying I was stupid or uninformed, manasota, these forums are not the place for making digs at people. We checked every dealer in a very wide radius and were fully aware of what was available locally that met my criteria. The dealer we bought from got me a list of cars while we were out on a test drive (and it matched the list I had come up with). It just came down to color and convenience, and the sudden realization that the Buick rental sedan could go back to Hertz that night :D I'll get a DVD player in my next car, it's really fun actually :) Something I never knew I always wanted ;) It's fine, it's okay, I did not get shoved into buying something I didn't want.

    That said, I still can't get the battery cover off. I even grabbed the second pair and tried those in case I got one defective one, but no dice. Now THIS is making me feel stupid, no doubt:P
  • rincon1840rincon1840 Member Posts: 7
    I have also noted the inordinate amount of brake dust on the rear wheels of this car for a car with 4-wheel discs. Seems very strange to me. To me, the car feels "funny" when you brake--like it's a chore to get the thing to stop, though it brakes just fine.
    Also, I would like to know when people start to replace the tires on the SEL models (with the Continental tires). The treadwear on the tires is fairly low (around 360 or so), which is pretty soft. I have a set of Bridgestone G-Force tires on my Focus and they are rated at about 340 for treadwear. That isn't a very long lasting tire. I'm curious to know when people start replacing them (mileage numbers).
    BTW, I think this car is great. No problems. I wish I could drive it more, but it's my wife and it's still a station wagon.... When my Mom saw it the first thing she said was "Oh my God, how much did this cost you?" Ford's doing some good things with cars. JR
  • tfloriotflorio Member Posts: 4
    Has anyone had the experience of lowering the rear window when going 50mph or more and had a deep sonic reverberence that makes your head want to explode?
    Is this common or is it just my problem? Any solutions? I can't believe it's an aerodynamic flaw in the design.
  • caf49caf49 Member Posts: 6
    Yes, I do as well but - only when the moonroof is 'cracked open'.
    A little more open or closed will correct it.
    I remember the same issue when we owned an '89 Nissan Maxima with a moonroof.
    Guess either they still can't get it quite right, or it may be the nature of things.
  • cmunizcmuniz Member Posts: 604
    This is common on many other cars as well. My previous Toyota Highlander made a terrible sound with only the back windows open, too. The solution on the Highlander was to crack open the front windows at the same time.In other words, there is nothing wrong with YOUR vehicle - it's the nature of the beast.
  • stmssstmss Member Posts: 206
    yes, there is nothing wrong with the vehicle. Both my cars do it. On my wagon, it is really bad, not so much on the sedan. You need to crack another window or sunroof to equalize the pressure and let air in the car out. Without doing this, the outside air cannot get in and it 'buffets' against the inside are with painful effects on the eardrums. By cracking another window, the inside air has somewhere to vent. Rear opening side windows on some mini vans work well for this.
  • skovatchskovatch Member Posts: 24
    Good for you! I take mine in on Friday for its first oil change, and I will mention it then. I found the details on it here: http://www.myford500.com/forums/1384-ford-500-tsb-05-17-5-engine-rpm-flucation-cvt-only.ht- ml and it describes the behavior perfectly! The follow on discussion hints that the acceleration will improve as well.

    Also, has your mileage improved any since getting it fixed? I can't help thinking the two are related -- I've never gotten over 21 MPG on a highway tank, though I'm still just barely at 4500 miles and don't drive it on the freeway that much.
  • bobw3bobw3 Member Posts: 2,989
    I went to the dealer to have them check the brakes because I was getting a lot of brake dust too. Everything was adjusted fine, but I was told that the new brake pads do produce a lot of dust, so I think it's just the nature of the pads.

    As far as the car slowing down when you brake...I think that's just the nature of the CVT and it's more of a feeling than reality. It feels like it's slow when in reality the 0-60 times are pretty decent, and it feels like it's slow to stop when in reality it brakes just fine. Plus higher revs help slow the car down (sort of like downshifting a manual to slow it down), so I wouldn't be too concerned about the revs as you're braking.
  • tfloriotflorio Member Posts: 4
    Thanks so much for the input. I never experienced anything like that before. Painful is an understatement!
  • tfloriotflorio Member Posts: 4
    Thanks to all of you who answered my question! You really helped me keep my sanity!
  • k952k952 Member Posts: 6
    It has been about a week since the reprogram and the problem appears to be gone for good! Not a moment too soon! I was convinced that the dealership was questioning my sanity. I haven't really noticed any acceleration improvement, but that is probably just a function of having not tested it out. As for mileage, if anything I am seeing a bit of a decrease, although it may be early to tell. I reset the MPG rarely and before the reprogram I was at 19.5MPG - mostly backroad and go driving with a few long trips thrown in for good measure (probably about 5K total miles). I am now at about 18MPG, but have not had any long trips yet to balance out. I know on the highway I can get up to 24MPG, but the in-town driving seems to hit that pretty hard.

    Good luck with your fix.
  • bruneau1bruneau1 Member Posts: 468
    The only meaningful way to measure mileage with the computer is to reset at each new tank. Also. if you want to get a clear idea of highway mileage, clear the mpg reading and drive 30 or so miles and then check the readout. In town mileage or runs with a lot of hill climbing will consume much more gas because of higher rpms.
  • behoopsbehoops Member Posts: 5
    We got our new Freestyle FWD SE with aux climate and safety/security packages about a week ago. We love pretty much everything about it, but there are a few annoyning things:

    1. The headlights... we live out in the country so need decent lights when driving home at night. But the lowbeams only seem to illuminate out to 50 feet at most; the highbeams only go to about 80 feet. That isn't much when you're driving on curvy and hilly roads at 55mph in pitch darkness. Put another way, my 99 Civic's LOWbeams illuminate better than our Freestyles HIGHbeams. Has anyone else noticed that, or do you think mine are incorrectly aimed (hard to believe they would be on a brand new vehicle).

    2. The radio and clock lights dim when the headlights are turned on, just like they did on the '93 Taurus we traded in. That is a problem because I turn the headlights on during the day when I'm driving on a dangerous, heavily traveled 2-lane road. But when I do that during the day I can't even read the radio and clock lights because they're so dim when viewed through polarized driving glasses.

    3. With the electronic automatic temperature control in the Convenience Package, isn't there a way to vent fresh outside air without the A/C automatically coming on and adjusting the temperature? You know - I just want the old-fashioned Vent where I the blue (cold) setting lets the fresh air in, and I can turn the blue->red dial toward the red if I want it to be warmed a bit by the engine. I'd like to have that option because I'd rather not run the A/C all the time because I would think it reduces fuel economy and adds unneeded wear and tear to the A/C unit.

    4. As others have pointed out (post #162), opening one or both of the back windows when going 50+ mph just about kills your eardrums!

    Thanks for any answers/advice/suggestions!
  • bobw3bobw3 Member Posts: 2,989
    3) just turn off the A/C and put the temp to 60 degrees and set the fan to setting 1. that will give you just the outside air coming in.
  • igot12igot12 Member Posts: 7
    I called Friday to see if the factory rep was finished with Izzy. They told me that the noise was back again and the factory rep had to cancel. They believe it is the Sub-frame. They ordered one and wouldn't be in to next wednesday. At this point I was very concerned that Izzy wasn't going to be fixed. I went to the dealership manager and informed him of the problems I was having. He spoke with the shop and they told him everything. The manager asked him if he felt confident that he would be able to fix it when the part comes in. The mechanic said he was. The manager told me that if they could not get the problem fixed by next Friday they will put me into another Freestyle. I felt more at ease at this point and waited.
    The service department call me Thursday and said it was ready, the sub-frame was the problem. I picked up Izzy Friday morning and so far the noise hasn't re appeared. Hopefully that was the problem.

    They will be mailing me my service record for my records. They weren't finished with it when I picked Izzy up.

    I am so happy to have Izzy home. I've already put the vent visors on.
    :shades:">
  • dairedaire Member Posts: 35
    So glad you finally got Izzy home! Hope you love him as much as we like ours, and that he "clunks" no more!
  • dairedaire Member Posts: 35
    Are you setting the contrast wheel next to the head lights for the dash lights? We have no problem with the LED at night, but we have difficulty with glare on the radio LED in bright sun.

    I can't answer your question about the temperature control.
  • lemoncarslemoncars Member Posts: 3
    I have read your messages. Since many of you have the same problems we are experiencing, I would strongly suggest you begin prepping for a lemon suit against Ford.
    We purchased a 2005 SE FWD Freestyle with computerized frt/rear AC.
    We had our first problem within 10 days/300 miles and now are prepping a suit against Ford. We have had multiple check engine light problems, transmission problems, computer problems, brake problems, fuel gauge and fuel system problems. The entire fuel system from the pump through the sensors and gauge have been replaced twice and is scheduled to be replaced a third time. The car has been in the shop 22 days.
    The brakes had to be turned since the rotors were warped - how do new rotors end up on a new car and not be to the correct specs?
    We were almost hit in cross traffic when the acceleration ceased due to fuel pump problems. I had to go on a cross country trip and the fuel system and transmission went on the blink again. The Ford rep told the dealer to send us back to our dealer (2000 miles away) since they had fixed it twice. This was after the AZ dealer couldn't get the computer code errors to clear with seven hours, tearing the car apart, and 10 calls to the Ford technician hotline.
    The Ford rep then ordered the AZ dealer to falsify the repair workpapers given to us and told us to bring the car in when we returned. The AZ service manager advised us the problem wasn't fixed and they guaranteed it would reappear on the trip back - he just hoped the car's fuel system didn't result in a fire on the return trip. How does Ford get away with sending a family on the road out in a knowingly unsafe vehicle? The car has still not been repaired and is sitting in the garage. Guess why?
    We scheduled the problem for a final fix but advised Ford we would not accept another Ford vehicle and wanted our money back (under lemon law in GA). Ford cancelled the final repair :lemon: appointment and advised the GA Ford dealerships to refuse to work on any of our three Ford vehicles - and all are under warranty. We now have to travel 5 hours round trip to another state to get any of our vehicles worked on.
    We will never buy another Ford product.
  • cmunizcmuniz Member Posts: 604
    I'd like to hear the other side of the story before passing judgement on how well Ford takes care of problems. Congratulations to igot12 for getting Izzy fixed the right way!!
  • dairedaire Member Posts: 35
    Something doesn't sound right here. We have owned Fords for nearly 40 years, and have never had anything remotely close to the problems you discribed. Falsify records???? something's fishy here. I also can't imagine why your other vehicles would have anything at all to do with this. There MUST be more to this story.
  • manasotamanasota Member Posts: 28
    Troll. Don't feed it and it will go away. :P
  • dairedaire Member Posts: 35
    I can't seem to find any way to turn off the interior lights on the Freestyle Limited while the rear hatch is open. We like to leave the hatch up while we are grooming dogs outside our vehicle. The E250 has a disable switch, and the Windstar had a disapble switch, but I can't find anything about such a feature in the manual. Does anyone know if there is a way?
  • dairedaire Member Posts: 35
    As a musician, I can tell you that what I learned about rsonance and acustics in college says that this is dependant on a specific speed and wind resonance. I tried it in our Freestyle, and I could get it to do it with just the moonroof open going only 40MPH, but it was gone at 55. This is not an uncommon problem in many of today's vehicles. It's the nature of physics, and nothing you can really do about it.
  • ltclassyltclassy Member Posts: 1
    Hello..I have been lurking on this website since purchasing my 2005 SEL Freestyle on Sept. 8. I absolutely LOVE my Freestyle and have had no problems until my husband drove the car a couple days ago. When I went to get some groceries out of the back last night, I noticed a light flashing on the far left side of the screen. It wasn't the usual security light. (I forgot if the Freestyle even does that) It looks like a red car with a red lock flashing on top of it. I searched through my manual but can't find a solution for this. It goes away when I start or drive the car but as soon as I turn it off, that flashing light appears again. Any info as to what this is and how to fix it would be greatly appreciated.
  • passat_2002passat_2002 Member Posts: 468
    Pg. 13 in the manual. It's the passive anti-theft system. The flashing lets you know that it's active and working. Completely normal.
  • vicenacvicenac Member Posts: 229
    This problem was discused back and forth here. The manual sais that the interior light will go away in 10 minutes if the door is left opened. There was something there about the key in the ignition switch, but don't remember exactly.
  • bruneau1bruneau1 Member Posts: 468
    I agree that there must be more here than meets the eye. However, if the story is true, what a nightmare.
  • puckyhuddlepuckyhuddle Member Posts: 52
    I noticed the foam "coasters" that are at the bottom of the drink holders have a nasty habit of sticking to drink cups that have condensation on them. Had to fish it out of the garbage twice already! Watch out when you're tossing that drink away.
  • puckyhuddlepuckyhuddle Member Posts: 52
    Turned it on the other day to wash the rear window and it just died mid swipe. Anybody else have this problem? Only used it twice.
  • lemoncarslemoncars Member Posts: 3
    Lemon Freestyle
    I have had Fords for 30 years and have three new Fords so it does not make me happy to write this about Ford. The story is true. We have an attorney. He sent certified notice per Georgia Lemon laws to Ford giving them 14 days to implement repairs - they let it expire. Had an independent third party check the car out - fuel system errors on the computer, runs lean, numerous sensor problems, bad computer, etc.
    I can get my other Fords worked on -if we go to the state next door. My understanding is that once a dealer in the purchasing state starts working on a lemon he can be held liable to the state's lemon law along with Ford. A dealership also told us that once a dealer has attempted a repair that the second dealer won't get paid if he has to redo the same repair, so there is no incentive to work on a lemon vehicle.
    The attorney told us that it's a form of intimidation (having the locals refuse to honor the warranty on the vehicles) by Ford to force us to settle low.
  • magdadmagdad Member Posts: 21
    I took my '05 SEL in at 5120 miles to have the alignment checked as it was pulling to the left and making a creaking noise during parking lot/garage steering maneuvers. Ford advised the dealer to lubricate the front struts, but during removal both struts exploded (!?!) through the top. The Ford hotline told the mechanic that a few Freestyles have had this problem and it is a factory defect in the strut. Has anyone else seen this? Once repaired it was good as new, no more creaking or pulling to the left. Other than this one problem I love the car.

    I have to get a loose interor trim panel fixed today at the same place (the part wasn't in when the strut parts arrived) and I am rather unhappy with the dealer due to a rental car disagreement - after my car broke in their shop, I was told "I will get you a car" but he did not add "from Enterprise at a discounted rate" until I brought it back. :mad: Granted it was on a big sign on the wall (at about 10 ft off the ground and I didn't see it until I returned), but when someone hands you a piece of paper labeled "voucher" and tells you to take it to Enterprise next door, you tend to assume that voucher means complimentary. The joke was on me and I can't wait for that satisfaction survey to come.

    FYI, changing to Mobil1 has improved my gas mileage by about 1.5 MPG, mixed hwy/city 50/50.
  • glenvglenv Member Posts: 1
    I have a Ford Freestyle Limited 2005. I am having an awful time getting the 2 memory settings to remember my seat and mirror settings.

    I adjust the seat to where I like it as well as the mirrors. I push the "set" button and the light comes up on the button. I then push the #1 button within the 5 second period.

    It remembers me for the next stop or two, but inevitible reverts back to a setting that is not adjusted for me. HAs anyone else had this trouble? I hate to drive 30 miles and set up an appointment if there is some easy reset or something.

    Thanks!

    Glen
  • cabriojazzcabriojazz Member Posts: 3
    I have had my Freestyle now about 5 months. Since the first day, the 60% 2nd row seat frequently jams when someone is getting into the 3rd row. When clamp the seat back to the floor, the seat back jams at an awkward forward angle and the lever becomes jammed. You have to push on the seatback to find the point where the lever unjams. Our 40% seat works fine. On the first visit, there for an oil change, with appointment, was told it would be 30 minutes and it took 1.5 hours!, they referred us to the body shop. Second visit they took a look and ordered a hinge which they replaced on the third visit but the problem persists. They now have ordered a cable. The dealership has been very helpful and courteous in resolving this problem. All the dealer visits were great and quick except for the oil change.
    Just wanted to find out if anyone else has had this as the dealerships don't have much experience with these cars yet.

    Also, I was very disappointed when I heard that Ford cancelled this car and it will be gone soon. I hope this does not hurt the future resale value.
  • passat_2002passat_2002 Member Posts: 468
    "Also, I was very disappointed when I heard that Ford cancelled this car and it will be gone soon."

    Once and for all, Ford has not "cancelled" the Freestyle. To suggest otherwise is irresponsible.
  • bam4bam4 Member Posts: 1
    Hello,
    We purchased our Freestyle SE in September and now have about 2500 miles so far. We've just experienced a problem with the fuel gauge,.... it occasionally goes off then comes on, meaning the needle falls to the bottom, then will return to normal??? This happened yesterday, the vehicle has not been driven since and now my wife informs me the check engine or engine light came on??
    Has anyone experienced either of these problems?
    We've made an appointment with a local dealer, (5 minute drive), not the dealer we purchased from because that dealer is about a 45 minute drive and aside from drive time, fuel, etc. we'd rather not risk a longer drive, just in case?
    Any problem with not going to the original dealer we purchased from?
  • passat_2002passat_2002 Member Posts: 468
    Can't think of a reason why it would matter. Perhaps the selling dealer might be more likely to give you a loaner vehicle if your Freestyle has to be kept overnight.
  • dzdncnfzddzdncnfzd Member Posts: 34
    It is not entirely clear by your post if you are changing the seat positions between stops or not. If you press the #1 button on the door does it go back to the proper position?

    If so, you may have the key fob that is for the #2 position and when you use it to unlock the doors you are setting the driving position to #2.

    If not, I'm not sure what could be causing it to lose the setting.
  • big_txbig_tx Member Posts: 1
    Lets start off by saying I have had my Ford Freestyle since OCT 04 and now I have roughly around 23K or 24K. My first problem occurred with the breaks, a constant squeaking noise that does not go away. I took it to the dealership in WI where we originally bought it from. I was told there that the breaks squeak on new cars and not to worry. Around July this yeah I moved my family from Wisconsin to Houston, TX. I don’t know if this has something to do with all the problems here recently with the car but it is starting to become an issue. Let’s say the breaks still squeak and the mech. always says that they can’t seem to find anything wrong with the vehicle. Then one day before my wife had to go to school the car shut down all together, I am in Chicago and my wife in Houston so I was not there to help her out. She took the vehicle to a dealership and Houston and was given the run around. When we finally got our vehicle back a week later, it was told to us that the fuel filter went out. Then after that the AC went out and I figured it was a direct reflection of them trying to get to the Fuel filter but I was assured that it was not the problem. I was never told why though the AC went out. Now my lovely kids have spilt something on the seats and now they are stained, I have gotten the car detailed and told them to get the stains out but as soon as the seats dry good back pops the stain, other than that I love my freestyle.
  • dairedaire Member Posts: 35
    We had this problem for about 24 hours until we realized all we had to do was exchange key fobs. I had the wrong fob, and every time I unlocked the door, it went to my husband's setting. Easy fix...we exchanged keys! :D
  • dairedaire Member Posts: 35
    We have had a problem with the auto headlamps popping on and off when the light level isn't quite dark or light. When we had this problem with our Taurus, we just put some black electricians tape over the sensor, and the autolamps stayed on all the time when we were driving. I would like to do that with my Freestyle, but I can't locate the sensor. Is it in the same little black bump in the middle of the dash where the security system red light is located?
  • tourist1234tourist1234 Member Posts: 30
    Well you're sharper than my wife and I. ;) We struggled with the same issue for about 2 weeks before we figured it out. It drove us nuts because the seats were always in the right setting for the first month than one day, what the heck. We still have no idea how we switched fobs..I hardly ever drive the Freestyle.
  • stmssstmss Member Posts: 206
    I have the same problem. I am told it on the front and driver side of the small box located behind the rear view mirror. Haven't looked myself yet but will. Mine is an 06, assume 05 is the same?
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