Edmunds dealer partner, Bayway Leasing, is now offering transparent lease deals via these forums. Click here to see the latest vehicles!

Ford Freestyle Transmission Failure

1246

Comments

  • baldridgesbbaldridgesb Member Posts: 1
    My freestlye is an 06 and going down the road went up to almost 4 rpms i could only drive 35 mph and then lost power and it was smoking. Now it is perfectly fine the repair shop says they can't find anything wrong is this what yours did?
  • sc1t3ach3rsc1t3ach3r Member Posts: 1
    We bought our car new in 2005. We have had it serviced by the dealer when it was time for each scheduled maintance. Oct. 2009, we had to replace the alternator in the car. Now the A/C compressor has failed, and we're told the transmission is also failing. Yes, I have even experience jumping from the car just as I come to a complete stop. It feels at times like someone has rear-ended us. Yes, we have 90,000 miles on it. Prior to the 36,000 mile warranty, the car was at the dealers to have the interior door panels replaced 3 times due to bubbling, and rear brakes replaced twice during this time. Yes, they finally told us about the recall on the brakes after the 2nd replacement. I have even complained how the fabric stains easily with rain. I have even steamed cleaned the car several times to remove rain stains & condensation stains from water bottles. We had to get fabric since we have several pets. The stains came before the pets were allowed in the car. We have owned several Ford products, but have never seen anything quiet like this. Needless to say, we're disappointed. Ran great when it was working properly and even good gas mileage, we travel a lot with a family. We keep autos in this family more than 5 years, still have a car that works, runs, driveable, good transmission from 1983, it only seats 2. I have contacted the Ford dealer in the area again, for repairs, but cost of repairs vs. car value do not compute. Now, just unhappy with vehicle.
  • dominicano51dominicano51 Member Posts: 11
    Hi,

    I have a 2006 Frestyle FWD with 110200 miles. i purchased the vehicle used and it develop a loud noise on the trans. I took the vehicle to ford and they dignosed to be a main bearing or imput shaft but that it would take complete dissasmble of the trans to complete(about 900 dollars). for a soft rebuilt with no hard parts 2800.00 dollars and for a remanufactured one 5600 dollars, well i paid for the vehicle 6600.00 dollars hehehe. I went to a shop that i know since i am in the use car business and they charged for labor 900. plus parts and they show me what had gone bad on the trans, bearing and output shaft with the planetary. I purchased with a dealer discount the planetary 487.00 dollars, rebuilt kit with steels included 225.00, 10 qts of fluid and bang brand new transmission. $1700.00 dollars they even serviced my a/c for the price and detailed the car since one of their mechanics painted a bumper and got overspray on mine.

    i have the part that went bad and also i have documents of parts that ford had to dispose in the past due to improper packaging and some of those parts ended in transmission, so maybe after all ford has made mistakes and we are paying for it.

    if anyone wants their service to fix their transmission let me know. you can ship it to them and they will fix it and ship to you. also that upper torque mount that breaks on all the cars but just the rubber soon i am going to have an idependent manufacturer make just the bushing for a fraction of what the entire mount cost.

    keep in touch.

    Ed
  • lanbabalanbaba Member Posts: 45
    I have a 05 AWD Limited with 65K miles on it. Last year the upper torque mount's rubber completely failed and I purchase some parts for the Volvo and did some modification and installed it myselft, and it cost much less than the whole mount (dealer want 2xx for the part, plus the labor). Google and you will find the instructions on how to do it, several different ways.
    Unfortunately my wf crashed the car a few weeks back and it is still in the shop now (insurance won't total it, cost about 7K to repair, but, it's the other party's fault). I will sell the car and get some replacement. I want another Freestyle, but ford discontinued the taurus X, and I'm lost now. :confuse:
  • engr76vtengr76vt Member Posts: 1
    My daughter has a 2006 Freestyle and has recently experienced a problem similar to those listed...she has had it back to the dealership a couple of times....this last time they claimed they had found the problem and replaced a "mega-electronic" module according to the daughter. It failed again on the way home from the dealer.
    In her case, she says after about 35-40 miles the transmission will suddenly
    quit. If she turns the engine off and then back on....everything is fine for a while.
    At least some of the times I know she said she was using the cruise. Does anyone have any ideas on the nature of the fix ????
  • coldcrankercoldcranker Member Posts: 877
    engr76vt, Not "mega-electronic". That should be "mechatronic", which means an actuator/sensor combination device.
  • momfmomf Member Posts: 10
    My 2006 Freestyle just hit 90K miles, and alas, the transmission is failing! The car would lurch when I put it in gear, even with my foot on the brake. Three days ago, it happened every time I put the car in gear. Then, both check engine and wrench indicator light went on. Car would not go over 25,even though RPM high. I urge all of you who have this problem to report it to the NHSTA. It is a safety issue; Ford needs to acknowledge it, and they need to give us help.
  • kieracmkieracm Member Posts: 5
    I purchased a brand new 2007 ford freestyle and now after 72,000 miles and many other problems that I had to fix on my own because I didn't purchase the warranty, I had to take it today to the dealership because of the Throttle Body that needs to be replaced. This will cost me about $1,000.00. My car is accelerating on it's own, the wrench light comes on after the acceleration, and I loose power all together. I am forced to shut off the vehicle, wait a couple of minutes and start the car back on. Just imagine this situation on a busy highway...

    The only way we can make sure the dealer fixes this problem is to call the Department of Transportation, National Highway Traffic Safety Administration at 1-888-327-4236 and file a complaint. After they review the complaint they have the authority to request that the Dealer issues a recall and fix the issues. I just did this myself and it took me about 20 minutes, however, a case number was sent to me immediately. If we all take 20 minutes of our time, we can have Ford fix these problems and who knows? maybe even save somebody's life...
  • rhondasuerhondasue Member Posts: 1
    My transmission has been whining alittle and has slipped a few times. I took it to a shop and they said the transmission is going to have to be replaced. The car is only a 07!!! It also has brake problems, the cruise control has stopped working and my brake lights are staying on.... Taking it in to the dealer tomorrow. :mad:
  • rosierebelrosierebel Member Posts: 2
    Well, your description sounds just like the problem I had which was diagnosed as a throttle body. The part to repair it is on national backorder and no date for acquisition is available.
    Some of the posts I've read on a number of forums suggest having the throttle body cleaned instead of repaired. I have asked my dealer about that, but his response was that my part is broken and can't be cleaned. How am I to know?
  • lcjesselcjesse Member Posts: 30
    take it to an independant mechanic and have it looked at. Also consider finding a shop that does Fuel INDUCTION service. Research it. I had it done at the recommendation of another owner who had the "lurching problem" and seems to have worked. Only hope it will not be too late for your vechicle.
  • momfmomf Member Posts: 10
    I took my car to the dealer and was told I needed a throttle body replacement. Also told that the part was on national backorder and only three were available. After four days on the phone with Ford motors in Detroit, alas a part became available! According to the service manager, there are parts with different part numbers but the same engineering number. I let them replace the part, and new spark plugs, boots, and a mounting bracket. $1500 later, I had my car back. It seems OK now, but I am very nervous. rosierebel...please file a complaint at the NHSTA website...there are already over 200 complaints for the same issue. Ford must own up to the problem and start a recall.
  • wburkettwburkett Member Posts: 2
    I am having the same problem with my 2007 ford freestyle wrench and check engine, transmission light comes on. car stalls and also launches with foot on brake. has anyone figured out what the problem is. is there a recall?
  • momfmomf Member Posts: 10
    The problem is with the throttle body. It needs to be replaced. The part is on a national backorder, so obviously many people are having this problem. Please call Ford Motor Co. and file a complaint with the NHTSA. It is not a recall item but needs to be. The NHTSA is investigating.
  • lcjesselcjesse Member Posts: 30
    I believe tne problem is two-fold. I had similar problems and after researching this forum and another one (myfordfreestyle.com) and reading about the delays in getting a throttle body was very discouraged. I found 1 onwer who was told he needed Fuel Induction (google it) which is basically using pressurized chemicals to clean out the fuel injection system and inter-related parts. He had it done and has driven 30K w/o any more problems. That cost him less that $300, I found a local shop here (in B'ham) that did it (after i had taken the car to Ford and was told it was the Throttle Body, they would try to find one and that my car was "unsafe to drive" til part was replaced). It cost me $125 for the service and it has been 2 weeks since i had it done and my car has not "lurched" once. I think the diagnostic tests point to the Throttle body because the throttle body cannot get enough air to work properly. Please check it out and give someone else your hard earned money, not Ford. I have read where at least 2 people got new Throttle Bodies and w/in 3 months had the problems re-occur.
  • angiefangief Member Posts: 5
    That is how my second transmission problem started. I kept tell them I thought the wheel bearing was gone and they said no, but they did not know what the noise was.. They we right a few day later we found out it was the second transmission -gone!! Manke them check it out before your warranty expires. Demand a new warranty on the replacement transmission.
  • misstricemisstrice Member Posts: 1
    I'm having the same problem. what shop in b'ham did you take yours to?
  • lcjesselcjesse Member Posts: 30
    i had Fuel Induction Service done at Christian Brothers in Hoover, just off Highway 31. They were excellent. Are you in Birmingham? if so they have $25 off 1st service coupon on their website.
  • kattykingkattyking Member Posts: 1
    I was on my way out of town (Vegas on southbound 15) and I'm in stop and go traffic...while my foot is on the brake because i'm not really having to push the gas because we were moving at snails pace, my car started lurching forward..! This was the second time this happened, first time it happened i was in Reverse with foot on brake..! My car lurched backwards, and then the wrench light went on...i put it in drive and i drove like barely over 25 mph. Got home and shut off car and then turned back on light had gone off and i didn't have anymore issues UNTIL today..! I ultimately had to move off the highway and call Ford Emergency Roadside assistance...thankfully a NHP followed me on the shoulder so i could get the car to Jean, NV and turn around and head home or i would have to wait 2 hours in 109 degree car for the tow truck to get through the construction zone traffic...! Had the car towed from my house to the dealer to diagnose the problem..! It's there now..! This will be continued.... Just wondering if there are any other '07 owners out there with similar problems?? Hopefully this is covered under my powertrain warranty 5 year 60/mile, also my car has only 33.7K miles on it and it is barely 6 mos past the 3 year warranty..! I will be filing a complaint with the NHTSA and with Ford Motor Co. tomorrow..!
  • beachitbeachit Member Posts: 2
    I have been I loyal Ford owner. All I have ever owned is Fords Currently, I own a 2006 Ford Freestyle with 40,000 miles on it and the transmission has failed. After numerous conversations with Ford "Customer Care", they have agreed to pay 1/2 of a new transmission to the tune of $3,500 (a new transmission is $7,000). NOT GOOD ENOUGH!. A transmission should not fail at 40,000 miles.
    I BELIEVE WE HAVE A CLASS ACTION LAWSUIT. Ford knows the CVT transmittion is JUNK.
    My question to all of you out there: How do we get a class action lawsuit going? Ford needs to compensate all of us with problems with the CVT transmission.
  • momfmomf Member Posts: 10
    I don't know how to start a class action suit, but you must report this problem to the National Highway Transportation Safety board. This should be a recall item!
  • debbiew75debbiew75 Member Posts: 19
    my 2007 has a cvt
  • debbiew75debbiew75 Member Posts: 19
    Don't you love the "customer care" line. And that is exactly what I told the customer care at Ford. And, all they had to say about that is they do not respond to these kinds of blogs or website they are not affiliated with Ford! So, I have paid all the money to fix the car.

    And then I contacted Alex Simanovsky and Associates that specialize in the "Lemon Law and Breach of Warranty". They took my case and now I am waiting to hear from back from them. They said it should take 6 - 8 weeks. Go online, look it up! Can't hurt, you are already out the money to fix it!

    And, it's WRONG!
  • kdibkdib Member Posts: 5
    The continuing Saga since the attorney general contacted Ford we got 5 more Wrench light incidents (Error Code P2766). And Fords answer to the Attorney General's office about car still under Warranty is it's a Dealer problem don't bother us.
  • jsal2jsal2 Member Posts: 3
    Thank you for telling me about the NHTSA website. I have a Ford 2005 Freestyle when last year at 42,000 miles a rod slipped in the transmission, literally causing it to explode. I found pieces of the transmission on the road way. The dealer said he had never seen anything like it. Thank goodness I was only going 30 mph when it happened! Ford would not pay a dime towards the repairs since I was out of warranty at the time it occurred. I am still upset that I was required to pay approximately $5,500 for a new transmission and to repair the damage caused to other parts in the engine from the transmission exploding. I filed a complaint on the NHTSA website, at least it is some sort of action.
  • dominicano51dominicano51 Member Posts: 11
    I wish the government would do like they did for Toyota with the recalls. what a shame ford. i found out that there were many faulty parts that ford put on cvt's that are making all this problems with just need a attorney willing to do a class action lawsuit like the saturn vue.
  • dominicano51dominicano51 Member Posts: 11
    I JUST REPORTED THE ISSUE LETS GET EVERYONE TO DO IT IS EASY.
  • dominicano51dominicano51 Member Posts: 11
    You are right about this but how about ford putting parts that were defective into this transmissions? they had a bunch of parts taken out the shelfs for problems and discarded.
  • momfmomf Member Posts: 10
    It is easy and I've already been contacted twice by NHTSA for further information. Let's flood them with complaints.
  • bf2136bf2136 Member Posts: 4
    Look at the Freestyle Recall topic in this forum. I filed a complaint with the NHTSA about my 2007 Freestyle lunging and have posted the name and contact information of the investigator that contacted me for more information.
  • irisht66irisht66 Member Posts: 1
    What state AG contacted Ford? My 2007 Ford Freestyle was delivered in January, 2007. In March 2008, the transmission went and the DEALER had the Freestyle the end of May, 2008. the DEALER told me that "PEOPLE" were flown in from "Detroit." Then, in August, 2009, the transmission went on the Mass Pike. I called the DEALER and I was told that it was my responsibility because the car was out of warranty, but the new transmission only had 11,000 miles on it. (As an aside, no one was at the dealership that I had any contact with when the transmission went in 2008. I called Ford. I was told that this was not a "Ford problem" because it was not fixed by Ford, but rather by the "transmission shop around the corner." I am outraged!!! :mad:
  • kdibkdib Member Posts: 5
    I am in Maryland, but using the AG didn't help any even with the car still under Warranty.
  • sowen8sowen8 Member Posts: 6
    Okay....does anyone else have the problem of gauges dropping out and taking the transmission with it? I was on the highway the other day, just hit 55 mph when all of my gauges when totally black and my transmission jumped into neutral. I immediately pulled off the road. I killed the engine and started back up and it was fine. Gauges came back. Weird. We have had gauge drop out problems within a year of buying the thing back in 2009. About 8 months ago, the transmission started jerking when the gauges would go black. We just didn't have the money to have it looked at. Guess what our tax return will be spent on this year? You guessed it, car repairs!
  • bohemia1bohemia1 Member Posts: 33
    I totally fixed my Freestyle (2005 SE CVT). I traded it in.
  • bbusseybbussey Member Posts: 3
    I posted this message in a slightly different form in an another thread.

    Did you hear a clicking sound when your gauges and engine went out? Did they blink, or drop to zero? Was your radio affected?

    If so, I had a similar problem with my Saab 9000 years ago. My gauges, lights and radio would go out with lots of clicking while driving down the road. The vehicle would shutter as the engine went out - again briefly for a second or so. It would then start up and all would come back on. It was completely intermittent.

    The dealer kept it for over a month and couldn't figure out what it was. I mentioned this concern to a customer of mine and he suggested replacing the positive battery cable. I told him the cable looked fine. He said just do it. I told them to do it since they had the car. They may have replaced the negative cable too. And it worked! Apparently there was wire corrosion inside the cable which was apparently covered by the cable covering. I never had any trouble again.

    Just a thought...
  • rayhiinrayhiin Member Posts: 1
    Our Freestyle (New, 2006 and about 55,000) did the same thing. My wife met a old friend of her's at our dealership (who she doesn't keep in contact with) about what it had been doing. She said she had the same problem with their's.

    Her husband was looking to sue, but we've never talked to them again so I don't know how that went. At that chance meeting, she said that she had been told that it was related to how the transmission had been maintained. She her self even said then, means to what she was told, since we had purchased the 5 year, 75,000 mile maintenance plain, (were the dealership takes care on all maintenance on our Freestyle for that time) we may not have that problem as bad.

    She was right. Our dealer (Allstate Ford in Louisville, Ky) said that couldn't fix something that wasn't broken when they look at it. They also said they didn't know of any such problem (I don't know how true that may be). They did say that they would give it a very good look over right before our (which is what will come first) 5 Years expire.

    I am very happy with Allstate, so much so that we now take our 99 Taurus there to have all of it's maintenance taken care of there.

    As far as I'm concerned; The only problem with our Freestyle is, it isn't a Flex. Other than that, I would buy it all over again.

    Ray. :shades:

    Retired from Ford Motor Co. (Hourly worker)

    Now I am working at Lowe's and Loving it. It's a great place to work (well, at least it is when you know you don't have to work).
  • sowen8sowen8 Member Posts: 6
    The radio doesn't go, but the air conditioner will. When the gauges drop out without taking anything with it (Rare occasion) they do click and pop. I have it in the shop right now with someone looking into it. One place said it sounded like the control module and refused to even look at it and see if that really was the problem. If this place can't find anything I will do as you suggest with the battery. It may need a new battery and cables.
  • sowen8sowen8 Member Posts: 6
    Heard back from the shop earlier today. I will have to take it back to the dealership. The instrument cluster is going out and has to be replaced (which it seems only the dealership can do, imagine that). The dealership said that the worst case scenario would cost me about $650 installed. Bye-bye anniversary trip!
  • mastersbeaversmastersbeavers Member Posts: 2
    We have the same problem. It is not the alternator I know that for sure as we had ours replaced since and it did not fix it! What a piece of S**T!!
  • mastersbeaversmastersbeavers Member Posts: 2
    Let me know if that fixes the problem. PLEASE!!
  • wburkettwburkett Member Posts: 2
    edited May 2011
    Went the whole winter, the car was ok. still sounds like an airplane taking off. Car is stalling when I turn the wheel. What is Ford waiting for, a serious accident for a recall. too many problems with this car.
  • stevedebistevedebi Member Posts: 4,098
    That no one has commented on the recent news that the NTSB is opening an investigation of the FS throttle body and unintended acceleration...
  • nomoreford4nomoreford4 Member Posts: 4
    Thank you for taking the time to post this. It has worked for me so far.
  • taralee1taralee1 Member Posts: 3
    Mine started with a small sound when in park. I took it to my mechanic and he said it was probably a bearing in the transmission that would eventually need to be fixed. A month later mine started the lunging (mainly when it was really hot out) sometimes it would die, the wrench light would come on. If I turned it off and started it again the problem went away. Today I was driving and my RPM's started acting weird. I pulled in the driveway and that little transmission noise was constant. I tried to drive it to see what would happen and now my RPM's will not shift at all. I cannot even drive it and it only has 55K miles on it. This car is a piece of CRAP!
  • anarealtoranarealtor Member Posts: 1
    Are you talking about every summer, when I have to use my air conditioning, and my 2006 Ford Freestyle accelerates by itself, when my foot is on the brake, especially if I am in Reverse? REALLY SCARY!
    I have just hit 98,000 miles and my transmission went out on a road trip yesterday. Ford says they'll do not a thing about it, since it's past my 75K extended warranty. And their lovely quote is for $5,800 at the Dealership, to replace the transmission. I bought it new off the lot for $36,000. 5 years later, it's only worth a whopping $9,000?!! WHAT THE ****?! And THAT'S if the transmission were to be in working order. So, really, my 2006 Ford Freestyle is now worth $3,200. And I still owe $14,000. I will Never, Ever, buy another Ford.
  • bdymentbdyment Member Posts: 573
    Things happen. Do you think that no other manufacurer's transmissions fail in less than 100,000 miles? Lots of them do. You are 23,000 miles beyond the warranty. What do you expect Ford or any other manufacturer to do?
    Granted the CVT was not one of Ford's better ideas. That is why I would never buy a present day Nissan. Most of their cars and SUVS use the CVT.
  • bruneau1bruneau1 Member Posts: 468
    We have a fwd Freestyle and a Nissan Versa. No problems with either cvt and both are a pleasure to drive, especially in town-smooth and alert. The cvt in Nissans is warranted for 10 years or 100,000 miles. There is nothing wrong with a cvt and they are not all the same.
  • bdymentbdyment Member Posts: 573
    Glad you are having good luck with your CVTs. However, the Nissan boards, especially the Rogue and Murano have many, many complaints about CVT problems.
  • bobw3bobw3 Member Posts: 2,989
    You can look at the Acura MDX transmission problem forum to see that it's not just the Freestyle that has transmission issues. In fact, someone posted there that they're never buy an other Acura and was looking at buying a Ford next time, so it seems like the "grass is always greener" saying holds true!
  • sandyrnsandyrn Member Posts: 1
    Wrench light went on on dashboard, freestyle (2006) 95,000 mi; was told it was a computer_$1000;
    3 mos later, driving on highway at 65mph, Freestyle lost all power, self shifted to a low gear; gas would not get to the engine; many dashboard lights were flashing; pulled off road. At rest in park, stepped on gas pedal with no increase in engine speed; shuty car off and restarted (rebooted) and car worked fine for a few miles until it happened again, and again.

    Ford shop said it was the transmission computer. $1200

    no sooner than I got the Freestyle back, I stop at stop sign and give gas to go through the intersection, nothing happens, ie no power. Wrench light on dashboard is lit. It then goes normally until the sporadic next time.

    Ford shop_initially could find nothing wrong. Pushed them telling how dangerous it was. Kept the car for a week. Took transmission apart. Something "leaking". Repair estimate $4,000; new transmission $6,000.

    Car is in great shape (limited version). Do I buy a new car (not made any more) or fix this one.

    The 4-wheel drive in the Freestyle was really good in blizzards.

    Does anyone know what they did with that 4-wheel (all wheel) drive mechanism? Which Ford vehicles has it now?

    Thanks, Sandy
Sign In or Register to comment.