2005 Ford FREESTAR problems and owner complaints

I WAS DRIVING THROUGH A CONSTRUCTION ZONE; LANE SHIFTED ONTO THE SHOULDER. TRAFFIC WAS DENSE, BUT MOVING AT NEAR NORMAL SPEEDS. VEHICLE IN FRONT OF ME BRAKED ABRUPTLY AS WE HIT THE RUMBLE STRIP. MY VEHICLE SHOOK DRAMATICALLY; AS I TIPPED IN TO ACCELERATE, I DISCOVERED THE VEHICLE HAD DIED (STALLED). I RESTARTED ON THE FLY BY SHIFTING INTO NEUTRAL. HAD I NOT DONE SO, MY VEHICLE WOULD HAVE COME TO A STOP IN DENSE, FAIRLY HIGH SPEED TRAFFIC--EXPOSING ME AND MY FAMILY TO A POTENTIAL HIGH SPEED REAR IMPACT. *JB

Owner-reported narrative. 18,870 miles reported. Look up ODI 10164457 at NHTSA ↗

TRANSMISSION BROKE @ 50,000 MILES WITHOUT WARNING. I JUST BOUGHT THIS VAN 8 MONTHS AGO, AND NOW IM MAKING PAYMENTS ON A VAN I CANNOT DRIVE. *TR

Owner-reported narrative. 52,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10212009 at NHTSA ↗

I HAVE HAD PROBLEMS WITH MY FORD FREE STAR 2005 VAN IT HAS 50,600 MILES ON IT. IT ALL STARTED WHEN THE SPEEDOMETER AND ODOMETER STOPPED WORKING AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS. THEN A FEW SECONDS LATTER THE VAN JUST DIED WHILE DRIVING WITH MY TWO YEAR OLD TWINS IN THE CAR. I WAS ABLE TO START IT UP AGAIN AND IT STARTED TO SPUTTER AND STALL AGAIN. I AM A MECHANIC AND I WAS GOING TO ATTEMPT TO REPAIR THE VEHICLE MYSELF UNTIL I WENT ON LINE AND FOUND OUT THAT OTHER PEOPLE HAVE BEEN COMPLAINING ABOUT THE PCM GETTING WET AND I FOUND OUT MINE WAS WET AND CORR…

Owner-reported narrative. 50,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10225419 at NHTSA ↗

THE ELECTRIC SLIDING DOOR WILL OPEN ABOUT A FOOT, AND IT WILL STICK. THE BRAKES ARE LIKE SPONGES. CONSUMER STATES HE HAS TO COMPLETELY DEPRESS THE BRAKE PEDAL TO THE FLOOR BEFORE THE VEHICLE WILL STOP. CONSUMER CONTACTED FORD THREE TIMES FOR THESE ISSUES. *AK

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10112874 at NHTSA ↗

DT: ABOUT 2 WEEKS AGO THE BRAKES FAILED. WHEN PRESSURE WAS APPLIED TO THE BRAKE PEDAL IT SIMPLY WENT ALL THE WAY TO THE FLOOR. IT DID SLOW DOWN BUT AS DRIVER PROGRESSED THE BRAKE SHOE HUNG TO THE ROTOR AND MADE A CLICKING SOUND AS THOUGH THEY WERE STILL APPLIED. AFTERWARDS CONSUMER CONTACTED DEALERSHIP AND TOOK VEHICLE IN. THE TECHNICIAN STATED IT WAS A ROTOR PROBLEM. THE DEALER GRINDED RUST OR " LOT ROT" OFF THE ROTORS AND PLACED THEM BACK ON THE VEHICLE. TWO DAYS AGO HOWEVER THE SAME INCIDENT OCCURRED AGAIN WITH THE BRAKE PADS STICKING…

Owner-reported narrative. 300 miles reported. Look up ODI 10128442 at NHTSA ↗

DT: CONSUMER COMPLAINED ABOUT VIBRATION PROBLEMS. THE STEERING WHEEL VIBRATED AND VEHICLE SHUTTERED. CONSUMER TOOK VEHICLE TO THE DEALERSHIP THREE DAYS AFTER PURCHASING IT. THE DEALERSHIP KEPT THE CAR FOR 5 DAYS AND COULD NOT FIGURE OUT WHAT THE PROBLEM WAS. THE DEALER CHANGED THE ROTORS TWICE AND CHANGED THE TIRES. CONSUMER TOOK THE VEHICLE BACK TO THE DEALER, AND THE DEALERSHIP HAD THE CAR FOR 17 DAYS. THE FORD REPRESENTATIVE CAME TO THE DEALERSHIP AND PUT THE VEHICLE ON THE DIAGNOSTIC MACHINE AND THE FORD REPRESENTATIVE SEEMED T…

Owner-reported narrative. 30 miles reported. Look up ODI 10131883 at NHTSA ↗

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE STOPPED AT A TRAFFIC LIGHT, ANOTHER VEHICLE REAR ENDED THE CONTACT AT AN ESTIMATED SPEED OF 40-45MPH. THIS RESULTED IN THE CONTACT REAR ENDING A VEHICLE. THERE WERE THREE OCCUPANTS IN THE CONTACT'S VEHICLE, THE DRIVER; THE CONTACT WHO WAS SEATED IN THE PASSENGER SEAT, AND AN OCCUPANT IN THE REAR SEAT ON THE DRIVER'S SIDE. DURING THE ACCIDENT THE SEAT BELT WEBBING SPOOLED, ALLOWING THE OCCUPANTS TO MOVE FORWARD. AS A RESULT, THE SEATBELTS DID NOT LOCK CAUSING INJURIES TO ALL OCCUPANTS. THE DRIVER MADE CONTACT W…

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10158259 at NHTSA ↗

MAJOR TRANSMISSION AND ELECTRICAL SYSTEM FAILURES AT 50K. WIRING HARNESS/COMPUTER NOT HOUSED RIGHT; OPEN TO WATER. 3RD TIME STRANDED BY THIS CAR IN 5 MONTHS. *TR

Owner-reported narrative. 40,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10244392 at NHTSA ↗

TWICE OUR 2005 FORD FREESTAR EXPERIENCED WATER LEAKAGE THROUGH THE COWL GRILL ON THE HOOD. AFTER HEAVY RAIN IN MARCH 2008, THE FIRST OF SEVERAL BREAKDOWNS AND FIX ATTEMPTS OCCURRED, RESULTING IN 3 MONTHS OUT OF SERVICE, AND REPLACEMENTS OF THE WIRING HARNESS, THE PCM COMPUTER, SEVERAL OTHER COMPUTERS AND SENSORS, AND THE ENTIRE TRANSMISSION, EQUALING NEARLY $5,000 IN TOW, RENTAL CAR, AND REPAIR BILLS--SOME OF WHICH THE DEALERSHIP TALKED MY INSURANCE TO PAY FOR AS A "WATER DAMAGE CLAIM." IN BETWEEN, WE'VE HAD MULTIPLE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM PROBLEM…

Owner-reported narrative. 66,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10272435 at NHTSA ↗

CONSUMER STATES WHEN VEHICLE IS RUNNING EXCESSIVELY, AND THERE ARE EXCESSIVE FUEL LEAKS. CONSUMER IS CONCERNED THE VEHICLE WILL CATCH ON FIRE. *AK WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS STOPPED AT A TRAFFIC LIGHT THE CONSUMER NOTICED A SMELL OF FUEL. THE CONSUMER FOUND A LEAK COMING FROM THE FUEL TANK ONTO THE EXHAUST PIPE THEN TO THE GROUND IN LARGE AMOUNTS. *TC

Owner-reported narrative. 5,200 miles reported. Look up ODI 10103766 at NHTSA ↗

WHEN FUEL TANK IS AT OR BELOW 1/4 TANK AND VAN IS PARKED ON A STEEP INCLINE, VEHICLE WILL NOT START UNTIL IT IS PLACED ON A LEVEL SURFACE. *JB

Owner-reported narrative. 5,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10156974 at NHTSA ↗