IllustrationFUEL LINE JUST SNAPPED OFF THE CAR , ALSO THE TRANSMISSION LINE SNAPPED OFF AND THE TRANS SYSTEM SHUT DOWN, THE DOOR LOCKS SHUT DOWN AND STOPPED WORKING . THE TRANSMISSION AND FUEL LINE SNAPPED WHILE IN MOTION ON THE HIGHWAY.
2005 Ford Freestyle
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
Similar to other model years
Owner complaints for the 2005 Ford Freestyle do not stand out strongly from the model-year median of 893.
About this comparison →How this year compares
Owner complaints by model year
Compare all Freestyle years →Counts vary with age, sales and reporting. They are not failure rates.
What owners reported most
All reported categories
Tap a category to read its complaints. One report may name several components.
When problems were reported
Mileage at the reported incident
1140–25K
15325–50K
33950–75K
31275–100K
307100–150K
74150K+
1,299 reports with mileage · 160 unknown
NHTSA’s mileage field refers to the reported incident, not necessarily the filing date. This shows report counts, not the likelihood of a failure.
What to inspect
Issues worth paying extra attention to based on owner reports.
- Vehicle Speed Control. Review the 587 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Power Train. Review the 447 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Electrical System. Review the 142 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
32 crash reports3 fire reports11 injury reports
Electronic Stability Control (esc) complaints
16 reportsWHILE I AM DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD, IT FEELS LIKE THE VEHICLE SHUTS OFF. I AM STILL ABLE TO ACCELERATE, STEER AND STOP; HOWEVER, THE LIGHTS, HEATER AND RADIO SHUT OFF AND ALL OF MY GAUGES QUIT WORKING. MY DASHBOARD SAYS "CHECK CHARGING SYSTEM" BUT THE SOURCE OF THE ISSUE HAS NOT BEEN FOUND. I HAVE ALREADY REPLACED THE STARTER (WAS…
Read full complaint
WHILE I AM DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD, IT FEELS LIKE THE VEHICLE SHUTS OFF. I AM STILL ABLE TO ACCELERATE, STEER AND STOP; HOWEVER, THE LIGHTS, HEATER AND RADIO SHUT OFF AND ALL OF MY GAUGES QUIT WORKING. MY DASHBOARD SAYS "CHECK CHARGING SYSTEM" BUT THE SOURCE OF THE ISSUE HAS NOT BEEN FOUND. I HAVE ALREADY REPLACED THE STARTER (WAS MAKING A CLICKING NOISE AT TIMES), BATTERY AND ALTERNATOR. THIS HAS HAPPENED SEVERAL TIMES ON DIFFERENT ROAD TYPES AND VARYING SPEEDS.
DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD AND LOST POWER THE CAR WAS STILL RUNNING. THE REAR WIPER DOESN'T WORK AND THE TRACTION CONTROL SYSTEM IS MALFUNCTIONING
DRIVING MY 2005 FORD FREESTYLE AND ALL OF A SUDDEN, THE VEHICLE STARTS TO REV FORWARD AND BACKWARDS. I SEE THE "ENGINE FAIL SAFE MODE APPEAR AND A LIT UP WRENCH ALSO APPEARS AND THE ENGINE STARTS STALLING OR SURGING, FOLLOWED BY A SUDDEN LOSS OF POWER.
AWD MALFUNCTION IS PRESENT AND IT INTERFERES WITH THE STABILITY CONTROL AND ABS. IT SOMETIMES CAUSES ABS NOT TO GET ENGAGED.
TWICE IN SNOW STORMS WHILE CREEPING ALONG AT <5 MPH AND APPLYING THE BRAKES (GENTLY PUMPING) TO NEGOTIATE A HILL THE BRAKE PEDAL BECAME EXTREMELY HARD TO PUSH AND SEEMED NON FUNCTIONAL. I BELIEVE THIS IS REPEATABLE AND IS SOMEHOW RELATED TO LOW SPEED ON A DOWN GRADE WHILE PUMPING THE BRAKES. I COULD NOT DISCERN WHETHER THE ENG…
Read full complaint
TWICE IN SNOW STORMS WHILE CREEPING ALONG AT <5 MPH AND APPLYING THE BRAKES (GENTLY PUMPING) TO NEGOTIATE A HILL THE BRAKE PEDAL BECAME EXTREMELY HARD TO PUSH AND SEEMED NON FUNCTIONAL. I BELIEVE THIS IS REPEATABLE AND IS SOMEHOW RELATED TO LOW SPEED ON A DOWN GRADE WHILE PUMPING THE BRAKES. I COULD NOT DISCERN WHETHER THE ENGINE IDLE WAS GAINING BUT THE VEHICLE WAS UNSTOPPABLE UNTIL I REACHED THE BOTTOM OF THE GRADE. ONCE REACHING THE BASE OF THE HILL THE PROBLEM MYSTERIOUSLY GOES AWAY. A MECHANIC COULD NOT FIND ANYTHING WRONG WITH THE PHYSICAL BRAKES. I BELIEVE IT IS TRACTION AND ANTI-LOCK BRAKE CONTROL RELATED. *TR
I HAVE A 2005 SEL FREESTYLE WITH ABOUT 130K MILES ON IT. THIS MORNING WHILE DRIVING TO WORK WITH SPEED OF 55MPH ALL OF A SUDDEN THE ABS AND AWD LIGHTS CAME ON AND THE MESSAGE CENTER DISPLAYED "CHECK TRACTION CONTROL" AND "AWD MALFUNCTION", THEN ENTIRE PANEL WENT DARK (RPM, GAS, OIL, SPEED AND ODOMETER). I NOTICED THAT THE GAUGES…
Read full complaint
I HAVE A 2005 SEL FREESTYLE WITH ABOUT 130K MILES ON IT. THIS MORNING WHILE DRIVING TO WORK WITH SPEED OF 55MPH ALL OF A SUDDEN THE ABS AND AWD LIGHTS CAME ON AND THE MESSAGE CENTER DISPLAYED "CHECK TRACTION CONTROL" AND "AWD MALFUNCTION", THEN ENTIRE PANEL WENT DARK (RPM, GAS, OIL, SPEED AND ODOMETER). I NOTICED THAT THE GAUGES WERE MAKING A TICKING NOISE AT THAT TIME AS WELL. I PULLED OFF THE MAIN HWY AND SHUT CAR OFF, I THEN TRIED TO RESTART THE CAR. ALL OF THE GAUGES LIT UP AGAIN, BUT CAR WOULD NOT START, ACTED LIKE BATTERY/ALTERNATOR WAS SHOT. HAD TO GET IT TOWED HOME AND WAS LATE TO WORK. NOT SURE WHERE TO START TO SOLVE THE ISSUE, HAVE SEEN TOO MANY POSTS WITH THE SAME ISSUES. I THINK THAT FORD NEEDS TO STEP UP AND TAKE THE APPROPRIATE STEPS TO RECALL THESE VEHICLES BEFORE FATALITIES BEGIN. *TR
WE WERE DRIVING ON THE FREEWAY (HWY 350) AND THE CAR JUST STALLED OUT, AGAIN IN TRAFFIC ON TAKE OFF THE CAR STALLED IN THE MIDDLE OF TRAFFIC, ONCE GETTING ON I-70 IT JUST STALLED,. WE TOOK IT TO DICK SMITH FORD HERE IN RAYTOWN, MISSOURI , [XXX] THE SERVICE PERSON SAID IT WAS COVERED UNDER EXTENDED WARRANTY. SO I LEFT THE CAR WIT…
Read full complaint
WE WERE DRIVING ON THE FREEWAY (HWY 350) AND THE CAR JUST STALLED OUT, AGAIN IN TRAFFIC ON TAKE OFF THE CAR STALLED IN THE MIDDLE OF TRAFFIC, ONCE GETTING ON I-70 IT JUST STALLED,. WE TOOK IT TO DICK SMITH FORD HERE IN RAYTOWN, MISSOURI , [XXX] THE SERVICE PERSON SAID IT WAS COVERED UNDER EXTENDED WARRANTY. SO I LEFT THE CAR WITH THEM , AND ABOUT 3:00 PM I GOT A CALL, [XXX] SAID THE CAR WAS READY, HE SAID THEY FIXED THE PROBLEM, BUT IT IS DOING THE SAME THING. THIS TIME IT STOPPED WITH MY WIFE IN THE HEAT OF TRAFFIC, WELL I CALLED [XXX] AT THE DEALERSHIP AGAIN AND HE SAID IT MUST BE SOMETHING ELSE, WELL I HAD A TEST DONE, THE TEST INDICATED IT IS THE SAME PROBLEM THE THROTTLE BODY. I KNOW THE PROBLEM COULD NOT BE A TUNE-UP BECAUSE I JUST SPENT $ 900.00 FOR THAT AT THE SAME FORD PLACE, YES OVER NINE HUNDRED DOLLARS. PLEASE ADVISE WHAT TO DO. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR
BOUGHT IT 7/23/2013, DAY ONE FINE. DAY 2, SPOUSE IN CAR, WITH 3 CHILDREN, CHECK TRANSMISSION LIGHT, TRACK CONTROL LIGHT, CHECK ENGINE LIGHT, WRENCH LIGHT ALL CAME ON. .ON THE HIGHWAY. CAR LOST SIGNIFICANT POWER, ALMOST RESULTING IN ACCIDENT, CAR BUCKING AND USING SIGNIFICANT RPMS TO ACCELERATE . RESTARTED THE CAR AFTER 3-4 TIMES…
Read full complaint
BOUGHT IT 7/23/2013, DAY ONE FINE. DAY 2, SPOUSE IN CAR, WITH 3 CHILDREN, CHECK TRANSMISSION LIGHT, TRACK CONTROL LIGHT, CHECK ENGINE LIGHT, WRENCH LIGHT ALL CAME ON. .ON THE HIGHWAY. CAR LOST SIGNIFICANT POWER, ALMOST RESULTING IN ACCIDENT, CAR BUCKING AND USING SIGNIFICANT RPMS TO ACCELERATE . RESTARTED THE CAR AFTER 3-4 TIMES, LIGHTS GONE CAR RUNNING SMOOTHLY. DAY 3, SAME THING. I'VE OWNED IT FOR 6 DAYS! TERRIFIED FOR MY FAMILY AND OTHER DRIVERS WITH THIS VEHICLE. TOO MANY SAFETY COMPLAINTS ON THE VEHICLE/TRANSMISSION FOR FORD NOT TO RECALL. AN AMERICAN COMPANY PUTTING AMERICANS AT RISK FOR HARM. *TR
I TOOK MY CAR IN TO BE SERVICED FOR MAINTENANCE (POWER STEERING SERVICE AND TRANSMISSION SERVICE) TO THE FORD DEALERSHIP IN THOMASVILLE, GA. AFTER A FEW DAYS MY 2005 FORD FREESTYLE STARTED TO DISPLAY TRANSMISSION DATA ERROR, CHECK TRACK CONTROL, AND CHECK ENGINE LIGHTS. I CALLED THE COMPANY AND WAS ADVISED TO BRING IT IN AND I…
Read full complaint
I TOOK MY CAR IN TO BE SERVICED FOR MAINTENANCE (POWER STEERING SERVICE AND TRANSMISSION SERVICE) TO THE FORD DEALERSHIP IN THOMASVILLE, GA. AFTER A FEW DAYS MY 2005 FORD FREESTYLE STARTED TO DISPLAY TRANSMISSION DATA ERROR, CHECK TRACK CONTROL, AND CHECK ENGINE LIGHTS. I CALLED THE COMPANY AND WAS ADVISED TO BRING IT IN AND I DID. THE ALERTS WERE NOT ON AT THE TIME BUT THE SERVICE MAN JERRY AND JOSH TOLD ME THEY WOULD CHECK MY VEHICLE AND LET ME KNOW WHAT - IF ANYTHING WAS WRONG. THEY KEPT IT ALL DAY AND WHEN I RETURNED TO PICK IT UP I WAS INFORMED THAT IT WAS FINE AND THEY RE-SERVICED MY TRANSMISSION. ABOUT TWO WEEKS LATER MY CAR STARTED THE SAME THING ALL OVER AGAIN WHILE IN TRAFFIC IT SEEMED NOT TO WANT TO PULL OFF NORMALLY WITH ALL THESE ALERTS LIGHTING UP AFTER CHURCH ONE SUNDAY. I CALLED FORD OF COURSE THEY WERE CLOSED BUT THE NEXT DAY WAS MONDAY I CALLED AND WAS ASKED TO BRING THE CAR BACK IN. THIS TIME ONCE IT STARTED TO DO THE SAME THINGS JUMPING IN GEAR AND KNOCKING HARD THIS TIME THE SERVICE MAN WHO ANSWERED MY CALL SAYS THEY ARE LOOKING FOR A TRANSMISSION AND ADVISED ME THAT FORD WOULD PAY FOR HALF THE WORK AND PARTS. I ASKED IF THEY DIDN'T CAUSE IT WHY WOULD YOU OFFER TO PAY HALF. THE LAST TIME THEY GOT MY FORD FREESTYLE THEY GAVE ME A BORROWED VEHICLE AND TOLD MY HUSBAND 4 DAYS LATER THAT THE CAR HAS ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS THAT THEY WILL PAY NONE OF THE REPAIR. I WAS TOLD TWICE MY CAR WAS FINE NOW MY HUSBAND JUST GOT A NEW JOB AND NO WAY TO GET TO IT BECAUSE I BELIEVE FORD DAMAGED MY VEHICLE AND REFUSES TO RIGHT THEIR WRONG. WHAT CAN I DO NOW?
Official recalls
206V383000 · Latches/locks/linkages:doors:latch
Oct 5, 2006
ON CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES CURRENTLY REGISTERED IN THE FOLLOWING STATES: ALASKA, COLORADO, CONNECTICUT, DELAWARE, IDAHO, ILLINOIS, INDIANA, IOWA, KANSAS, KENTUCKY, MAINE, MARYLAND, MASSACHUSETTS, MICHIGAN, MINNESOTA, MISSOURI, MONTANA, NEBRASKA, NEW HAMPSHIRE, NEW JERSEY, NEW YORK, NORTH DAKOTA, OHIO, PENNSYLVANIA, RHODE ISLAND, SOUTH DAKOTA, UTAH, VERMONT, WEST VIRGINIA, WISCONSIN, AND WYOMING. THE SIDE DOOR LATCH MECHANISMS MAY EXPERIENCE WATER INTRUSION ALLOWING THE LATCH MECHANISM TO FREEZE IN COLD WEATHER.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: AS A RESULT, THE DOOR LATCH PAWL MAY NOT RETURN TO THE LATCH POSITION WHEN THE DOOR IS CLOSED, AND THE DOOR COULD OPEN WHILE THE VEHICLE IS MOVING.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSTALL A SHIELD OVER THE FRONT LATCHES; SEAL A DRAIN HOLE IN THE REAR WINDOW TRIM MOLDING ON THE FREESTYLE REAR SIDE DOORS; AND APPLY GREASE TO ALL FRONT AND REAR SIDE-DOOR LATCH MECHANISMS FREE OF CHARGE. THE RECALL BEGAN ON NOVEMBER 8, 2006. OWNERS MAY CONTACT FORD AT 1-800-392-3673.
05V515000 · Fuel System, Gasoline:storage:tank Assembly:mounting
Nov 9, 2005
ON CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES, THE STRAPS THAT SECURE THE FUEL TANK TO THE VEHICLE BODY MAY BREAK, CAUSING THE FUEL TANK AND FUEL TANK HEAT SHIELD TO DROP ON THE DRIVESHAFT (ALL WHEEL DRIVE VEHICLES) OR EXHAUST SYSTEM (FRONT WHEEL DRIVE VEHICLES).
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: IF THIS HAPPENS, DRIVERS MAY NOTICE A NOISE OR A FUEL LEAK. A FUEL LEAK IN THE PRESENCE OF AN IGNITION SOURCE COULD RESULT IN A FIRE.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL REPLACE BOTH FUEL TANK STRAPS. THE RECALL BEGAN ON DECEMBER 1, 2005. OWNERS MAY CONTACT FORD AT 1-800-392-3673.
Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗
NHTSA investigations
2PE11018 · Idle Instability
Opened May 11, 2011 · Closed Feb 7, 2013
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Vehicle Speed Control
On November 29, 2012, Ford Motor Company (Ford) initiated Customer Satisfaction Program 12N03 to extend warranty coverage terms for repair of engine idle RPM surge caused by throttle body deposits in all model year (MY) 2005 through 2007 Ford Freestyle, Five Hundred and Mercury Montego vehicles.The program extends the coverage for up to 10 years of service or 150,000 miles from the warranty start date of the vehicle (all vehicles are eligible for the program through May 31, 2013, regardless of mileage).Dealers will repair vehicles exhibiting the condition by removing and cleaning the throttle body and reprogramming the PCM with software containing an updated idle speed control strategy.According to Ford, some of the affected vehicles may experience momentary, intermittent engine idle RPM surge (idle flare) when stopped or during low speed driving maneuvers such as in a parking lot or driveway.Unstable idle speed control (dips and flares) around the target engine speed (700 rpm) can occur in vehicles with deposit build-up in the throttle body when the system adjusts engine speed in response to changes in engine load, typically from power steering application or air-conditioner compressor cycling.Idle speed control logic is only active at vehicle speeds below 3.5 mph and when the accelerator pedal is not applied.Ford testing of a vehicle with a worst case throttle body measured a maximum idle flare of 1360 RPM lasting approximately 1 second, which Ford indicated was consistent with system design to limit vehicle speed and acceleration in idle control mode.Ford indicated that the test vehicle was held in place with normal brake effort and that vehicle speed remained under 4 mph without the brake pedal applied.In addition to throttle body deposit accumulation, symptoms associated with the condition may include Check Engine lamp illumination and diagnostic trouble codes (DTCs) P0505, P0506 or P061B.Ford attributed the surge condition to changes in idle air flow resulting from the progressive buildup of deposits in the throttle body from normal Positive Crankcase Ventilation (PCV) system operation.This condition was not adequately compensated for in the original Powertrain Control Module (PCM) calibration.Ford issued a technical service bulletin on August 15, 2011 (TSB 11-8-5), releasing an updated powertrain control calibration for vehicles with CVT transmissions.On October 19, 2011, Ford issued a second bulletin (TSB 11-10-21) superseding TSB 11-8-5 and including updated powertrain control calibration for vehicles with 6-speed transmissions.Prior to Ford issuing the TSB?s, owner?s experiencing the alleged defect either received no repairs, if dealers could not duplicate the condition, or had the throttle body cleaned or replaced, which only provided temporary correction until the throttle deposit build-up returned.Ford?s revised powertrain calibrations appear to be effective remedies for the idle instability caused by build-up of throttle body deposits.However, even after the TSB?s were released, many owners experiencing the condition continued to have difficulty with proper diagnosis and repair as dealers were often either unable to duplicate the condition or were unfamiliar with the new repair procedures.Ford's new program addresses those concerns.NHTSA's testing and complaint analysis indicate that the idle speed control issue in the subject vehicles can only occur at very low speeds, are very brief events, are easily controlled by moderate brake pedal forces and result in minor increases in vehicle speed even with no braking.This investigation is closed.The closing of this in
PE07058 · Instrument Cluster Failure
Opened Nov 16, 2007 · Closed Mar 11, 2008
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Electrical System: Instrument Cluster/panel
THE SUBJECT VEHICLES EXPERIENCE A LOSS OF PROPER INSTRUMENT CLUSTER OPERATION.TYPICALLY, THE PROBLEM APPEARS AS THE NEEDLE ON THE GAUGE (SPEEDOMETER, TACHOMETER, FUEL, AND/OR TEMPERATURE) SWEEPS AND RESETS INTERMITTENTLY.FORD REPORTS THE PROBLEM AS MOMENTARY POWER INTERRUPTION CAUSES THE GAUGES TO SWEEP AND THEN RECOVER TO NORMAL FUNCTION.IN AUGUST 2006, FORD ISSUED A TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN (TSB 06-17-9) TO PROVIDE GUIDELINES TO SERVICE TECHNICIANS FOR DIAGNOSIS AND REPAIR OF THIS CONDITION.ODI'S REVIEW OF FORD'S RESPONSE TO THE AGENCY'S INFORMATIONREQUEST LETTER REVEALS THAT THE MAJORITY OF THE REPORTS TO FORD (63%) INDICATE THAT THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER WOULD EXPERIENCE INTERMITTENT LOSS OF POWER.FORD REPORTS THAT THISLASTS FOR ONLY A FEW SECONDS.ALSO FORD STATES, THE VEHICLE'S EXTERIOR LIGHTING WOULD NOT FAIL TO ILLUMINATE EVEN IN THE EVENT OF POWER INTERRUPTION TO THE CLUSTER BECAUSE THE EXTERIOR LIGHTS ARE POWERED SEPARATELY AND DO NOT RELY ON ANY SIGNAL FROM THE CLUSTER.ADDITIONALLY, ODI CONTACTED COMPLAINANTS WHO AFFIRMED THE INTERMITTENT CONDITION AND THAT NONE OF THE EXTERIOR LIGHTS ON THE SUBJECT VEHICLES WOULD BE AFFECTED BY POWER INTERRUPTIONS TO THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER.ODI LAST RECEIVED A REPORT REGARDING THIS ISSUE IN AUGUST OF 2007.THE CLOSING OF THIS INVESTIGATION DOES NOT CONSTITUTE A FINDING BY NHTSA THAT A SAFETY-RELATED DEFECT DOES NOT EXIST.FURTHER USE OF AGENCY RESOURCES DOES NOT APPEAR TO BE WARRANTED AT THIS TIME.ODI WILL HOWEVER CONTINUE TO MONITOR THE ISSUE AND WILL TAKE FURTHER ACTION IF WARRANTED BY THE CIRCUMSTANCES.