2005 Ford Freestyle

DT: CONTACT STATED THE BEIGE COLOR OF THE DASHBOARD CAUSED A REFLECTION IN THE WINDSHIELD, MAKING IT DIFFICULT TO SEE OUTSIDE OF THE VEHICLE. THE SERVICE DEALER STATED THEY COULD NOT REDESIGN. THE CAR, AND THAT THE CONSUMER NEEDED TO GET USED TO THE REFLECTION. *AK THE REVERSE SENSOR WAS NOT LOUD ENOUGH TO BE HEARD OVER THE VEHICLE A/C OR RADIO. *NM

AFTER PURCHASING A NEW 2005 FORD FREESTYLE I NOTICED THAT THE REAR DOORS WOULD NOT UNLOCK FROM INSIDE OR OUTSIDE AFTER THE ENGINE WAS TURNED OFF. I WAS TOLD BY FORD DEALER THAT IT IS A SAFETY ISSUE. IN ORDER TO OPEN THE REAR DOORS, YOU HAVE TO HIT THE ELECTRONIC DOOR LOCK SWITCH FROM THE DRIVER OR PULL THE LOCK ROD LOCATED AT EACH DOOR. MY CONCERN IS THAT IF AN ACCIDENT OCCURRED AND SOMETHING HAPPENED TO THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, THE REAR PASSENGERS WOULD BE TRAPPED AND RESCUERS ON THE OUTSIDE COULD NOT OPEN THE DOORS. MY WIFE DRIVES DAILY WITH YOUNG GRANDCHILDREN INSIDE AND THEY COULD NOT OPEN THE DOORS USING THE LOCK-RODS. IF THIS REALLY WAS A SAFETY SITUATION AS FORD DESCRIBES IT, THEN THE FRONT DOORS SHOULD NOT OPEN EITHER. UPON FURTHER INVESTIGATION, I FOUND THAT MY 2003 FORD EXPEDITION OPERATES IN THE SAME MANNER. THIS POTENTIAL PROBLEM COULD BE TAKEN CARE OF WITH A SIMPLE COMPUTER CODE CHANGE. AS IT STANDS, I BELIEVE THAT SERIOUS INJURIES COULD BE EXPECTED WITH TRAPPED CHILDREN OR HANDICAPPED IN THE REAR SEATS. *JB

FOR A FEW DAYS, OUR FAMILY HAD BEEN VACATIONING IN THE MOUNTAINS OF RUIDOSO, NEW MEXICO. BEFORE HEADING HOME TO TEXAS, WE FILLED THE GAS TANK IN OUR 2005 FORD FREESTYLE. SHORTLY AFTER LEAVING RUIDOSO ON OUR WAY HOME, THE FUEL GAUGE SUDDENLY WENT FROM FULL TO EMPTY. WE STOPPED BY THE SIDE OF THE ROAD NOT KNOWING IF SOMETHING HAD HAPPENED TO OUR FUEL TANK BUT KNOWING THAT WE SHOULD HAVE A FULL TANK OF GAS. THE FUEL GAUGE WOULD JUMP INTERMITTENTLY FROM INDICATING THAT THERE WAS GAS TO EMPTY WHICH CONTINUED THE ENTIRE TRIP. THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON THE CONTROL PANEL AND ALSO A MESSAGE TO CHECK THE ENGINE. THIS CONTINUED THE ENTIRE TIME. WHEN WE RETURNED HOME, WE IMMEDIATELY TOOK THE CAR TO THE FORD DEALERSHIP TO BE REPAIRED. AFTER KEEPING IT A DAY, THEY INFORMED US THAT FORD WAS AWARE OF THE PROBLEM WITH THE FUEL GAUGE ON THE FREESTYLE BUT DIDN'T KNOW WHAT TO DO ABOUT IT. SO, WE WERE TOLD THAT WE WOULD JUST HAVE TO DEAL WITH IT UNTIL FORD COMES UP WITH A SOLUTION WHICH WILL PROBABLY TAKE A FEW MONTHS. THE CHECK ENGINE MESSAGE AND LIGHT, THEY SAID, MUST BE RELATED TO THIS. WE ARE CONCERNED ABOUT THIS GREATLY BECAUSE WE NEED A RELIABLE CAR AND DISTANCES ARE FAR IN THIS PART OF THE COUNTRY. WAITING A FEW MONTHS FOR A REPAIR OF SOMETHING ESSENTIAL DOES NOT SEEM TO BE A VIABLE OPTION BUT POLLARD FORD IN LUBBOCK, TEXAS HAS GIVEN US NO OTHER CHOICE. *JB

VEHICLE WAS PURCHASED ON 7/16/2005. AFTER BEING DRIVEN OFF THE LOT, TRANSMISSION LIGHT APPEARED. VEHICLE WAS RETURNED TO DEALER WHO COULD NOT LOCATE A PROBLEM. VEHICLE WAS THEN DRIVEN 23 MILES WHEN ALL POWER WAS LOST. VEHICLE WAS TOWED BACK TO DEALER. SERVICE TRIED TO CORRECT THE PROBLEM FOR 1 WEEK BEFORE ORDERING A NEW TRANSMISSION. NEW TRANSMISSION WAS INSTALLED ONE WEEK LATER. UPON PICKING UP VEHICLE, ENGINE LIGHT APPEARED. VEHICLE WILL NOW NEED TO BE RETURNED ONCE AGAIN. GLARE FROM TAN INTERIOR IS DANGEROUS ALSO, AND ACCELERATOR TENDS TO STICK. *NM

UPON OPENING EITHER SIDE 2ED ROW WINDOWS HARMOMIC VIBRATION/NOISE BEGINS AT SPEEDS ABOVE 30MPH SOUNDS LIKE HELICOPTER INSIDE VEHICLE- VERY ANNOYING, DISTRACTING, HURTS EARS - CONTACTED DEALER AND FORD CUSTOMER SERVICE LINE - BOTH INDICATE THERE IS NO REPAIR FOR CONCERN, NO TSB FOR ITEM - HAVE PRINTOUT FROM DEALER INDICATING PROBLEM IS "CHARACTERISTIC OF THIS TYPE VEHICLE AND CHARACTERISTIC OF OTHER SIMILAR VEHICLES" "RECOMMENDED SOLUTION IS FOR CUSTOMER TO OPEN ANOTHER WINDOW" AND THAT FORD HAS EXPERIENCED THIS PROBLEM ON VEHICLES DATING BACK TO 1999 - CUSTOMER SERVICE LI

DT: ON JUNE 24, 2005 CONSUMER WAS DRIVING WHEN GAS GAUGE WENT FROM ALMOST FULL TO EMPTY. CONSUMER STOPPED AT GAS STATION, AND THE VEHICLE ONLY TOOK A COUPLE DOLLARS OF GAS. CONSUMER THEN DROVE DOWN A MOUNTAIN TO GET TO FORD DEALER AND FUEL GAUGE WENT TO EMPTY AGAIN. CONSUMER CONTINUED TO THE DEALER, WHO TOLD CONSUMER THAT THE FUEL PUMP WAS NOT WORKING PROPERLY. DEALER REPLACED FUEL PUMP. BUT IT STILL DID NOT WORK PROPERLY. WHEN VEHICLE ATTEMPTED PULL OUT IT HESITATED FOR A WHILE BEFORE TAKING OFF. CONSUMER STATED THAT FORD GAVE HER AN EXTRA MILEAGE WARRANTY, EXTENDING IT TO 75,000 MILES. CONSUMER PICKED CAR UP ON JULY 8, 2005, AND THERE WAS STILL A PROBLEM WILL FUEL GAUGE UNTIL JULY 10, 2005. CONSUMER SAID THAT AFTER FUELING VEHICLE SHE NOTICED THAT GAUGE DID NOT WORK. VEHICLE DID NOT ACCELERATE. SHE ASSUMED THAT THE FUEL PUMP WAS DEFECTIVE AGAIN.*AK

DT: THE CONSUMER STATES WHILE DECELERATING THE VEHICLE STALLS. THIS HAPPENS MORE IN WARM WEATHER AND AFTER THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN DRIVEN APPROXIMATELY 25 MILES. IF THE HEADLIGHTS ARE ON THERE IS A WARNING AFTER THE VEHICLE HAS STALLED. THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN TO THREE DIFFERENT SERVICE DEALERS IN THREE DIFFERENT STATES. THE PROBLEM CANNOT BE DUPLICATED AND DEALERS CANNOT REPAIR THE PROBLEM. THE CONSUMER AND THE SERVICE DEALER DO NOT KNOW WHAT SPECIFIC COMPONENT IS THE PROBLEM.*AK

I AM LEASING A FORD FREESTYLE. WE HAVE FOUND THAT WITH THE CHILD LOCK OFF, THAT THE REAR PASSANGER DOORS WILL NOT OPEN UNLESS THE DRIVER OR PASSANGE UNLOCKS THE DOORS WITH THE ELECTRONIC SWITCH AT ANY TIME - WITH THE MORTOR RUNNING, THE CAR IN PARK, OR THE MOTOR OFF AND THE CAR IN PARK. IF THERE SHOULD BE A CRASH OR BOTH THE FRONT DSEAT DRIVER AND PASSANGER BE UNABLE TO OPEN THE DOOR, THE REAR SEAT PASSANGERS WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO GET OUT. THE WINDOWS ARE ELECTRIC WHICH WITH THE MOTOOR AND KEY IN OFF ARE INOPERABLE. WE HAVE TAKEN THE CAR TO THE LOCAL FORD DEALER. THEY TELL US THAT THEY ARE UNABLE TO DO ANY THING ABOUT THIS ISSUE. THEY CLAIM TO HAVE BEEN INTO THE COMPUTER AND CAN NOT FIND ANY WAY TO CHANGE THE WAY THE REAR DOORS OPEN. THIS IS A DEFINITE SAFETY ISSUE, ESPECIALLY IN A FRONT END OR FRONT SIDE CRASH. I HAVE SENT A DESCRIPTION OF THE ISSUE TO FORD THROUGH THEIR WEB SITE.

THE REFLECTION OF THE DASHBOARD ONTO THE WINDSHIELD IMPEDES VISIBILITY OUT OF THE WINDSHIELD. GOING FROM THE OUTSIDE (BOTH SUNNY AND CLOUDY DAYS) INTO A GARAGE OR TUNNEL, THE EXTREME GLARE PROHIBITS VISIBLITY THROUGH THE WINDSHEILD. WHEN IN A PARKING LOT AND BACKING OUT OF A SPACE, VISIBILITY IS RESTRICTED SEEING THE ADJACENT CARS.