Illustration2006 FORD FREESTYLE STOPPED IN GEAR UNINTENDED ACCELERATION WHEN FOOT LIFTED FROM BRAKE. *TR
2006 Ford Freestyle
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
Similar to other model years
Owner complaints for the 2006 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
630–25K
15325–50K
37450–75K
29975–100K
241100–150K
57150K+
1,187 reports with mileage · 113 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 602 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Power Train. Review the 484 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Engine And Engine Cooling. Review the 144 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
42 crash reports10 fire reports10 injury reports
Engine And Engine Cooling complaints
144 reportsTWO SEPARATE OCCASIONS CAR HAS SUDDENLY REVVED THE ENGINE. ONCE WHILE ATTEMPTING TO BACK UP, HAD TO SLAM BREAK TO KEEP FROM SMASHING INTO ROW BEHIND US. ONCE WHILE SETTING AT RED LIGHT. ENGINE SUDDENLY REVVED TO 6K RPM, THEN DROPPED THEN SURGED AGAIN. *TR
I EXPERIENCED A SUDDEN AND UNEXPECTED SURGING OR ACCELERATION OF MY 2006 FORD FREESTYLE ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS BACK IN DECEMBER 2007. THE CAR HAD OTHER ENGINE PROBLEMS AND THE ENTIRE ENGINE WAS REPLACED IN MAY OF 2008. HOWEVER, OVER THE LAST MONTH I HAVE EXPERIENCED CONTINUING SUDDEN SURGING PROBLEMS AND AT A GAS STATION RECENTL…
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I EXPERIENCED A SUDDEN AND UNEXPECTED SURGING OR ACCELERATION OF MY 2006 FORD FREESTYLE ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS BACK IN DECEMBER 2007. THE CAR HAD OTHER ENGINE PROBLEMS AND THE ENTIRE ENGINE WAS REPLACED IN MAY OF 2008. HOWEVER, OVER THE LAST MONTH I HAVE EXPERIENCED CONTINUING SUDDEN SURGING PROBLEMS AND AT A GAS STATION RECENTLY, I NEARLY REAR ENDED THE CAR IN FRONT OF ME DUE TO THE SURGING. IT HAPPENS MOST OFTEN WHEN IT STARTS UP OR WHEN IT IS IDLING AND THEN I START TO GO AND THE ACCELERATOR SURGES. THIS COULD BE EXTREMELY DANGEROUS, ESPECIALLY IF A PERSON WAS NEAR MY CAR WHEN IT SURGES UNEXPECTEDLY. FORD CANNOT SEEM TO FIX THE PROBLEM. THE SURGING IS NOW HAPPENING DAILY. *TR
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 FORD FREESTYLE. THE VEHICLE JERKED FORWARD WHEN THE CONTACT ATTEMPTED TO PLACE IT INTO GEAR. AFTERWARDS, THE ENGINE SPUTTERED AND SHUT OFF. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER AND THEY STATED THAT THE THROTTLE BODY UNIT WAS THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE. SINCE THE VEHICLE WAS OUT OF WARRANTY, THE DEALER…
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TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 FORD FREESTYLE. THE VEHICLE JERKED FORWARD WHEN THE CONTACT ATTEMPTED TO PLACE IT INTO GEAR. AFTERWARDS, THE ENGINE SPUTTERED AND SHUT OFF. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER AND THEY STATED THAT THE THROTTLE BODY UNIT WAS THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE. SINCE THE VEHICLE WAS OUT OF WARRANTY, THE DEALER ONLY CHARGED HER $142 FOR THE REPAIR. THE CONTACT ASKED THE DEALER IF THE VEHICLE WAS SAFE TO DRIVE AND WAS INFORMED THAT IT MAY NOT START. MOST RECENTLY, SHE WAS INFORMED THAT THE THROTTLE COULD STICK AND SHE MAY BE UNABLE TO STOP THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT WAS ALSO INFORMED THAT THERE WAS NO DEALER IN THE UNITED STATES THAT HAD THE PART REQUIRED FOR THE REPAIR. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 36,935. UPDATED 09/16/08 *BF UPDATED 09/18/08. *JB
Official recalls
106V383000 · 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.
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
1PE11018 · 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