IllustrationTransmission is slipping not getting power when gas is pressed down Rpms are jumping not going into gear. Making a terrible sound in park. Passenger door not closing
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
Power Train complaints
484 reportsCar struggles to change gears. ABS, ENGINE, and THROTTLE warning lights on. Rough idle, car does not accelerate when shifted into drive.
THE WRENCH LIGHT AND CHECK ENGINE LIGHT COME ON OUT OF NOWHERE AND THE CAR ISN'T DRIVABLE. WE KEEP REPAIRING THINGS BUT THEN IT COMES UP WITH DIFFERENT CODES.
WHEN DRIVING THE CAR ON A SUNNY/OR TO MANY ERRANDS I WILL START SEEING THE AREA FOR THE RPM'S TO GO UP AND DOWN. AT THAT POINT I HAVE TO BASICALLY DRIVE WITH BOTH FEET. THE CAR WHEN PLACED ON EITHER DRIVE OR REVERSE WILL EXCELERATE ON IT'S ON, I THEREFORE HAVE TO BREAK QUICKLY SO AS TO NOT HIT A PEDESTRIAN OR AUTOMOBILE, WHICH I…
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WHEN DRIVING THE CAR ON A SUNNY/OR TO MANY ERRANDS I WILL START SEEING THE AREA FOR THE RPM'S TO GO UP AND DOWN. AT THAT POINT I HAVE TO BASICALLY DRIVE WITH BOTH FEET. THE CAR WHEN PLACED ON EITHER DRIVE OR REVERSE WILL EXCELERATE ON IT'S ON, I THEREFORE HAVE TO BREAK QUICKLY SO AS TO NOT HIT A PEDESTRIAN OR AUTOMOBILE, WHICH IN TURN THE CAR WILL TURN OFF. IF IN TRAFFIC I MUST THROW IT ONTO NEUTRAL AND RESTART CAR. IT IS A VERY SERIOUS ISSUE
I JUST BOUGHT A 2006 FREESTYLE FROM A LOCAL DEALER AND HAD TRANSMISSION ISSUES ON THE WAY HOME ON THE 2ND DAY OF OWNERSHIP. CARCOMPLAINTS.COM HAS MANY COMPLAINTS LISTED FROM WITH THE CVT TRANSMISSION WITH EXORBITANT REPAIRS COSTS WELL OVER $5000.00
CAR WON'T GO INTO ANY GEAR UNTIL ABOUT 45 MIN WHEN TRANSMISSION IS WARM. HUNDREDS OF PEOPLE WITH SAME ISSUE.
WHEN CRUISING IN THE CITY OR HIGHWAY, THE CVT TRANSMISSION SLIPS AND DOWNSHIFTS TO A LOWER GEAR, IT WOULD REV BUT NO POWER. THE CAR WOULD NOT GO ANY FASTER. THE WRENCH ICON IN THE DASH WOULD LIGHT UP. THE ONLY WAY TO REMEDY IT IS TO STOP THE CAR AND TURN THE ENGINE OFF, THEN IT RESETS. IT HAPPENED TO ME MULTIPLE TIMES IN A DAY.
IT STARTED MAKING LIKE A WHINING GROWLING KINDA NOISE WHEN NOT IN HEAR AND WEN YOU PUT IT IN REVERSE AND START TO GO BACK WARDS ALL OF A SUDDEN THE CAR WOULD COME TO A COMPLETE STOP CHANGE GEARS TO DRIVE AND YOU COULD GO A LITTLE BIT IT WOULD FINALLY CLUNK REAL HARD AND YOU COULD GO THEN ALL OF A SUDDEN THE LITTLE WRENCH WOULD P…
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IT STARTED MAKING LIKE A WHINING GROWLING KINDA NOISE WHEN NOT IN HEAR AND WEN YOU PUT IT IN REVERSE AND START TO GO BACK WARDS ALL OF A SUDDEN THE CAR WOULD COME TO A COMPLETE STOP CHANGE GEARS TO DRIVE AND YOU COULD GO A LITTLE BIT IT WOULD FINALLY CLUNK REAL HARD AND YOU COULD GO THEN ALL OF A SUDDEN THE LITTLE WRENCH WOULD POP UP AND I WOULDN'T BE ABLE TO GO ANY WHERE AT ALL
I WAS DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY WHEN SUDDENLY THE VEHICLE STARTED SURGING AND WAS LOSING POWER LAST WEDNESDAY 11/13/19. ANOTHER TIME, WAS WITH MY WHOLE FAMILY, THE AC, CRUISE CONTROL, AND CAR STEREO WAS ON WHEN SUDDENLY THE VEHICLE LOST POWER ALL OF A SUDDEN. I GOT SCARED BECAUSE I DID NOT WANT TO GET INTO AN ACCIDENT PARTICULARLY …
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I WAS DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY WHEN SUDDENLY THE VEHICLE STARTED SURGING AND WAS LOSING POWER LAST WEDNESDAY 11/13/19. ANOTHER TIME, WAS WITH MY WHOLE FAMILY, THE AC, CRUISE CONTROL, AND CAR STEREO WAS ON WHEN SUDDENLY THE VEHICLE LOST POWER ALL OF A SUDDEN. I GOT SCARED BECAUSE I DID NOT WANT TO GET INTO AN ACCIDENT PARTICULARLY ON THE HIGHWAY. FORD MOTORS PLEASE, DO SOMETHING ABOUT MY VEHICLE. ALSO, THE VEHICLE DOES NOT STOP WHEN IT SHOULD EVERY TIME I APPLY THE BREAKS. WHETHER ON THE STREETS, THE HIGHWAY, MAKING TURNS, AND AT A STOPLIGHT, IT ALWAYS GOES AN EXTRA DISTANCE BEFORE ACTUALLY COMING TO A FULL STOP. THE BRAKE PADS ARE ALL OEM FROM THE FORD DEALER IN MY TOWN. I'M ALWAYS WORRIED THAT MY VEHICLE WILL ONE DAY GIVE ME THE SLIP AND GET ME INTO A VEHICULAR ACCIDENT. FORD MOTORS, WE ONLY HAVE ONE VEHICLE IN MY FAMILY AND PREVENTING A POSSIBLE VEHICULAR ACCIDENT IS SOMETHING YOUR COMPANY CAN DO ESPECIALLY WHEN YOU HAVE THE CAPABILITY AND THE MEANS TO DO SO.
THE CVT TRANSMISSION HAS CAUSED INTERMITTENT PROBLEMS OVER LAST THREE YEARS. THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY LOSES POWER AND THE WRENCH LIGHT COMES ON. HAVE TO PULL OVER TO TURN OFF AND HAVE EVERYTHING RESET. THIS IS AN ON GOING PROBLEM, DEFINITELY CAN NOT USE CRUISE CONTROL EITHER. HAVE SEEN NUMEROUS REPORTS OF IDENTICAL PROBLEM, MOST REC…
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THE CVT TRANSMISSION HAS CAUSED INTERMITTENT PROBLEMS OVER LAST THREE YEARS. THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY LOSES POWER AND THE WRENCH LIGHT COMES ON. HAVE TO PULL OVER TO TURN OFF AND HAVE EVERYTHING RESET. THIS IS AN ON GOING PROBLEM, DEFINITELY CAN NOT USE CRUISE CONTROL EITHER. HAVE SEEN NUMEROUS REPORTS OF IDENTICAL PROBLEM, MOST RECENTLY HAD TO HAVE TRANSMISSION FIRST REBUILT THEN COMPLETELY REPLACED BECAUSE THE MODULE THEY WERE REBUILDING FIRST ARRIVED DAMAGED, THEN WHEN NEW ONE WAS PUT IN TRANSMISSION SENT UP NUMEROUS OTHER CODES SAYING TRANSMISSION HAD FAILED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED, WHICH WE DID AT A COST OF OVER $7500 AND IT ONLY GETS A 100000 MILE OR 3 YEAR WARRANTY. THIS IS A KNOWN PROBLEM BY FORD AND SHOULD HAVE BEEN RECALLED AND ALL WORK DONE UNDER THAT RECALL.
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