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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 →

When problems were reported

Mileage at the reported incident

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

Unknown Or Other complaints

74 reports
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82,000 miles · Jul 1, 2012
Unknown Or Other

CAR LUNGES WHEN IN IDLE. EITHER IN DRIVE OR REVERSE. JUST SITTING STILL IT WANTS TO MOVE AND IF YOU DON'T HAVE YOUR FOOT FIRMLY ON THE BRAKE IT WILL MOVE THE CAR WITH A HUGE JERK FORWARD OR BACKWARDS. VERY UNSAFE. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10463866

88,000 miles · Jun 27, 2012
EnginePower TrainUnknown Or Other

MY FORD FREESTYLE 2006 LUNGED BACKWARD APPROXIMATELY 2 TO 4 FEET WHILE THE TRANSMISSION WAS IN REVERSE, MY FOOT WAS FULLY APPLIED TO THE BRAKE, AND THE VEHICLE WAS NOT MOVING. THIS HAS OCCURRED MANY TIMES IN THE SAME MANNER, AND IN SIMILAR SITUATIONS OVER THE PAST YEAR. THE TEMPERATURE OUTSIDE IS USUALLY IN THE 90'S OR ABOVE, …

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MY FORD FREESTYLE 2006 LUNGED BACKWARD APPROXIMATELY 2 TO 4 FEET WHILE THE TRANSMISSION WAS IN REVERSE, MY FOOT WAS FULLY APPLIED TO THE BRAKE, AND THE VEHICLE WAS NOT MOVING. THIS HAS OCCURRED MANY TIMES IN THE SAME MANNER, AND IN SIMILAR SITUATIONS OVER THE PAST YEAR. THE TEMPERATURE OUTSIDE IS USUALLY IN THE 90'S OR ABOVE, I USUALLY HAVE THE AIR-CONDITIONING RUNNING, AND THE CAR WILL START TO LOOSE POWER WITH THE TACHOMETER VISIBLY DIPPING DOWN TO ZERO. THE CAR WILL THEN SUDDENLY RACE TO 2000 RPMS, AND THE CAR WILL LUNGE BACKWARD (OR FORWARD) WHILE MY FOOT IS ON THE BRAKE. WHEN THIS HAPPENS IN REVERSE, IT IS IMPOSSIBLE TO APPLY THE BRAKE HARD ENOUGH TO STOP MOVEMENT. WHEN THIS HAPPENS IN DRIVE, IT IS POSSIBLE TO APPLY THE BRAKE HARD ENOUGH TO STOP MOVEMENT, AND THE CAR ENGINE WILL DIE. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10463357

36,000 miles · Jun 21, 2012
Unknown Or Other

VEHICLE ENGINE ACCELERATES TO APPROXIMATELY 2100 RPMS WHILE IN GEAR FORCING IT TO LUNDGE FOWARD OR REVERSE WITHOUT THE INTERACTION OF DRIVER THIS PROBLEM SEEMS TO OCCUR WHILE AT IDLE,AND DECELERATION TO STOP, MALFUNCTION IS BECOMING MORE PROBLEMATIC WITH MILEAGE AND AGE OF VEHICLE. *TT

NHTSA ODI #10462497

Mileage unknown · Apr 2, 2012
Unknown Or Other

MY CAR KEEPS LUNGING ESPECIALLY WHEN THE AIR IS ON... ALSO WHEN I GO INTO REVERSE IT LUNGES AND SHUTS OFF. WHAT COULD THE PROBLEM BE... *TR

NHTSA ODI #10453762

119,000 miles · Dec 6, 2011
Fuel System, GasolinePower TrainUnknown Or Other

I DRIVE A 2006 FREESTYLE. JUST WEEKS AFTER BUYING IT FROM USED DEALER THE VEHICLE STARTED LUNGING WHEN I WOULD ATTEMPT TO STOP OR BE AT A SLOW PACE. EXAMPLE BEING IN PARKING LOT AND TRYING TO PARK IT WOULD LUNG FROM ABOUT 1000 RPM TO 4000-5000 RPMS. THIS WOULD THROW MY CAR FORWARD. I DID TAP A CAR THAT DAY BUT NO BODY DAMAGE. A…

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I DRIVE A 2006 FREESTYLE. JUST WEEKS AFTER BUYING IT FROM USED DEALER THE VEHICLE STARTED LUNGING WHEN I WOULD ATTEMPT TO STOP OR BE AT A SLOW PACE. EXAMPLE BEING IN PARKING LOT AND TRYING TO PARK IT WOULD LUNG FROM ABOUT 1000 RPM TO 4000-5000 RPMS. THIS WOULD THROW MY CAR FORWARD. I DID TAP A CAR THAT DAY BUT NO BODY DAMAGE. ALSO THE CAR WILL BE DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD AND THE WRENCH COMES ON AND MOTOR SHUTS DOWN. THERE IS NO WARNING AND HAS BEEN VERY SCARY WHEN MERGING INTO 75MPH TRAFFIC WITH NO WHERE TO GO. ON THE 6TH OF JUNE 2011 THE THROTTLE BODY WAS REPLACED. HOWEVER WITHIN THE 30 DAYS ALL SYMPTOMS WERE OCCURRING AGAIN. I HAD THE COMPRESSOR GO OUT WHICH COST $1000 TO REPLACE. ON 12/02/11 I TOOK THE VEHICLE BACK TO THE SHOP, THEY RAN CODES AND FOUND IT WAS THE TRANSMISSION. I HAVE MANY ACCOUNTS OF THE LUNGING AND THE WRENCH SHUT DOWN ISSUE. IT HAS BECOME VERY REGULAR AND MAKES MY CAR VERY UNRELIABLE.

NHTSA ODI #10439568

Mileage unknown · Nov 14, 2011
Unknown Or Other

THREE TIMES I HAVE EXPERIENCED LUNGING IN MY CAR WHEN SHIFTING FROM PARK TO DRIVE OR REVERSE. MY FOOT IS ON THE BRAKE AND NOT ON THE GAS PEDAL. MY THEN HAD TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS, NOT SHIFTING FROM FIRST GEAR REGARDLESS OF SPEED OR RPM. AFTER HAVING THE COMPUTER CODES CHECKED THERE WAS AN ERROR WITH THE TRANSMISSION, THE TECH …

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THREE TIMES I HAVE EXPERIENCED LUNGING IN MY CAR WHEN SHIFTING FROM PARK TO DRIVE OR REVERSE. MY FOOT IS ON THE BRAKE AND NOT ON THE GAS PEDAL. MY THEN HAD TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS, NOT SHIFTING FROM FIRST GEAR REGARDLESS OF SPEED OR RPM. AFTER HAVING THE COMPUTER CODES CHECKED THERE WAS AN ERROR WITH THE TRANSMISSION, THE TECH RESET THE COMPUTER CODES AND THE CAR TEMPORARILY RAN FINE. THEN THE PROBLEM RETURNED AND PERSISTS. AFTER RESEARCHING THIS PROBLEM I DISCOVERED THAT IT IS NOT SOMETHING LIMITED TO THE TRANSMISSION BUT SEEMS TO INCLUDE THE THROTTLE BODY AND THE AIR CONDITIONER AS WELL. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10435631

Mileage unknown · Sep 27, 2011
Unknown Or Other

THE CAR LUNGES FORWARD OR BACKWARDS, WHILE HAVING FULL FOOT ON THE BRAKE, WHEN TRYING TO REVERSE FROM PARKING OR IN NEUTRAL. IT HAS STALLED ALSO FROM THIS, BUT MOST DANGEROUS IS THE JUMPING FORWARD OR BACKWARD IN PARKING SITUATIONS!! WHEN IS FORD GOING TO RECOGNIZE THIS AND DO A RECALL? I HAVE 3 CHILDREN AND IT IS OUR ONLY VEH…

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THE CAR LUNGES FORWARD OR BACKWARDS, WHILE HAVING FULL FOOT ON THE BRAKE, WHEN TRYING TO REVERSE FROM PARKING OR IN NEUTRAL. IT HAS STALLED ALSO FROM THIS, BUT MOST DANGEROUS IS THE JUMPING FORWARD OR BACKWARD IN PARKING SITUATIONS!! WHEN IS FORD GOING TO RECOGNIZE THIS AND DO A RECALL? I HAVE 3 CHILDREN AND IT IS OUR ONLY VEHICLE!!!!! *TT

NHTSA ODI #10427620

60,000 miles · Sep 27, 2011
Fuel System, GasolinePower TrainUnknown Or Other

MY 2006 FORD FREESTYLE IS ABSOLUTELY THE WORST MADE CAR I HAVE EVER OWNED! THROTTLE BODY PROBLEM... 50,000 MILES, CHECK! AC COMPRESSOR GOES BAD.... 60,000 MILES, CHECK! AND NOW BEGINNING AT 79,000 MILES THE CVT TRANSMISSION IS TRASHED! $6000 TO FIX AND YOU CAN'T EVEN GET A NEW ONE! I DROVE IT KNOWING IT WOULD GO BAD ANOTHER 300…

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MY 2006 FORD FREESTYLE IS ABSOLUTELY THE WORST MADE CAR I HAVE EVER OWNED! THROTTLE BODY PROBLEM... 50,000 MILES, CHECK! AC COMPRESSOR GOES BAD.... 60,000 MILES, CHECK! AND NOW BEGINNING AT 79,000 MILES THE CVT TRANSMISSION IS TRASHED! $6000 TO FIX AND YOU CAN'T EVEN GET A NEW ONE! I DROVE IT KNOWING IT WOULD GO BAD ANOTHER 3000+ MILES BECAUSE I WAS DESTINED TO SPEND A LOT OF MONEY EITHER WAY. THE MECHANIC ACTUALLY SUGGESTED I TRADE IT IN WHEN IT BEGAN. WOULD THAT HAVE BEEN FAIR TO WHOMEVER BOUGHT IT? THESE ARE ALL COMMON EARLY MILEAGE PROBLEMS WITH THE FREESTYLES! THERE ARE NUMEROUS POSTS ABOUT OTHER OWNERS WITH THE SAME PROBLEMS, ESPECIALLY THESE THREE AND THERE ARE A COUPLE MORE THAT FORTUNATELY I HAVE DODGED TO THIS POINT. WHAT IS FORD GOING TO DO? JUST LET THOSE OF US WHO BOUGHT FREESTYLES WITH CVT SUFFER. WHAT ABOUT THE FACT THAT YOU STOPPED USING THE CVT TRANSMISSION ON THE TAURUS X? WHY? I THINK WE KNOW BASED ON THE NUMEROUS CVT FAILURES AT SUCH LOW MILEAGE. BUT NOT LOW ENOUGH TO BE COVERED BY WARRANTY. *TT

NHTSA ODI #10427579

100,000 miles · Sep 16, 2011
Service Brakes, HydraulicUnknown Or OtherVehicle Speed Control

CAR LUNGED FORWARD WITH FOOT FIRMLY ON THE BRAKE, THIS ALSO HAPPENED WHEN THE CAR WAS IN REVERSE. THIS LUNGING STOPPED WHEN THE BRAKE WAS APPLIED, THIS HAS HAPPENED SEVERAL TIMES SINCE THEN. *TT

NHTSA ODI #10425794

60,770 miles · Sep 12, 2011
Unknown Or Other

I WAS BACKING MY VEHICLE OUT OF A PARKING SPACE WHEN THE ENGINE SUDDENLY STALLED AND A SMALL WRENCH LIGHT APPEARED ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. TWO DAYS LATER, I WAS STOPPED AT AN INTERSECTION WHEN THE CAR BEGAN LURCHING FORWARD, EVEN THOUGH I WAS STOPPED WITH MY FOOT ON THE BRAKE. LATER THAT DAY, IT HAPPENED AGAIN WHILE PARKING I…

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I WAS BACKING MY VEHICLE OUT OF A PARKING SPACE WHEN THE ENGINE SUDDENLY STALLED AND A SMALL WRENCH LIGHT APPEARED ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. TWO DAYS LATER, I WAS STOPPED AT AN INTERSECTION WHEN THE CAR BEGAN LURCHING FORWARD, EVEN THOUGH I WAS STOPPED WITH MY FOOT ON THE BRAKE. LATER THAT DAY, IT HAPPENED AGAIN WHILE PARKING IN MY DRIVEWAY. THE CAR LURCHED WHILE IN BOTH DRIVE AND REVERSE. THERE HAD BEEN SEVERAL DAYS OF EXTREMELY HOT, HUMID WEATHER DURING WHICH I HAD BEEN USING THE AIR CONDITIONING IN THE CAR QUITE FREQUENTLY. THE AIR CONDITIONER WAS ON DURING ALL INCIDENTS. I HAVE NOT HAD THIS PROBLEM OCCUR AGAIN AS I HAVE NOT USED THE AIR CONDITIONER SINCE THE LAST INCIDENT.

NHTSA ODI #10426020

Official recalls

1

06V383000 · 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

1

PE11018 · 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