Problems with 2004 Ford Freestar POWER TRAIN

2004 ford freestar, 70,983 miles, regularly serviced. i was stopped at a stop sign, went to accelerate and the van went about 30 feet and the transmission failed, then engine revved as if it were in neutral. there was no power or engagement of the transmission in either forward gears or reverse. there was no prior warning/signs of potential issues with the transmission or drive train. fortunately, i was able to coast to a sidestreet and put my family out of harms way. *tr

8/09, 76000 miles-transmission temperature light came on and trans began making whining noise while towing a trailer (trailer weight under rated capacity). ford dealer determined torque converter was bad and replaced transmission under warranty( transmission was provided by the aftermarket extended warrant company because they didn't want to pay for the transmission from ford). 3/10, 85000 miles- transmission began making a loud whining noise after an 800 mile trip (no towing). today the ford dealer says the whining was the trans. pump and the fluid is full of metal,indicating an internal failure, requiring transmission replacement. the dealer is hoping the warranty company will just send a new transmission, this work has not been completed yet. *tr

We have a 2004 ford freestar with 69,000 miles and the transmission suddenly stopped working with no warning. we were driving down the road at 35mph and then the motor started to rev hi. pulled to the side of the road and tried all the gears and there was nothing. *tr

Tl*the contact owns a 2004 ford freestar. while driving 45 mph, the rpms increased without warning and the transmission failed. the contact managed to place the vehicle into neutral and coasted to the side of the road. the vehicle was towed to the dealer and they stated that the torque converter failed. the estimated cost for repair was $1,800. the manufacturer would not assist. the contact will have the vehicle repaired. the current and failure mileages were 60,500.

Transmission failure. after i had completed a u turn i put the van gear back into drive and the van would not move. i made sure that i had it in the right gear and it was but still no movement. *tr

2004 ford freestar stopped dead in the middle of the road with me (9mths pregnant) and my son. had to have towed to repair shop to find out that the torque converter is stripped in the transmission and must be replaced. *tr

Transmission went out without any warning on my 2004 ford freestar with only 91,000 miles on it leaving my wife and three kids stranded on the side of a busy interstate. *tr

Tl*the contact owns a 2004 ford freestar. while making a left turn between 30-35 mph, the engine began to rev excessively high followed by an extremely low power response. the driver was able to pull into a parking lot. there were no warning indicators illuminated on the instrument panel. the vehicle was towed to an authorized dealer for diagnostic testing and they stated that the torque converter failed. the part was ordered for the repair. the vehicle will be repaired once the part arrives. the failure and current mileages were 55,000. updated 9/23/09 *cn updated 09/28/09.*jb

Transmission on 2004 ford freestar failed during normal driving, no warning whatsoever. mileage was just over 70000. transmission had to be replaced at a cost of $2500. oil and fluids had been changed regularly. *tr

We were 500 from home when our 2004 ford freestar had to be pushed off of a highway. with no warning, it would not move..right in the middle of the roadway it was like we slipped into neutral forever ...had to have it towed from the roadside.. after two weeks we're still waiting to hear how much the torque converter/transmission repair will cost. *tr

I own a 2004 ford freestar minivan. i was stopped at a stop sign and when i stepped on the gas, the van went approx. 30 feet before the engine revved up and the van wouldn't go any further. i had just gotten off of the freeway right before this happened. this could have been disastrous if it would have happened on the freeway. it would not engage in any gear at all. i had it towed to the nearest ford dealer and was told that the torque converter had to be replaced. i only had 65,200 miles on it and i just had the transmission fluid changed at 62,000 miles. i looked on-line about this and i found alot of other complaints for this exact same problem on these vans. how many complaints do you guys have to receive before you realize this van is a lemon and a danger to it's owners? ford should be made to put out a recall on these vans. ford is ripping people off right and left and they should have to pay for their defective vehicles. *tr

I have a 2004 ford freestar van and this vehicle continues to stall unexpectedly even after a certified rebuilt transmission was installed by a ford dealer 2 1/2 months ago. it continues to happen and the dealer said they can not find the problem after having the vehicle for over a week. this vehicle has stalled out at least 5 different times i.e., from a start to a go and/or just in a cruise mode going down the highway. it is certainly a safety risk because you never know when it will occur again and whether or not you can get it to a shoulder of the road to exit traffic. i have been on several websites and have seen numerous consumer complaints about this kind of ford freestar model defect i.e., unexpectedly stalling out. the vehicle did it again today and it is unsafe. i recommend a recall for this defect. *tr

During normal operation of our 2004 ford freestar, the vehicle ceased movement due to a catastrophic failure of the automatic transmission, requiring removal and replacement of the transmission at approximately 75,000 miles. the maintenance garage (a ford dealer) could not determine the exact cause of the failure, but noted the presence of a significant amount of metal shavings within the fluid evacuated from the failed transmission. *tr

Transmission failure. fluid levels were ok but overheated and stopped working properly. cost $3800 to repair at a dishonest shop in poughkeepsie, new york. *tr

2004 ford freestar 87k. just had egr valve replaced due to a code that said it was bad. took van for a test drive after replacing valve. proceeding down the road, car was running like it was brand new again, accelerated and then the rpm went high like it was in neutral and the van quit pulling. had to coast off the road, and walk in the dark call for help. very dangerous, minivans are for women who carry children!!!. ford needs to look into this issue. the same exact thing happened to my friends 2004 freestar and it was the torque converter. many people have also written reviews online about the same problem. i will find out if it is the torque converter tomorrow. *tr

Have had no problems with the van and had no warnings. the van was driven approximately 25 minutes on a major interstate and all of the sudden the driver tried to accelerate and nothing happened. the car stayed running however it would not move. the van needed to be towed to a garage where it was discovered the transmission went. the van was under 100,000 mi and it was well taken care of. if you do some googling you will find many other owners with freestars from 30,000 to 100,000 mi that had the exact same thing happen. this should not happen, i have to pay close to 3,000 to have a new one, i have to pay for towing, and on top of this i am a teacher who doesn't get paid during the summer so now i need to find someone willing to give me money i don't have to fix this. ford says they are sorry it happened but cant help me. this should have been recalled way before this happened to me. *tr

Two transmission failures without warnings in our 2004 ford freestar. no accidents just exhaustion and sunburns due to 112*f in the mojave desert for 6 hours of waiting for tow truck to tow 5 family members to closest transmission repair place. *tr

I'm a single mom of 4 children and one on the way. i am considered a high risk pregnancy. i bought a minivan from the malloy dealership in manassas a little over a month ago. a couple days after i bought it i took it back up to the dealership because of a problem with hesitation in the van and one of the doors as well as the window. i had also told them about the crack in the windshield and a strap on the backseat that was broken. the comment i received from one of their sales managers was if i wanted a new vehicle i should have bought a new one. i took the van back up there again for hesitation and the man said that he found nothing wrong with the van, they checked the spark plugs. today i took the van back up there because of the hesitation, miss in the transmission or wherever the problem is coming from. i had went shopping for a trip me and my kids were to be taking in 2 weeks to west virginia, the van kept hesitating, shook and then locked up on me. the steering wheel locked up to where i barely got it off the highway. my kids were screaming and myself and my mother were scared to pieces. i gave these people cash for my vehicle, so i paid it off when i purchased it. i should not have to worry about me and my families safety in my vehicle, but am afraid to take it even 3 miles down the street. they are saying they found nothing wrong with it, but the van kept acting up today all the way home from the dealership. i don't know what else to do about this situation, i even had to replace the windshield that was cracked when i bought the van. i used my money i had received from a settlement from being permanently injured on my job almost 2 years ago. please is there something you can do to help? i wanted to take my kids on their first vacation ever but am so afraid to drive the van that i just paid over $8000 for that is a piece of junk. i am out my money and the vehicle is unsafe to drive myself and my children around in. the dealership has been no ...

There were no events leading up to the failure. the transmission of our 2004 ford freestar minivan traveling at highway speed 65 mph, during rush hour with three young children inside, simply disengaged. the engine continued to run but the van wouldn't engage in any gear. this had never happened before, and the consequence is that the care in not running. the van is currently in the repair shop and we are looking at repair costs between 2 and $3,000. *tr

I have a 2004 ford freestar with 85,000 miles. i was driving 65 miles an hour down interstate 485 in charlotte, nc and all of a sudden my vehicle just started losing speed. the transmission was not engaging. i was able to make it to the shoulder of the road. i have contacted my mechanic and he said that the transmission was bad. *tr

Ford motor company appears not wanting to honor its own recall letter 11s25 torque converter replacement. on june 2009, i took my vehicle to a repair shop and they replaced the transmission, it was unfortunate as my extended warranty has expired. fortunate for me at the end of last year i received that recall letter which at least would cover part of my cost. i took the letter ford motor company had sent me along with repair shop invoice totaling $2,228.00, replaced transmission warranty and receipt slips to a local ford service center on may 2013 and still by aug 2013; there had been no check issued as the service man told me or calls until i got with ford national 1-800 number. only then and more than 60 days later i received a call from the local service center asking for more documentation. now ford local service center told me that it was up to ford motor company to work with the issue and ford motor company told me it was my ford local service center. i am confuse thought they both work for each other i do not know what is going on here. but certainly want to get this resolve. can you help? ///// my problem with the power train started on june 2009 while i was driving my son, for a scheduled outpatient operation. it happen on a two lane portion of the street at about 400 fts or so from a traffic light, my mini-van all of the sudden loss power train, the engine was still on and with the vehicle momentum i drove it to the side off the street. the engine was on, electrical ok, but no moving forward or reverse, it felt like it was in "neutral". we had it towed to a reputable auto repair shop on the same street were the vehicle left us. *tr

Took family to pittsburgh zoo. just started through tunnel and the van had no power and then just stopped in the middle of the tunnel. wouldn't change into any gears or move..an all of a sudden event..had daughter who is handicapped in van with us..was a very scary thing being stuck in the tunnel. *tr

Car just won't go!! mechanic says its the transmission. i only have 73,000 miles on it. *tr

I have a 2004 ford freestar and the tranny went out. it only has 80,000 miles. *tr

Transmission started popping hard going out of first gear. then at times it would stick and not change up. finally in june when i went to accelerate it shifted into neutral. the only way to get it home was to turn it off and the transmission would reset but every time any stress is put on the transmission it goes into neutral. mechanic says this is a common occurrence with the 2004 freestar. *tr

Tl*the contact owns a 2004 ford freestar. while driving approximately 70 mph with the cruise control activated, the engine began to rev excessively high. the contact deactivated the cruise control and depressed the accelerator pedal, but there was no response. the vehicle was coasted to the side of the road. there were no warning lights illuminated on the instrument panel. roadside assistance was called to the scene and the vehicle was towed to an authorized dealer for diagnostic testing. they stated that the transmission intake shaft was cracked. the transmission was replaced. the failure and current mileages were 103,000. updated 08/04/09 *bf updated 08/05/09.*jb

While driving on a two lane road at 35 mph my 2004 ford freestar without any warning suddenly acted like it shifted into neutral. luckily i was able to pull down a side road and into a parking lot where i found that the van would not go into any gear forward or reverse. i called for help and was able to pull the van back to my home where it sits today waiting to figure out how to get it fixed. this event happened at around 6:00 in the evening. the van was driven earlier around town and on the highway at highway speeds with no problems at all. it scares me to death to think what might have happened if my wife or teenage daughter (who only has her temps and was driving the van earlier at those highway speeds) had been driving and couldn't get off the road. i have been reading on the internet that this is not an isolated incident. there are a lot and i mean a lot of people who having the exact same transmission problem. this is a tragedy waiting to happen. like i said this happened without any warning. if this would have happened on a crowded city street or a busy rush hour traffic highway we would have been powerless to do anything but try to coast the car as best we could to a safe place without getting killed! it also would have been unsafe for anyone else on the road who was trying to avoid hitting us! i work for this car company and will be in contact with them on monday to try and find some answers. i just wanted to file my complaint with you and have it on the record. we were very very lucky! thank you. *tr

I have 2004 ford freestar. this minivan was traveling 72 mph at highway 75. i was surround by fast highway traveling cars and trucks. this van without any warning lost propulsion. the transmission was not working suddenly at highway speed. i almost have an accident. the transmission repair cost $2748.00 to fixed. *tr

While driving on a main road, my 2004 ford freestar transmission failed. as in all the other reports there was no warning whatsoever. park engages however no other gear does. vehicle is at transmission shop as i write this. ford states there is no issue, and because i am out of the extended warranty by 5,000 miles there is nothing they can do for me. *tr

I bought the vehicle used in 2008. when traveling at approximately 60-70 mph the vehicle will suddenly jerk as if it's turned off and back on. this occurs 2-3 times on every highway trip of 15-20 miles. this also happens on shorter trips 2-3 times a week. when i start the vehicle the radio automatically turns on and resets the stations and digital clock. the battery seems to have trouble keeping a charge. overnight the battery may weaken and the vehicle will fail to start. after the failed start all the needles on the control panel dials will vibrate and create a "clicking/ticking" noise which ends after 3-6 seconds. subsequently, a jump-start is required to start the vehicle. i cannot afford expensive diagnostics so i simply keep jumper cables handy and plan around trips that may leave us stranded without assistance. i have maintained routine service like oil/fluid changes and have not had any reports on a defective battery. all indications point to a defective pcm (powertrain control module). i've done some personal research and found this to be an underlying problem for many issues affecting the 2004 ford freestar minivans. this problem has not been fixed. due to the projected cost estimates of more than $1000 to diagnose and resolve, i cannot afford to have a mechanic work on it. *tr

Tl*the contact owns a 2004 ford freestar. the contact noticed that the gears would not shift forward or backwards. she took the vehicle to a transmission specialist and they replaced the torque converter at the cost of $1,040. the manufacturer did not assist. the failure and current mileages were 70,000.

Driveing down road lost complety transmission failure,had vehicle towed to transmission shop convert spline failed ,payed for new transmission ,contacted ford and was told thats normal wear would not pay a dime. *tt

2004 freestar minivan was driving and revved up and would not go anymore guess transmission went out only 60,000 miles. *tr

Tl*the contact owns a 2004 ford freestar. while at a stop light and proceeding to accelerate, the vehicle failed to gain speed. in addition, the vehicle drove into reverse without being in the reverse position. after switching into the drive position, the contact managed to get the vehicle to move forward. he did not notice any lights illuminated or warnings prior to the failures. the vehicle was taken to a local repair shop and the mechanic stated that the power train control module was failing due to water damage to the system. the vehicle was repaired at the cost of $186. the following day, the check engine light illuminated. the vehicle was taken to the dealer and they stated that the transmission temperature sensor was failing. the vehicle was repaired at the cost of $507.84. one month later, the wiper washer motor failed. the contact repaired the vehicle himself at the cost of $100. the manufacturer stated that no compensation would be provided because the vehicle was out of warranty. the failure mileage was 52,000 and current mileage was 53,000.**mileage is 5,300, smch 8-10-09 updated 8/24/09 *cn water entered the pcm. there were 2 codes on the vehicle that could not be cleared; which was the transmission fluid temperature sensor and the output shaft sensor. it was determined the tft sensor was bad. water entered into a module that should have been sealed at the factory. the water may have shorted out the sensor and module. water may also have entered the wiper motor which caused it to malfunction. updated 08/26/09

2004 ford freestar was driving home on a residential street came to a stop and went to take off from stop sign and all that happened was the rpms increased and the car rolled out in the intersection. this was at 10pm and i had a newborn baby in the van i pushed the van out of the way and we walked the mile to our house.took it to a repair shop and they said it was the pump shaft and torque converter it cost 1700.00 to repair it we drove it another 4000 miles and same thing but we don't have the finances to repair it this time because no one will repair it they will not touch it unless i pay to have a new transmission put in and they say it is 3500-5000.00. *tr

2005 ford freestar. consumer seeks reimbursement for recall vehicle repairs relating to the torque converter. *tgw ford motor company denied the consumer's request for reimbursement. they would not send him a written explanation for the denial. recall# 12v006000 *jb

On may 16, 2009 i was leaving houston in heavy saturday afternoon traffic. i was driving my 2004 freestar in the number one lane at the 65 mph speed limit when suddenly, with no warning,i was in neutral with the engine revving. for several heart stopping minutes i couldn't get cars to let me over to the shoulder, and, by the time they did, i was barely coasting. i was able to immediately exit and rolled to a stop on the access road. i discovered the car wouldn't engage in any gear. after an hour and a half wait for a tow truck in 95 degree weather, it was towed to the nearest ford dealer. the vehicle was in the shop for a week. the service advisor reported that the torque converter pump shaft splines had stripped and had taken out the transmission. the repair bill came to $3493.71. the rental car costs to get me home to waco, texas and back after the car was repaired $466.90. when i picked up my van, i talked with the service manager, showing him the myriad complaints to nhtsa about the same problem in the 2004 freestar. although he was sympathetic, he was also non committal about the issue. i asked him if the rebuilt transmission had the same torque converter as the original. he said "yes" that they could only replace parts with the parts that were indicated for that specific vehicle. i am a 65 year old woman and had another senior friend and two dogs with me when the car died. the very real threat of being hit on a busy highway following a problem like this was scary enough, but the realization that it could have happened an hour later on a two lane road while passing a semi almost did me in.*tr

Transmission would not move in any gear. i purchase this 2004 ford freestar brand new on 9/25/2004. the car has 48,351 miles. never had any failures before this incident. the transmission was got messed up. i took it to the ford dealership because i have warranty. i am a bit concern because the dealership replaced the transmission with a ford swap. the other transmission has 78,863 miles. what should i do in this case because i mainly drive the family in this vehicle? the replaced transmission sounds very forceful when driven. *tr

2004 ford freestar trans failed at 50k miles while driving 70mph on the express way, lucky not to have gotten in an accident. ford said they would not help. this makes all the ford owners with this problem, not want to buy ford again. *tr

2004 ford freestar transmission just died with no warning after reading a little into it there are hundreds of others that have the same problem is ford doing something about this. my wife and i need help with this if we cant get this resolved with ford we cant work and that would put us and our two kids on the street please help, thank you! *tr

The vehicle loose power will stall with engine running other times engine would stall 2-4 seconds the jump back on happen alot when plgs wires are fine it rains, get engine light also. resets, but will resume on the next start with emission codes and pcm errors. *tr

After exiting interstate 12, transmission died. after exiting, i was at a stop sign. hit the gas and nothing happened. there was no warning or signs that this was going to happen. aaa sent a tow truck and had van towed to a transmission shop in hammond, la. that shop rebuilt the transmission. several months later, van began to jerk and trouble accelerating. took it to auto repair shop, which ran a diagnostics. a code came back indicating an issue with transmission sensor. van would not shift into gear, so we had it towed to same transmission shop that rebuilt the transmission. they replaced a temperature sensor, got van working again. however, they found water in transmission control module (??). they dried it out, but said there was no guarantee how long the van would continue to operate b/c of potential damage the water could have caused the tcm. *tr

Wife was driving down route 15 from pa into md in our 2004 freestar. as she was traveling at 55-60 miles an hour, the van suddenly seemed as if it went into neutral. she was able to get over to the birm and stopped the vehicle. the transmission,with out any warning, failed. the van had to be towed as it would not go into drive or reverse. it could have been a serious accident on a very busy highway!!!! *tr

While trying to get out of a shopping mall parking lot, the van suddenly felt like it was in neutral. i checked the gear shift needle and it was on drive. as the van slowly rolls through the lot i tried the reverse gear and nothing happened. none of the gears were working. i had the van towed from randolph, nj to my mechanic in east rutherford, nj. mechanic determined the problem to be the transmission...i need a new one. it will cost me about $3200. i still owe money on this purchase. the value as of today is less than what i owe. it's a good thing this happened in a parking lot instead of the road/highway. i had my 2 kids with me plus 3 other children. how many more incidents and complaints like this need to happen before someone realizes there's something wrong with this model from ford. *tr

We have a 2004 ford freestar van. on sunday, apr. 26, 2009, while driving home, the transmission blew. luckily, we were able to get onto the shoulder of the highway. the van will require the replacement of the transmission at a cost of over $3000. this van has less than 50,000 miles on it. ford will not cover any part of the replacement. i have found that many, many people have had the same experience. is ford waiting for people to get killed in this vehicle? *tr

The automatic transmission on my 2004 ford freestar failed suddenly on friday, april 24 on a busy city street. i was left with two gears: neutral and park. after a near collision with a car swerving to avoid my stalled car, i asked the police for help in alerting traffic until i could get towed. the minivan had about 67000 miles, with no prior transmission problems. my ford dealer diagnosed the problem as a failure of some major internal parts in the transmission. my extended warranty company denied my claim because i had not changed the transmission fluid, even though the ford scheduled maintenance guide indicated that only a fluid level check was required. the total cost of repairs was about $ 2500. it is apparent to me that this failure has absolutely nothing to do with whether the fluid was changed or not. *tr

With no warning, the van began running rough and the rpm's would increase but the speed would not. ford dealership diagnosed loss of 3rd gear, problem with valve body & solenoid. no financial help from either dealership or ford. (no warranty) took van to transmission specialist, diagnosis: water from radiator leaked into transmission (manufacturers defect?) it will need new transmission and possibly radiator. repairs have not yet been made. *tr

My 2004 ford freestar suddenly wouldn't go into gear. the transmission was bad. i have taken excellent care of this vehicle and there was no indication that anything was wrong. it just suddenly wouldn't go into gear, even though i had just driven it 15 min. before with no problem! i have read many complaints about the freestars and other ford vehicles and hope that a recall will be issued. *tr

I was driving to work, and without warning, my car went into neutral. i was on a major highway and was lucky i didn't get rear-ended. i didn't have any warning signs! the transmission fluid was even full. i was able to coast into the median, but my car was over 50 miles away from home. towing it is going cost me about $200. i am so frustrated! *tr

2004 ford freestar transmission failure at 63,000 miles no warning -- transmission would not engage - van was in motion - thank god i was not on a highway and was able to coast to the side of the road. reviewing all the complaints this is a huge safety issue -- someone needs to address this before someone is killed because of the defective transmissions in these vehicles! *tr