Problems with 2004 Ford Freestar STRUCTURE

The third row seat was loose when locked in the upright position. when i looked underneath from the driver side rear tire i noticed the metal plate was loose. i put down the third row seat and looked through the plastic to see that all around the metal plate rotted away. since the third row seat was not locked in place when i touched the bracket on the metal plate, the entire plate fell out onto the rear tire. the metal all around the plate inside the rear quarter panel is rotted and there is nothing to weld the plate back to. there is also a large opening into the vehicle because that plate is no longer there. my seven seat van can only hold four people safely. *tr

On 08/13/2012 tried to engage the third row folding seat to the full upright position. the drivers side latch for the third row seat would not engage. after further inspection i found the seat anchor to be loose. after i looked at the outside of the wheel well the plate that the anchor mounts to was completely corroded all the way around and the plate and anchor is detached from the vehicle and falling into the wheel well. there is now a big hole from the outside of the wheel well directly into the interior of the rear of the vehicle. the interior of the vehicle becomes soaked when driven in the rain. safety issue as our kids ride in the third row seat and there is no way to latch the seat safely now. *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2004 ford freestar. the contact stated that whenever she engaged the brake pedal, it felt hot to the touch. the contact stated that after inspecting the vehicle she noticed that there was a piece of metal rubbing against the tire. the vehicle was taken to the dealer who diagnose that the rear wheel well needed to be replaced. the vehicle was repaired. the manufacturer was made aware of the failure who did not offer any assistance. the failure mileage was 84,000.

Tl* the contact owns a 2004 ford freestar. the contact stated that the rear quarter panel on the driver side had excessive rust build up and as a result, the panel rubs on the tire while driving. the contact decided to remove part of the quarter panel in order to stop the tire from rubbing. the vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic who stated that the quarter panel needed to be replaced with new metal. the manufacturer was made aware of the failure who did not offer any assistance. the failure mileage was 83,000.

We had the 3rd row seat folded down for cargo space. upon pulling the seat back up, the left side of the seat wouldn't latch and the seat moved when someone was sitting on it. when my husband tried to secure the latch by folding the seat back down and then back up again - the entire left side latch and plate it's attached to fell into the wheel well. he had to reach up over the left rear wheel to remove the part and saw that there is now a hole in the wheel well that goes right into the van - you can literally see in the van! the latch unit: the plate it's bolted to and the metal section of the wheel well that the plate is welded to were completely rusted out. we can no longer use the back seat due to safety reasons. we are having a hard time finding someone to repair it. one person said we'd have to replace the entire wheel well. we read on line that ford has responded that there are no replacement "parts" for this issue because it wasn't manufactured to be replaced. now we have a van we can't get fixed, we can't use the 3rd row seats (we haul the neighbor's 2 kids in addition to our 2 kids to and from school), and gets wet on the inside when it's raining because of the open hole in the wheel well. *tr

Third row seat no longer latches securely, caused by corrosion from left rear wheel well area ruining body latching holding seat in place. *tr

The rear left metal u-shaped post that is used to secure the front of the rear bench seat and is attached through the body by a metal plate in the rear wheel well fell out of the vehicle as the vehicle was moving at a speed of 10 miles per hour. the rear seat was folded into the floor at the time of the incident. the post and the attached plate fell out into the wheel well and then fell to the roadway. upon inspection, the edge of the metal plate, and much of the surrounding wheel well had rusted away causing the incident. the incident resulted in a large hole in the wheel well that goes clear though to the interior of the van. we brought the van to a local ford dealer for repair. they acknowledged seeing this issue recently in the same make, model, and year of van. they said they were unable to make a repair. they suggested taking the issue to a body shop. two local body shops were unable to make the repair. as it stands, the rear bench seat is unusable as it can't be secured in the upright position, and there is a hole near the exhaust system that makes the van unsafe to drive. it is frustrating that the same issue has been seen by ford, yet no suitable repair or solution has been provided. *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2004 ford freestar. the contact stated that the rear wheel wells were completely rusted. the vehicle was taken to the dealer to be repaired and the contact was informed that the dealer would not touch the vehicle to avoid the liability. the rust had damaged the lugs for the seat belt anchors. the vehicle had not been repaired. the failure and current mileages were 120,000.

Tl* the contact owns a 2004 ford freestar. the contact stated that the vehicle was used as a taxi and a customer complained that the rear seats were loose. the contact then noticed that the rear seats were out of place and the rear driver's side wheel well was rusted. the vehicle was not taken to a dealer or repair shop for repair. the manufacturer was notified and referred the contact to nhtsa. the failure and current mileages were 269,359.

3rd row seat would not latch on the driver side of the vehicle. upon inspection, it was determined that the anchor used to attach the seat has completely rusted and is no longer functioning. the rust is from the tire well and the tire is visible from inside the vehicle. the 3rd row seat is now unusable and unsafe. *tr

inability to latch the rear seat, entire driver side anchor plate completely detached from the vehicle. *tr

I had my vehicle to the ford dealership on a recall for the third row latch/corrosion issue. while in the process of doing the repair, the service dept. found massive undercarriage corrosion, in which other parts of my car were disintegrating & falling apart, such as the starter and the engine mounts, as well as parts of my exhaust system. while my car was on the premises there were also two other freestars with similar amounts of massive corrosion on the body of the vehicle, particularly all of the doors. my vehicle is only 9 years old and has been taken care of with regular maintenance and should not look 20 years old with the corrosion that it has accumulated. i also have a large, visible crack in my wheel well in the rear passenger area caused by corrosion and my vehicle may not pass inspection. i have been in touch with ford motor co. and they seemed only casually interested, but did give me a case file # [xxx]. they report that there is currently no recall on any of the peripheral corrosion problems and could not guarantee that there would be a recall on this. the supervisor at the dealership expressed to me that he has seen at least 6-8 other freestars with the same corrosion in the same places. my car is rotting from the inside...presently when it rains, my front passenger door accumulates water inside, which eventually drains itself out through the corrosion underneath that panel. please help me to force a recall on this issue so that i can get my car repaired in an appropriate manner and feel safe in driving without worrying that my vehicle will disintegrate underneath me from this massive corrosion problem. information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u.s.c. 552(b)(6). *tr

While turning a corner we heard a loud noise coming from the left rear tire. after getting home we pulled the left rear tire off to inspect the brakes, which were fine. we did notice that the wheel well was rusting out around the third row seat latch. the latch was loose and upon further inspection did not lock the third row seat into place. when carrying passengers in the back seat the latch is pushed out far enough that it actually rubs on the rear tire, which could result in tire failure. *tr

3rd row bench seat, drivers side u type bolt bracket( the inside piece that the rear seat locks into)...competely rusted through and partialy fell onto the tire and brake assembly. the passengers side in also cracked and brittle. the van still runs fine but we cannot use the 3rd row seat. our childeren were sitting on it when it finally broke and fell on the wheel. it made a hell of a noise . we were able to get stopped without much of a problem.

Tl* the contact owns a 2004 ford freestar. the contact stated that the rear driver side of the vehicle was rusted. the rear driver side wheel well was rusted and reached the fuel filler pipe. the contact also stated that the rear driver side seat was also rusted and would not lock in place. the vehicle was not taken to the dealer for inspection or repairs. the failure and the current mileages were 96,400.

Pcm wet and engine will die when under load. turn on power option will cause the engine to die. *tr

Rear 3rd row seat latch is completely rusted through making the rear seat completely unsafe and unusable. could cause serious injuries in a accident if rust goes undetected, vehicle is kept in garages and well maintained. *tr updated 05/31/12*lj

1) we now have transmission failure. the cost to repair equals most of the vehicle's value. 2) driver-side passenger door closes and opens again continually. we get out and do that manually. 3) with foot off accelerator, going down hills, the freestar transmission has "chugged" for a couple of years now, reproduce-able at dealer last year but they could not find cause (we ran out of money letting them study it).... we now know these things are all related. research online shows other owners have found wet pcm to be promulgating cause for door sensors and the cause for premature failure of transmission due to damage caused by pcm over time. to put pcm below windshield, without proper waterproof housing, this is a design error that causes very, very expensive damage and repairs that will be required again, without pcm being touched. dealers repair damage (not cause) under warranty, but most of us are now out of warranty. we've only got 74000 very well-cared for miles. problem is the vehicle is now not drivable; transmission is shot. ford refuses to make good for us. the schedule recall for the trans axle will be our next repair, but it won't replace the transmission! see: http://townhall-talk.edmunds.com/direct/view/.f0fb94a!make=ford&model=freestar&ed_makeindex=.f0fb94a. *tr

Noticed inside carpet was wet on the rear left side, removed the inside rear wheel panel and found the third row seat latch had completely rusted through to the outside of the car allowing water to enter the cab space and now the third row seat is unsafe due to the seat not being able to latch. *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2004 ford freestar. the contact stated that the vehicle would stall without warning. the vehicle was taken to the dealer and a cover was placed over the computer to keep water from getting entering and damaging the computer but the repair did not correct the failure. the vehicle was taken back to the dealer where the dealer added sealant to the cover that was protecting the computer. the vin was not available. the current mileage was 103,000 and the failure mileage was unknown. updated 03/27/12*lj the consumer stated the computer is located directly under the windshield, allowing water to drip on the computer.

Tl - the contact owns a 2004 ford freestar. the contact stated that the hook that held the rear driver side convertible bench seat in place was completely corroded. the contact mentioned that the damage was so severe that it rusted through the body of the vehicle. the vehicle was not taken to the dealer. the manufacturer was made aware of the failure who did not offer any assistance since the vehicle was no longer under warranty. the vehicle was not repaired. the failure and the current mileage was 137,000. kmj

Paint peeling off roof and hood ,looks like they used two different primers. *tr

Upon opening the folding third row seat, the bottom latch failed to engage with the seat. further inspection showed that the entire latch panel had rusted away from the body of the car and was sitting in the wheel well. there is now a hole in the side of the van and the third row seat is unusable. at 7 years old, this level of rust is very premature. *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2004 ford freestar. while the vehicle was parked the contact lowered the third row seating to the floor when he noticed the safety latch attached to the rear wheel wells was corroded from the inside out and were fractured. the contact stated the third row seat could not be used because it would be unsafe in the event of a rear end collision. the dealer was made aware of the failure and refused to inspect the vehicle. the vehicle was not repaired. the approximate failure mileage was 92,300. updated 12/20/11*lj updated 01/19/12

Tl* the contact owns a 2004 ford freestar. the contact stated that water had entered and remained in the rear cargo area. the contact inspected the vehicle and found corrosion in the rear fender well and the third row seat latch. the rear panel was not installed correctly and caused water to penetrate the cargo area. the vehicle was not repaired. the failure and the current mileage was 105,000. updated 11/25/11 *bf the consumer stated that it became evident, while troubleshooting, the failure of the rear passenger side vent window motor. the water leaks have been corrected and the structural integrity of the fender and seat latch has been restored. updated 06/06/12 *js the consumer discovered that was entering the rear of the vehicle in three separate areas. inside the rear wheel well on the passenger side, in which a re-enforcing plat was improperly installed. gasp across the top trailing edge allowed water to get in behind the panel. water was also entering the vehicle along the rear seam where the inner fender attached to the floor pan. the factory installed seam sealer had failed. water was penetrating through cracks in the rear roof seam located at the outside trailing edge of the roof seam that served as the rain gutter.

When making a right turn with a full load (my wife, 2 kids, my parents and i) a vibration occurred in the left rear wheel well. i couldn't find the problem myself so i took the van to the ford dealer the next day and they diagnosed that there was rusting in the left rear wheel well which caused friction against the tire when turning right with a full load. the service manager at the ford dealer recommended that i do not drive the vehicle and replace the vehicle as it was too dangerous to drive. i was not planning to sell the van for scrap after 5.5 years and i couldn't morally sell a car that i wouldn't feel safe driving with my own family. i took the van to a body shop and they recommended a specialty shop. the specialty shop identified the problem as a panel that was not sealed well which caused premature rusting. they were able to cut out the area and replace that part of the wheel well. i see this as a very serious safety hazard that i hope others don't encounter. if i had not taken care of this problem immediately the tire could have been damaged while turning right with a full load and caused a serious rollover accident. i was not happy with the ford service manager's advice of buying a new car versus helping me fix the problem. i felt it was important to file a safety complaint as the result of this type of premature wear on a vehicle could turn out to be tragic for someone. *kb

Drivers side front door will not close. exercised all locks open and closed multiple times, but door will not latch closed. major safety issue. *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2004 ford freestar. the contact stated that the side panel that held the back seat bracket was corroded. the vehicle was taken to the dealer who verified the failure and stated that the panel needed to be replaced. the manufacturer was made aware of the failure who did not offer any assistance. the vehicle was not repaired. the failure mileage was 97,500 and the current mileage was 98,600.

The part of the frame that holds my front passenger steering and wheel assembly in place has failed. my mechanic said it's the exact same problem that they recalled ford windstar vans for - but since my vehicle is a ford freestar van there's no recall? my van is now undrivable! *kb

Ltr on behalf of concern the safety of her 2004 ford freestar re the rusting of the 3rd row seats anchoring latch system; reply attn kay rash/davenport district office *tgw the consumer was informed it was not cost effective to fix the vehicle. *jb

Tl* the contact owns a 2004 ford freestar. the contact stated while attempting to latch the third row rear seat, the latch failed due to severe corrosion on the floor panel and attachments. the vehicle was taken to the dealer who inspected the vehicle and advised that the vehicle was unsafe to be driven. the vehicle was not repaired. the vin was not available. the failure and current mileage was 113,000. updated 06/01/11*lj updated 1/24/2012 *ln *tr

Left rear seat no longer latches making it unsafe. the seat no longer latches because latch that was fastened to the left rear wheel well has rusted completely off the wheel well. *tr

Water keeps getting into the pcm. common problem with this vehicle. van will stall out, not have power in drive or reverse, and anything electrical acts up. *tr

The paint on my 2004 ford freestar van is bubbling and peeling off of the roof of the vehicle. *tr

2004 ford freestar. s10 appropriate handling - letter to the president from consumer re vehicle hazards due to major defects (full document not imaged). *nj the check engine light illuminated. the codes were for a cmp sensor and ac pressure sensor. the power train control module needed to be replaced due to water intrusion. the vehicle would stall while driving on the highway. the consumer stated there were no problems with the vehicle until a water leak occurred. *jb updated *jb 08/26/10 updated 11/10/10*jb the consumer stated after the third repair, the dealership stated they could not adjust the hood latch down enough to prevent water from blowing in from the front of the vehicle. the consumer believed the problem was a safety issue and not a customer satisfaction issue. updated 07/26/11 updated 08/23/11

Backdoor won't unlock and now door won't close or lock. *tr

Van without warning stopped moving and engine cut off. this is a follow up from our christmas adventure. got it towed to dealer and after 2 days of "looking into the problem" told me that water leaked in from under dash(it had not rained or snowed for days- roads weren't even wet) and got the computer wet an caused it to malfunction. sealed leak and $250 later sent us on our way. fast forward 2weeks and our van is back in the shop again for the same problems. come on now, enough is enough!!!!! recall this problem before people get killed!!!!! *tr

In nov, 2007 my 7 year old granddaughter started to exit the back passenger van door. the door opened and she was about half way out the door when it started to close on her. my husband had already got out of the van and was able to stop the door from closing on her. it did not automatically stop and go back on contact. then in dec my sister-in-law was also starting to exit the van from the same door and the same thing happened to her. the door opened, hesitated and then started to close on her. on april 6, 2008 my 80+ mother opened the rear passenger van door and started to enter the van. the door started closing on her. her left foot was already in the van and the door closure caused her to fall backwards onto the pavement. her left foot was tangled under the passenger seat. her cousin was already seated on the other side and was able to get the door stopped before it hurt her leg any worse. she had landed on her lower back and was sore, stiff and unable to sit comfortably for about a week. i made an appt with the local ford dealer to see if they could find a problem. the first time i took it in, they could not duplicate the problem. i told them it was intermittent,most of the time it worked. when i picked the van up i had the service manager walk out with me, and i showed him how we opened the door from the outside and the door opened and immediately started to close. the service group was testing it by using the buttons on the remote. they tested the van again and found codes of b2589, b2592 and b2594 in the computer for the sliding doors. they then found the latch and sensor assembly were sticking and shorted out. they told us they found the codes in both doors, even though we hadn't had any problems with the sliding door on the drivers side. the only way to "fix" the problem was to replace both sides rear sliding door cables and latch assemblies. this is for a 2004 freestar van with only 10,072 miles! it cost us $736.41 ...

The latch on the rear of the van has rusted closed on three separate occassions. it is presently rusted shut and the back hatch doesnt open as a result. there is a recall on the third row seat due to water leakage from the rear tire well. this has to be related as the carpet throughout the van gets wet. even the front drivers seat where it attaches to the floor is soaked, posibly leaking from front tire well.and all the way down the interior of the car to the third row. there is also a short in the dash lights due to water leaking into the dash area. the car radio stays on when it feel like it and you have to hit the drivers window button for the radio to shut off otherwise it drains the battery and the car will not start. the car was at the electrical shop a year ago and could not find the problem. *tr

2004 ford freestar, back liftgate. a design flaw allows rainwater or water from a car washing) to seep in, accumulate, and puddle all around the latch mechanism of the back lift gate. this causes it to freeze on icy days which causes difficulty opening or closing the back liftgate. eventually, the latch mechanism rusts out completely and has to be replaced. this is an obvious design flaw. *tr

We just purchased a 2004 ford freestar. i am 67 and went to get out of the back door and the driver accidentally pushed the button to close the door.it crushed my leg, as there is no way to stop the door. there are no safety switches. everyone in the car tried to help and the door would not go back. this would have killed a child or my 89 year old mother. there needs to be a recall. my husband has size 14 shoes and when he tried to get out the same door, his knee almost hit the door closing button...and he was watching out for the problem.

The power sliding door, upon opening the door, and depressing the electrical button to close the door it will not stop. it continues to close until you are caught in the door.*ak

plastic molding along the running boards broke off. as a result, the sliding door malfunctioned, locking occupants inside vehicle. *ak