Problems with 2005 Ford Freestyle ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING

I own a 2005 ford freestyle just bought it last year and it has been at bob bell ford for over a week. i was at the beach and the car stalled twice and went in to a fail safe mode. i took it to bob bell ford and they told me that it was the throttle body and that it was on back order until november 2009. i was told that i could come pick up my car and if it breaks down they will come get me. not thinking that i could be involved in a accident if it stalls well driving. i have called headquarters to see what they are going to do for me as far as a rental and they told me they can't do anything for that length of time. this all has to do with the plants being shut down and parts no being made. someone just bought a new gm camaro and had to sign a waiver stating that if the car breaks down they could have to wait 6 months to a year to get parts and they are still responsible for making the payment. the part that i need is on national back order. other people with this same car are having the same problem with this part. just looking to see what can be done because i can not go without a car until november. i have 3 kids and i work 2 jobs to support my family. without a car hoe am i supposed to get back to work. thank you very much for taking the time to help me. *tr

When shifting from park to drive or reverse the engine will rev and the car lunges forward or backward. it is much worse with the ac on, but does it at any time. it has recently starting doing this after coming to a stop while driving. the car will then shut off and go into engine fail safe mode and has has limited power. luckily no one was directly behind us when the incident occurred.

Car lunges when coming to a stop and sometimes even after you have stopped, it lunges forward or back such as when trying to park or reverse from parking. the lunging starts happen when it is hot outside, summer months, and always if the air conditioner is on. the lunging started off small in the beginning, now its at a point that it stalls my car. i have almost run into someone while i was backing up because the car lunged even with my foot on the break. i feel incredibly unsafe driving in the summer months, i am afraid to turn on the air conditioner, because the lunging happens immediately. lunging has increased from 2009 to present. *tr

Lunging, surging, and jumping while a/c is on. *tr

I have a 2005 ford freestyle with a cvt transmission. the car did not show any previous signs of problems or engine indicator lights. in may of 2009 the car had approximately 42,000 miles on it. i was driving approximately 30 mph when the transmission "slipped a rod" causing the transmission to explode leaving pieces of the transmission on the road way. during the explosion, pieces from the transmission damaged other parts of the engine. a new transmission was required. *tr

The vehicle will jerk and buck when backing up or going forward and then go into failsafe mode and shut off. this is very dangerous but yet there is no recall on this particular problem. it also accelerates by itself when in park for a long period of time and you can barely stop it. almost hit someone because of it. nothing has been done as of yet spoke with ford and they said there is no recall so they're not fixing it. *tr

This freestyle has surged several times since purchase. we replace a failed throttle body in 2010. recently in shop in 9/11 for nonstart. *tr

Vehicle lunging into reverse 1. events to make it happen: put the vehicle into reverse with foot on brake and sometimes the vehicle will accelerate rapidly 2. occurs whether or not the engine is hot, but usually the weather is warm. 3. when first noticed the problem in 2008, was told the part to replace was the throttle body position sensor assembly and the part would be unavailable for 12 months. never replaced the parts. learned to keep foot on brake. *tr

Failure of roll restrictor bushing on top engine mount of 2005 ford freestyle. *tr

Tl*the contact owns a 2005 ford freestyle. while driving various speeds or approaching a complete stop, the vehicle excessively vibrates. it is difficult for the contact to maintain control of the vehicle. the dealer stated that the motor mount bracket and the stabilizer were defective. they further stated that the part (part# 5f926f055ca) to remedy the failure would be unavailable until august of 2008. the failure and current mileages were 45,000.

to whom it may concern: we did have a terrible problem with our 2005 freestyle and it was in the ford repair shop on and off for over three months. the first time it went in we paid to have the work done but when it started linking again we refused to pay even though our warranty was up at the time and ford agreed not to charge us. after calling ford headquarters to complain, the manager of the dealership intervened and they also gave us a loaner car. i first noticed a leak in the back (but i think it was leaking much longer than i realized) and they fixed the leak in the back and then it leaked in the front. this went on for several weeks but i must tell you that they did finally fix it. sorry to say, we did have it back last spring for another leak in the front on the passenger side. although i had gone online and saw that several owners of freestyles had the same problem, ford never admitted that there was a flaw in the design but i think by agreeing to fix it for free it was obvious that there was a flaw. we purchased this car from colonial ford in danbury, ct and the work was all done in their repair center. *tr

In 2008 my ford freestyle started lunging forward at very low speeds when in gear without either the brake or accelerator pedal applied. if i applied the brakes, it stopped the car right away, but if i was sitting with the vehicle in drive or reverse and didn't have my foot on the brake pedal, the vehicle would suddenly lunge - and the only way to stop it was to slam on the brakes. i am just luckily we never hit anyone. it seemed to happen after it rained. a local (non ford) mechanic stated that he believed the ecm was getting wet and corrosion was causing this problem. after he addressed the problem (he cleaned and tightened pins, sealed with terminal sealer/corrosion inhibitor), the problem completely stopped. now, 4 years later, it's doing it again. but that mechanic is no longer in business and i am worried that this is a chronic (and scary) problem that needs to be addressed. this morning my vehicle lunged suddenly backwards out of my driveway, right into the sidewalk where children were passing. i had stopped my car, let up the brake and it lunged. no one was hurt but i no longer feel comfortable driving it. i hope that you can investigate this problem and provide me with an update (and a solution!). we love the vehicle otherwise. *tr

I first noticed a surge in the car just as it was out of warranty. the problem has gotten progressively worse with time. whenever the car comes to a stop (e.g. in a parking spot) the car surges in the direction the transmission is selected. additional brake pressure is immediately required to keep the vehicle from moving forward. likewise... when first selecting reverse from a stopped position the vehicle surges drastically which also requires prompt additional braking to keep the vehicle under control. the vehicle has always been well maintained by the dealer. the surging may be coming from an issue within the function of the throttle body, but not 100% sure of that. the addition of fuel cleaners seems to help, but only a little... and then only temporarily. symptoms occur year round, but seem to be worsened by high ambient temperatures. the vehicle is a threat to safety in it's design and should be recalled.

I have a ford freestyle year 2005. it has a throttle body problem. car has had a problem on and off for a year with it accelerating, jumping forward when i place into drive and sometimes into reverse. i finally had a complete lock out of shifting and car went into safe mode with a wrench symbol on dashboard. this is a $600 dollar repair to fix and it is something internally wrong with the car and dangerous.*tr

Tl*the contact owns a 2005 ford freestyle. while driving 65 mph, for approximately more than one hour, the vehicle shuts off. the vehicle was towed and the cause of failure was diagnosed as the throttle body. the contact stated that the throttle body had previously been replaced two weeks prior for the same failure. the current mileage is 26,500 and failure mileage was 26,200.

I have more than one complaint. 1) shortly after buying my used 2005 freestyle i would be driving both at higher and lower speeds and i would loose all control of the vehicle. it would not respond to gas or steering. it was like it was losing power but it was still running. i had several near misses when this would happen. i was lucky that when i bought my freestyle it was "certified" and under warranty, otherwise the repairs would have cost me over $1200. my ford dealer replaced the kind of sensor/brain as they called it. has been working sense. 2) air compressor needs to be replaced now. i thought the a/c wasn't blowing cold enough, i finally told it to a repair shop i trust and he said he couldn't understand i had any cool air at all. 3) brakes, rear most of all, have been replaced several times. way too soon and anytime it's wet they squeal like crazy. guess i need to have them changed again. 4) transmission issues are starting now. i roughly have 90k miles and hoped this would be my last car for several more years. i hate to trade it in and start another car payment and let this car get back out to some other unsuspecting soul. *tr

I've had problems with this vehicle numerous times over the past few years. i filed a complaint on here once but do not remember the dates or the username/password i used. this vehicle is the worst car i have ever owned. i've sunk thousands into repairs in the last couple of years. i've had instrument cluster replaced 4 times, replaced engine mounts, my a/c compressor went out on it, throttle body replaced. and now it sits on blocks we thought was the fuel pump went out so replaced it. didn't do any good. not sure what it is the instrument cluster still doesn't work correctly, it was surging til the day the other day when it just wont go anymore, it will start and run but won't go. i was told it could be numerous things, throttle body again, instrument cluster still not right, might be my transmission, could be my pedal throttle sensor, fuel switch out..........so what do i do nickel and penny everything i have into a lemon that obviously the nhtsa nor ford care about. i'm a single mother with two children, we live 7 miles from town...and now i have no transportation. i bought this vehicle in 2005 and paid quite a bit for it. its like toilet paper or diapers....disposable! i will never purchase a ford again. *tr

Dt*: the contact stated after the vehicle was shut off, intermittently it would not restart. the vehicle was towed to the dealer on several occasions, however the problem could not be duplicated. according to the service papers there was a short in the starter. the consumer also experienced hesitation upon acceleration. updated 12/28/06. *jb

My 2005 ford freestyle sel turned off when i turned a corner. i was turning a corner from one road to another and my freestyle shut off and all of the gauge and warning lights came on. i pulled over, shut it off and turned it on again with no problem. *nm

Throttle body is giving me trouble. when i am at a light or stopped my car accelerates by itself. is a safety issue as sometimes i am at a pedestrian crosswalk or just at a light. very concerned about this issue. *kb

I own a 2005 ford freestyle. almost immediately after purchase off new car lot began having trouble with engine surging while a/c was running. have had it to ford dealership multiple times and nothing has been resolved and the year 2010 is now ending. on many occasions while stopped in traffic, the engine has surged and the car lurched forward so forcefully that i had to hold the brake to the floor to avoid a collision. repeated visits to ford dealer has resulted in nothing but a $50-$100 labor bill and no repair. i am afraid that it is going to happen and someone is going to get hurt. please look into this safety issue. *tr

The ford freestyle surges and accelerates while idling in parking spot or while sitting at a stop light. sometimes when it surges, the car loses power and goes into "engine failsafe mode". *tr

The vehicle surges when at a complete stop. it also stops when driving it down the road. the "wrench" light comes on and the vehicle slows to a complete stop. this is extremely dangerous. the service engine light comes on. the vehicle does this on a consistent basis......6 or 7 times per 25 miles! i took it to the ford garage where i purchased it in clinton, nc. they put it on the machine and said they could not find anything wrong. their suggestion was to turn off air or heat!!! now after researching this issue online i find out there are numerous complaints about the same issue. i took the car to a local mechanic who was suggested to me by our local advance auto store. the mechanic was very familiar with the freestyle and the same issue. the solution to fix the problem is a new throttle body. at a cost of $520.00. i called the ford garage in clinton, nc to see if they had the part so my local mechanic could fix it. now the parts employee, bobby told me the throttle body problem was a "huge" issue with the freestyle and there should have been a recall. is it going to take someone getting killed or seriously injured before ford takes responsibility. by the way, i have contacted ford, to no avail. the wrench light issue started once in a while on february 18, 2011. it now is a daily thing multiple times a day since april 5, 2011. updated 10/06/11 status update 11/15/11

2005 ford freestyle se: throttle body problem led to intermittent sudden loss of power in traffic, engine surging and car lurching at idle. frequency of incidence increased during snowy weather. took my local ford dealer nearly 8 months to correctly diagnosis & repair problem. (date listed is first incident.) *tr

Dt*: the consumer stated the engine operated at a reduced speed when he attempted to accelerate. although the problem was worse in cold temperatures, it would occur in any climate. there was no warning indicators prior to the incident. in some instances, the vehicle loudly back fired. the vehicle has been seen by a dealer. the dealer could not duplicate the problem, and suggested the consumer let the vehicle warm up prior to driving. *jb

I have been driving at various speeds when it happens. the vehicle just dies for no reason and without warning. this has happened at least 3 times. i have had it in the shop but they could not find anything wrong. i am afraid i or my son could be trying to pass another auto and this one die again and could cause a head on collision. *nm

We just bought a used 2005 ford freestyle and the dealer we bought it from told us the awd malfunction alert would come on, but it would not stay on long enough for a mechanic to check what was wrong with it. we did notice the alert coming on, but on our 4th day of driving the vehicle, we were pulling away from a drive thru window and preparing to maneuver around two vehicles stopped in front of us and i had just taken my foot off the brake and not even touched the gas pedal when the car lunged forward. i applied the brake and then slowly took my foot away again and the car lunged and the engine died. the car still had enough momentum after the engine died to allow me to coast away from the two vehicles in front of me. i tried to start the car again and it lunged and died again. on the third try, it started and i was able to get out of the parking lot, but i was very frightened. i did make it home alright, but the awd malfunction alert stayed on and at times the alert would also read "failsafe engine mode". also, the traction control alert icon lit up and a wrench was lit up under it in the instrument panel. we hope ford will help freestyle owners soon before someone has a terrible accident. *tr

I purchase my 2005 ford freestyle in june 2005. july 2005 traveling to georgia between 55/60 mph, the check engine light and transmission icon appeared. upon trying to accelerate, i could not move no more than 30-40 mph with the rpm's racing. i had to pull over and let the car rest approximately 15-20 minutes. upon starting the car and putting into drive gear it was very hard and lunged. the car sounds like you're racing the engine with the vehicle in park. the frequency of the engine/transmission light with trying to accelerate and can not is a persistent issue. it also lunges when the air conditioner is turned on. once the car is shut off and started again, while your foot is on the brake which has to be with more pressure than usual to control the lunge. sitting in traffic with the air on with cars ahead of you is frightening since it will lunge then also. this has been an ongoing issue since the purchase of this vehicle. i've also had the brakes repaired more than normal. since acquiring this car. recently, i've gotten the brakes done in february, may and currently need another repair with all the squealing. *tr

Dt: the consumer states while decelerating the vehicle stalls. this happens more in warm weather and after the vehicle has been driven approximately 25 miles. if the headlights are on there is a warning after the vehicle has stalled. the vehicle has been to three different service dealers in three different states. the problem cannot be duplicated and dealers cannot repair the problem. the consumer and the service dealer do not know what specific component is the problem.*ak