Problems with 2005 Ford Freestyle STRUCTURE

Car doors will not relatch in freezing temps. the car was stationary but was unsafe to drive after the car door was initially opened. if i drive to work and the temp drops it will be unsafe to drive. i see that this model was recalled for this reason but my vin was not. obviously should have been. the dealership applied a lubricant (at my expense) but that did not work.

Door latches freeze open in cold weather as described in nhtsa campaign id 06v383000. the doors have failed to latch when entering the car as well as in motion at 50mph. a search of the cars vin shows no open recalls however the car has not been serviced for this issue but clearly falls under the recall. recall noticed was never received for this issue. this is a one owner car purchase and registered in ohio so it is unclear why it would not be covered by this recall. ford has also stated that this car is not covered by the recall. this is extremely dangerous as the issue can occur when the car is in motion.

Anytime the weather drops below 40 degrees, which it most often does during the winter months in ma, my door locks freeze. it could be right when i start the car or while i'm driving, it's very sporadic. i can open the doors, but they will not close again, which is clearly very dangerous if you're driving and the door latches don't hold because of ice. it seems almost every other car that is my year, make and model have been recalled for the same problem, but for some reason mine has not! not sure what to do, it's my only transportation. throw my kuds in & just hope for the best while we're out driving?

My front driver side door does not shut in cold weather. the locks stick on, and the door bounces back open when i try to shut the door. i paid to have the door locks replaced, a few years ago. the issue still happened on almost every cold day. around 15f to 32f. the ford dealer who replacement the locks, got new locks covered under the lock warranty, but this issue still happens. it has been an ongoing problem for 4 years. i am forced to drive with a driver side door that does not close. i have to hold the door closed with my hand until the door locks decide to unstick and i can close the door. the ford dealer cannot get this problem solved or fixed even after 4 years and many many many trips back to the dealer with this issue.

During safety inspection, front engine subframe rusted beyond repair where steering gear is attached. dick masheter ford in columbus ohio provided diagnosis when performing other repairs. replacement frame is unavailable from ford directly; the only alternatives are getting a used subframe or having a new piece of steel welded in. vehicle was stationary at the time of inspection.

Tl* the contact owns a 2005 ford freestyle. the contact stated that the driver side door failed to remain open while the contact entered the vehicle. the door struck the contact in the head. in addition, the power steering became difficult to maneuver. the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. the contact received medical attention to the frontal lobe of her head and sustained a contusion. the manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. the failure mileage was approximately 194,000. the vin was not available.

In cold weather the front driver side door will not close and latch. this was addressed in a recall (ford recall no. 06s45) several years ago, but the problem still persists. i have taken this vehicle back to my local ford dealer multiple times were an apparent "bandaid" fix is used because the door will not latch in cold weather. i believe the latch system is flawed. when it does latch i have no confidence it will remain latched while driving.

Tl* the contact owns a 2005 ford freestyle. the contact noticed corossion on the front subframe of the vehicle. the mechanic diagnosed that the subframe needed to be replaced. the vehicle was not repaired. the manufacturer was notified of the failure. the failure mileage was 103,000.

Tl* the contact owns a 2005 ford freestyle. the contact took the vehicle in for a state safety inspection and the inspector noticed that the subframe was rusted. the inspector stated that the vehicle was unsafe to drive. the contact mentioned that two or three years before, rust was discovered during another state safety inspection. the vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic who performed welding work to the subframe. the vehicle was not taken to a dealer for diagnostic testing or repairs. prime ford saco (857 portland rd, saco, me 04072 (207) 282-0300) stated that there were no recalls for the rust failure. since the vehicle was out of warranty, the dealer offered no further assistance. the manufacturer was not notified of the failure. the failure mileage was approximately 52,000. the vin was unavailable. *bf updated 7/26/18*jb

Door latch is frozen closed and cannot get drivers side door to open. dismantled entire car to fix issue.

Tl*the contact owns a 2005 ford free style. the contact stated that while driving 40 mph, the driver side door opened independently and failed to close. the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. the manufacturer was notified of the failure. the approximate failure mileage was 163,000.

Tl* the contact owns a 2005 ford freestyle. the contact stated that the driver's side door latch would freeze in colder tempertures, preventing the door from being opened. the contact also stated that when driving at various speeds, the door ajar warning light illuminated. additionally, the door latch independently unlatched and the door was opened. the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. the manufacturer was made aware of the failure. the failure mileage was 110,000.

I am very frustrated that i have the same make/model that was included in the 11/8/2006 recall but ford and nhtsa limited the vehicles to only certain states. during cold weather water is allowed to enter the car door and freeze the latches. the car door latch then freezes making it unsafe and undriveable as the door will not latch. this recall was done on 10/5/2006 under campaign number pe11018 but because my vin was not included ford will not fix the safety issue. *js

While driving the rear passenger side door opened, almost expelling my child had he not had a seat belt on. the doors on this vehicle have been freezing up and either don't close or pop open while driving. i saw there was a recall that is not vin pertinent but is on the ford freestyle for these freezing door latches. when i call ford they tell me the vin has no outstanding recalls...can you help me please *tr

2005 ford freestyle sel fwd - 116k miles, very good condition, 2nd owner. on 11/1, i requested mechanic to do a full inspection on the car, no know issues, but just to check it over before winter. upon inspection, mechanic found the engine cradle subframe to be rusted/rotted beyond repair, and said car was not safe to drive. only this cradle showed significant rust, in fact the original exhaust system is still on the car (that is most shocking, the exhaust out lasted this subframe). as i stated the car is in fantastic shape, and runs great. we either had to fix or scrap the car as it was unsafe to drive. estimates from dealers to replace were around $3000. we ended up using a local body shop we trust to replace the subframe with a used / rust free one for $1150. i retained the subframe and called ford customer service also to issue a complaint. i realize the car is 10 years old with over 100k miles on it, but given its great condition (if you saw pictures you would understand) there is no acceptable reason for a subframe, that holds all the suspension and steering to be rusted/rotted to the point of being unsafe to drive. *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2005 ford freestyle. the contact stated that the rear liftgate abruptly closed with force due to the support struts. there were no injuries reported. the dealer stated that both struts needed to be replaced. the contact stated that the parts were not available and needed to be ordered. the vehicle was not repaired. the manufacturer was notified of the failure. the approximate failure mileage was 110,000.

Purchased used-when the weather is cold the doors will not shut-appears to be some type of electronic problem-even when car is warmed up the doors will not latch shut. *tr

My freestyle surges and lunges forward and backwards. i hit a car while trying to back up and park because the car surged and accelerated into reverse. this is the second time that i have had this problem in 2 years and needed to replace the throttle body. i almost hit people in a parking lot because of the sudden surge and acceleration. this is extremely unsafe and unpredictable. needs to be recalled! engine mount was also cracked and needed to be repaired as in many of the other cases in the class action lawsuit. *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2005 ford freestyle. the contact stated that the wheel well on the vehicle was corroded and contained holes. as a result of the holes, fumes seeped into the vehicle and caused the contact to become ill. the holes also caused the seat belt to become wet when it rained and collect salt when it snowed. the vehicle was taken to a mechanic where the failure was confirmed. the vehicle was not repaired. the manufacturer was notified. the approximate failure mileage was 129,000.

I went in to my local mechanic for tire rotation and we discovered that the motor cradle was rusting out with a big hole in the cradle frame. *tr

Car stalls daily three times while driving, dealer cleaned the throttle body still stalls, another dealer cleaned the maf and changed the spark plugs and change cvt transmission fluid, still stalling. need a new throttle body it is a common defect with ford and very dangerous some one will get killed because of it. my cvt transmission start to slip and needs replacement. *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2005 ford freestyle. the contact stated that the rear driver and passenger side door latches froze and the doors could not be completely closed. the vehicle was not taken to the dealer. the manufacturer was contacted but offered no assistance. the vehicle was not repaired. the failure mileage was 97,000.

Car leaks when it rains. third row driver side cup holders stay full of water, i pulled plug below spare tire to keep water from filling up and rusting the tire. many complaints online about this car leaking. now the electrical system is damaged, the reverse lights stay on, and the taillights sometimes have water in them. *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2005 ford freestyle. the contact stated that after a heavy rain, a large amount of water would accumulate on the front and rear passenger's side floorboard. the contact noticed that excessive water seeped through the door panel. there was a recall associated with nhtsa campaign id number 06v383000 (latches/locks/linkages); however the contact's vin was not included. the vehicle had not been repaired. the manufacturer was notified of the problem. the approximate failure mileage was 85,000.

Tl* the contact owns a 2005 ford freestyle. the contact stated the front driver and passenger side doors failed to close. the contact also stated that the latches freeze when the temperature was cold. the vehicle was taken to the dealer for diagnostic testing. the technician stated the door latch would have to be replaced. the vehicle was not repaired. the vin was not available. the approximate failure mileage was 75,000.

Tl* the contact owns a 2005 ford freestar. the contact stated that the third row seat was anchored to the wheel well, which became rusted. as a result, the seat became dislodged. the vehicle was taken to a dealer who advised the contact not to drive with anyone in the third seat. the manufacturer was notified but provided no assistance. the failure and current mileages were 103,656. ...updated 10/10/12 *bf updated 10/16/2012 *js

In august 2012, my 2005 freestyle surged while in reverse with my wheels at full cut as i was backing out of my driveway, as i have been doing for the last 40 years. as i took my foot off of the gas pedal to apply the brake to switch to drive from reverse, the car surged in reverse, and the right corner of my rear bumper impacted my neighbors truck behind his front door, causing me to report the accident to my insurance company to repair his vehicle. i told the agent at my insurance company i had read about this surging problem in the freestyle forums, and asked if the accident would be contributed to mechanical failure due to defective part, rather than driver error, as i stated before i have been backing out of this driveway for 40 years with 70's lincolns and cadillacs, all cars 5 feet longer than the freestyle, without incident. her reply was that if there was a recall due to this problem, then yes, it would be attributed to mechanical failure. my question is, i know the nhtsa was investigating this last year, has there been any conclusion to this investigation? if anyone has an update, can you please contact me at fcejr55yahoo.com with the information. i know it says not to use my e-mail address, but how else will somebody be able to contact me? any help will be greatly appreciated. [xxx] information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u.s.c. 552(b)(6). *tr

After coming home from a trip to the grocery store, about 5 mile total round trip; i pulled into my garage. with my foot on the brake and about to move the gear lever from drive to park, the car suddenly surged forward hitting a metal storage shelf. the car surged 5 feet forward while engine rpms increased from idle (about 800) to 2500 instantly and uncommanded with absolutely no throttle increase or input. it damaged the front of my car. our freestyle does this often. i normally can catch it. it always happens at low speed or while the car is stopped. it happens both in drive and reverse. i have since had to discontinue letting my 18 and 16 year old son and daughter drive the vehicle because of the danger involved in these uncontrolled surges. *tr

Car was parked in rear of apartment complex.when i put it in reverse it lunged back without my foot on the gas, smashing the rear of the car into the apartment building wall. i did have a seat belt on but the impact caused severe neck trauma as my head was turned at the time of impact. i shut the car off. approximately an hour later i started the car, put it in drive, and as i attempted to drive the car home, it would "lose power", the wrench light would come on, and the car would have no transmission power. i had to pull the car over, turn it off and restart it. this happened repeatedly. the local ford dealership incorrectly diagnosed and charged me a repair for cleaning the sensor - and refused to refund me my diagnostic charges even though my car was not fixed. i did my own research to learn it was a throttle body issue. the service manager stated they would apply the credit towards replacing the throttle body....but not all the charges. they were horrible to deal with in customer service after completely failing to fix my car and charging me almost $500. *tr

When the weather falls below freezing temp the drivers door lock mechanism jams and no amt of warm air applied to the door will unjam it. i was unable to open my drivers door for three days. *tr

There is a major safety issue with my 2005 freestyle we bought it less than a year ago and everytime it rains or gets cold the doors will not shut it happens all the time yesterday while driving down the road with my child in the car my driver door his dppr and the hatch popped open in moving traffic im very upset!!! the car owners sold us this probably knowing this and never said i just looked it up on line and found this on recalls and defects national highway website ford issued a recall affecting certain 2005 ford five hundreds and mercury montegos and certain 2005-2006 ford freestyle vehicles. the recall addresses the problem of door latch freezing, which occurs mainly in cold and wet weather states. in wet and below freezing temperatures, these defective door latches may fail to fully latch, allowing a door to open while the vehicle is in motion or in a crash. if you suspect your vehicle may be part of this recall, request a door latch safety inspection from your ford dealer. notify the national highway traffic safety administration (nhtsa) if your door latches are found to be unsafe. you can contact nhtsa on their vehicle safety hotline: 1-888-327-4236 or 1-800-424-9393 i want this problem rendered i do not feel safe in this vehicle nor do i wish to continue dealing with this problem i am not comfortable with the safety of my children in this vehicle! this freakstyle should be replaced i am scared of this vehicle now and highly disappointed in the product manufacturer and the dealer who sold this lemon to us! i need to know what to do we are still paying for this and i don't want to anymore because of these past problem and safety issues! its not safe for my family or other drivers around this car with bad door latches! please tell me what i can do don't think i will ever feel safe in a ford again can you imagine what could of happen? *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2005 ford freestar. the contact stated that the vehicle failed to accelerate in any gear. the vehicle was towed to a private mechanic where the mechanic confirmed that the transmission needed to be replaced. the contact stated that the rear sliding door failed to lock properly. the manufacturer was contacted but the vehicle was not repaired. the failure and the current mileages were 77,000.

1- the engine cradle totally rusted out replacement est. 3,000.00 . dealer says not covered 2-the hood is pitted dealer says not covered est.1000.00 3- radiator coolant tube made from steel rusted out and coolant leaked . est 250.00 4-door latches fail in cold weather door will not stay closed .dealer says its been fixed under recall .its still a problem .

1. any time it rains 2. passenger cargo floor is swamped with water creating mildew and rust in car 3. vacuumed out but water returned because it settles in the frame of the car. *tr

2005 ford freestyle sel. 76,000 miles. right rear lower control arm sheered off from frame at mounting point while traveling at ~20 mph on residential street. the failure point was the sheet metal on the frame where the control arm attaches to, not the actual control arm. *tr

I filed a complaint on january 3rd, 2012 and never heard back from anyone regarding this. it is still happening and is still an issue. my original complaint number is 10442220. i own a 2005 ford freestyle. i was entering the vehicle when the front driver side door failed to close properly. the vehicle was not taken to the dealer. the manufacturer was contacted and they confirmed to the contact that the vin did not qualify for repairs under nhtsa campaign id number: 06v383000(latches/locks/linkages:doors:latch). the vehicle was not repaired. the failure mileage was 65,000 and the current mileage was 81,000. *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2005 ford freestyle. the contact was entering the vehicle when the front driver side door failed to close properly. the vehicle was not taken to the dealer. the manufacturer was contacted and they confirmed to the contact that the vin did not qualify for repairs under nhtsa campaign id number: 06v383000(latches/locks/linkages:doors:latch). the vehicle was not repaired. the failure mileage was 65,000 and the current mileage was 81,000.

The vehicle on a very hot day 95 degrees out with the a/c on high was put into reverse with foot on the brake and the car surged backwards and went into safety mode. had to drive the car home in safety mode. my wife says it happened a few times to her also. the upper motor mount on the engine has totally fell apart, the rubber bushing dried out and is gone. called ford and they told me the part is $230.00. *tr

The day i bought me car there was problems. the front passenger side was soak with water ands the dealerships response was to use the heating system to dry it. the car had a high pitch noise and the gears seemed to be tight. if my foot was not on the brake even on an up hill climb the car would roll forward. when i accelerate it revs very high and did not drop much and when you take your foot off the gas it plummets. at about odometer 129689 my car started to sound like a mack truck and it increase it noise level. i was told i need to replace the transmission and it is a special transmission...one of a kind so a used one will run about 2500, a brand new one from ford will cost around $5k and that does not include labor. also to rebuild the one you have will cost you because they have to buy another use transmission from another freestyle and then combine the 2. my odometer is at 136701 today my car is still running somewhat but any day it will explode and die. trust me ford is well aware of the problem(s) and will not recall the part(s) unless someone gets hurt or is killed. i will never buy another ford! they have lost me as a supporter! they only make junk cars or lemons. i wish i realized at the time of purchase that it was a lemon and transmission was already bad. the ford dealership knew and sold it to me with a smile. i had them fix one thing and they said they will fix that part and there was nothing else? why would they sell a damage car? if you have a freestyle get rid of it if you can!!!! ford does not take pride in their workmanship nor stand behind their product. *tr

I was sent the recall for door latches freezing and doors not closing securely and/or doors opening. i had the recall work done at ford dealer. the following winter was mild and doors were not wet in below freezing days/nights etc the following years doors still continued to open and not latch shut when wet and below freezing. following this discovery i called ford customer service on 2 separate occasions and they said "we did the recall work and that's all we are doing" i told them it did not fix anything --they said its not their problem. this car is junk at every level but doors not closing is their problem - please make them re-recall this issue!! *tr

1.)every winter the locking mechanism on the drivers side door will freeze. so, once you open your door & you go to shut it, it will not latch shut, instead it will just bounce back open. after spending about 1/2 hour each time of manually moving the latch up & down it finally engages. 2.) power window buttons do not work on any window except drivers side. when i have it repaired, & if i put the window locks on, after that none will work again. i'm tired of fixing an ongoing problem! 3.) driver side power door lock is intermittent in working. it must be pressed approximately 5-6 times usually before it will engage. *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2005 ford freestyle. the contact stated that during colder temperatures or when it rains, the front driver's side door would not engage when closed. the vehicle was taken to the dealer for diagnosis. the technician was unable to diagnose the failure. the vehicle was not repaired. the approximate failure mileage was 65,000. . ..updated 03-12-14 *bf

A defect in ford freestyle 2005. basically, interior leak that is hidden until a person has a need to look at the spare tire in the trunk area. i noticed moisture months ago, but figured that it was rain water that fell in when i opened the hatch. recently, i needed to bring my car in for service and figured that it was time to vacuum, etc., since i maintain my property. sure enough, there has been rusting and rotting--hidden--for a long time. the carpets were wetter--and since i drive with shoes on, i never detected the moisture throughout the floor area--from driving area down to the trunk--mostly along the driver's side. there is tremendous rust on the spare and in the spare compartment--the carpeting is moldy underneath and the floor board has been destroyed by recurrent water damage/mold. i noticed that brown marks on the carpet were not normal wear and tear but rust stains. this would remain a hidden problem if i did not actually pull up some carpet and look. i checked on-line and there are many people who complain of tremendous leakage--throughout the 2005 model. many of these cannot be found or repaired. this can lead to serious mold and rust damage as well as damage to life saving features such as brakes, etc. the car received a great review so my ex-husband and i purchased it. i was told by ford that they would not even consider helping me here since i reported the problem after the warranty had expired. mind you, if i had money for a forensic scientist to assess the dawn of the damage, i am sure that the rust would tell a tale that claims leakage has been taking place for years. i believe that these cars seem to be time bombs waiting to deconstruct. there are many on-line sites where people report leakage. there are many t.b.a.s for this vehicle but leakage is not one of them, although i understand that ford is aware of the problem but will not deal unless forced to do so. i read at least 50 descriptions of water/leakage to body/rotting. *tr

When it rains water leak inside the car causing the windshield and windows of the car to fog real bad. i had to stop in the middle of i - 65 because i could not see anything. the windshield and the windows fogged so fast that i could not see the highway. this is the third time this has happen to us. *tr

On may 2009, the car stalled while driving after hitting a bad pot hole. car would not restart. on july 1, 2009 the car would not start after being turned off for a brief time. mechanic said it was the same problem as before and said it appeared to be a problem with an oversensitive fuel shut off valve. whenever we hit a bump now, the car threatens to stall and then surges. it is an ongoing problem. it stalled recently, in august 2010, when backing up very slowly, but restarted. the car does not feel reliable. also, when the car is parked on an incline and it rains, the back of the car is flooded due to a problem with the drainage around the moon roof. this has led to rusting in the spare tire area, which we were told is a safety hazard. *tr

One of the two gas charged lift gate supports that hold the back hatch failed. the lift gate will no longer stay up. luckily the failure occurred when the lift gate was already closed and not when it was open in the raised position because the lift gate is quite heavy and could seriously injure someone had it fell. *tr

Water leaking on drivers side head around moonroof, soaking drivers side floor, pouring out of drivers side door when opened, collecting in spare tire well. after 4 visits to dealer, still unable to repair. *tr

I purchased a 2005 ford freestyle with 30,000 miles in dec 2006. at 38,000 miles i noticed that the paint on the back of the wheel flares and along the bottom of the vehicle was dulling. it looked to me like the tires were causing dirt and mud to sand blast these areas. i took the vehicle in the dealer and they told me that it was out warranty and there was nothing they could do. i am wondering if anyone else is having this problem. *tr

2005 ford freestyle is having intermittent dash board problems. gauges on digital dashboard will go to zero for no apparent reason while driving. speedometer will show zero even though the vehicle is traveling at 60 mph. *tr

Leaks water from wet weather into vehicle's cargo area and front passenger floor area. freezing to sub-freezing temps cause water to freeze carpet and anything in car with moisture on it. first time this was apparent, car was in for recall on door latches; at that time, we told dealer about water leak in cargo area after it has just rained - they said they could not find the leak, and therefore never filed with ford. second time car was in was at the end of december '06 for a water leak on front passenger floor. dealer said they spent more than an hour water testing until it did leak in their presence. said they removed areas of carpet and doors where water was coming in, fixed seal, and dried out carpet before re-installing and giving car back to us (keep in mind this is roughly 11-12 total hours of labor). a month later, we are in the same position after a light snow (1-2"). this time, however, the front passenger floor and rear cargo area are soaking wet. dealer has had car for almost a full week. ordered new carpet for front and rear, replaced any panels and electronics associated with where water was coming in, said they have made fixes to seals where water is now coming in *another 12-14 hours). still waiting for vehicle to be returned. dealer says that, although we have the highest end warranty you can buy through them at 7 years/75,000 miles, this problem will more than likely not be covered beyond the 3yr/36,000 mile manufacturer's warranty. we are talking roughly 25 hours of labor at almost $100/hr. i cannot afford $2,500/month. what is ford going to do about this? there is a blog online, http://www.ford-forums.com/ford-freestyle/3008-water-leak-issues.html, about this very problem, hosted by ford, yet there are zero technical service bulletins (tsbs) or complaints posted on this (nhtsa) site. *nm