For the first 16 months of ownership my Ford 2004 Freestar sel was in the shop 15 times for electrical failures. Even the dealership tried to get the van returned under the lemon law and Ford refused. I had also complained about vibration at highway speeds, and told all was normal until I demanded they check the front brake and then was told they were bad. At about 65,000 miles my transmission suddenly and without any warning went out. I was just leaving the intersection and fortunately I was not rear ended. Now just last month, December 2009 it was discovered my right rear brake caliber has been dragging for some time as the inside brake pad was worn down to the metal. Left side was fine.

- Grayslake, IL, USA

Backed 2004 Freestar out of driveway. Shifted into drive and went forward about two feet. Van redlined. Tried reverse, drive and lower gears. None will work.

- Elk Grove Village, IL, USA

2004 Freestar transmission failed. The transmission just stopped working without warning. Will not shift into gear. Read approx. 100's of other complaints stating the same thing on edmunds.

- Liberty Twp., OH, USA

Water getting into PCM causing transmission to stop shifting, engine stalling and fast idle. Had Ford tsb 06-14-10 done but still have same problem when it rains. I tried to tell Ford and they just don't care. This a very serious problem they have and they are ignoring it ! I have four kids and this van is totally unsafe to drive I've had to pull over on the side of the road several times. I've had it towed three times for the same problem. The dealer has tried to fix it three times and replaced the PCM once and we still have the same problem. I have seen many complaints on the internet for the same problem. All you have to do is punch in the tsb 06-14-10 and you will see the problems that Ford is having with this issue. I still owe $8,400 on this van and I can't sell it and I am afraid to drive it especially with my children in the van. If this is not a safety concern then I don't know what is! the problem began in October 2009 and we are still dealing with it as of today January 28, 2010.

- Easley, SC, USA

While driving on a state highway our Ford Freestar van just stopped working. After consulting with a mechanic it is the transmission. We have under 60,000 miles on the vehicle. After searching the web I am running across numerous cases of the same thing happening to other people. We have small children who could have easily been in the car traveling on the highway when this vehicle just stopped working. This is a potentially life threatening, common occurrence with Ford Freestars and I believe they should be recalled. The consumer stated Ford has since issued a recall. Updated 10/10/12

- Raleigh, NC, USA

2004 Ford Freestar torque converter failure.

- Gardner, MA, USA

Vehicle: 2004 Ford Freestar limited 66,733 miles I was driving on a highway when I had to accelerate to go up a hill. It was when I did this that, the car had no power. Although the car was in drive, it seemed as though the car was in neutral. The RPM's where going up but again, there was no power. Fortunately I was able to get onto a side street. I put the car in park and turned it off......in hopes that it would make a difference. No, same thing, the car would not go into gear. I had my 1 yr. Old daughter in the car and began to panic because I wasn't close to home and my husband was at work. I had to have the car towed, at my expense of coarse. We have since discovered that my 66K mile car needs a new transmission along with a torque converter. How and why does this happen to a car with 66K miles. There was no notice at all and I have never had any signs of transmission problems. The cost of the repairs is $2,395 plus tax!! I actually find this unbelievable because this is a big problem, and a huge safety hazard, with this vehicle and I am surprised that there has not been a recall.

- Wenonah , NJ, USA

We have a 2004 Ford Freestar. It ran perfectly until December 2009 when it suddenly starting sputtering badly and seemed to be slipping. We parked it that night after driving straight home. The next day we could barely get it to move, like it didn't want to get in gear. We have left it parked since then as we can't afford to get it fixed. This is awful as I am a cancer patient, we have a 3 year old child and a baby on the way.

- Indianapolis, IN, USA

2004 Ford Freestar - put in reverse, then forward and lost all gears. Dealer going to replace transmission at cost of $3500.

- Sturgeon Lake, MN, USA

I own 2004 Ford Freestar van I have had two incidents that almost was dangerous. The van on the highway was going 70 mph. When the transmission failed to keep the car moving I had a dangerous time trying to pull off the road because of no movement that was 1st time 2nd time I had the children and almost was smashed in the rear-end by a semi-truck he slammed his brakes trying to avoid us it would have been fatal and then Ford would do something about the transmission we were pulling out and the trans. Went no other gear would work.

- Cape Coral, FL, USA

I WAS ON MY WAY HOME FROM DROPPING MY SON OFF AT COLLEGE ABOUT 400 MILES ROUND TRIP WHEN ABOUT 1:30 A.M. ON THE HIGHWAY WITHOUT WARNING THE CAR JUST LOST ALL FORWARD SPEED. COASTING ACROSS 3 LANES OF TRAFFIC TO THE SHOULDER I CAME TO FIND OUT THAT THE CAR HAD NO FORWARD OR REVERSE. THERE WAS NO NOTICEABLE WARNING OR INDICATION THAT THERE WAS ANYTHING WRONG. I HAD TO HAVE THE CAR TOWED IN FOR REPAIR BY AN EMERGENCY TOW COMPANY CALLED BY THE STATE POLICE TO THE TUNE OF $160. I HAD IT TOWED TO FORD THINKING THAT THEY HAVE TRAINED SERVICE PEOPLE WHO WOULD REPAIR THE PROBLEM INSTEADOF JUST REPLACING IT WITH A REBUILT TRANS. THE NEXT DAY I WAS CALLED BY THE DEALER WHO QUOTED ME 2,800. TO REPAIR THE TRANSMISSION AND TORQUE CONVERTER SHAFT SPLINE, BUT I WOULD BE BETTER OFF WITH A REBUILT TRANSMISSION DUE TO THE 3 YEAR/ 36,000 MILE WARRANTY. I HAD THE TRANS INSTALLED PAID THE BILL AND LOOKED INTO CONTACTING FORD TO COMPLAIN ABOUT THIS PROBLEM THAT I THOUGHT WASN'T NORMAL FOR A CAR IN GOOD SHAPE AND MILES, WHEN I CAME ONTO A FORUM OF OTHER UNHAPPY FORD FREESTAR OWNERS WITH THE SAME PROBLEM.. I HAD TO FIX THE CAR BECAUSE IT WASN'T WORTH ANYTHING BROKEN, BUT GETTING RID OF IT NOW IT ISN'T WORTH THE 2 PAYMENTS I HAVE LEFT TO PAY PLUS THE REPAIRS JUST DONE COULD THIS BE DUE TO A TRANS PROBLEM THAT EVERYONE ELSE KNEW ABOUT EXCEPT ME? THANK YOU [XXX] INFORMATION Redacted PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6).

- Elk Grove Village, IL, USA

While I was driving to pick my children up from school my vehicle began shaking violently. It had happened one other time while my wife was driving. I was able to slowly drive my Ford Freestar home and once we got home the vehicle would no longer shift gears. I took the vehicle into a shop and they replaced the torque converter the output shaft going to the pump and the pump. I left the old parts with the shop.

- Spencer, OH, USA

I was driving down a very busy dangerous St rt 125 at rush hour, when all of a sudden nothing no shifting, no reverse, nothing!!!!!! I literally almost died trying to get into a parking lot off the road!!! I have owned my 2004 Ford Freestar aprox 5 months! I am angry and cant believe the safety issue involved with these transmission problems! if I had only found this website prior to buying this vehicle. There is a major safety issue here and someone needs to address the issue before someone ends up dead! as a mother of 4 I have children in my vehicle at all times and I depend on it to drive and keep me safe! this is going to cost me about $2000!! I just paid $5000 for it! somebody do something, recall would be nice, my vehicle has been taken care of and still here I sit with a broken transmission and a huge knot in my stomach as to getting the money for a repair!! thanks alot Ford! never again will I buy a Ford unless this is resolved!

- Bethel, OH, USA

I own a 2004 Ford freestyle mini van. While driving and without any prior warning the van came to a sudden stop in traffic and would not shift into gear. I was very lucky that an accident was barely avoided. I had it towed to a mechanic and was told that the transmission had failed and that it was unusual to have a transmission fail in a vehicle with under 100,000 miles. He also informed me that he had seen this happen in many other 2004 freestyle vans. The mechanic noted that the transmission failed due to the fuel pump working incorrectly and as well as the failure of the torque converter thus contaminating the entire transmission. The entire transmission had to be replaced. After reading about the numerous transmission failures and the road hazards they have caused I am extremely upset that Ford has failed to take responsibility for the problems with there product.

- Missoula, MT, USA

2004 Ford Freestar transmission just quit working. No problems prior to today. No warnings or signs of trouble just stopped working.

- Covington, GA, USA

Transmission just gave out no warning. Was driving over a bridge and car acted like it went into neutral, transmission just quit.

- Chaptico, MD, USA

In early December, I purchased a very well-maintained 2004 Ford Freestar van. This van was owned by close, lifelong friends and I can attest to the fact that the van, with 45,000 miles on its odometer, was in perfectly maintained physical and mechanical condition when purchased. On December 13, 2009, I was driving South on interstate 94 near kenosha, Wisconsin when the vehicle's transmission suddenly, and without warning, failed. Traveling in the left-hand lane at freeway speed, I had to maneuver the vehicle without any forward propulsion through three lanes of heavy Sunday traffic. Fortunately, I was able to coast without any forward propulsion onto the right shoulder of the freeway while avoiding a massive pile-up involving the dozens of automobiles and tractor-trailers surrounding me at the time of the transmission failure.

- West Bend, WI, USA

Wife traveling with family in van noticed some loss of drive power. Was only a few miles from Ford dealership. She was told the torque converter was slipping and needed replacing along with a solenoid. Upon further investigation dealer noticed fluid started changing color and found some metal in fluid. Advised us to replace entire transmission at a cost of $2500. The vehicle's transmission has been serviced every 30,000 mile per the manufacturers maintenance schedule and there are receipts for proof. This is totally unacceptable.

- Andrews, SC, USA

Was driving my 2004 Ford mini van Freestar when transmission just up and quit working.

- Streator, IL, USA

Vehicle purchased used with 62,000 miles in May 2006. Frequent & random dash warning lights coming on & off for no reason--including transaxle, brake, emissions system light, etc. Radio will turn on & off without the keys in the vehicle. Mechanic says that there was some moisture in PCM & that PCM does not look original. Vehicle has lost power without warning while driving several times & then 'recovered' with no warning lights on. Transmission 'went' in driveway without warning. Needed approx. $1500 in repairs to transmission. Mechanic says failing part includes pump shaft & veins. Also reconditioned pump slide & seals.

- North East, PA, USA