Driver's side seat mount on third row seat failed side panel in wheel well corroded and failed displacing panel into tire sidewall. Passenger side panel showing signs of failure. Ford dealership bodyshop refuses to work on issue for fear of future liability. Dealership states that corrosion issues beyond normal.

- Abilene , KS, USA

The rearmost seat in my minivan will not latch down on the rear drivers side. The rear axle 'moans' at times and makes a rotational shimming sound. Upon inspection, I am told there is severe rust in the wheel well where it locates to the seat attachment. The dealership says it is unusual, although I understand your Agency is investigating just this thing in 2004 Freestars.

- Lakewood , OH, USA

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.

- Parma Heights, OH, USA

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.

- Indianapolis, IN, USA

The contact owns a 2004 Ford Freestar. The contact stated that the third row seating anchor failed due to corrosion penetrating the rear wheel well on the driver's side. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The vehicle was not taken to the dealer. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure and current mileages were 78,507.

- Miamisburg , OH, USA

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

- New Albany, OH, USA

When attempting to reattach the third-row seat from the flat position, the driver's side latch on third-row seat popped off - the part was rusted at the attachment point on the interior and it fell onto the ground through a hole above the rear left tire.

- Signal Mountain, TN, USA

We were returning home from weekend trip when I noticed rubbing noise and hot rubber smell coming from rear of van. Two children in rear seat said seat was vibrating badly. I am a state certified master mechanic so I pulled over to investigate. I found that both rear seat strikers had rusted loose and the seat pushed the metal and striker against the left rear tire. I feel this could have been a very dangerous situation if the metal rubbing on the tire had caused a blowout. The children in the rear seat could have been seriously injured from the tire and from the seat not being secured.

- Plainwell, MI, USA

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.

- Lindenhurst, IL, USA

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.

- Spirit Lake, IA, USA

The contact owns a 2004 Ford Freestar. The contact stated that the vehicle was being examined by an independent repair shop when the contact was informed that third row seating was detached from the floor mounts. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and offered no assistance. The failure mileage was 92,865.

- Marlton, NJ, USA

The contact owns a 2004 Ford Freestar. The contact stated that the floor mounts for the rear seating rusted and rendered the rear seating inoperable. The dealer was not notified. The manufacturer was not notified. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was 89,000.

- Wyandotte, MI, USA

Open investigation PE11039. The third row front seat anchor is secured to the rear wheel well. On the driver side, the area of the wheel well where the seat anchor is located completely rusted out of our van and detached, leaving a gaping hole in the wheel well. On the passenger side, rust is apparent in the same area, though the anchor has not yet separated.

- Bowling Green, OH, USA

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. Updated 05/31/12

- Mahwah, NJ, USA

The contact owns a 2004 Ford Freestar. While parked, the contact noticed that the third row rear seat would not latch in place. The contact inspected the vehicle and discovered that the seat anchor in the third row seat was corroded and bore a hole into the seat anchor. The vehicle was taken to the dealer for diagnostics where the technician advised that there was not a repair available for the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The approximate failure mileage was 97,000.

- Winfield, IL, USA

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.

- Hudsonville, MI, USA

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.

- Brunswick , OH, USA

Son commented that rear seat was not properly latched down. Inspection showed that driver-side rear seat anchor was latched to the seat, but the anchor was no longer attached to the vehicle body. Had also been noticing that during right hand turns, driver side rear wheel makes loud rubbing sound. Had son shift weight to the right (to push seat away from loose anchor) and sound stopped.

- California, MD, USA

The contact owns a 2004 Ford Freestar. The contact stated that the third row seat latch would not latch properly due to corrosion. The vehicle was inspected by an independent mechanic who advised the contact that the latch would have to be replaced. The manufacturer was contacted and they advised her that the part needed for the repair was not made for replacement. The failure mileage was approximately 100,000.

- Newell, IA, USA

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

- Wadsworth , OH, USA