10.0

really awful
Crashes / Fires:
5 / 0
Injuries / Deaths:
0 / 0
Average Mileage:
75,476 miles

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« Read the previous 20 complaints

problem #167

Nov 052012

Freestyle 6-cyl

  • 85,259 miles
At 49,660 miles we had to have the throttle body changed because the car lunged forward and stalled out. On June 19, 2012 our 2007 Ford Freestyle was serviced with a transmission flush and fluid change, and a multi-point inspection. Everything looked good. On Nov. 5, 2012 it would rev up when driving and would not accelerate. After researching, we found out that the cvt transmission that was put in the 2005-2007 Ford Freestyle is a defective design that poses numerous safety concerns. Ford does not even make the transmission any more, so our only choice is to pay over $5000 for a used/rebuilt one that may have the same problems. Our car is only 5 years old. We have taken good care of it. We need a reliable vehicle and do not have the money to fix this. Please have Ford recall these faulty cvt transmissions and have more concern for safety and customer satisfaction.

- Goose Creek, SC, USA

problem #166

Jun 082011

Freestyle

  • 69,900 miles
On the date shown, while driving in a funeral procession and entering the cemetery my vehicle started to lurch, lunge and bucking. Tried to give it gas but didn't respond. I then shut the vehicle off and when I started upon leaving the cemetery the vehicle started this again. I drove to the dealership and the maintenance person told me that this was being caused by a sensor and that I could shut the vehicle down and restart after a few minutes. This seemed to work for a while then the same problems kept occurring. This was mentioned a number of times to the dealer with the same explanation. I think that this problem has now created another in the the transmission on the vehicle is gone.

- Medford, MA, USA

problem #165

Aug 112011

Freestyle 6-cyl

  • miles
While attempting to park the vehicle, it lunged forward. The failure also occurred while at a stop light. The vehicle stalled various times. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where the throttle body was cleaned; yet, the failure continued to occur. The vehicle was repaired the cvt transmission, but fix the problem.

- Morovis, PR, USA

problem #164

Jun 262012

Freestyle 6-cyl

  • 114,684 miles
While stopped the vehicle will lunge either forward or backwards without engaging the gas pedal.

- Yelm, WA, USA

problem #163

Apr 012012

Freestyle 6-cyl

  • 51,000 miles
When I put the car in drive it lunges forward and when you put it in reverse it lunges back. If your foot is not on the brake you can hurt someone. Its worse when the air conditioner is on.

- Valley Stream, NY, USA

problem #162

Jan 242011

Freestyle 6-cyl

  • miles
I got this car on 04/2010 thought it would be good for the kids nope I have had nothing but problems in Jan /2011 the transmission went now 09/2012 same thing the car seemed like it was going to stall then lunged transmission again this is not a safe car !!!.. has been in shop as of 9/29/2012 tonight the auto shop called me and said the part is not in stock might be up till 3 weeks before they get it, wont pay for a rent a car for me & told me I could come get the car till the part comes in.... but cant tell me its safe for me & my kids to drive in ??something should be done asap !!!

- Quincy, MA, USA

problem #161

Jul 012010

Freestyle 6-cyl

  • 60,000 miles
Not long after I purchased the 2007 Ford Freestyle, summer came and I was using the air conditioner a lot. I noticed that when the ac was running, especially at high, the car would "lurch" forward at low speeds (probably 5 mph or less ). when I was parking the car, rolling into a parking space, with my foot hovering over the brake pedal, as soon as I got to the proper spot, the car would "lurch". when I would back out of a parking space with my foot hovering above the brake, it would "lurch". this proved to be a scary situation many times as there were cars passing in the parking lot. Many times, I could have hit another car. Even in the drive through of fast food restaurants with other cars in line, many times I have almost hit the car in front of me. Many times, my car has "lurched" and stalled. The wrench light comes on, and if I don't turn the car all the way off in park, the car does not behave properly (as in no acceleration) nor does the wrench light go off. In the beginning, I thought it was something to do with the air conditioner being on high. The problem stopped in the winter when the ac wasn't being used. However, in the summer of 2011, it all started again. My ac went out, so I had it worked on. The problem continued. Today, the problem continues. I almost hit a child in a parking lot the other day because my car "lurched". I began searching and found that others are having the same scary problem with their Ford Freestyles. It sounds as if I am maybe lazy or not too concerned since I haven't had this checked earlier, but frankly, I don't have the money to spend on repairs, so I keep hoping it won't cause a disastrous situation. Please investigate this issue before it does become deadly.

- Gainesville, GA, USA

problem #160

Jan 022012

Freestyle 6-cyl

  • 82,510 miles
My 2007 Ford Freestyle has been surging over the past year and a half. At first it was very intermittent. Now it is almost every time I use the car. I took it into the mechanic and he said that Ford is having issues with the cvt transmission. So far there as not been a recall. He said he can't fix it because he cannot get the parts. My car with lunge forward when I turn it on. It also will surge when I go into reverse. Today when I was dropping my youngest son at school it lunged forward in the area where children around. I had a difficult time controlling the car. It now is becoming a bigger safety issue. Why is Ford not recalling this car" it is not safe! what does it take to get this taken care of" my concern is someone is going be severely injured due to this problem. Before this issue I was very happy with my Freestyle. Now I am so scared. Ford please help!

- Felton, CA, USA

problem #159

Jun 062012

Freestyle 6-cyl

  • 100,000 miles
As I was stopping to get gas, the car surged when I was applying brakes. It is also surging as I am driving down the road. This is happening more and more. Getting to the point where I am scared to drive the car. I have grandkids that ride in the car with me. Can't afford to get a new car.

- Dayton, TX, USA

problem #158

Jul 052010

Freestyle 6-cyl

  • 61,463 miles
We purchased this vehicle new 8/18/07 from palm coast Ford. In may or June 2010 I began noticing the car lunging when backing out of parking spots or once you have backed out and then placed into drive. I also encountered an issue with the car stalling if parked on an incline. On 7.5.10 the vehicle was left for several days with palm coast Ford for diagnostics and they claimed nothing was wrong with the car as they could not duplicate the "issues." As this "issue" did not seem appropriate I visited the daytona beach Ford dealership but this was not a documented visit as was the palm coast Ford visit. The daytona Ford service manager indicated it was a just the way the car was designed to prevent stalling when backing up or pulling forward. So I lived with this problem hoping that it wouldn't lunge and hit someone in a parking lot. My brother finally rode with me and said this is not correct so I took the vehicle to a non-Ford repair shop who recommended a tune-up be accomplished. This occurred Oct. 25, 2011 and corrected the problem. However, now whatever they accomplished with the tune-up is now wearing off as the vehicle has begun it's lunging problem again in the past few weeks. That's when I researched and found these incident reports so I want to report my problem to help you document there is definitely something going on with this make/model car. I like my Freestyle but there's definitely an issue with the lunging situation.

- Ormond Beach, FL, USA

problem #157

Jun 012012

Freestyle

  • 120,000 miles
The car surges when you put in gear, even with your foot on the brake. It does it in forward and reverse. It is very scary, many times I almost hit something. This past winter I was on the interstate and the car lost power, I could not go over 30 miles per hour.

- Chaska, MN, USA

problem #156

Sep 012011

Freestyle

  • miles
We have owned this car for just over a year. For several months now, we have been having problems with the car surging/lunging. It happens without any notice, and you have to slam on the brakes to stop it. Initially, I only noticed the problem when pulling into a parking space. The vehicle would lunge forward. In the last couple of months it has started lunging backward and forward, regardless of how fast I was going (pulling in, backing up, or driving down the highway at a steady speed.) once, the car lunged as I was backing up and hit another car. Minor damage. Not reported. It is starting to happen more often, and the car has also begun dying if it happens whole backing up. Turning the car off and restarting it solves that. I've had to start parking further back in spots because I don't want to hit the car in front of me. This has indirectly caused cosmetic damage (coming out of a store twice I've noticed scrapes that look like someone backed into me.) I don't understand how this can be such a widely reported and potentially dangerous problem without a recall or even acknowledgement of the issue (if you call Ford.) my car has lunged forward at red lights and stop signs toward oncoming traffic, as well as driveways with children nearby. It may only be a few feet, but even that can be deadly considering when the problem occurs most.

- Starkville, MS, USA

problem #155

Sep 062012

Freestyle 6-cyl

  • 75,642 miles
I had left the vehicle idling in park while I went to check the mailbox. When I gotback I shifted into reverse and when I took my foot off the brake the vehicle lunged back almost striking a pedestrian I have complained about this before and I notice the investigation has been open since May 2011 I have also noticed there have been alot of complaints about this problem on the web. Just an fyi it seems to lunge when taking off in forward or reverse. I also noticed there is a class action suit against Ford for this problem in California.

- Kent, WA, USA

problem #154

Aug 062012

Freestyle 6-cyl

  • 80,000 miles
When reversing out of and into various parking spaces, the vehicle lurches forward when I am not accelerating. I cannot detect a pattern but it has happened at least 6 times.

- Raleigh, NC, USA

problem #153

Aug 312011

Freestyle 6-cyl

  • 48,840 miles
On several occasions, my car has surged forward when I was moving at very low speeds when my foot was not on the accelerator. This seems to be worse when the air conditioner is running. On these occasions, the engine sometimes stalled and twice the wrench light came on. When the car was shut off and turned on again, the wrench light went off and the car started but it seemed to run a little rough. These incidents seem to happen months apart, but I have learned to turn off the A/C when driving at low speeds. This condition is especially dangerous when I am crawling through the line to pick up my grandchildren at school. On the last occasion both the wrench and the engine light came on. I took it to the dealer the next day. They diagnosed a computer wire problem (I think the computer analysis number is 19773) and a broken "anti-roll" mount. The cost will be $739.57 even though it is still under original warranty till October. From the comments I have been reading on the internet, this will still not fix the surging problem which I had never heard of before until a friend told me. My husband is a Ford retiree and until now we have been very pleased with our car. It only has 48,000 miles.

- Tampa, FL, USA

problem #152

Jul 182012

Freestyle 6-cyl

  • 64,700 miles
Bought 2007 used Ford Freestyle with 22,000 miles on Jan 31, 2009 from Ford dealership replaced throttle body in July 2011 and again in March 2012 due to surging forward replaced converter and compressor in the same 13 month time period as the two throttle body replacement wrench light comes on intermittently, took to dealership for them to diagnose hydraulic pressure unit failure, stated that part is no longer made therefore only option is to replace entire transmission at a cost of 5600-7000 dollars. This car is not safe, has surged forward multiple times, when taking off car will not accelerate which almost caused me to be T-boned with my four small children in the car, at times will not start or dies and have to pull over on side of road -- much more details documented if needed for investigation.

- Pleasant Valley, MO, USA

problem #151

Jul 282011

Freestyle 6-cyl

  • 50,000 miles
Last year my car just stopped running, we thought it was the alternator so we put a new one in. That worked for a little while, but the humming noise returned and has gotten louder. Upon further investigation into the car it is in the transmission part. It is quiet as long as it is not going down the road. As soon as you get any speed it whines terrible. It is so loud you can hear it over large equipment running. This is the second vehicle I have purchased from Ford with the same failure. It needs to be recalled like the other transmissions.

- Chippewa Lake, MI, USA

problem #150

Jun 152012

Freestyle

  • 75,000 miles
Loud whirring noise which gets louder with acceleration and is really loud going downhill when the engine is holding back. Also have two rust spots on the hood and the car is only 5 years old and has been kept clean and is waxed at least once per year.

- Winsted, CT, USA

problem #149

Aug 252010

Freestyle 6-cyl

  • 41,000 miles
When stopped vehicle will lung forward, idle will go up & down causing this to lung, idle speed will vary from about 600 RPM to 1300 RPM this makes it hard to park and when on the road stopped, took to dealer for repair in Aug of 2010 repair (changed throttle body) that lasted for about 6 months and started again.

- Riverside, CA, USA

problem #148

Aug 102012

Freestyle 6-cyl

  • 122,600 miles
The car started making a noise while in park or neutral. After a few weeks, began making a whining noise while going in reverse in addition to the noise it was making while in park and neutral. It is now in the transmission shop and costing me $2,500 to fix many of the components with the transmission including the bearings; torque converter, flush kit and some other things; along with labor. I have read where this transmission should be recalled.

- Alvord, TX, USA

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