Bought this car used 2 years ago. Car started making a loud noise, but when put in drive, it quiets a little. Not running well at all. Took it to get it looked at, 1st replaced a bad water pump (almost 700) and then was told it's the transmission. They want $6K for, which I don't have. I still owe $6K on the car. So, I am basically stuck w a car that doesn't work and I can't sell or trade in, nor can I afford to at this point.

- Cincinnati, OH, USA

Air conditioning does not work when driving under 35 mph or especially when at an idle. Air is not cool at all. Then when I speed up, I have air again although occasionally car will start to die and dash lights up and then it surges and is fine again when going down the highway at higher speeds. This is mostly when it is hot outside. When cool or raining, the problem is better.

- Bossier City, LA, USA

I was backing my wife's car in and it started accelerating without me pressing the gas, actually my foot was on the brake thank goodness. We promptly took vehicle to Ford dealership and they said it was the throttle body, and that it needed to be replaced, and of course it was supposedly not under warranty. Then they charged me $900 to fix it.I have since done lots of research online as well as in person and have come to the realization that there are thousands upon thousands of this same complaint for the 2005-2007 Ford Freestyle. I have also found that almost everyone who has had a failed throttle body has had multiple failed throttle body's as well as A/C compressor failure.

- Columbia, MS, USA

The contact owns a 2007 Ford Freestyle. While stopped at a light, the contact noticed that the defroster stopped emitting hot air and the windshield would not defrost. The vehicle was taken to the dealer for a diagnostic test. The technician replaced the thermostat, heater core, and water pump. The failure continued after the repair. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and stated that the failure was a characteristic of the vehicle and there was nothing they could do to assist. The vehicle was not repaired. The approximate failure mileage was 39,688. Updated 06/26/12

- Gilford, NH, USA

Just above idle the car lunges forward whether we are moving forward or in reverse.

- Charleston, SC, USA

I purchased a used Ford Freestyle 2007 model in April and after having the car that I love and felt safe with my children in, it began to act crazy!! it lunges when pulling in to park or backing out of a parking spot. It scares me now to put my kids in it!!! today after it lunged a couple different times the check engine light came on. While attempting to park at the store I almost hit a parked car and couldn't control the Freestyle!! it seems to be worse if the air is on. After one of the lunging fits today a wrench light came on and then there was no power at all. I pulled over turned it off and restarted it the light went out and power came back! something really needs to be done!!!

- Double Springs, AL, USA

The transmission causes performance issues. The transmission jerks, rattles, doesn't pull, causes the engine to stop while traveling or parked in traffic. Causes sudden jerking while driving, backing up and starting off. It also jerks violently when the vehicle is put in drive or reverse even before starting to drive. While driving the transmissions causes the vehicle to be slow to change speed. This is a serious safety hazard cause while driving the vehicle jerks so violently that it risk hitting another vehicle or pedestrian.

- Mccool, MS, USA

Throttle body system problem. Car lunging at low speeds and when the driver is not pressing the acceleration pedal; sudden and unexpected. More apparent when the vehicle's air conditioning system is on or when the steering wheel is turned sharply. Past loyal Ford customer. This was a brand new purchase. Problem started again after the hydraulic control unit was replaced in 2008. I have had all I can take; visited dealership today (3-02-212)! please Ford correct this for the sake of your customers.

- Dallas , TX, USA

I was taking my two children to school turned to cross over railroad tracks and car stalled on the tracks. I tried to restart & everytime I took my foot of the accelerator the car stalled. Finally I was able to get the car to move with my foot on the accelerator & brake. The car continued to stall when my car came close to a stop. I had my car checked last year for lunging & Ford could not find anything, & it continues to lunge now it is stalling. I was just lucky there was not a train coming or my kids & I could have been hurt.

- Turlock, CA, USA

Car would lunge at any speed, had to immediately press on brake to keep from hitting other cars or jumping forward/backward from parking space. I took it to dealer, they cleaned the throttle body and fixed the motor mount (over $500). In addition, rotors had to be resurfaced at 30K miles and I need to have them replaced at 77K miles.

- Brick, NJ, USA

The first incident occurred while I was at the store with my children. We were leaving the store as I put the Freestyle in reverse, the engine made a loud "dropping" noise and would not reverse. I put the car back into park and looked around the outside to check for anything visible that would have caused the noise or lack of movement. I noticed the car idling at a high RPM. I got back in the car to try again with no luck. This is when the car surged forward. I then became scared and turned the car off. When I turned it back on everything was "normal" again. I drove it straight to the Ford dealership. They were unable to duplicate the problems and told me to continuing driving it again until I got a light on my dash to prove to them I was having problems. They serviced my transmission at that time as well to find no issues. Unfortunately, this was not covered with the warranty so I had to pay out of pocket. Since the first incident, I have experienced this issue 5 more times, mostly while in parking lots while idle. However the last incident was 1/10/12. This surge put my vehicle in the intersection. I took the car again to the dealership. This incident had the same issues with the engine sounding like it was dropping when switching into different gears and idling high. The car would not switch out of 2nd gear while the tech test drove it with me. There was a new issue that appeared with this incident. It is a grinding noise when the gas was applied. The grind is similar to the sound the brake would make when the anti-lock were to kick in, except the brakes are not being applied. This has caused the anti-skid light and ABS light to kick on. I have maintained my car religiously since I purchased it so I do not believe this is a maintenance issue. Ford has been unable to solve these issues, charge customers for unnecessary repairs, and allow the vehicles to be driven.

- Colorado Springs, CO, USA

Car lunges at stops and low speeds.

- Charleston, WV, USA

The car would lurch forward when at slow speed or idling. Would be very difficult to control at slow speed such as entering a parking lot, garage or turning. Happened continuously for months until we were too concerned about safety or damage to the car or others. Had to keep foot pressed very hard to brake to avoid having the car shoot forward. We knew many other Freestyle owners had been having this very dangerous problem and hoped for a recall but when the engine light went on we could avoid it no longer and had the throttle body replaced. It cost us just over $900 plus tax to replace it.

- Wayne, NJ, USA

My car would surge forwarded with out me pressing the accelerator. I took it in and they could find nothing because it didn't do it constantly eventually the car stopped and would start and they said I needed a throttle body. My warranty was up at 50,000 mi and I had 52,000 I had to pay $1000 out of pocket for a problem they couldn't detect earlier. Now my transmission has gone bad I have the cvt transmission and the internal shaft has gone bad again my warranty was up at 60,000 miles and I have 64,000 I have spoken to one of the mechanics at a Ford dealer and he said they have been this complaint from a lot of people with the 2005-2007 Ford free styles they think it may be a problem with the transmissions but they refuse to do a recall. So now I am out of pocket $4000.

- Chicago, IL, USA

The car lunges or surges at low speed. The RPM go up 1000 RPM on its own. This only happens in parking lots at very low speeds so my foot is always on the brake but this cold be a very serious defect causing potential injury to others.

- Castro Valley, CA, USA

The 2007 Ford Freestyle will sometimes lurch forward or backwards from a stop. In all cases the car was initially at a stop with my foot on the brake and when I took my foot off the brake, but before placing my foot on the accelerator, the car lurched forward if in drive or backwards if in reverse. The car usually lurched about five feet before I was able to stop it. Sometimes the lurching was followed by the vehicle stalling and in the worst case the vehicle stalled, the check engine light and the service required light both turned on and I was unable to re-start the vehicle for several minutes. The lurching seems to be more of a problem on hot days.

- Wildwood, MO, USA

This is the 2nd time my 2007 Freestyle has started lunging. It will lunge in drive or reverse. Starts out with small lunges but the lunges get bigger. Then I find that it will lunge so hard I need to slam on the brakes. This causes the engine to stall. It is very difficult to drive upon restart. First experienced the lunge problem in may, 2009. Took to dealer mechanic next day and was diagnosed as faulty throttle. Replaced the throttle and now I once again have the same problem. Replacing the throttle bottle didn't solve the problem. I also have had an issue with my A/C and a broken engine mount. Not trusting the Ford dealer mechanic, I took it to a third party. The parts alone were $1000 because they could get them from Ford only. Total cost to replace compressor and fix engine mount $2200. You can't drive in the hot Arizona summers without ac. The lunging seems to get worse with the ac on and when turning the wheels. My first experience in 2009 and this one happened while starting to back out of parking spot. Had ac on and cramped wheels to back out. As I eased by foot off the brake, the car just shot back almost hitting the vehicle behind me. Slammed on brakes, car still tried to back up then stalled. The engine sounds like I have my foot on the brake and gas at the same time. Racing and high rpms. Taking back to dealer today.

- Scottsdale, AZ, USA

At a slow speed in either forward or reverse when I put my foot on the brake the engine speeds up and the car lunges forward or backwards and I have to hit the brake hard to stop it. This has happened several times and seems to be happening more often now. A couple of times the engine seeded up while the car was in park I see where Ford brushes the problem off as being minor.I think this is a dangerous thing and should be corrected. If it happens while you are parallel parking it can cause an accident. Also when backing out of a parking space you could get into an accident. With over 200 complaints I think something should be done before someone is seriously injured from this defect by Ford.

- Geneva, NY, USA

At first occurrence, I was pulling into a parking space. As I took my foot off the gas and placed it on the brake my car lurched forward unexpectedly. This unexpected lurching has increased in frequency and happens both in drive and reverse. There have also been incidents when the car is in park and it revs, as if I am pushing on the gas pedal. It will rev like that and idle down a few times and then the engine will stall.

- Salt Lake City, UT, USA

Vehicle surges when putting into drive with foot on the brake. Also, surges when braking when coming to a stop. Have not taken the vehicle to a dealership/mechanic yet.

- Murfreesboro, TN, USA