Ford Freestar Problems by Model Year
NHTSA recorded 2,533 consumer complaints across the 4 model years of the Ford Freestar (2004–2007) that have at least 5 complaints. 2004 has the most, with 1,227. Across all years, the part named most often is transmission and drivetrain (1,819 mentions). Pick a model year below to see its parts, mileage, recalls and service bulletins.
Best and worst Freestar years →
All Freestar model years
Years with fewer than 5 complaints are not listed. The score compares years of the same model, allowing for the era and for how long each year has collected complaints: 50 is a typical year, lower means fewer complaints. It is not adjusted for sales volume.
| Year | Complaints | Median mi | Recalls | TSBs | Score (50 = typical) | Trend |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2007 | 64 | 91,250 | 1 | 8 | Not compared (before 2008) | Stable |
| 2006 | 356 | 95,000 | 3 | 15 | Not compared (before 2008) | Falling |
| 2005 | 886 | 81,500 | 4 | 37 | Not compared (before 2008) | Falling |
| 2004 | 1,227 | 85,880 | 5 | 35 | Not compared (before 2008) | Falling |
Parts named most often, all years
Counts add up complaint mentions across the listed years. A complaint can name several parts.
- Transmission and drivetrain1,819 66%
- Electrical system248 8.9%
- Engine157 5.7%
- Body and structure136 4.9%
- Seats121 4.4%
- Vehicle speed control101 3.6%
- Brakes98 3.5%
- Engine cooling97 3.5%
Example complaints
One per model year, chosen for length and detail. Personal details are removed. They are consumer reports, not findings.
2005: “On november I was going shopping with my two kids,out of the sudden my van stopped in the intersection of washington and miles, I didn't know what was going on, I pushed it to the side off the road. It didn't turn on so I called the tow truck. We're being trying to fixed it but now it just doesn't shift. It is unknown as to what caused the problem.”
NHTSA complaint #10946490, filed 2017-01, 165,200 miles2004: “Driving down rd n it felt as if someone was pushing break while I was smashing gas pedal . Lost all fire to car wouldn't go no where. I was on a country rd going uphill. It spots n sputter n jerks real hard going up hill like my transmission going bad but motor sounds good so I have no clue..”
NHTSA complaint #11344013, filed 2020-08, 230,000 miles2006: “While driving 2006 Freestar around a corner without warning , it completely lost ability to go forward or backward or in any gear. We were on country road and grateful no other cars nearby, but it was cold and we are elderly. We just rolled to a stop trying to get off road as safely as possible. We had to have it towed to nearby garage. They replaced torque converter and car is now working again.”
NHTSA complaint #11076767, filed 2018-03, 182,437 milesOther Ford models
38,897 complaintsFord Explorer
34,624 complaintsFord Escape
27,530 complaintsFord Fusion
22,441 complaintsFord Focus
22,107 complaintsFord Taurus
18,162 complaintsFord Windstar
14,152 complaintsFord Edge
14,106 complaints
About this data. Data from NHTSA (ODI) complaints, recalls, TSBs and investigations, updated Oct 27, 2026. Complaints are unverified consumer reports and may be duplicated or inaccurate. Methodology