2004 Ford Freestar Problems

What owners report

Owners of the 2004 Freestar report transmission and transaxle problems far more than anything else, most often a sudden loss of drive or slipping under normal driving. Third-row seat mounting corrosion, electrical gremlins (power windows, radio, instrument lighting) and engine stalling are also described. Most transmission complaints arrive around 85,000 miles, while seat and structure complaints tend to show up later.

1. 1
   Transmission and drivetrain

   Transmission slips or loses drive

   • 714 complaints (58%)
   • median 85,000 mi at 6.8 yrs old (659 state mileage)
   • 13 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • owner-quoted repair $2,447 (median of 144 quotes)
   • filed 2005–2025

   Owners describe the van revving with no forward motion, slipping out of gear, or failing to move in drive or reverse without warning, sometimes after a delay or hesitation in acceleration. Several report they were told by the dealer that no problem was found or that a fluid flush was needed before the transmission later failed. Repairs described include rebuilds or replacements, and in some cases the torque converter. Mostly reported between roughly 40,000 and 150,000 miles, frequently during ordinary driving at 30-70 mph.

   Recall 12V0060002 related service bulletins

   What to check: Ask for transmission service records and whether the torque converter output shaft recall 12V006000 was completed for this VIN. On a test drive, check for delayed or flared shifts and confirm the van engages drive and reverse promptly from a cold start.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “I bought a 2004 Ford Freestar van and three weeks after I bought it while driving down the road I went to accelerate and the van just revved, come to find out the transmission has went out and now we have been without a car since february of 2010 and we have three small children and I wish there was something that could be done about this defect in the van.”

   NHTSA complaint #10353733, filed 2010-09, 139,000 miles

   “2004 Ford Freestar. Going down the road and the van ran fine but could not go any more. Had to get towed and find it is the transmission and will be at least 1600 dollars to fix. No warning or slipping or anything and I see on the forums that Ford is having way too much trouble with these vans. What are we to do for there problem. It is crippling families like ours with big bills.”

   NHTSA complaint #10331803, filed 2010-05, 110,000 miles
2. 2
   Transmission and drivetrain

   Torque converter failure

   Mentioned in 11 of 60 sampled complaints

   Complaints describe the engine revving while the van coasts or loses power, with the torque converter later found at fault or replaced along with the pump shaft. Some owners link the failure to recall 12V006000 covering the torque converter output shaft and note their VIN was not included. Reported from about 40,000 to over 150,000 miles, often on the highway or under acceleration.

   Recall 12V006000

   What to check: Ask whether the torque converter has been replaced and check the VIN against recall 12V006000. Listen for whining or rattling on a cold start and watch for the engine revving without corresponding acceleration.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “While driving approx. 70 MPH on the freeway with out warning the power to the wheels ceased to work. The engine would rev up but there was no power going to the wheels. We were able to coast to the side where we had to be towed. The torque converter had to be replaced at a large cost. The failure happened at approx. 100,000 miles.”

   NHTSA complaint #10371957, filed 2010-12, 100,000 miles

   “I was driving at 35 MPH and went to speed up coming out of town. When I went to accelerate, my rpms revved upto 5 and my speed drastically declined to where I had no power and could not go in drive or reverse. I had t call a tow truck to take van back to town. Have been told torque converter is bad and that transmission needs to be replaced. No signs of anything leading up to the car not driving.”

   NHTSA complaint #10392656, filed 2011-03, 123,000 miles
3. 3
   Seats

   Third-row seat latch area rust

   • 94 complaints (8%)
   • median 116,271 mi at 9.0 yrs old (84 state mileage)
   • 1 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • filed 2008–2021

   Owners report corrosion around the third-row seat anchor and latch striker area, with the seat rocking, failing to latch, or a plate rusting through into the wheel well and letting water in. Some mention recall 13V081000 for the third-row seat in high-corrosion states and say parts were unavailable at the dealer. Typically reported above 85,000 miles, more often in states that use road salt.

   Recall 13V0810006 related service bulletins

   What to check: Inspect the third-row seat anchor plates and wheel wells for rust-through, and check whether recall 13V081000 was performed on this vehicle.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “2004 Ford Freestar ses I changed the rear brakes on 1/20/2013 noticed the left rear wheel was rusting out. Today 2/24/2013 went to install a car sear & noticed the bench seat in the back was rocking slightly. The anchor point on the left rear is rusted out and moving. Upon inspection I noticed that I can see down to the ground where the anchor point has rusted out. I have had to replace numerous parts on this van over the last two years. …”

   NHTSA complaint #10499861, filed 2013-02, 154,000 miles

   “I am entering this complaint in relation to other complaints that have been filed. There is a defect investigation taking place (ea12003 and pe11039) for this issue already. I attempted to put my 3rd row seat back up and lock it into place. On the drive side I noticed that it would not lock into place. After further review, I know noticed that the whole latch had fallen off and was laying on the back driver side wheel. The whole plate rusted thru and fell off into the wheel well. I've had this car since 2004. …”

   NHTSA complaint #10477954, filed 2012-09, 87,000 miles
4. 4
   Engine

   Stalling or rough running, water in the computer

   • 260 complaints (21%)
   • median 90,000 mi at 8.5 yrs old (239 state mileage)
   • 5 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • owner-quoted repair $1,200 (median of 35 quotes)
   • filed 2005–2025

   Owners describe the van stalling at speed or at idle, hard starting, and a check engine light; some report water intrusion into the powertrain control module and that a rain kit had not been installed during a prior repair. Several say the dealer could not duplicate the problem. Spread from under 40,000 miles to past 100,000, sometimes after heavy rain or wet weather.

   4 related service bulletins

   What to check: Ask whether the PCM rain kit and any related programming were applied, and check for a stored check engine light or recent computer replacement.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “I just came across this website and wish I wrote this a year ago because I would have made a complaint then. I have had many issues with the lights flickering, coming on automatically when it rains, my interior lights staying on and actually catching fire because it had gotten so hot. My radio used to turn on by itself or not turn on at all, which has now been replaced. My van has literally died on me while driving more often at times when I'm making a turn or slightly moving my steering wheel. …”

   NHTSA complaint #11389530, filed 2021-01, 20 miles

   “Problem #1 the passenger side window will not work . It's controll module was replaced it worked one time and stopped working again. Problem #2 the drive axle broke in traffic luckily we were stopping and were only going about 5 MPH. Problem #3 today after a night of heavy rain when the van was unlocked the radio came on before the key was even in the ignition. Which brings us to problem #4 the biggest and no doubt most expensive. …”

   NHTSA complaint #10870191, filed 2016-05, 16,462 miles
5. 5
   Electrical system

   Power windows, radio and lights acting up

   • 121 complaints (10%)
   • median 93,000 mi at 8.4 yrs old (115 state mileage)
   • 4 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • owner-quoted repair $1,000 (median of 21 quotes)
   • filed 2004–2022

   Complaints describe power windows that stop working, a radio that turns on by itself, flickering or interior lights staying on, and occasional stalling while turning. Owners report replaced window regulator motors and control modules where the failure returned. Reported from very low mileage up to about 160,000 miles, in wet or humid conditions in some cases.

   4 related service bulletins

   What to check: Cycle every window, power door and the radio during a test drive and check whether interior lighting turns off completely.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “2004 Ford Freestar RPM's 3000 at idle. Diagnosed as water intrusion in original PCM (powertrain control module) in april of 2011. Water intrusion occurred on replacement PCM as well within 3 months because rain kit per service bulletin ( # TSB-06-14-10) was not installed at the Ford dealer. Second incident occurred with the replacement (new) PCM on 9/8/11. On 9/8/11 vehicle stalled out while in traffic. Replacement PCM diagnosed as water intrusion as well by different Ford. …”

   NHTSA complaint #10426855, filed 2011-09, 100,553 miles

   “The contact owns a 2004 Ford Freestar. The contact stated that the rear door latch was loose. The latch required readjustment in order to connect the latch. The contact also indicated that the plastic piece on the rear seat lever fractured and the bottom latch was used as a temporary option to lift the seat up and down. The front passenger side window also failed to open and close. The motor for the window regulator was replaced but the failure recurred and the window on the passengers side still would not open and close. …”

   NHTSA complaint #10763618, filed 2015-09, 120,000 miles

Buying note. A pre-purchase inspection focused on the transmission and third-row seat mounts is worth the cost on this model year, and confirming which open recalls (12V006000, 13V081000) have been completed for the VIN is worthwhile. Service records showing transmission work are a reasonable thing to ask for.

Summary written with AI from a sample of 60 NHTSA complaints for this model year (picked at random, with complaints that state a mileage and recent ones taken first), then checked automatically against the source records. Where a problem shows a complaint count, every complaint for this model year was matched with fixed keyword rules (written with AI and tested against the sample), and the mileage, age and repair figures are calculated from those complaints; owners' figures are as stated, not verified. Other counts refer to the sample. The excerpts come from NHTSA's public complaint records and are unverified; capitalisation is normalised, NHTSA staff notes are removed, and shortened text ends with “…”. Something wrong? Request a correction.