2005 Ford Freestar Problems

What owners report

Owners of this model year report transmission problems far more than anything else, most often a sudden loss of drive where the van revs but no longer moves forward or backward. Many complaints tie this to the torque converter output shaft, and several mention the 2012 recall on that part. Complaints also describe corrosion at the third row seat mounts and, less often, water getting into the powertrain control module (PCM). Reports of transmission loss appear across a wide mileage range, from under 40,000 to well over 200,000 miles.

1. 1
   Transmission and drivetrain

   Transmission loss of drive (revs but won't move)

   • 664 complaints (75%)
   • median 81,110 mi at 6.1 yrs old (610 state mileage)
   • 6 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • owner-quoted repair $2,050 (median of 146 quotes)
   • filed 2006–2026

   Complaints describe the engine revving while the van stops moving, sometimes at highway speed, sometimes on an incline or when pulling away from a stop. In many cases the transmission would not engage forward or reverse afterward and the vehicle had to be towed. Owners say shops diagnosed a failed torque converter and recommended a transmission rebuild or replacement, and some report the problem returning after a recall repair or a rebuilt unit was installed. Reported from roughly 40,000 miles up to over 200,000 miles, with many complaints clustered between 60,000 and 105,000 miles.

   Recall 12V0060003 related service bulletins

   What to check: Ask whether the 12V006000 torque converter output shaft recall was completed and whether the transmission has since been rebuilt or replaced. On a test drive, check that the van engages drive and reverse firmly and does not rev without moving, especially on an incline.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “2005 Ford Freestar. Pulling out into an intersection and vehicle lost all power. Transmission is gone. Have not gotten repair costs yet but I anticipate over $2000. I have seen that there are over 1000 complaints in the internet for the same issue. I could have been killed because I had no warning of this happening and there was on coming traffic approaching me.”

   NHTSA complaint #10362827, filed 2010-10, 84,000 miles

   “I was driving at 10:30pm preparing to enter the interstate when the engine revved and the motion of the car going forward began to stop. There was a sudden and complete loss of power to the wheels. Being on the inside lane of a 4 lane street, there was no way to make it to the rt lane or shoulder. The street was very busy and several times we were almost hit by screeching cars. We called 911 and got police help. …”

   NHTSA complaint #10286992, filed 2009-10, 52,000 miles
2. 2
   Electrical system

   Stalling, bucking or no acceleration (PCM / electrical)

   • 127 complaints (14%)
   • median 95,390 mi at 8.1 yrs old (112 state mileage)
   • 3 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • owner-quoted repair $1,500 (median of 17 quotes)
   • filed 2006–2023

   Complaints describe the van stalling or bucking while driving, occasionally failing to restart, and sometimes losing power locks, wipers or other electrical functions at the same time. Several owners say a shop found water in the PCM connector or housing and replaced the module; others report repeated no-start or rough-idle visits where the dealer could not find a fault. Reported from about 68,000 miles upward, sometimes after rain, with several complaints between 70,000 and 135,000 miles.

   3 related service bulletins

   What to check: Ask whether the PCM has ever been replaced or dried out, and look for water staining or corrosion around the PCM and its connectors. Check that warning lights behave normally and that power locks, wipers and windows all work.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “I have a 2005 Ford Freestar sel, while driving down the road the van will stall with no warning. I have pulled the van over to the side of the road and placed the van in neutral and restarted the van. While the van is in neutral the RPM's will go up to around 2000. While placing the van back in drive it seems fine after attempting to drive the van it jerks and after getting up to about 20 MPH the van will stall again. …”

   NHTSA complaint #10374862, filed 2011-01, 71,000 miles

   “Car stalls when it stops, shuttering while it drives, the car has been to the shop twice know. The second time it was left outside the auto shop and it rained over night. When the mechanics went to start it and look at it they noticed there was water dripping out of our ECM. They did some research and found that there were design flaws in the ECM and that it wasn't sealed right. There should have been a recall but there never has been. I have looked online and there are all sorts of people reporting the exact same thing.”

   NHTSA complaint #10470493, filed 2012-08, 131,369 miles
3. 3
   Seats

   Third row seat mounts rusted at the wheel well

   Mentioned in 6 of 60 sampled complaints

   Owners describe the third row seat feeling loose or coming free, then finding the mounting plate and surrounding wheel well rusted through. Some report a hole in the wheel well where the attachment point was. Several complaints note the recall for this condition covers only certain states and that their vehicle was not included; one describes waiting on recall parts that were not available. Mostly reported between about 90,000 and 320,000 miles on older vans in states outside the recall region.

   Recall 13V081000

   What to check: Inspect the third row seat mounting plates and the wheel wells on both sides for rust or thinning metal, and check whether the vehicle was registered in a state covered by recall 13V081000. Ask whether the recall repair was completed.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “Discovered that the 3rd row seat was loose. Looking closer found that the u shaped bolt the seat attached to was loose and that the wheel well, where the bolt connects,had corroded. Found that Ford does have a recall on this problem but it does not cover kentucky where I live. It does cover all of the states north of kentucky. I feel that Ford should cover all states since this is a safety concern.”

   NHTSA complaint #10669627, filed 2015-01, 109,000 miles

   “The third row seat latch that was attached to the rear wheel well has completely rusted through. The plate with the 3rd row attachment point on the driver side tire well completely fell out leaving a 8-10 hole in the wheel well. There is an existing recall for this but only in certain states. I live in kansas which is not included. Why this is I do not understand. What does it matter what state you live in? If it is a defect, it is a defect no matter where the car is.”

   NHTSA complaint #10655394, filed 2014-11, 100,560 miles

Buying note. Have a transmission shop check this van before buying, and confirm in writing whether the 12V006000 torque converter recall was completed and whether the transmission has been rebuilt since. Also inspect the third row seat mounts and wheel wells for rust, and check for water around the PCM.

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.