2005 Ford Freestyle
The Verdict
The 2005 Ford Freestyle has 1,458 owner complaints filed with NHTSA. The most reported issues are body (558 complaints) and engine (380 complaints). With a Klunk Score of 5/100, it earns a "Total Klunk" rating. If you're shopping for a Ford Freestyle, consider the 2007 model year which has 38% fewer complaints.
Safe Bet
The 2007 has 38% fewer complaints
View the 2007 Ford Freestyle dashboard →
Klunk Score: Total Klunk
Among the most complained-about vehicle years on record. Strongly consider alternatives.
How is this calculated?
The Klunk Score ranks this vehicle year against all others in our database based on total owner complaints filed with NHTSA. 100 = fewest complaints (top tier), 0 = most complained-about. Scores above 60 are better than average; below 40 means more problems than most.
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Under the Hood
Each number is a complaint. Darker = bigger problem.
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Worst Problems
Complaints
Our 2005 Ford Freestyle often accelerates or surges forward on its own when applying the brake or parking. It is a very dangerous malfunction that looks to be a wide spread problem for this make and model (based on online reports).
When temperature get below freezing car doors will not latch shut and come back open. Car doors work fine when temp are higher. There is a recall already for this NHTSA# 06v383000 Ford# 06545. I have a Ford Case# XXX My car was not included in recall and either should be or needs to be further investigated. I don't want my kids falling out while I go down the highway and I can't wait 45 min for the car to warm up. This had done this all last winter and is doing it again and Ford refuses to do anything. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
The contact owns a 2005 Ford Freestyle. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 06V383000 (Latches/Locks/Linkages); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the front driver's side door independently unlatched and opened. The local dealer was contacted and informed the contact that the parts for the repair were no longer manufactured. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, a case was filed, and the contact was referred to the NHTSA Hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was approximately 97,000.
PASSANGER DOOR LATCH- DOOR OPENED WHILE DRIVING, WILL NOT STAY CLOSED CHECKED SAID RECALL WAS REPAIRED IN 2006, LATCH IN NOT CLOSING
The contact owns a 2005 Ford Freestyle. The contact stated that all four door latches failed to latch while attempting to close the doors. The contact had to make several attempts to close and lock the doors before the doors latch and remained closed. The failure had reoccurred intermittently. The contact learned of NHTSA Campaign Number: 06V383000 (Latches/Locks/Linkages) but was unsure if the VIN was included. The dealer was contacted and confirmed that the VIN was not included in the recall The vehicle had not been diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and confirmed that the VIN was not included in the recall. The manufacturer referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline to report the failure. The failure mileage was 150,000.
The contact owns a 2005 Ford Freestyle. The contact stated that the vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic for routine maintenance however, the contact was informed that the motor mount torque strap needed to be replaced. The contact had not taken the vehicle to a local dealer to be diagnosed or repaired. The contact stated that the motor mounts had been replaced four times. The vehicle was repaired. The contact stated there was no warning light illuminated. The manufacturer was informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 170,000.
The contact owns a 2005 Ford Freestyle. The contact stated that while at a stop, the vehicle lunged forward. While starting the vehicle, the vehicle revved high. While driving at high speeds, the vehicle decelerated. The contact stated that several times, the vehicle failed to accelerate as needed. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, who cleaned and replaced the throttle body. The local dealer was not contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not contacted. The failure mileage was approximately 160,000.
Doors will not close in cold weather. This is a safety issue that was not resolved with prior recall.
Driving my 2005 Ford Freestyle today when I suddenly heard a loud explosion or crash sound overhead. At first I thought something had fallen from the sky and crashed into the top of our vehicle. I immediately slowed down and pulled the car off the side of the road. My husband was a passenger in the vehicle. He carefully got out of the vehicle and looked on top of and around the vehicle. That is when we discovered that the glass in the sunroof had literally exploded and blown out of the vehicle. The track was still in place and operating normally. The glass was completely blown out of the vehicle. Because the Ford Freestyle was only in production for 3 years (I believe), there probably are not many still in use. Thus, there are probably not many Ford Freestyle owners having or reporting this problem. Besides being scared, the potential for being hit by the exploding glass and suffering substantial injuries to our heads, eyes, face, shoulders, bodies, could have been tremendous, if not deadly. I reported the incident to Ford Motor Company. The vehicle has not been inspected yet by manufacturer, police, insurance, or others. There were no warning lamps, messages or other symptoms of the problem prior to the sunroof glass failure.
Says transmission data error check engine and trac control all display and only allow me to drive 20-35 MPH some time I can turn the car off and back on and the codes will shut off but they come back on in the middle of the highway what usually takes me 30 minutes takes me an hour and a half to get to some times 2 hours I can't run my AC cuz that over does my alternator and heats my car I've only had it a year and it's been giving me problems 5 months after getting it I have kids and it gets rough going slow in the heat and hoping if I press to much on the gas please help I am broke and have nothing but this car left and I've spent $2000 for people to tell me nothing is wrong with it
The contact owns a 2005 Ford Freestyle. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the traction control and check engine warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle failed to shift into gear. The vehicle was towed to the residence. The contact called the local dealer however, the vehicle was not diagnosed nor repaired. The manufacturer was not contacted. The failure mileage was approximately 179,000.
I WAS SOLD A VEHICLE WITHOUT BEING TOLD THAT THERE WAS A RECALL. INSTEAD HE TOLD ME IT WAS JUST SOME RATTLING THAT WAS COMING FROM SOMETHING LOOSE AND NOT IMPORTANT. ITS RATTLING LIKE CRAZY UNDER MY CAR. I LOOKED UP RECALLS FOR IT AND THERE IS AN IMPORTANT RECALL THAT NEEDS TO BE FIXED ON IT. PLEASE. IT CAN HARM MY NEWBORN CHILD AND MELT WIRES AND IS GONNA COST SO MUCH MONEY THAT I DON'T HAVE TO FIX IT. THIS IS MY ONLY CAR. PLEASE. ITS A 2005 FORD FREESTYLE AND THERE IS A RECALL FOR IT ON EXACTLY WHAT ITS BEEN DOING. EVERYTIME I DRIVE IT FEELS LIKE IT'S GONNA FALL APART AND INSIDE THE CAB IS GETTING HOTT AND HARMFUL FUMES ARE COMING INTO THE CAB. ITS DANGEROUS. THE HEAT SHIELD IS BROKEN I GUESS.
JUST GOT THE CAR AND IT STALLED ON ME TODAY, ACCELERATED AND SHUT OFF IN THE MIDDLE OF THE ROAD. ALOT GOING ON IV READ OTHER PEOPLE'S COMMENTS ABOUT THE FORD CAUSING ACCIDENTS I DON'T WANT THAT TO HAPPEN TO ME I'M A NEW DRIVER
STATIONARY AND IN MOTION MY AWD MALFUNCTION LIGHT WILL COME ON, IT DOES THIS MULTIPLE TIMES A DAY, I JUST GOT THIS FORD THE OTHER DAY, NOBODY KNOWS WHAT THE ISSUE IS, BUT I'VE SEEN THOUSANDS OF OTHER PEOPLE HAVE THIS ISSUE. THAT ALMOST CAUSED ME AN ACCIDENT TODAY IN THE SNOW. NOT VERY HAPPY ABOUT IT, AND I DON'T WANT IT TO HAPPEN AGAIN. IT'S BEEN DOING THIS SINCE I GOT IT. I'M LUCKY IT'S NOT TOTALED.
DRIVING JUST FINE WHENEVER I GOT IT. NOT EVEN 20,000 MILES LATER AT ABOUT 122K MILES THE TRANSMISSION IS BAD AND GOING OUT. IT DRIVES AT HIGH RPM BUT LOW SPEEDS AND WILL NOT SHIFT INTO PROPER GEAR. MAKES A FUNNY AIRPLANE NOISE FROM THE TRANSMISSION. THIS VEHICLE HAS BEEN KEPT UP WITH BY ME.
MY CAR HAS BEGUN TO ACCELERATE WHEN I AM BRAKING, AND IT IS A POWERFUL AND SUDDEN ACCELERATION! IT SEEMS TO HAPPEN MORE OFTEN WHEN I AM BACKING UP AND TURNING, BUT WILL HAPPEN AT ANY TIME. IT STARTED LAST WEEK AND IS HAPPENING WITH GREATER FREQUENCY, MAKING IT UNSAFE TO DRIVE. LAST NIGHT IT WENT INTO FAIL SAFE MODE, BUT UPON RESTARTING THE CAR TODAY, IT HAS RETURNED TO NORMAL. I DID AN INTERNET SEARCH AND FOUND THAT OTHER PEOPLE HAVE HAD SIMILAR EXPERIENCES, PARTICULARLY WHEN THE AIR CONDITIONER IS RUNNING. AS IT SO HAPPENS, I HAD MY AIR CONDITIONER FIXED LAST WEEK.
CHECK TRANSMISSION KEEPS POPPING UP AND THE WRENCH LIGHT COMES ON AND CARS RPMS GO TO 3000 YO 5000 ON ITS OWN GOING DOWN THE HIGHWAY
THIS VEHICLE TRANSMISSION DOESNT WORK AND CAN NOT BE FIX. THIS PROBLEM CAME WITH THE VEHICLE. IT MAKE NOISE LIKE A HELICOPTER. I TOOK THE CAR TO THE DEALER AND THEY TOLD ME THEY COULDNT DO ANYTHING AND TO CALL FORD MOTOR AS THERE IS RECALL IN THIS MODEL..
THE CAR STOPS RANDOMLY AT TIMES AND SOMETIMES WILL NOT EVEN STARTUP. CHECK ENGINE LIGHT IS ON AND I RECENTLY HIT SOMEONE IN FRONT OF ME DUE TO JERKING OR LERCHING WHILE AT A STOP LIGHT. VERY DANGEROUS
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 FORD FREESTYLE. ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS, OVER THE COURSE OF SEVERAL YEARS, THE INSTRUMENT PANEL FAILED TO OPERATE WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS STARTED. OVER TIME, THE INSTRUMENT PANEL BECAME TOTALLY INOPERABLE AND THE CONTACT WAS UNABLE TO SEE THE SPEED, FUEL LEVEL, OR OTHER GAUGES. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO VARNEY FORD (LOCATED AT 237 MOOSEHEAD TRAIL, NEWPORT, ME 04953, (888) 460-7356) WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE INSTRUMENT PANEL NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. ADDITIONALLY, THE BATTERY NEEDED TO BE REPLACED BECAUSE THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN DRIVEN FOR DAYS TO WEEKS AT A TIME. HOWEVER, THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT DIELECTRIC GREASE WAS ADDED TO THE WIRE CONNECTORS AND THE VEHICLE OPERATED AS INTENDED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FAILURE SEEMED TO BE MORE PREVALENT WHEN THE OUTSIDE TEMPERATURE WAS BETWEEN 60-68 DEGREES. THE MANUFACTURER WAS INFORMED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE THE FIRST FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 1200 MILES IN 2007 AND AGAIN BY 2012. *TP
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