2005 Ford Freestar Electrical System Problems

The rear wheel well has rusted on both sides and completely rusted out a large hole (approx. 1 ft diameter area visibly effected) in the the body of the van. The rusted out section is where the back seat is anchored to the frame, so the rust has cause the seat to no longer be securely anchored to the car. The hole has also caused electrical wires to get wet when water gets into the van and intermittently and unpredictably causing failure of electrical features, including headlights and blinkers, while driving.

THIS IS A BIG, BIG, DEAL RELATED TO DANGEROUS SAFETY ISSUE. REFERENCE BULLETIN:FORD TSB 6-14-10, ISSUED JULY 24, 2006 (SUPERSEDES FORD TSB 5-23-7 ISSUED NOVEMBER 28, 2005) MY CAR SUDDENLY LOST CONTROL SURGING AND UNABLE TO SHIFT AND NO REVERSE GEAR. HAVE HAD OFF AND ON PROBLEMS FOR THE PAST YEAR RESULTING IN ABOUT $2000 OF SERVICE TO FIGURE OUT WHY CAR ACTING UP, SURGING, INABILITY TO SHIFT, AT TIMES NO FORWARD OR REVERSE GEAR. ONE TIME DROVE 25 MPH TO GET HOME 20 MILES AND POLICE STOPPED ME BECAUSE SUSPICIOUS DRIVING. I TOLD HIM I WAS HAVE TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS. TRANSMISSION AS IT TURNS OUT IS PERFECT. PCM IS MALFUNCTIONING INTERMITTENTLY BECAUSE OF ENGINEERING PROBLEM OF PCM SHORTING OUT.TOWED TO FORD DEALER AND SAID NEEDED $2-5000 TRANSMISSION. TOWED HOME AND SUDDENLY STARTED WORKING. INVESTIGATED THIS BULLETIN THAT THE FORD DEALER WAS NOT FAMILIAR WITH AND THEY ACCEPTED MY INFORMATION DESCRIBING THE BULLETIN TO THEM. WHY HAS THIS PROBLEM NOT RISEN TO THE RECALL STATUS GIVEN THE EXTREME DANGER ON THE HIGHWAY DRIVING AND LOOSING ALL CONTROL OF THE CAR CAUSING A VERY DANGEROUS PERILOUS SITUATION TO ME MY FAMILY AND OTHERS ON THE ROAD?

WATER DRIPPED FROM THE WIPER BLADE COWL INTO THE PCM, CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO START, DRIVE BRIEFLY, AND THEN SHUT OFF WHILE MOVING, CAUSING LOSS OF CONTROL OF ELECTRICAL COMPONENTS OF THE VEHICLE WHILE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY. STEERING BECAME DIFFICULT. IF THIS HAD HAPPENED AT HIGH SPEEDS OR WITH A LOT OF TRAFFIC AROUND, IT COULD HAVE BEEN EXTREMELY DANGEROUS OR DEADLY. THE MECHANIC SAYS THIS IS A PROBLEM HE SEES WITH FORD WINDSTAR VEHICLES. THE MECHANIC STATED THE PCM WAS LITERALLY UNDER WATER WHEN HE RECEIVED THE VEHICLE, DESPITE THE CAUSE BEING A FAIRLY TYPICAL RAIN STORM, AND DRYING OUT THE PCM DID NOT HELP, AS THE DAMAGE HAD ALREADY BEEN DONE. THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE THAT, AFTER SEARCHING ONLINE AND SPEAKING WITH MECHANICS, APPEARS TO BE COMMON. FORD NEEDS TO FIX THIS ISSUE BEFORE A VEHICLE LOSES CONTROL AT HIGH SPEEDS.

WE OWN A 2005 FORD FREESTAR. THE SLIDING DOOR LOCK FAILED ON PASSENGER SIDE AND COULD NOT BE UNLOCKED ELECTRONICALLY OR MANUALLY. THE LOCAL FORD MECHANIC STATED THAT THE COST TO REPAIR WAS $600+ FOR PARTS & $300 FOR LABOR TO FIX. APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 126,000.

FOR A FEW YEARS NOW VARIOUS ELECTRICAL THING HAVE BEEN GOING ON MY MINI VAN. THE SCREEN THAT SHOWS MILEAGE, ETC. HAS A SHORT AND CAN ONLY BE SEEN WHEN IT'S REALLY DARK OUT AT NIGHT. AWHILE LATER, AS I WAS DRIVING, MY CRUISE CONTROL GAVE OUT AND NO LONGER WORKS. NOW THE LIGHT FOR MY CLOCK AND THE SCREEN THAT TELLS CARDINAL DIRECTIONS AND THE TEMP OUTSIDE IS DEAD. I AM CONCERNED THAT THIS ELECTRICAL ISSUE COULD BE DANGEROUS. I DIDN'T KNOW ABOUT THIS WEBSITE TO REPORT IT TILL NOW.

VAN GOT UP TO 50 MPH AND STALLED OUT AND THEN COMPLETELY LOST POWER. I TOOK IT TO A MECHANIC AND HE SAID THE COMPUTER COMPONENT WAS FULL OF WATER. COMPUTER HAD TO BE REPLACED.

ALL GAUGES LOST POWER ON & OFF EACH DAY,UNTIL TODAY SHUT OFF FOR GOOD (4-10-15). ALSO, AT FIRST (DEC. 2014) LOST LIGHTS ON INSIDE OF VEHICLE & DID NOT EFFECT OUTSIDE LIGHTS UNTIL RECENTLY WHEN OUTSIDE ALSO OUT. HAS HAPPENED MULTIPLE TIMES SINCE FIRST NOTICED. AT FIRST SIGNAL LIGHTS WORKED, BUT NOT NOW. ALSO A/C & RADIO DO NOT WORK, PLUS THE DOORS, WINDOWS DO NOT OPEN OR CLOSE AS WELL. THE ONLY DOOR WHICH OPENS IS THE DRIVERS DOOR WITH THE KEY. SOMETIMES EVERYTHING COMES ON & OFF BY ITSELF, (EVEN CD PLAYER & RADIO, BUT NOW DOES NOT WORK), WHEN I GET IN THE CAR TO START IT. I CHECKED MY BATTERY WHICH WAS STILL GOOD, AND PUT IN A NEW ALTERNATOR THIS MONTH (APRIL), BUT THE PROBLEM HAS BEEN GOING ON SINCE LAST DECEMBER. AT FIRST IN DEC. THE MECHANIC SAID HE HAD TO RESET SOMETHING, AND THEN IT WAS OK FOR A COUPLE OF MONTHS UNTIL FEBRUARY, 2015. THEN IT BEGAN TO START UP AGAIN, AND I REPLACED THE ALTERNATOR LAST MONTH (MARCH). THE NOISE & PROBLEMS WERE HAPPENING AT RANDOM, CRACKLING NOISE UNDER THE DASHBOARD AND UNDER THE DRIVERS SIDE UNDER THE STEERING WHEEL, BUT THEN IT HAS OCCURRED MORE OFTEN. AS OF TODAY 4-10-15 THEY ARE ALL HAPPENING, SO I CAN NOT DRIVE THE VAN NOW DUE TO THE LOSE OF THE SIGNALS, LIGHTS, AND NOT BEING ABLE TO OPEN THE DOORS OR WINDOWS. I CHECKED UNDER THE STEERING WHEEL AND SAW A TINY LIGHT GOING ON & OFF AND THEN IT WENT OFF AND SO DID EVERYTHING ELSE WHICH WAS WORKING BEFORE. THE NOISE WAS AROUND THAT LIGHT AREA NEAR A BLACK BOX. WHAT IS CAUSING THIS? I FEEL IT IS DANGEROUS TO DRIVE THE VAN. *TR

VEHICLE CONTROL CENTER STATES ABS IS NOT FUNCTIONING. TRACTION CONTROL NOT FUNCTIONING. CRUISE CONTROL WORKS INTERMITTENTLY. ALARM SYSTEM TRIGGERS INTERMITTENTLY. ABS AND TRACTION CONTROL FAILURE CAUSES VEHICLE TO BE DIFFICULT TO DRIVE. DEALERSHIP STATES IS COMMON ISSUE AND THERE IS A TSB ON THE ISSUE. REQUIRES ABS MODULE AND HCU MODULE. *TR

WHILE DRIVING AT 70 MPH THE VAN STOPPED RUNNING. I WAS UNABLE TO RESTART IT. I ALSO LOST ALL ABILITY TO STEER. THIS HAPPENED DURING A VERY BUSY TIME ON THE HIGHWAY. I WAS STRANDED IN THE MIDDLE OF A LANE WITH TRAFFIC AROUND ME CONTINUING TO GO 70 MILES PER HOUR. AFTER RESEARCHING, MY MECHANIC FOUND THAT THE PROBLEM IS THE PCM IS GETTING WET DUE TO A DESIGN FLAW BY FORD MOTOR COMPANY. THIS WAS A VERY DANGEROUS SITUATION FOR ME TO BE IN. THE VAN CONTINUES TO HAVE PROBLEMS WITH MOISTURE EVEN THOUGH THE PCM HAS BEEN CHANGED AND ALL KNOWN AREAS HAVE BEEN SEALED. THIS VEHICLE IS DANGEROUS. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 FORD FREESTAR. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE SLIDING DOOR LOCK FAILED AND COULD NOT BE UNLOCKED ELECTRONICALLY OR MANUALLY. THE LOCAL MECHANIC STATED THAT THE POWER CONTROL MODULE WAS DEFECTIVE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED AND THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 126,000.

HEAVY RAIN ALL DAY AND THE WATER WAS LEAKING ON THE MAIN COMPUTER BOARD. CAUSING THE VAN TO STALL OUT AND RESULTING IN A 100.00 TOW BILL. THE SHOP TOLD ME IT IS LEAKING AND NEEDS TO BE REPLACED AND SEALED. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 FORD FREESTAR. WHILE DRIVING AT VARIOUS SPEEDS DURING RAINY WEATHER CONDITIONS, ALL OF THE LIGHTS ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL ILLUMINATED AND THE ENGINE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE DID NOT RESTART. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE CONTACT'S RESIDENCE WHERE IT WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 125,000.

DRIVING AT APPROXIMATELY 35MPH THE VEHICLE STARTED STALLING OUT AND WOULD NOT SHIFT PROPERLY. FORTUNATELY WAS ABLE TO SAFELY COAST TO SIDE OF ROAD. HAD VEHICLE TOWED TO CONWAY FORD IN CONWAY, SC. NEEDED NEW POWER CONTROL MODULAR (PCM) DUE TO WATER LEAKING THROUGH WINDSHIELD COWLING AND SHORTING OUT CONNECTIONS TO PCM. CREATED A POTENTIALLY DANGEROUS SITUATION WITH VEHICLE STALLING OUT WHILE IN MOTION. RESEARCH HAS REVEALED THIS TO BE A VERY COMMON PROBLEM WITH THIS VEHICLE THAT IS A SAFETY HAZARD THAT NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED BY FORD MOTOR COMPANY WITH A RECALL. *TR

I HAVE HAD AN ISSUE WITH IT DYING AND STALLING OUT AND NOT WANTING TO MOVE.... AFTER 3 TRIPS IN A MONTH TO THE DEALERSHIP THEY FINALLY FOUND THE PROBLEM, IT WAS THE PCM MODULE..... I CALLED FORD MOTOR COMPANY AND INFORMED THEM THAT AFTER DOING RESEARCH ONLINE THAT I HAVE NOTICED THAT THIS IS A MAJOR ISSUE WITH MANY OWNERS..... THEY SAID THAT IF ENOUGH PEOPLE CALL IN AND INFORM IT WILL GET ADDRESSED BY NHTSA...SO IF YOU ARE HAVING THIS PROBLEM OR HAVE HAD IT PLEASE CALL IN. KEEP YOUR RECEIPTS FOR ANY REPAIRS DONE DUE TO THIS AND IF THERE IS A RECALL AND HOPEFULLY IT WILL BE BEFORE SOMEONE DIES DUE TO IT. WE WILL BE REIMBURSED FOR OUR REPAIR COSTS. *TR

WHILE DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD, THE VAN WILL SUDDENLY DIE. ALL ALARMS, ENGINE LIGHT, ABS, TRACTION CONTROL. WILL GO OFF. SUDENLY THERE IS NO POWER. VAN WILL START RIGHT BACK UP AND DRIVE AGAIN. THIS HAS BEEN GOING ON FOR OVER A YEAR. I HAVE HAD IT AT 7 DIFFERENT MECHANICS, INCLUDING THE FORD DEALERSHIP WHERE I PURCHASED THE VEHICLE. IT HAS HAPPENED AT ALL DIFFERENT SPEEDS, 20-65, ALSO HAPPENS IF STALLED AT A STOP LIGHT OR DRIVE-THRU. ADDITIONALLY, I CAN BE DRIVING AT 25-35MPH AND THE RPM'S WILL SHOOT UP TO 7000 OR FALL ALL THE WAY DOWN LIKE YOU ARE IDLEING. VEHICLE MAKES NOISES LIKE IT IS GOING TO BLOW UP AND THEN WILL BE FINE. *TR

THE SITUATION IS VERY DANGER, THE PROBLEM WITH THE PCM ISSUES, THAT SHARE BAD INFORMATION WITH ANY OTHER COMPONENT IN USE, ENGINE, TRANSMISSION, LIGHTS, AC SYSTEM, LOW BATTERY OR NOT TURN ON EVEN WITH NEW BATTERY, AND THE WIRES AND CONNECTORS CLEAN. THE MOST DANGEROUS IS JUST STOP RUNNING IN MIDDLE OF TRAFFIC, OR SOME MECHANIC DID NOT HAVE IDEA ABOUT THE PROBLEM, EVEN THE SARASOTA FORD MECHANICS. A FEW WEEKS A GO I LEFT THE CAR FOR 2 DAYS, PRESENT IN MY OPINION TRANSMISSION MAL-FUNCTION, AFTER THEY CHARGE ME $140, NO PROBLEMS SOLVED, AND THEY SAY THE TECHNICIAN REPORT : NEEDS ENGINE WORK BEFORE TRANSMISSION DIAGNOSTICS. NEEDS CAM SYNCRO ASSY.(FIX WHINNING NOISE) I AGREE OK. NEED A SENSOR ASY ??????? CONNECT A LITTLE METAL WIRE ON TOP ENGINE (THEY CALL BUSH.....???) AFTER THAT ALL THE PROBLEMS STILL HAPPENING ALL THE TIME. IF YOU HAVE ANY ANSWER ABOUT ALL THIS, OR PLACE TO GO AND GET A REAL INSPECTION AND REPORT. FROM NOW AND FOREVER, THANK YOU VERY MUCH. *TR

IN THE MORNING THE VEHICLE BATTERY HAD BEEN DRAINED AND WE HAD IT TOWED TO THE DEALER. THEY REPLACED THE ALTERNATOR. WE PICKED IT UP AND THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON. THEY SAID IT WAS THE MASS AIR FLOW SENSOR AND REPLACED IT. TWO WEEKS WENT BY AND ONE DAY THE VEHICLE WOULDN'T START. WE HAD IT TOWED TO THE DEALER AND THEY SAID IT WAS THE MASS AIR FLOW CONNECTOR AND REPLACED IT. THE NEXT DAY THE VEHICLE WOULDN'T START. WE HAD IT TOWED TO THE DEALER AND THEY SAID NOTHING WAS WRONG. THE ENGINE ALWAYS IDLES VERY ROUGH AND NO ONE CAN CORRECT IT. IT HAS STALLED IN TRAFFIC. I HAVE DONE RESEARCH AND HAVE BEEN MADE AWARE OF A PROBLEM WITH THE PCM MODULE ON THESE VEHICLES. APPARENTLY RAIN GETS IT AND SOAKS THE MODULE CAUSING ALL SORTS OF ELECTRICAL AND TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS. FORD IS AWARE OF THE ISSUE AND HAS ISSUED A SERVICE BULLETIN AND REPAIR KIT FOR THIS PROBLEM, BUT NO RECALL. *TR

I WAS DRIVING ON A CITY STREET WHEN MY ENGINE LIGHT BEGAN FLASHING/BLINKING. I WAS HAVING TROUBLE WITH VAN MAKING WEIRD SOUNDS AND VIBRATIONS. I IMMEDIATELY PULLED OVER. JUST HAD TRANNY RECALL WORK DONE, SAME LIGHT ON. I CALLED FORD-THEY SAID IT WAS A MISS AND I SHOULD BRING IT IN. I WAS TOO AFRAID TO DRIVE THAT FAR, AND I HAVE NO $ FOR A TOW OR FIX. WAS TOLD BY MECH FRIEND THAT IT COULD BE ANY OF MANY SENSORS AND I'D HAVE TO TRIAL AND ERROR TO FIND IT. THIS IS NOT THE FIRST TIME THIS HAS HAPPENED TO ME, AND IT SEEMS TO BE WORSE WHEN IT HAS RAINED OR IS VERY DAMP OUT. IT VIBRATES, SHAKES, AND SOUNDS LIKE THE ENGINE IS NOT RIGHT. ALSO I HAVE NO GET UP AND GO, IT WANTS TO STALL OUT EVERY TIME I TRY TO ACCELERATE, AND I HAD A NEAR ACCIDENT ONCE. SEEMS TO BE WORSE ON HILLS OR ANY INCLINES. NOT A HAPPY FORD CUSTOMER-AGAIN. THESE PROBLEMS HAVE BEEN ON-GOING FOR THE LAST SIX MONTHS OR SO. ANYTHING OVER 25MPH AND THE VAN "SHIMMIES" REALLY BAD. *TR

I BOUGHT MY 2005 FORD FREESTAR IN 2005. ALMOST IMMEDIATELY AFTER BUYING IT WE HAD INSTANCES OF THE POWER LOCKS NOT WORKING. THE DRIVER DOOR WILL UNLOCK BUT THE REST WILL NOT. WE HAVE EVEN HAD TO CLIMB IN THROUGH THE DRIVER DOOR TO UNLOCK THE BACK DOORS BY HAND THEN TRY TO GET GROCERIES OUT OF THE WAY BACK THROUGH THE MIDDLE DOORS. THIS IS ALSO A HUGE SAFETY CONCERN FOR ME. IF I WERE TO GET INTO AN ACCIDENT AND BE INCAPACITATED AND MY KIDS WERE IN THE CAR, THEY WOULDN'T BE ABLE TO OPEN THOSE DOORS BECAUSE IT KEEPS THEM LOCKED EVEN IF YOU PUSH THE BUTTONS TO OPEN THEM AUTOMATICALLY. I AM SICK OF DEALING WITH THIS ISSUE. THERE ARE SO MANY FORUMS ON LINE WHERE OTHER PEOPLE HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM. THIS NEEDS TO BE FIXED! *TR

THE CAR WOULD START THEN STALL. I WOULD BE DRIVING AND IT WOULD JUST SLOW DOWN LIKE NO GAS GETTING INTO ENGINE AND STALL OUT . I TOOK IT TO FORD DEALER (CREST FORD CENTERLINE MICHIGAN) THEY RAN IT ON A SCOPE. TOLD ME I NEEDED TURBINE SHAFT SPEED SENSOR. THEY REPLACED IT AND CALLED TO SAY MY VEHICLE WAS FINE AND READY TO GO. I PICKED UP CAR ON MONDAY EVENING AND ON WEDNESDAY CAR HAD TO BE TOWED BACK TO THE DEALER. CAR WOULD START BUT WOULD NOT DRIVE. FORD COULD NOT FIND PROBLEM AND FINALLY I CALLED A FRIEND TO ASK FOR A SOLUTION. BECAUSE OF ALL THE ISSUES WITH THE PCM AND HIS EXPERTISE I CALLED MY FORD ADVISOR [XXX] AND TOLD HIM TO CHECK THE PCM FOR WATER DAMAGE. HE CALLED ME BACK SHORTLY AND SAID THEY FOUND THE WATER DAMAGE. THIS IS A VAN MADE VERY WRONG WITH A DESIGN SO THAT YOUR WINDSHIELD LETS WATER FLOW ONTO THE COWL AND THEN DAMAGES THE BRAIN FOR THE CAR. I NOW HAVE TO PAY 1000.00 TO FIX A MISTAKE FORD MOTOR CREATED. THIS IS A PROBLEM FOR EVERYONE WHO OWNS THIS VEHICLE. I HOPE FORD FIXES IT ON A RECALL BEFORE SOMEONE DIES. I FEEL AS A CONSUMER I SHOULD NOT HAVE HAD TO GO FIGURE OUT WHATS WRONG WITH MY CAR ON MY OWN. FORD MECHANICS SHOULD KNOW AND BE EXPERIENCED. THIS WILL BE MY LAST FORD WITH THE WAY THEY HANDLE THEIR CARS. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR