There are 50 owner-reported fuel system complaints for the 2005 Ford Freestylein NHTSA's database. These are unverified consumer reports and may not reflect confirmed defects.
IT LUNGES WHEN I'M TURNING FROM STOP ,TAPPING ON THE BRAKE,TURNING RIGHT CORNERS, BACKING UP WHEN CAR IS WARMED UP, IT LUNGES OUT OF NOWHERE.IM AFRAID I'M GOING TO HIT SOMEONE OR SOMETHING
TRAVELING ON HWY AT APPROX 60 MPH, WRENCH LIGHT CAME ON, "FAILSAFE ENGINE MODE" MESSAGE APPEARED AND CAR POWERED DOWN. PULLED OVER, TURNED CAR OFF, WAITED 1 MIN, RESTARTED CAR. MESSAGE WAS CLEARED AND CAR DROVE AS NORMAL. ABOUT 20 MILES LATER, SAME PROBLEM, EXCEPT CHECK ENGINE LIGHT AND MESSAGE APPEARED. PULLED OVER, TURNED OFF CAR, RESTARTED. CHECK ENGINE LIGHT AND MESSAGE REMAINED. VERY LOW POWER UPON ACCELERATION. PROBLEM CONTINUED INTERMITTENTLY. RECEIVED ENGINE CODE P2111, P2112 RELATING TO THROTTLE BODY PROBLEM. ETB HAD BEEN CLEANED 11/13 BY DEALER PER TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN ISSUED BY FORD. NO PROBLEMS UNTIL 12/14. SERVICE PERFORMED TO REPROGRAM ETB, NO CLEANING WAS NEEDED. PROBLEM RECURRED 12/23/14. CHECK ENGINE LIGHT IS ON AND NO POWER UPON ACCELERATION PERSISTS. CODES INDICATE ETB NEEDS TO BE REPLACED. *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 FORD FREESTYLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 35 MPH, THE VEHICLE WENT OVER A BUMP IN THE ROAD AND THREE MINUTES LATER THE VEHICLE STALLED. THE VEHICLE FAILED TO RESTART. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC. THE TECHNICIAN DIAGNOSE THAT THE FUEL PUMP NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 100,000.
THE PROBLEM WITH THIS CAR AND THE THROTTLE BODY HAS BEEN GOING ON FOR A WHILE. I TOOK THE CAR TO THE FORD DEALER BUT THEY ONLY CLEANED THE THROTTLE BODY WHEN IT NEEDED REPLACEMENT. THE LAST EVENT WAS IN AUGUST 1 WHEN WHILE I WAS DRIVING THE FAIL SAFE MODE CAME UP AND THE CAR SUDDENLY LOST THE POWER AND WOULDN'T RUN FASTER THAN PROBABLY 0.1 MILE PER HOUR. THIS WAS THE SECOND TIME THIS HAPPENED THE FIRST TIME I WAS WITH MY KIDS IN A MAJOR HIGHWAY AND THE CAR SUDDENLY STOP RUNNING. THANK GOD I HAD A CHANCE TO STEER TO THE EMERGENCY LANE. MANY PEOPLE ARE HAVING THE SAME ISSUE WITH THE 2005-2007 FREESTYLE, THIS IS A SUPER SAFETY ISSUE AND NOBODY IS DOING ANYTHING ABOUT IT. WHEN MY CAR STOPPED I COULD HAVE BEEN HIT ON THE BACK WITH A WORST OUTCOME. I GOT A TOW TRUCK AND THEY TOOK THE CAR TO THE FORD DEALER. THOSE PEOPLE ARE NOT HELPFUL AT ALL AND TREATED ME WITH A BAD ATTITUDE. VERY EXPENSIVE TO CHANGE THAT'S WHY FORD IS NOT GETTING INVOLVED AND ONLY OFFERED TO CLEAN THE PART IN THE EXTENDED WARRANTY, KNOWING THAT WOULDN'T FIX THE PROBLEM. FORD SHOULD HAVE A RECALL FOR THE THROTTLE BODY PART BEFORE SOMEBODY GETS KILLED IN A VERY SERIOUS ACCIDENT THAT THIS PROBLEM COULD CAUSE. *TR
IN DRIVE AT 40 MPH TO 55 MPH THE CAR ALMOST STALLS AND GOES I TO FAIL SAFE MODE. IN FAIL SAFE MODE THE CAR RUNS AT 15 MPH. THE DEALER SAYS THEY CAN NOT DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM. *TR
ME AND MY WIFE CARPOOL ON THIRD SHIFT TO OUR JOBS. UPON BACKING OUT OF THE DRIVEWAY IN REVERSE, THE WRENCH LIGHT CAME ON, AND AN ERROR READING" FAILSAFE ENGINE MODE". I WAS ABLE TO MAKE IT TO WORK, HOWEVER I COULDN'T GO FAST AT ALL NO MORE THAN MAYBE 40. I'M SEEING ONLINE MANY WITH THIS YEAR AND MODEL NEED OR HAVE HAD NEW THROTTLE BODY'S PUT IN WITH NO LUCK COMING FROM IT. I'M HOPING THERE'S A RECALL BECAUSE I HAVE TWO CHILDREN AND A WIFE TO GET AROUND IN THIS ONE CAR.I WANNA KNOW WHAT THE RECALL IS ON IT IF ONE AT ALL IS AVAILABLE. WHY HAVEN'T THEY CORRECTED IT YET AFTER ALL THESE YEARS OF PROBLEMS AND SO MANY COMPLAINTS? *TR
CAR SUDDENLY SLOWED TO APPROXIMATELY 5 MPH AND THEN STOPPED. ACCELERATOR STOPPED FUNCTIONING. I WAITED FOR TEN MINUTES, TURNED THE ENGINE ON AND LIMPED HOME AT 5 MPH. THIS BREAKDOWN OCCURRED AFTER WORKED WAS PERFORMED AT VARSITY FORD IN ANN ARBOR, MICHIGAN FOR THIS SAME PROBLEM. DEALER ADVISED THAT THE WORKED PERFORMED (CLEANING THE THROTTLE BODY AND REPROGRAMMING THE POWERTRAIN TRAIN MODULE) DID NOT WORK. AFTER DETAILED DISCUSSIONS WITH THE DEALERSHIP, I WAS ADVISED THAT I NEEDED A COMPLETE REPLACEMENT OF THE THROTTLE BODY MODULE AT MY EXPENSE. WHY SHOULD I BE HELD LIABLE FOR THE REPAIR WHEN FORD HAD ALREADY ADMITTED THAT THIS WAS A KNOWN PROBLEM BY CALLING IT IN FOR CLEANING. THIS IS CERTAINLY AN ISSUE FOR THE NHTSA TO ACT ON. I THINK THAT THE $882.73 REPAIR BILL SHOULD BE FORD'S BURDEN, NOT MINE. *TR
VEHICLE WOULD SURGE AND LOOSE POWER AT ALL SPEEDS. AT TIMES WHEN PRESSING THE ACCELERATOR THE CAR WOULD NOT RESPOND, THEN ALL OF THE SUDDEN WOULD SURGE, THEN WOULD LOSE POWER. TOOK IT TO THE DEALER RECENTLY AS THEY TOLD ME THAT THERE WAS A RECALL. DEALER CLEANED THE THROTTLE BODY ONLY. NOW IT'S WORSE. I WAS DRIVING BACK FROM THE DEALER AND THE CAR LOST POWER, WRENCH LIGHT ON, AND LEFT ME IN THE MIDDLE LANE OF THE HIGHWAY. SHUT THE CAR OFF AND ON AGAIN AND CONTINUE BUT WITH MINIMAL POWER. TOOK IT TO A MECHANIC WHO TOLD ME THAT THE THROTTLE BODY IS GETTING STUCK. I SEE THIS IS HAPPENED TO A LOT OF FREESTYLE OWNER, ESPECIALLY FROM 2005-2007. CAR IS DANGEROUS TO DRIVE AS IT'S UNPREDICTABLE WHEN SURGES WILL HAPPEN. *TR
HAD RECALL 12N03 PERFORMED DUE TO SURGING, AFTER REPAIR CAR CONTINUED TO SURGE WHEN COLD. WHEN APPROACHING STOP CAR WOULD NOT WANT TO SLOW DOWN, WOULD PUT GEAR IN NEUTRAL AND TACH WOULD SURGE OVER 2000 RPM'S, DOES THIS ON A CONSISTENT BASIS. CONTINUED TO DRIVE UNTIL CAR DIED WHILE DRIVING, GOT MESSAGE FOR THROTTLE BODY ERROR, TOOK TO DEALERSHIP AND WAS INFORMED THAT THROTTLE BODY NEEDS TO BE REPLACED AT OVER $600. RECALL REPAIR DONE IN APRIL AND CAR FAILED IN JULY. *TR
I WAS PARKED. I PUT THE CAR IN DRIVE. AS I STARTED TO TAKE MY FOOT OFF THE BRAKE, THE CAR LUNGED FORWARD. I PRESSED THE BRAKE HARD TO STOP THE SURGE. IT SCARED ME. THE NEXT DAY, IT HAPPENED AGAIN, SEVERAL TIMES. IN REVERSE AND DRIVE, I WATCHED THE RPMS GO UP WITHOUT MY FOOT TOUCHING THE THROTTLE. THIS IS SCARY AND UNACCEPTABLE! *TR
AFTER QUICKLY CROSSING TRAFFIC AND ENTERING MY DRIVEWAY (WHICH IS ON A DOWNWARD SLOPE) I RELEASED THE GAS ON ENTERING MY DRIVEWAY AND APPLIED THE BRAKE. JUST BEFORE APPLYING THE BRAKE THE VEHICLE LURCHED. IT DIDN'T LURCH FAR, BUT ENOUGH FOR ME TO RAPIDLY DEPRESS THE BRAKE PEDAL IN SURPRISE. ONE ITEM OF NOTE--THE LOW FUEL INDICATOR WAS ON AND MY NEXT STOP WAS TO GET GAS. *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 FORD FREESTYLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WOULD ABNORMALLY LUNGE FORWARD WHEN THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS RELEASED. THE CONTACT DEPRESSED THE BRAKE PEDAL AND STOPPED THE VEHICLE FROM ACCELERATING FURTHER BUT THE FAILURE RECURRED AS SOON AS HER FOOT WAS REMOVED FROM THE BRAKE PEDAL. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED AND INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT THERE WERE NO RECALLS FOR THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 90,000. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE. UPDATED 7/19/12 *CN THE CONSUMER STATED A MECHANIC CLEANED THE THROTTLE AND FUEL INJECTION SYSTEM AT A COST OF $168. IT IS WORKING BETTER NOW. UPDATED 07/23/12
2005 FORD FREESTYLE LUNGING FORWARD, STALLING OUT, AND CHECK ENGINE LIGHT WRENCH ICON LIGHT COMING ON. IT WAS DANGEROUS TO BE ON THE ROAD BECAUSE OF THE SUDDEN STOPPING, AND VERY PORE ACCELERATION. AFTER SEVERAL TRIES AT READING CODES DISCOVERED IT WAS A BAD THROTTLE BODY. I NOTICED ALL OF THE COMPLAINTS THAT WERE POSTED ON LINE ABOUT THIS SAME VEHICLE AND DISCOVERED YOUR INVESTIGATION OPENED IN 2011. REPAIRS WERE MADE BY MYSELF AT THE COST OF $608.00. ALSO, I NOTICED THE NEW REPLACEMENT PART HAD AN ENGINEERING CHANGE THAT ELIMINATED THE ANTI FREEZE HEATER SECTION. I FEEL SOMETHING SHOULD BE DONE ABOUT THIS PROBLEM BY RECALLING THE THROTTLE BODY SYSTEM USED IN THIS FORD VEHICLE. I ALSO WAS INFORMED BY THE SERVICE CENTER AT THE FORD DEALERSHIP, WHERE I PURCHASED THE THROTTLE BODY ,THAT THIS PART WAS COMMON TO BE REPLACED. THANK YOU FOR LOOKING INTO THIS ISSUE. *TR
I PURCHASED MY FORD FREESTYLE IN JUNE 2011 AND SHORTLY AFTER MY CAR BEGAN LUNGING FORWARD WHEN THE AIR CONDITIONER WAS ON. MY CAR BEGAN DOING IT IN FORWARD AND REVERSE GEAR. I HAVE TAKEN MY CAR TO THE DEALER TWICE BEFORE. THEY REPLACED THE AIR COMPRESSOR, CLEANED THE THROTTLE BODY, AND RESET THE COMPUTER. THIS WILL TREAT THE PROBLEM FOR AWHILE BUT IT WILL ALWAYS COME BACK. LAST WEEK I NEARLY HIT A PEDESTRIAN IN A CROSS WALK WHEN MY CAR DECIDED TO LUNGE FORWARD AT A RED LIGHT WITH MY FOOT ON THE BRAKE. MY WIFE HAS NEARLY HIT CARS IN DRIVE THROUGH LINES. AGAIN I PUT MY CAR IN THE SHOP AND THEY ARE DOING THE SAME WORK AS BEFORE. I HAVE BEEN PUSHED INTO INTERSECTIONS AND NEARLY T-BONED. I HAVE ALMOST HIT CARS WHEN TRYING TO BACK UP. THIS CAR IS NOT SAFE BECAUSE EVEN WITH MY FOOT ON THE BRAKE THE CAR CAN MOVE 5-8 FEET. WHEN THE CAR LUNGES FORWARD OR BACKWARD IT WILL MOST OF THE TIME RUMBLE THEN DIE, WHICH IS DANGEROUS WHEN I AM SENT INTO AN INTERSECTION WITH CARS COMING AT ME. SOMETIMES I AM ABLE TO DEPRESS THE GAS PEDAL ALL THE WAY, DRIVING AT 4000 RPMS AND SLOWLY MOVE OUT OF THE WAY. I WORRY ABOUT MY FAMILY OF SIX SAFETY AS WELL AS ANY INNOCENT THAT MAY GET HURT BECAUSE OF FORDS INCAPABILITY TO FIX THE PROBLEM THEY HAVE CREATED. *TR
CAR AT A COMPLETE STOP WITH FOOT OFF GAS PEDALS MOVES FORWARD UNEXPECTEDLY AND RPMS JUMP TO 2000. *TR
MY 2005 FORD FREESTYLE LUNGES FORWARD WHEN PUTTING IT IN DRIVE OR REVERSE. IT STARTED A COUPLE OF MONTHS AGO AND WOULD ONLY HAPPEN ONCE IN A WHILE. NOW IT HAPPENS ALMOST EVERY DAY. IF YOUR NOT CAREFUL YOU WILL HIT SOMETHING. EVEN WITH YOUR FOOT ON THE BRAKE THE VEHICLE WILL STILL LUNGE FORWARD OR BACKWARD. THE PROBLEM IS WORSE IF THE AIR CONDITIONER IS RUNNING. I HAVE BEEN TOLD THE THROTTLE BODY IS CAUSING THE PROBLEM BUT IT WILL COST OVER $800.00 TO FIX. I CANNOT AFFORD THIS REPAIR AND THINK FORD SHOULD FIX IT UNDER A RECALL DUE TO THIS BEING A SERIOUS SAFETY PROBLEM. *TR
INTIALLY NOTED THE VEHICLES RPMS JUMP AND A QUICK SURGE IN THE ENGINE WHILE TRAVELING APPROXIMATELY 65MPHS. THIS CONTINUED TO OCCUR RADOMLY AT DIFFERENT SPEEDS ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS. A SERVICE LIGHT CAME ON. THEY REPLACED AN EGR VALVE. PUT IN AN FUEL TREATMENT. ONE DAY LATER THE THE LIGHT IS BACK ON AND CONDITION HAS GOTTEN WORSE.NOW THE CAR LUNGES FORWARD,STILL RANDOMLY,BUT FREQUENTLY! HAVE BEEN VERY FORTUNATE THAT THERE HAS NOT BEEN ANY MAJOR INCIDENTS OR ACCIDENTS,YET!(JUST RAN UP A CURB) READ THIS IS A COMMON CONDITION AND IS BEING INVESTIGATED. I HOPE SOMETHING COMES OF THE INVESTIGATION AND SOON. THIS IS VERY ALARMING AND DANGEROUS! TODAY I HAD THE MOST PRECIOUS CARGO WITH ME....MY DAUGHTER(WHO WAS DRIVING AND IS CURRENTLY OUTRAGED) AND MY GRANDCHILDREN!!!!! *TT
MY VEHICLE SURGES FROM TIME TO TIME AND WHEN THE AIR CONDITION IS ON THE CAR WILL CUT OF AND GO INTO FAIL SAFE MODE I'VE CLEANED THE THROTTLE BODY AND THE PROBLEM STILL OCCURS. *TR
WHILE BACKING OUT OF A PARKING SPACE, THE ENGINE SURGED AS IF I HAD HIT THE ACCELERATOR. I IMMEDIATELY HIT THE BRAKES AND THE SAME THING HAPPENED SEVERAL MORE TIMES BEFORE I HAD A NEW THROTTLE BODY INSTALLED AT THE FORD DEALERSHIP AND WAS TOLD THAT IT WAS BECOMING A COMMON PROBLEM WITH THE FREESTYLE. MY SON WHO HAS A 2007 FREESTYLE HAD THE SAME THING HAPPEN SEVERAL MONTHS AGO AND HAD THE SAME REPAIR DONE TO HIS.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 FORD FREESTYLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED WITH THE ENGINE RUNNING WHEN THE VEHICLE EXHIBITED A SMALL EXPLOSION. IMMEDIATELY, GASOLINE FUEL FUMES ENTERED INTO THE VEHICLE CABIN. THE CONTACT EXITED THE VEHICLE AND FOUND THAT FUEL WAS LEAKING FROM THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER WHERE THE CONTACT WAS ADVISED THAT THE FUEL CLIP HAD FRACTURED. THE ENTIRE FUEL LINE HAD TO BE REPLACED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 135,336 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 135,400.
Showing 1–20 of 50 complaints
Complaints are unverified consumer reports submitted to NHTSA. A high complaint count may reflect vehicle popularity, not defect severity. Data sourced from NHTSA public records.
Data synced from NHTSA on Apr 25, 2026