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SUVs Ford Freestyle Freestyle Transmission Failure
136 messages, Last post on Nov 04, 2009 at 9:35 AM
You are in the Ford Freestyle Forum. Your Hosts are steve_ & tidester
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We purchased a 2005 Ford Freestyle SE FWD on 12/31/2004. No trailer towing. 90% of the miles are highway type miles with just my wife in the vehicle. Garage kept. Dealer serviced. We find the Freestyle to be a great design and have been totally happy with it until.... At 15,000 miles the transmission has totally failed and must be replaced. As my wife left a parking lot on a green light she heard a noise that sounded like she ran over something but saw nothing in the road. About 2 miles up the road the vehicle failed to go at a green light. A red wrench idiot light came on in the dash. She managed to get off the road. She called me and the dealer, then a tow company. When I got there a stream of lubicating fluid was running down the shoulder of the higway. Freestyle has been in the Ford dealer's shop for one week waiting for the new transmission. Dealer Service Rep. says it is the first Freestyle he has seen with a totally destroyed transmission. The force of the failure was enough to crack the housing allowing all of the fluid to leak out. The dealer did agree to provide a rental car. So we wait.
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Replying to: bohemia1 (Jul 08, 2006 2:26 pm) |
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Replying to: bohemia1 (Jul 08, 2006 2:26 pm)   
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Replying to: djm2 (Dec 11, 2006 9:19 pm) The bottom line is imports have lots of problems too. |
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Replying to: bdyment (Dec 12, 2006 5:04 am) You seem to be very angry! ---- Lets examine the facts. 1.) The American vehicle manufacturers want to win back the American vehicle buying public. In order to accomplish this task, they need to be better than the foreign vehicles. 2.) Toyota does have transmission issues now, and sludge issues in the past. They better clean up their act or they will loose their image in the marketplace. 3.) Honda had transmission issues in the V6 Accord. They also had A/C compressor issues and radio display issues in the 2003 Accord. They should also clean up their act if they want to maintain their image. Here is the all important question. The automotive world has been manufacturing automatic transmissions since the late 1940s. In those years the functions of the units were controlled by hydraulic circuits. Now we have computer command controlled units, but the job of the transmission is basically the same. Have we as a people, forgot how to design and construct an automatic transmission? I do not care what name plate in on the vehicle. The American buying public deserves a product that is well designed, tested and properly manufactured. There is no reason for massive brake, transmission or sludge problems. Don't the manufacturers test their products prior to placing them on the production line? It is not a foreign vs a domestic issue! All the vehicles have issues, but when you consider the price of a new vehicle today, we as consumers, deserve better quality for our hard earned dollars. I want to purchase an American name plate, but when I see transmission issues or brake issues on a new vehicle, why would I want to put myself into a cycle of vehicle visits to the selling dealer, and still make the high monthly payments. I am willing to do the necessary maintenance, and I understand that nothing is perfect, but I would like some quality in a new product as I drive it off the dealer's lot! This is not an attack on the American manufacturer. ----- Best regards. ----Dwayne 
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Replying to: djm2 (Dec 12, 2006 9:17 am) From my perspective, someone who's neutral regarding this matter, I didn't see anything in bdyment's response that would indicate he is angry. He also was just stating his points as you have clearly done. Both of you are entitled to your points of view. I have read some of your other posts regarding the Freestyle and believe you have made your mind up to not buy one based on the points you have stated, which is fine for you. But other people should also be able to state their points in favor of the Freestyle and buy one if they wish. 
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Replying to: djm2 (Dec 12, 2006 9:17 am) I have found, however, that import owners are less likely to complain about their vehicles faults than North American drivers. This is why I take Consumer Reports with a grain of salt. I certainly agree with you that any manufacturer should be able to produce a long lasting smooth shifting automatic transmission. I think they are trying to eke out that last fraction of mpg. and their software is confused resulting is a rough shifting or hesitant action. This is the major complaint of the 2007 Camry V6 owners.
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Replying to: bdyment (Dec 12, 2006 11:26 am) You could spend a few thousand more for the Honda Pilot (for example), but then you'll have a vehicle with less interior space. Or you could buy the Freestyle and pay $1500 for an extended service plan for 7yrs/100,000 miles zero deductable like I did because like you, I was concerned possible transmission issue, but when I bought the Freestyle two years ago, it was the only vehicle out there with an adult-sized 3rd row. Today there are other options with the Mazda CX-9, Saturn Outlook, Mazda5, a new Kia, etc. Again, if you're not buying the Freestyle because of the transmission, what else are you looking at and what's important to you? Space, features, quality, MPG, handling, size, cost, etc.... |
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Replying to: bohemia1 (Jul 08, 2006 2:26 pm)
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Replying to: rick2456 (Dec 12, 2006 12:18 pm) The Freestyle is only sold with the CVT.
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