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Ford Freestar Transmission Problems

1889 messages,  Last post on May 07, 2013 at 10:10 AM

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What is this discussion about? Ford Freestar, Mercury Monterey, Transmission, Van


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Messages Page 159 of 190

#1574 of 1889 Re: 2005 Freestar Transmission failure [stachia4426] by ford4lifeaz

Dec 23, 2011 (4:41 pm)

Replying to: stachia4426 (Dec 06, 2011 11:29 am)
Anytime someone says the first thing they are going to do is sue a company, I have doubts. Did you take you vehicle to Ford dealership and have them look at the problem, or are you just going off what one person says? You have to remember, all vehicles break down. They are machines. Does that mean that companies should not be help responsible for known defaults? No. Did this mechanic you took it to, did he tell you if their was a recall on the transmission? Did you contact Ford yourself (a dealership) and checked to see if there is a service bulletin on this make and model? Again, anytime someone goes straight to "I will be getting in touch with the lawyers for the class action suit." that throws up red flags. First of all, why a class action? You know that lets just say you do win a class action lawsuit, the amount of money you receive will be very minimal. The lawyers get the majority of it. I have owned nothing but Ford's my whole life, starting with a Ford LTD and currently I have a Focus. The problems I have had with all my vehicles have been routine maintenance issues or issue dealing with high mileage of the vehicle. What are the miles on your Freestar? The last Freestar came out in Nov. of 2006 so you vehicle is going to at least be 5 years old, so I am going to guess and say over 100 thousand miles. Did you buy it brand new, or used? If used, do you know the maintenance history of it? If new, have you been doing the the required maintenance at the scheduled intervals? Did you know that there is a transmission flush on just about all Fords between 100 and 120,000 miles that needs to be done? (It is in the manual that came with your car when you bought it, if brand new). You can not put the 100 percent blame on Ford if (and I am guessing by the fact you so want to sue someone) you never once took your vehicle in to have the services down which are required to be done. I see you claim to of owned a lot of Fords in your life, so you should of know (or should know about) Ford's maintenance intervals. I believe they are pretty slandered through most of their fleet. I am guessing you are the type of person that would sue Big O or some other tire company if you got a flat. If you do not like Ford so much than quite buying them, quite complaining about them. I am going to call BS on your situation, I am sure it may of happened, but you are not telling the full story. And again, I am just guessing...
 
15 years ASE Ford Technician

#1575 of 1889 Re: 2005 Freestar Transmission failure [ford4lifeaz] by gattman1

Dec 23, 2011 (5:00 pm)

Replying to: ford4lifeaz (Dec 23, 2011 4:41 pm)
NOT SURE IF YOU ARE SENDING THIS ME BIG MOUTH....I NEVER THREATENED TO SUE.....I TOOK IT TO THE DEALER AND THEY CLAIMED THEYWERE NOT AWARE OF ANY TROUBLE WITH THIS MODEL INSPITE OF THE FACT THAT HUNDREDS IF NOT THOUSANDS HAVE EXPERIENCED THE SAME TROUBLE WITH UNDER 100K MILES.......THEY CHECKED IF IT WAS ELECTRICAL AND RULED THAT OUT AND CHARGED ME $200...I HAD NO INTENTION OF LETTING THEM CHARGE ME 3 GRAND TO FIX IT. I WILL DO THAT PRIVATELY...I LEARNED OF THE CLASS ACTION FROM THIS BOARD AND THE CLASS ACTION WAS DISMISSED. FORD SUCKS AND YOU ARE AN IDIOT FOR CONTINUING TO BUY FROM THEM. YOU TOO WILL GET BURNED SOME DAY.

#1576 of 1889 Re: 2005 Freestar Transmission failure [ford4lifeaz] by misty10

Dec 23, 2011 (5:12 pm)

Replying to: ford4lifeaz (Dec 23, 2011 4:41 pm)
You're kidding right???? I've owned Fords and haven't had any problems...UNTIL the FREESTAR! My torque converter keeps going out and my husband is a mechanic...so spare me the maintenance crap. I need you to explain on how ALL OF US experienced the same problem. Yes, there has been articles written about this problem with the Freestar so maybe you had better catch up. The only logical thing I see here with you is you must be a kid...20 something??? First job maybe???? So, please start reading on page 1....and get back to me and explain on how this wasn't a design flaw on Ford's part???? Also at OUR EXPENSE!!! So come on now...start reading and get back to us....ALL OF US that is!

#1577 of 1889 Re: 2005 Freestar Transmission failure [ford4lifeaz] by sjtdad

Dec 23, 2011 (10:21 pm)

Replying to: ford4lifeaz (Dec 23, 2011 4:41 pm)
to the 15 year ASE Ford Technician,
First of all, allow me to say I posted my situation on this board nearly 2 years ago and have posted nothing since. However, I saw yours and I thought it needed a response. I too am an ASE certified tech, for almost 30 years. I have a college degree in automotive technology. I have been a Ford owner all my life: Pinto, Mustang, Torino, LTD, F-100, F-150, Ranger, Aerostar, Bronco II, Mercury Monterey, Fairlane 500, Cougar XR-7, maybe more. I will buy Fords again. I have never had any major problems with a Ford before--water pumps, a starter or two, a heater core maybe--otherwise just maintenance stuff that I've done right by the book. Fords have done great by me...Until my Freestar. I still love this van: the space, the seating, the power, the looks. It's a 2005 SES. I bought it new and gave it great care, it got maintenance at the dealer right by the book. As for the transmission, it got it serviced at 34,000 miles just as recommended by Ford. At 52,000 miles the torque converter shaft disintegrated, sending metal throughout the tranny, destroying everything. The dealer claimed total ignorance of any problems with this tranny at all, which I found later to be a lie. I paid $3400 for a rebuilt Ford tranny in order to get the 3 year, 100,000 mile warranty. The van now has 81,000 miles on it. This transmission has always rolled backwards on even the slightest hill, yet they say there is no problem, normal they say. Sorry Mr. 15 Year Tech, but we are not all boobs out here. We are not all out to sue Ford, we just want the truth. We have done the proper maintenance. We do know what we are talking about. I have loved Fords and will buy Fords again BUT, BUT this transmission in this van is JUNK, is a bad design, and should be recalled. I do know what I'm talking about. I was doing this 15 years before you were, probably driving Fords when you were in kindergarten, so don't pontificate to me. Why don't you 'fess up about all the Freestar transmissions you've been paid to replace or repair?

#1578 of 1889 Re: 2005 Freestar Transmission failure [sjtdad] by nadineb

Dec 29, 2011 (6:19 am)

Replying to: sjtdad (Dec 23, 2011 10:21 pm)
Thank you for your well stated comments.
 
Ford is quite aware of the situation with these vans, but refuses to take corrective action. I believe that those who travel in these vans risk their life or the life of others. A vehicle should be road safe, but these vehicle fail without any warning leaving those in them in jeopardy.
 
Children should not be in these vans. Your family should not be in these vans. Ford should take corrective action, but if they do not, NHTSA needs to make them do the right and just corrective action. Lawsuits seem to be the only action that this company understands. Ford had made the statement," It's cheaper to let them crash and burn," in regards to the Pinto. I believe that the are appling the same police to these vehicles.
 
Accountablity even in the corporate world should be the standard. Not corporate greed. If this was the FDA or any other government agency, we would expect corrective action.
 
Personally, I will never own another Ford vehicle. If Chevy or any other vehicle manufacturer produced such an unsafe vehicle, I would certainly expect high safety standards from them. I feel that Ford has placed their customers and their families at risk.

#1579 of 1889 Re: Freestar [dxcboston] by bxhighland

Jan 03, 2012 (6:19 pm)

Replying to: dxcboston (Dec 14, 2011 9:58 am)
You are not alone! My second transmission just got installed today and they mentioned thT they found trace of water in the transmission. They asked if I have had any problems with the radiator or had it replaced recently. My van has 137k miles but has been well maintained as long as I have had it. The first was replaced at 109k the summer before last. I have been in the mechanical field for the better part of my life up until 8 years ago so I know how to maintain and care for a car. There will be a complaint call to the NHTSA tomorrow. This will actually be my second call in two weeks. My first was a safety issue regarding the rear bench seat locks bars on the walls of the van. The left hook I found recently is about 80% completely rusted off at the base behind the panel. So bad that when I grab it, it wobbles all over. It has completely rusted through only on the one side where I can see the ground plain as day! I called Ford about the issue and they could have cared less because it is 8 years old and out of warantee. Built ford tough huh? Good luck.

#1580 of 1889 Re: Freestar [bxhighland] by bxhighland

Jan 03, 2012 (6:26 pm)

Replying to: bxhighland (Jan 03, 2012 6:19 pm)
In fact, the first transmission went out when we were on the interstate coming home from vacation and we were five hours from home. Out of nowhere the transmission just went. My wife went to accelerate and it jsut acted as if it were in nuetral. So we were now stuck with our three kids and unfamiliar territory. I was to be back to work the next day and I am the only income in the house. Luckily I had some sick time to use and my older brother lived 2 hours away. We were able to stay there for the rest of the week while a shop replaced the transmission. I am with the above gentleman, NEVER BUYING ANOTHER FORD AGAIN!! Especially after the way their customer support team handles customers. Why even have that department. Just don't answer the phone.

#1581 of 1889 Re: Freestar [bxhighland] by unfordunately

Jan 05, 2012 (11:10 am)

Replying to: bxhighland (Jan 03, 2012 6:26 pm)
It's been just about 1 year since the second torque converter failure on my 05 and since I posted on this forum. Both failures gave absolutely no warning and both times I was carrying kids - the second time on the interstate late at night far from home.
 
I wanted to respond to let everybody know that the NHTSA investigation of this failure is still open (EA09016), and to strongly encourage you, if you haven't already, to file a complaint with the Office of Defect Investigations! The more complaints on record the better the chances of a proper resolution.
 
As of November 2011, Ford has supplied the requested data, so now the NHTSA is looking it over.
 
BTW - Never buying a Ford again!

#1582 of 1889 It's been a while, but still, stories are coming and coming! by hohmanvan

Jan 05, 2012 (11:19 am)

It seems like at least 2-3 times a week someone new posts a story of what happened to them!
 
Mine was in August 2010. Tranny failed, going 70mph in heavy traffic in Maine, 15 hours from home. Didn't get my van back for 37 days. Over $3,700.00 to repair. Then in the Spring, the computer module went out about 3 times, which was a normal design flaw in the thing. My mechanic talked to his friend who works at a local Ford Dealer's service dept., and the guy says he fixes about 3 of those per month! That cost a total of about another 500+ bucks. Van has been running well since then, but I have passed a year and 3 months through the 3-year, 100,000 mile warantee on the new tranny. It's amazing that this is still going on - I wonder when the NHTSA will get this resolved...

#1583 of 1889 Re: It's been a while, but still, stories are coming and coming! [hohmanvan] by monterey06

Jan 05, 2012 (4:19 pm)

Replying to: hohmanvan (Jan 05, 2012 11:19 am)
Same thing happened to me with my Monterey(Mercury Freestar clone). I lucky to have had a safe place to stop and I did not have my kids in the car. I had the converter replaced, I just hope the transmission flush got all the metal from the failed gear. I have put a complaint in with the NHTSA I hope Ford stands up and provides some type of help here.

Messages Page 159 of 190

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