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Ford Freestar Transmission Problems

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

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Messages Page 26 of 190

#242 of 1889 2005 Ford Freestar by vickekay

Mar 25, 2008 (7:40 am)

I have not had a problem with my transmission YET but I have had a few problems and wondered if anyone else has them as well.
 
First, when I'm driving down the road, the automatic sliding door unlatches and the lights come on and the dash shows the door being adjar. I was told by my service team at the dealership that it was impossible. I have had the problem since 2006 and they just tell me that they can not duplicate the problem, even though I have taken it in and they have seen it happen on 2 occasions! I finally came to the conclusion (at the end of my warranty) that they have been treating me like the "crazy lady". I did take it to another dealership and I hope they fixed it, they did at least treat me with true compassion and seemed very interested in fixing the problem! When I talked to the Ford Rep, it was like talking to a brick wall!!!!!! Pretty much a waste of time.
 
Second, when I'm driving down the road around 45 mph my van seems to "jerk" for a quick second. It does not happen all the time. Could this be signs of the transmission going bad????

#243 of 1889 Freestar broke down on the Autobahn by joeingermany

Mar 26, 2008 (7:40 am)

Hello all, just wanted to add my story to the board for what it's worth. I'll give the reader's digest version:
I am an active duty Soldier stationed in Germany. I bought a new 2004 Freestar SEL in July 2004 from a dealer in Mississippi and then shipped it to Germany when I was stationed here. Transmission went out on the German Autobahn in Sep 2007 (34,000 miles). Had it towed to one of the few Ford dealers here in Germany that are authorized to do warranty work on American spec Fords who quoted me a price of 5800 Euros (approx $8000) to replace, since it was out of warranty by 2 months. So far, not much differenent than everyone else's story.
I decided to give the Ford Customer Relationship Center a call and beg for a little compassion and mercy given the circumstances. After explaining my problem, the rep said since I was located in Germany, they could not help me and said I had to call the CRC in Germany (I knew right away, this was not correct since I knew they would tell me they only service German made Fords, but I called anyway...and got that response). So, after calling the US CRC back and talking to 5 different people (supposed next higher, but most likely the guy/gal in the next cubicle), everyone said they couldn't even take my complaint because I was not in the US.
 
So, thinking how I was going to have the van taken to the strip yard at this point, the German Ford Dealer service rep suggested I calll a guy he knew at the US Military Car Sales here in Germany to see if he could help. (If you don't know, US Military Car Sales is a program around the world at US bases that allow Service Members to purchase American made cars overseas..usually no sales taxes). Since I didn't buy the van through them, I thought it was a long shot, but didn't have anything to lose, so I did. Less than a minute into the phone call to the rep of hearing the brief explanation of my situation, he said, and I quote, "NO PROBLEM, LET ME MAKE A PHONE CALL TO FORD IN THE STATES AND THEY WILL FIX IT, WITH YOU ONLY PAYING A SMALL DEDUCTIBLE, PROBABLY LESS THAN A $100). Then he took my information, made a call, and within two days, he called me back and said he received an email from Ford with all the information and approval to fix the transmission at cost. That day, Ford had a new transmission already being shipped from the states direct to the dealer and my van was fixed in a day, once the parts arrived. It did cost me a little more than expected....$300. I asked the rep (I don't want to give his name) for a copy of the email, but he told me he was not allowed to give me a copy or the name of the person at Ford he coordinated with, it had to be someone pretty high up (makes you want to go HMMMMMMMMM).
 
Bottom line, I'm glad I got it fixed, but it was like a bad foreign spy movie with all the secret, back room negotiations and cloak and dagger stuff to get it down. So, instead of Ford just practicing good customer relations and helping me directly, I had to get lucky and stumble on the secret passage to the promised land! It also seems to point to the fact that Ford knows about the problem. The CRC is a flippin Joke, along with Ford in general.....sad to say, I've always been a Ford man, never again.

#244 of 1889 Re: 2005 Ford Freestar [vickekay] by jgenovese

Mar 26, 2008 (6:50 pm)

Replying to: vickekay (Mar 25, 2008 7:40 am)
Vickekay,
Nothing surprises me anymore with these cowards at Ford. The story about your door is very sad. I bet they would get right on it if someone fell out and was killed as a result. Oh, wait a minute, this is Ford we are talking about. If that happened, they would find away to blame it on you and bury their collective corrupt heads in the sand even further. What's next? Is the roof going to blow off while we are driving down the road? As for the momentary jerk you are feeling, it sounds exactly like the torque converter getting ready to fail all together. Imagine the splines on the part in your torqueconverter that will fail are like the cogs on a set of gears that are designed to mesh together as the assembly turns. If 1 or 2 of them started to round off, the gears would slip slightly. As time went by, the cogs would wear down even more and the uneveness in the motion caused by the original 1 or 2 would cause the whole assembly to move in a way that would cause the remaning cogs to be ever so slightly mis- aligned. This, in turn, would cause those cogs to wear in a premature and detrimental way. Eventually, enough of or all of the cogs will either break off all together or become so worn and mishapen that they would no longer be able to stay engaged and the whole assembly would cease to operate. I would recommend that you get your van to a reputable shop and have a qualified transmission technician dissassemble it and inspect it. At the end of the day, this willbe costly but it could literally save your life. If your transmission fails on the freeway while a semi is barreling down on you, the possibilities are pretty scary. I think the peace of mind you will get will be worth the cost. Let us know what you decide to do and how it goes.
Jim Genovese
Annapolis, MD

#245 of 1889 Re: Freestar broke down on the Autobahn [joeingermany] by jgenovese

Mar 26, 2008 (6:59 pm)

Replying to: joeingermany (Mar 26, 2008 7:40 am)
Joe,
First, let me say Thank You for serving your country. We really do appreciate it. Second, we are happy that your story had a happy ending. Third, your story proves my assertion that their is a systematic and organized movement at Ford to defraud and mislead the owners of the Freestar vans. Your story illustrates that in a very clear and convincing way. The bottom line is; there should be no hoops to jump through, no disparate treatment, no cloak and dagger, secret handshake nonesense. Ford should simply step up and fix the problem they have KNOWINGLY CREATED for the rest of us who are left holding the bag with these defective vans. I wish you would divuldge the name of the rep that helped you out. Perhaps he is in a position to influence Ford to do the right thing. Stay safe!
Jim Genovese
Annapolis, MD

#246 of 1889 Re: Add Us To The Faulty Transmission List [tbrown61] by jgenovese

Mar 26, 2008 (7:06 pm)

Replying to: tbrown61 (Mar 22, 2008 4:38 pm)
Amen. Both of my Fords are on the market right now. I can't wait to make the switch to Toyota! I am going to invest in a Tundra to replace my F150 and a Sienna to replace my wife's Freestar. We too are having trouble selling the Freestar even though we got it fixed. People do seem to shy away from it for its reputation wether it is fixed or not. Every day that goes by that it doesn't sell and we are making payments on the ridiculously high interest rate loan we had to take out to pay for the repairs just motivates me even more to keep beating this drum and force Ford to be accountable. By the way, where is NHTSA on this? I guess somebody has to die first as a result of this DEFECTIVE part for them to take notice. what a shame.

#247 of 1889 Transmission Failure Club by kari7

Apr 04, 2008 (6:29 am)

We would appreciate hearing if others were finally able to get their cars fixed or what they ended up doing with car. The transmission on our 2004 Freestar stopped working at 31,000. The Ford Dealer Service Department said that the problem was that the computer that controls the wiring had gotten wet. The Service Dept. replaced the computer at no charge and told us the car was fixed and ready to be picked up. When we went to pick up the car, the transmission still did not work. We left the car for the Service Dept. to do further diagnosis. Meanwhile we researched the problem on the Internet and discovered that it is a common problem caused by a poor design that allows water to flood the computer and wiring causing the transmission not to work. The Service Dept. then told us we needed a new wiring harness and two sensors connected to the harness, for which we would have to pay. We authorized the new wiring harness and sensors, and again the Service Dept. told us the car was fixed. We test drove the car before accepting it, and the transmission worked fine; but the dealer had made a new key which caused our other keys not to work. We left the car overnight so the Service Dept. could make the new keys. The next day when we went to pick up the car, the transmission no longer worked. Now the dealer wants to replace another sensor that the harness plugs into. Our repair bill is now up to $1400. We do not know if we should keep putting money into repairs until the Service Dept. can get the transmission working (the trade in value of the car is $8000).
 
Has anybody’s car with this problem been successfully fixed and at what cost?

#248 of 1889 transmission problem (2005 freestar.48000 miles by malon

Apr 05, 2008 (10:27 pm)

lam another unhappy person,I was looking for information in the internet about freestar transmission problem and I found all these message about the same problem. today 4/5/2008 at 10 pm I was driven to the theater when my transmission went ritgh in front of the dealer where I b my minivan, I just pushed it and parked in to the dealer parking,monday I have to go and see how much they are going to charge me to fix the transmission I will let all you know wthat happen.
 
ps is too many people that have the same problem, must be something that we all can do any idea? count with me.

#249 of 1889 2005 Freestar transmission failed by ajennbus

Apr 13, 2008 (7:15 am)

We have had many issues with our '05 Freestar (mostly electrical), but the transmission failed just like everyone has experienced with school children in the van!!!! Any suggestions on what we can do?

#250 of 1889 Yet another by mom0f2

Apr 16, 2008 (7:07 am)

I am posting this to vent my frustration just as much as agreeing with what other's have said. Here it goes:
 
I bought my 2005 Freestar used at a non Ford dealership in August of 2006. On the way home we noticed a shutter. At first we thought it was the road and never driving a van thought it was just it's reaction to the road. About a week later we were on a new road and it did it again. I noticed a pattern, when the van reached a certian rpm it would shutter so I took it in the shop since it was still covered under the warn. They said it was the torc converter they replaced it and a few days later I got it back. That very day it started again. This began a process that resulted my taking the van in over and over sometimes not getting the van back for up to 2 months at a time. The first year of ownership my minivan was in my drive for what totaled 3 months, the loaner Tarus was in it more. It also included multiple torc converters, rebuilt transmissions, and 2 NEW TRANSMISSIONS, a reventing of the transmission, and 1 will not start because the repair allowed water in the tranny cilinoid (spelling) During this mess I asked if I continued to drive this vechile with the shutter what would happen. I was told nothing. That it is just a inconvenance. Well it started again but my Aunt died back home in Mississippi so I had to have my van for the trip from Kansas. I get back and was paying bills around town, by now I knew the schedule of the techs and the tranny guy wouldn't be in til Monday and this was Friday, and the tranny made a grinding noise and my transaxile light and check engine light came on. I called Ford last Friday after I dropped it off and said I wanted to talk about a buy back, seeing that I have given them 22 times to fix the issue and it is obvious that there is no fixing it. Yesterday I got a call that they would rather keep repairing the issue. I am to pick up the van today and forgive my doubting but I just don't want to, I know that it is going to do it as soon as I pick it up and have to turn around.
 
Since Kansas has no lemon laws for Used cars I have to go to the Better Buisness Bureau (spelling again) and have them abertrate a deal. If I do get my case accepted I will still not get the loan completely paid off since they take off mileage. I owe like 13K on it and with the mileage gone I will still owe 3K. As with 75% of the nation times are hard and I can't be without a car but I can't afford another let alone paying for one that would not be in my driveway. please forgive the gramar and spelling...........

#251 of 1889 WOW... Sooo many of the same Problems!! Add me too!! by rae4kma

Apr 16, 2008 (7:10 am)

This is absolutely ridiculous!!! My 2004 Ford Freestar SE has 40,100 miles on it and WAM the transmission up and died!!! No warning, nothing!! I was getting on the interstate and vrrrrrrrrrrroooooooommmmmmmmm nothing,.... just the RPM were going up but my car was NOT moving!!! I was able to down shift and go back into drive and move really slow until it kicked in, but it did it 6 more times before I got it to the dealer. They told me to drive it there since it was only like 10 miles. So they called me and said it needs a full overhaul!! They said I have to agree to pay $1000 for them to take the Trani out and inspect it and if they determine it is MY fault not theirs I have to pay that plus $2800!!!!!!! I do have the extended warranty but I am not sure what they are going to tell me, I feel like they are just going to blame it on me!!!!!!! Thankfully I have record of getting my transmission serviced at 22K, which is crazy that it needed it then.
 
 Do you think that since I have records of that service and the Extended Warranty that it will be covered??? Please help!!! It is at the dealer right now and I have not given them approval to take it out yet cause I do not have the money. HELP PLEASE!!!!!!!!!!
 
I also had the back rotars go out at 24K which cost me $1000!!!!!!!!! Front brakes were 1/8" worn.... Back brakes were shot... front wheel drive car!!! WTF!!!

Messages Page 26 of 190

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