2004 Ford Freestar: adaptive cruise control problems

Filed Feb 2, 2015 · Electrical, Transmission · 125,000 miles · DE

Pcm gets wet and causes all kinds of problems! Should be a recall! Can cause vehicle to just stop while driving, shorts out things. Turns lights, radio, etc on even when van not on. Problems with starting when it rains. Cd player and cruise control no longer work, did the PCM fry them too?? Dangerous accidents could happen and I am terrified to drive it but it is only vehicle I have. Please help get a recall!!

Filed Aug 22, 2013 · Acceleration, Electrical · 120,000 miles · FL

Was driving with cruise control and vehicle started lurching while driving. While in park rpms go up and down. Feel like vehicle is struggling. Had recall issue taken care of last month. Doors also lock when they want to and sometimes windows don't work. Always happens after rain.

Filed Jul 18, 2013 · Acceleration · 80,000 miles · AL

Tl* the contact owns a 2004 ford freestar. The contact stated that while driving 50 MPH with the cruise control activated, the cruise control failed to disengage. The vehicle was taken to the dealer for diagnosis where it was advised to the contact that the cruise control switch needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired but the problem persisted. The manufacturer was notified. The approximate failure mileage was 80,000.

Filed Jan 1, 2013 · Acceleration, Electrical · 130,600 miles · CT

Returning from a 'dump run', I noticed the plastic cover for the 3rd row passenger seat, driver side, had been dislodged and was lying on the floor. I went to reconnect it and I found the latch 'floating'. It was no longer part of the vehicle. I could see out through the wheel well. After further inspection, I saw that the welded plate, that should be part of the van was no longer attached. I haven't looked at the tire for damage, yet. This is a design and manufacturing error, as the latch bracket used to secure the passenger seat in place, needs to be a permanent part of the vehicle. The van isn't too old, and should last many more years/miles and for this piece to come loose, is a safety issue as well as a quality issue. I'm afraid to take it to the local ford dealer for fear of being gouged on the cost to repair, which should be at ford's cost. If this was a pick up truck with exposure to the elements all the time, I could see a rust issue. This vehicle is lightly used and garaged nightly, so it shouldn't happen - ever. The other comments on this page are all similar to my experience with this part. Right now, I'm using a strap to hold the piece in place, stretching to the latch on the passenger side. Comment: this van has had too many quality issues since we purchased it in 2006 - torque converter replaced, driver seat heater replaced, transmission replaced, cruise control switch mech. Replaced, ignition replaced.

Filed Jul 11, 2011 · Transmission · 95,000 miles · CA

No previous problems,just driving down 101 towards san francisco with my 2004 ford freestar with my cruise control on when suddenly the RPM's raced and the transmission failed completely! No drive or reverse in any gear. Luckily I was in the right hand lane and had reached the top of the grade and was travelling down grade through the waldo tunnel. I was able to get the vehicle off the shoulder of the road without incident. I had not had any transmission problems with this vehicle, no loss of fluid, no shifting issues, no sluggishness. No inclination there was a problem, it just failed.

Filed Feb 26, 2011 · 94,500 miles · MN

As we were on a family vacation crossing wisconsin on interstate 94 going 65 MPH with the cruise control set, the car started t rev very high and we lost all power. The engine ran fine and we were able to brake and steer, but had no forward or backward gears. We had to interrupt our trip, have the state trooper give my wife and kids a ride to the next town, and have the care towed to the nearest ford dealership. It cost $1250 and took ten days to fix the torque converter which had also damaged the rod that goes to it. Fortunately it did not melt the transmission )or so they told me).

Filed Feb 5, 2011 · Electrical · 48,000 miles · CT

While driving the traction control disingages for no apparant reason. Also the cruise control will be working fine and after the traction control disinages the cruise control also stops then sometimes after you press resume it reingages and sometimes in doesen't if you shut off the car and restart it the traction control liight goes off again. It may come on again a few miles later or it may not problem seems to be intermitttent same with the cruise control. There are also times that the radio controls in the steering wheel work fine other times if you press the volume control it will change the stations. Van purchased in july of 2010 problem bagan sometime in october of 2010.

Filed Jan 31, 2011 · Transmission · 97,300 miles · WY

Tl*the contact owns a 2004 ford freestar. The contact was traveling down the highway with the cruise control activated at 78 MPH up a hill, when suddenly, the engine began to rev and the vehicle started to decelerate quickly. The contact was able to get to the side of the highway with no acceleration because the transmission had just seemed to disengage. The vehicle was taken to the dealership. Upon inspection, it was determined the transmission pump and torque converter had literally sheared off without cause. Updated 3/11/11 *cn updated 04/29/11

Filed Mar 2, 2010 · Transmission · 94,513 miles · OH

My husband and I just purchased a 2004 ford freestar. Granted it is used with 94,000 miles, but we had it for exactly one week and the transmission went out as my husband, myself and our four children were going 70 MPH down an interstate. No warnings or anything....lord only knows how much its going to cost to replace and no money to really fix it. We were traveling down interstate 71 in ohio going to my father's. I had the cruise control set and hit the accelerator button on the steering wheel to speed up a bit. Once I did that, my RPM's shot up and I lost "control". I turned off my cruise control but was unable to accelerate using the gas pedal.

Filed Dec 2, 2009 · Transmission · 89,000 miles · GA

We were driving along 1-70 with the cruise control on, when all of a sudden the RPM's got real high and lost power. We were very lucky it was right next to an exit where we were able to coast off and call aaa. They came to tow us to a local shop (we were 1500 miles away from home with 500 more miles to go on our trip) where they told us the transmission needed replacing. 3000 dollars later plus the cost of hotels, and car rentals we have a new transmission. Not to mention the 4 plus hours I had to wait with 4 kids while hubby went with tow truck to get the rental as we were in the middle of nowhere. Upon doing research online, this seems to be a consistent problem with the ford freestar.

Filed Dec 1, 2009 · Acceleration · 77,000 miles · NC

Traveling on interstate 95 with cruise control on at 79mph in heavy traffic as was end of thanksgiving holiday and engine revved and could not control speed-no forward motion when attempting to accelerate. Turned on the hazard lights and coasted to side of road. No warning or lights on dashboard to indicate any trouble just unable to accelerate. Towed and informed that torque converter the issue and may be additional problems-at this time attempting to find parts(new or refurbished).

Filed Oct 2, 2009 · Acceleration, Driver assistance · 70,000 miles · TN

Engine stalling, electrical problems, traction control system disengages, and cruise control will not engage. All problems are intermittent and occur during or after rain. Problems linked to PCM water intrusion. Today entire electrical system failure.