2004 Ford Freestar: loss of power steering

Filed Jul 29, 2014 · Brakes, Electrical · 78,000 miles · PA

I was traveling on a busy road last sunday. My van completely shut down with no warning. I had no power steering or power brakes and was almost rear-ended. Thank god I managed to get to the side of the road. I started it again and it happened again three more times. I had it towed to jim's auto service and they think it could be related to water leakage onto the computer. I called ford to ask about this and they said that they knew nothing about this but I found information about this problem all over the internet. I asked them how could my mechanic know about this and they didn't?! They told me to take it to a ford dealership. I am 60 years old and babysit my grandchildren full time and I am afraid to drive them in this vehicle! I also do not have the money for major repairs. I hung up with ford feeling frustrated since this could have been a fatal situation if I had been on the highway with my granddaughter.

Filed Mar 21, 2013 · Engine, Steering · 90,000 miles · DE

This is the fourth time power train control module has gone out during rain event. This time was on a highway traveling at 45mph with passengers. The result was intermittent engine shutdown, loss of steering, and forward motion. This module has been replaced 3 other times. Two times in 2011, and two months ago in 2013.

Filed Dec 26, 2012 · Acceleration, Electrical · 81,000 miles · PA

Having this problem 4 days in a row, engine quits at any speed loss of steering and brakes, car will speed up without the accelerator being moved, ford said water in the computer could cost 1,000 to 1,500. Checked on my computer found page after page of the same complaint and ford motor company refuses to fix the problem!! Has anybody been killed yet? When is the n.t.s.b going to act.

Filed Aug 30, 2012 · Electrical, Transmission · 105,000 miles · PA

Vehicle lost power while driving. There was no power steering or power brakes and the engine stopped running. There was no warning before the power failure. Vehicle was able to be started up after power failure. The same evening, starting up the vehicle, the idle was rough and the power failed in about 1 minute. Vehicle was brought to a ford dealer the next morning and they could not replicate the problem and no engine codes were present. About 1 week later, after a rain storm, the power failed again while driving at 30 MPH. It was possible to start the vehicle after the power failure. A ford dealer looked at the vehicle after the latest power failure and could not replicate the problem and there were no engine codes. In april 2010, I experienced a similar problem which was caused by water getting into the PCM. Within a month in 2010, the PCM was replaced twice.

Filed Jul 9, 2012 · Steering · 69,075 miles · MI

Tl* the contact owns a 2004 ford freestar. The contact that while driving 60 MPH, the power steering failed. The contact stated there was no warning prior to the failure. The steering wheel started squealing whenever the contact tried to make a turn. The vehicle had not been inspected or repaired. The VIN was not accepted. The failure and current mileages were 69,075.

Filed Jun 15, 2012 · Electrical, Engine · 78,000 miles · ME

I left work, got 3 parking spots away, lost steering, brakes and gas. Engine was still running. Transaxle light came on, shut off van, tried again and it drove maybe a few feet and it was as if it was in neutral. Engine light, battery light and oil light came on. Shut it down tried again, drove about 10 feet and it died. Had it towed to vip who had no answers, towed to ford who said it there was water in the PCM. They dried it out and said give it a go. Got it home drove it one day and the next(after raining) it would not move out of driveway. It would go into gear but hitting the gas was again like in neutral. It would move maybe a few inches and then no longer. The engine light came back on and the van bucked some. Towed to ford again and they said it is defiantly water getting in the PCM. I have been searching online and I see many people complaining about this issue. I am worried because there is another recall coming in a month or so for the torque converter and I have 2 small children that rely on that van. I can't trade it in cause they are only will to give us $1000 when we owe 6. We are without vehicle again, with my husband and I having jobs and two kids. I feel unsafe in my van, even if we are to get it fixed, we have to hope the torque converter does not go while we are driving before the recall.

Filed Mar 7, 2012 · Electrical, Transmission · 84,560 miles · PA

While on the highway, at about 35 MPH, my 2004 ford freestar died. I was able to coast into a side street without power. After about 10 minutes, I was able to restart the vehicle, but it ran roughly for several minutes and then behaved normally until two days later when the transmission would not engage in any gear. I thought it was a transmission problem. The vehicle was towed home and the tow truck driver said it was behaving like there was a problem with the computer. Apparently he has seen this problem before. Examination of the computer (PCM) and the attachment plug showed significant water entry. Water actually ran out of the plug and there was water in the PCM enclosure. After several days of drying time, the PCM was put back into the vehicle and the vehicle ran normally. Ford has issued a tsb that covers the problem of water getting into the PCM and cable, so I am sure it is a common occurrence. I believe that if the vehicle is allowed to set idle for a number of days, the PCM will dry out by itself and then run normally until the next rain storm. No doubt, many transmissions have been replaced in error, and the problem reoccurs when the PCM again gets wet. Loss of power on the highway means no power steering or power brakes, which can lead to loss of control of the vehicle. The location of the PCM lends itself to water entry and appears to me to be a design defect that ford should address more forcefully than just to issue a technical service bulletin.

Filed Oct 25, 2011 · Brakes, Driver assistance · 123,000 miles · MD

Driving and the car shut down: no power steering, no power brakes, nothing worked. There were no warning lights or other indication of failure. Was able to steer to the side of the road and stop vehicle using emergency brakes.

Filed May 1, 2010 · Transmission · 80,500 miles · PA

2004 ford freestar: vehicle would not go into reverse on march 26 and also had problems going forward. Vehicle would not go over 20 MPH. Did not drive vehicle after this event and had towed to ford dealer on april 6. Pcm was replaced. Picked car up on april 19. Delay in pickup due to vacation. A week later (april 26), same problem returned after driving a total of about 110 miles. While driving in traffic, vehicle dropped to under 20 MPH without warning. Vehicle failed at a busy intersection. This was a frightening experience and there was a child in the car. Pcm was replaced a second time. Picked up repaired vehicle at ford dealer on may 1 and on the way home from ford dealer, drove vehicle 18 miles, when vehicle failed again. Vehicle shut down in traffic, no power steering or brakes available, barely missed hitting a house. Vehicle towed back to ford dealer for 3rd time. Vehicle would not go in reverse when unloaded from tow truck. We were fortunate that no one got hurt in either of these incidents and we are very concerned that we will not be so fortunate the next time. We are afraid to drive this car.

Filed Dec 10, 2009 · Steering · 64,000 miles · IL

I have a 2004 ford freestar. The power steering line has cracked so badly that it needs to be filled daily or I lose power steering (which is very dangerous now in the winter weather. It will take 6 weeks to get the new part in, I understand that the economy has caused a problem in getting the part manufactured, but I was told by a ford parts tech that it is also because of back orders. Why are so many of these parts needed. The mechanic that is going to do my repair says that this should not have happened to the part, that it is defective. I put 2 and 2 together, my part is defective, there is a back order for this part, seems like alot of people have a defective part. This could be very dangerous if power steering is suddenly lost.

Filed Dec 12, 2008 · Transmission · 39,900 miles · IL

Vehicle is on 4 years old with less than 40,000 miles and the transmission failed while driving. Lost steering control while driving.

Filed May 26, 2004 · Steering · 7,500 miles · MI

While driving 30 MPH, the power steering failed without warning. Please provide additional information.