I purchased a 2006 Ford Freestyle which currently has an open safety recall for 3rd Row Seat Latch Striker Corrosion Repair. I took the vehicle to a Ford dealership to have the recall repaired. The dealership confirmed the recall but days later informed me that the necessary parts are no longer available and that they are unable to complete the repair. This creates a serious safety concern because the recall involves corrosion of the 3rd row seat latch striker, which can affect proper seat latching and passenger safety in the event of a crash. I attempted to escalate this issue by contacting Ford corporate customer support. However, I have not received any resolution. I have been given the runaround between Ford corporate and the dealership. The dealership referred me to Ford customer support, and Ford customer support continues to refer me back to the dealership without providing any solution. I also have written communication from the dealership service department stating that their Special Service Support Center would not be able to assist and advising me to contact Ford customer support. Despite following these instructions, no assistance or remedy has been provided. As a result, the safety recall remains unresolved, and I am unable to complete required vehicle inspection/registration. I am left with a vehicle that has a known safety defect with no available repair and no clear resolution from the manufacturer. I am requesting immediate assistance and a definitive resolution to this safety issue.
The worst 2006 Ford Freestar problems
Ranked by number of owner complaints. Mileage and cost come from what owners wrote.
Problems by type
Tap a problem to see which part fails, at what mileage and in which other years.
- Transmission254
- Electrical40
- Engine39
- Acceleration19
- Seats12
- Fuel system11
- Brakes10
- Driver assistance7
- Seat belts6
- Visibility6
- Airbags5
- Body5
- Steering5
- Suspension4
- Tires3
- Lights2
- Wheels1
Specific symptoms reported on the 2006 Ford Freestar
Transmission failure 46Loss of power 38Stalling 38Check engine light 17Won't shift 15Jerking 11Hesitation 7Fire or smoke 6Harsh shifting 6Shudder 6Slipping 6Grinding brakes 5Misfire 5
Recalls 2
Seats
- What is wrong
- Ford is recalling certain model year 2004-2007 Freestar and Mercury Monterey vehicles manufactured from March 24, 2003, through November 7, 2006, equipped with a third row seat and originally sold in, or currently registered in, Connecticut, Delaware, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, West Virginia, Wisconsin and the District of Columbia. The third row stowable seat can experience corrosion and structural degradation at the seat anchor mechanism mounted to the rear wheel wells. As a result of the corrosion, the third row seat may not fully latch into its seating position.
- Risk
- In the event that the vehicle is crashed into from the rear, an unlatched seat may increase the risk of personal injury.
- Remedy
- Ford will notify owners, and dealers will install new third row seat latch striker mounting brackets, free of charge. The recall began on March 28, 2013. Owners may contact Ford Motor Company Customer Relationship Center at 1‑866‑436‑7332.
Recall number 13V081000 · Recall details
Structure: body: hatchback/liftgate
- What is wrong
- On certain vans equipped with the power liftgate option, the power liftgate motor automatically disengages after the liftgate is powered open.
- Risk
- In the event of a liftgate strut malfunction, the liftgate can fall freely with no prior warning. Anyone standing beneath the liftgate may be injured if the liftgate falls.
- Remedy
- Dealers will reprogram the power liftgate module to reduce the likelihood that the liftgate could fall free of charge. The recall began on march 15, 2006. Owners may contact ford at 1‑800‑392‑3673.
Recall number 06V069000 · Recall details
See all 2 recalls for the 2006 Ford Freestar
Defect investigations
Stabilus Rear Liftgate Struts Failing
Please see the attached closing resume summary.It has been attached to this document as a PDF.
EQ12010
Corrosion of Third-Row Seat Attachment
Ford is conducting a safety recall to repair the third-row seat's latch mechanisms in approximately 196,667 model year (MY) 2004 through 2007 Ford Freestar and Mercury Monterey vehicles (see the federal safety agency recall 13V‑081 for more details).The recall covers vehicles originally sold, or currently registered, in the salt belt states or high corrosion areas of the United States: Connecticut, Delaware, the District of Columbia, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, West Virginia, and Wisconsin.Approximately 100,000 remaining MY 2004-2007 Freestar and Monterey vehicles--those vehicles that were not originally sold, or are not currently registered, in salt belt states--are not included in the recall action. Although these vehicles are the same as the ones described above, they experience significantly lower failure rates because of reduced road salt exposure.ODI is currently aware of only one complaint on vehicle outside of the recall scope.ODI will monitor complaints and take further action if warranted by the circumstances.For owners of vehicles that are outside of the recall scope but exhibit the defect condition, owners (and affected Ford dealers) can contact Ford to request the recall repair.This Engineering Analysis is closed.See attached report and associated recall file for additional information.The ODI reports cited above can be reviewed online at http://www-odi.the federal safety agency.dot.gov/owners/Searchreference under the following identification numbers: 10399896, 10410491, 10420028, 10424850, 10433928, 10436592, 10438529, 10440616, 10441489, 10441641, 10442809, 10446564, 10450295, 10450559, 10450587, 10452933, 10453826, 10454977, 10455545, 10456985, 10457423, 10457910, 10458738, 10459042, 10460511, 10461074, 10462910, 10463126, 10463262, 10463366, 10463600, 10464243, 10467003, 10467680, 10468429, 10469188, 10469200, 10470216, 10470510, 10471280, 10471520, 10471813, 10471978, 10472514, 10473087, 10473159, 10477025, 10477387, 10477954, 10478449, 10479247, 10479758, 10480611, 10480665, 10481054, 10481412, 10482213, 10482236, 10482613, 10482620, 10487872, 10489445, 10490515, 10490641, 10490663, 10490744, 10491495, 10492220, 10493470, 10493572, 10496348, 10497631, 10497976, 10498310, 10498433, 10499681, 10499861, 10500495.
EA12003
Engine Stalling
The subject vehicles suffered from a design issue whereby water could run down onto the cowling under the hood and located in the area of the windshield wipers and then drip onto a computer module, the Powertrain Control Module (PCM), which could be manifested in a variety of symptoms depending on which part of the circuit board became wet or which of the connector pins shorted out.In addition to causing an engine to stall, which may or may not then restart, the water intrusion could also cause the transmission to shift poorly, the vehicle to have erratic power, a malfunction indicator light to come on, or result in an inability to start the vehicle, an inability to shift the vehicle into either forward or reverse. Also the problem could cause a higher than normal idle RPM in Park, or for the radio to malfunction, or the interior lights to stay on.During this investigation ODI was concerned with the effect of the engine stalling or a drastic and sudden loss of power either of which may create a safety risk.In reviewing the actual number of these types of incidents, collectively referred to here as engine stalls, the number was found to be below what would be considered a defect trend.For example, the number of engine stalls identified in Ford's warranty claims for the model year (MY) 2004 subject vehicles, the MY with the most failures, was 200 out of population of 125,865, for a failure rate of 0.16%.The one crash recorded by a complainant to the federal safety agency, VOQ 10311522, alleged that the engine stalled, due to water intrusion into the PCM, while the road was turning causing her to go off the road and according to the police report the vehicle then hit an embankment and a tree stump. Ford reported in their response that there were three alleged crashes but none of these were validated as being caused by a problem with water intrusion into the PCM causing a stall.Accordingly this investigation is closed.The closing of this investigation does not constitute a finding by the federal safety agency that a safety-related defect does not exist.The agency will continue to monitor complaints and other information relating to the alleged defect in the subject vehicles and take further action in the future if warranted.
PE10033
Technical service bulletins for the 2006 Ford Freestar 15
Bulletins tell dealers how to fix known problems. A warranty extension means the manufacturer pays for that repair for longer.
- The Powertrain Control/Emissions Diagnosis (PC/ED) manual has been revised for diagnosing electronic...
- For 2004-2007 Freestar or Monterey vehicles Safety Recall 13S01 has been issued for vehicles that are...
- Safety recall 13S01
- Ford/mercury: safety recall regarding sheet metal support for folding 3RD row seat latch strikers CAN...
- Damaged spark plug electrode/MIL DTC P030X, rough idle, engine knock/ping on acceleration
- Advanced traction control system - short duration activation
- Power steering hose leak near cooler extreme cold climate areas only -4 degrees and cooler
- Advanced traction control system - duration activation
- Customer satisfaction program 06B37
- Rear climate control noises - service tip
2006 Ford Freestar fuel economy
Official EPA estimates in miles per gallon (MPGe for electric). Ranges cover trims that share the same engine.
| Engine | Drive | City | Highway | Combined |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.9L 6‑cyl | FWD | 16 | 22 | 18 |
| 4.2L 6‑cyl | FWD | 15 | 21 | 17 |
What 2006 Ford Freestar owners say
Most recent owner complaints, unedited.
The alternator caught on fire and burned alternator wring harness.
The contact owns a 2006 Ford Freestar. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the speedometer failed to function as intended. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired by an independent mechanic or the dealer. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 100,000.
My Ford Freestar without warning or anything just wouldn’t go after stopping at a stop sign. It was like it was stuck in neutral. But it was in drive. In 2003 and 2004 there was a recall on the transmission. My van is a 2005 but the transmission was manufactured in 2004. Which is one of the years that was recalled so why is my 2005 Ford Freestar van not one of the ones under that recall. Is it cause it’s a 2005 cause the transmission was manufactured in 2004. I almost got hit by semi truck when this happen. Please recall this van. Please help!!! [XXX] Bless you all. Thanks, [XXX] Family INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
The contact owns a 2006 Ford Freestar. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle lost all motive power and would not shift to any gear other than park. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was not taken to the dealer or an independent mechanic. The vehicle was not repaired. After investigating the failure, the contact related it to a possible recall but was unable to provide details. The manufacturer was notified of the failure but referred the contact to the federal safety agency hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was 85,000.
The contact owns a 2006 Ford Freestar. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle lost significant motive power before briefly hesitating and jerking. After restarting the vehicle, it returned to normal functionality, but the failure had since become a regular occurrence. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was not taken to the dealer or an independent mechanic. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure but referred the contact to the federal safety agency hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was 137,000.
Was driving on populated road when all of a sudden car when in to neutral and almost rear-ended if not for quick thinking. Had to have it towed and now don't have any money to fix it so I lost my job cause could not get to work please have this problem recalled like the earlier years..
The contact owns a 2006 Ford Freestar. The contact stated that while his wife was driving on the freeway, the RPM’s increased however, the vehicle failed to accelerate. The contact’s wife was able to pull over. The vehicle was towed to the residence. The dealer was notified of the failure and informed the contact that there was no recall associated with the VIN. The contact referenced the federal safety agency Campaign Number: 12V006000 (Power Train). The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 140,000.
During rush hour I was pulling out of a Walgreens parking lot to take a left hand turn. As soon as I gave it gas it went forward about 7 feet and then it seemed as though my van went into neutral on its own. I looked on the dash and saw it was still in drive. I was stuck in the middle of traffic in the middle of my left turn. My car was sideways with traffic coming toward me from both sides I tried to put it in 3rd ,1nd, reverse. The shifter moved to those gears but all that happened when I gave it gas was revve up the rpm. I'm EXTREMELY lucky that the on coming traffic didn't side swipe me. I was able to get help pushing it to a side street. Where I turned it off for 30 min and tried again, still no vehicle movement, checked transmission fluid... It was good. I was not getting any transmission engagement. There was no warning lights illuminated prior to this incident and there is currently no warning lights illuminated now. I would absolutely LOVE if someone could inspect my vehicle and I'm available anytime for someone to do so. My safety and the safety of others was put at risk because I was unable to complete my left turn my vehicle was stuck sideways during rush hour with on coming traffic coming from both ways. I haven't taken the vehicle to the ford dealer or any other independent service center. Thankfully there was no accident, so I didn't have the need to call the police.
Driving down the road vehicle experiences total loss of acceleration it’s like it’s in neutral in every won’t go forward or backwards towed home looked up problem seems that it’s the same as recall for 04-05 models torch converter had I been on highway in St. Louis mo could have been killed as they aren’t known for being the safest drivers it’s my opinion Ford should have to recall every vehicle that had the parts that are faulty in them regardless of the model year if the parts are junk on 04-05 they used the same in 06 models you know they are gonna have same problems
Compare the 2006 Ford Freestar
Other model years
Questions about the 2006 Ford Freestar
Is the 2006 Ford Freestar reliable?
Owners have filed 356 complaints about the 2006 Ford Freestar, fewer than a typical Freestar model year.
What is the 2006 Ford Freestar year score?
The 2006 Ford Freestar scores 88 out of 100 (good). The score compares it with the other model years of the Ford Freestar: 75 is a typical year, 50 means twice the usual complaints, and serious complaints and recalls lower it.
What is the most common problem with the 2006 Ford Freestar?
Transmission and drivetrain, with 254 complaints, typically around 95,422 miles. Next is electrical (40).
How many recalls does the 2006 Ford Freestar have?
2 recalls, covering seats and structure.
What year does the Ford Freestar have bad transmission?
The Ford Freestar model years with the most transmission complaints are 2004 (851 complaints), 2005 (677 complaints) and 2006 (254 complaints).
What gas mileage does the 2006 Ford Freestar get?
Official estimates for the 2006 Ford Freestar range from 17 to 18 mpg combined. The most efficient version (3.9L 6-cyl, FWD) gets 16 city and 22 highway.
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