2006 Ford Freestar: jerking or lurching

Filed Oct 10, 2023 · Transmission · 137,000 miles · FL

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.

Filed Oct 18, 2020 · Body, Engine · TN

I purchased a 2006 ford freestar van on 10-13-2020 and 10-16-2020 car lights started blinking on and off in an outside the van. Started to drive home the van started jerking bad and smoking. Cut off in the middle of the road while my children an pregnant daughter in law were in the van. The axle broke and my transmission fluid is leaking my gears change but van won't move.

Filed Aug 1, 2016 · Acceleration, Brakes · 58,000 miles · PA

Tl* the contact owns a 2006 ford freestar. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the accelerator pedal was depressed but the vehicle failed to accelerate. The contact stated that the vehicle jerked forward without warning. The failure recurred numerous times. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where it was diagnosed that the transmission failed and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 58,000. ...updated 10/11/16 *bf

Filed Jun 30, 2014 · Transmission · 120,000 miles · FL

I have a 2006 ford freestar. I was driving down the interstate with my three children in the back driving about 75 MPH, started to go uphill and all of a sudden the van acted like it was in neutral and wouldn't go when I gave it gas. The interstate was extremely packed and I'm sitting in a van with my kids ages 3-12 and my van is almost stopping. It was very hard to get it off the road and it was very scary! I was about 2 hours from home with no money for a tow truck, so I turned it off and waited a few minutes, and started it back up. It was still jerking and not catching gears on the way home. Was about 20 minutes away from home when the wrench light came on and it started doing it again. Made it home, got online and started looking up what might be wrong and found hundreds and hundreds of complaints about this van. It is the torque converter going out. Ford has a recall on the 2004 and 2005, and even thought the transmissions are the same and the issue is the same, they won't do a recall on the 2006. Is it going to take someone getting killed for them tpo issue a recall????

Filed May 12, 2014 · Acceleration, Brakes · 96,340 miles · IA

Some times while backing up the car would lurch. While driving the car would suddenly accelerate while cruise control was engaged oreven just by it self. Sometimes the car was having problems accelerating from a stop.

Filed Mar 18, 2014 · Transmission · 150,000 miles · OH

Driving on the interstate and the van started to jerk and lose power. If the previous 3 years of the van are recalled for the transmission. And mine went out does the recall need to be expanded? Based on some google searches alot of people have lost there transmission do to the torque converter.

Filed Mar 30, 2013 · Electrical, Transmission · 94,000 miles · KY

While driving in heavy traffic during a snow storm with my 9 year old daughter on the freeway my 2006 ford freestar started jerking and trying to stall out when trying to get off the freeway to safety speedometer was showing I was driving 120 at a stop light. The RPM's were at a 3 while sitting still. If the van had stalled on the freeway the incident would have been horrific. Then a second incident happen on march 28, 2013 when I was preparing pull onto a side street my van started jerking and stalling out on me and the speedometer showed I going a 120 while sitting still at a stop sign.

Filed Aug 26, 2012 · Transmission · 78,331 miles · OH

I was driving down a city street, stopped at a light, when it turned green I pushed on the pedal gently (someone was in front of me) and it made a huge jerk and clank clank clank. It then started to go. At this point it had the "powertrain malfunction light on". I drove it to ford and the car wouldn't go into reverse at all and wouldn't drive with out jerking. It also wouldn't go back in neutral when the key was turned on. No warning, drove fine before this.

Filed Jun 13, 2012 · Transmission · 116,000 miles · TX

Tl* the contact owns a 2006 ford freestar. The contact stated that the vehicle jerked while shifting gears. The contact also stated that the vehicle stalled while driving at various speeds. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic but he was unable to diagnose the failure. The contact stated that she also had to have the vehicle towed on a few occasions. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified and offered no assistance. The failure mileage was 116,000.

Filed Jan 20, 2012 · Engine, Transmission · 90,000 miles · NJ

Bought the 2006 ford freestar on 9/14/11. 5 minutes after the purchase, I came to a light and the car lost all power. Turned right around and went back to the dealership and assumed it was from sitting in the lot through a massive snow storm. In the 18 weeks that I have had the vehicle, it has been brought back to the shop 4 times totaling 12 full weeks. We have constant loss of power. We also experience a jerking/bucking which results in the engine light flashing and as soon as the car slows down enough, it will lose power. This usually happens right after rain. These problems have left me with a non mobile car in intersections. This is not safe at all and there should be a recall on this vehicle before someone ends up in a fatal crash.

Filed Dec 28, 2011 · Lights, Transmission · 54,624 miles · KY

On nov. 18, 2011 while on a trip of approximately 600 miles round trip this 2006 ford freestar shuddered a few times which was presumed to be rough road. On nov. 23 the van did not go into reverse. After a few tries it did slip into reverse. The following day nov. 24 the same thing happened. The van was in another town about 60 miles away, my daughter had borrowed it, so on dec.06, 2011 she took it to a ford dealership for diagnosis. The dealership gave me a paper stating the oss was bad. I picked up the van (after the ford dealership told me it could be driven home), and on the way home it started to jerk when changing gears while going up or down hills. The lights inside and out went out also. I took the van to a transmission shop and after they checked it over it was determined the transmission was bad. There was nothing wrong with the oss sensor. A washer had broken inside the transmission, the fluid was full of metal, bushings were worn, and gears needed replacing. I trust this transmission place totally and since I had experienced the reverse and gear jerk problems myself I felt this was the correct diagnosis. I had the transmission repaired. Now, this may be reasonable for some 2006 vehicles which may had been driven hard, however.. This van had 56683 miles when taken to the dealership. This vehicle is used mostly for transportation for a disabled person. Which makes it twice as frightening about the transmission. I keep thinking about the possibilities of breaking down miles away from home. When is it acceptable for a bought new, gently treated vehicle with 56683 miles on it have a bad transmission? Even though it is 5 years old the mileage is not great. I cannot think what might have been if it had gone totally while on the road transporting a disabled person.