2005 Ford Freestyle: jerking or lurching

Filed Dec 3, 2019 · Acceleration, Engine · 136,000 miles · TX · crash

The car stops randomly at times and sometimes will not even startup. Check engine light is on and I recently hit someone in front of me due to jerking or lerching while at a stop light. Very dangerous

Filed Aug 22, 2018 · Electrical · TX

I am having the issues that the investigation with the electric throttle body. They have a customer satisfaction program called 12n03 and it didn't last long enough for me to get the car that I purchased (this year) fixed. I have 66k miles on the car and the dealerships are using the 10 years or 150000 miles to mean that since my car is older than 10 years I don't qualify to get my car fixed to working order. When I use the key to start the car, it doesn't accelerate. The rpms lurch like the car is going to go somewhere and it doesn't and the wrench light comes on. I got this car 3 weeks ago and the dealership isn't fixing it and the ford dealerships aren't fixing it. I had no control over whether the previous owner got the message to get it fixed or not or whether they took the car to get fixed. Now I have a car that I cannot drive and if it does "reset" (because turning it off and waiting a while used to kind of reset it to where it would work) there is a chance it will turn off on me/no longer accelerate.

Filed Dec 15, 2016 · Engine, Fuel system · 114,000 miles · PA

Door latches freezing every winter and doors will not latch and stay shut. Also went to ford website and realized there was a recall for fsa title: engine idle RPM surge extended warranty field service action number: 12n03. I was unaware of this recall and my car does this quite frequently and I am afraid the tens years is up for this to be taken care of. When pull up to a stop sign or red light, sometimes the engine will rev really high and lurch forward causing me to stomp on brake pedal really hard.

Filed Jan 29, 2016 · Transmission · 140,000 miles · MD

Tl* the contact owns a 2005 ford freestyle. While driving various speeds, the transmission exhibited severe hesitation in a jerking motion. The failure recurred on a separate occasion. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed that the transmission would need to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 140,000. The VIN was unavailable.

Filed May 29, 2015 · Transmission · 148,255 miles · VA

Tl* the contact owns a 2005 ford freestyle. While driving at 15 MPH, the vehicle would not accelerate when going up a hill. The vehicle also jerked violently and the check engine warning light illuminated. The failure recurred only when the vehicle was driven up a hill. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was 148,255.

Filed Aug 6, 2014 · Transmission · 105,000 miles · GA

Tl* the contact owns a 2005 ford freestyle. While driving approximately 25 MPH, the vehicle jerked without warning. The failure recurred multiple times. An independent mechanic stated that the transmission fluid needed to be changed and the transmission filter replaced. The vehicle was repaired, but the failure recurred. The manufacturer was not notified. The approximate failure mileage was 105,000.

Filed Jul 21, 2014 · Steering, Transmission · GA

Riding down road and car started lunging and trying to go on its own. Then transaxle light came on. Car would then only go 40mph but it would rev up and tac at 5 or more. Took it to americus sunbelt ford, they said it needed transaxle fluid and put some in. Light went off and it worked. Very dangerous to be in road and car won't go fast enough to get out of the way. The A/C quit right after this. Had A/C fixed and it was ok. Next the throttle body in june 2012 messed up and I had it fixed at sunbelt ford and they charged me almost $900. Ran for a while then ford had a recall on throttle body and I took it in and they cleaned it but would not reimburse me for what I paid to get fixed. May 2014 A/C compressor went out again got it fixed and on july 13, 2014 in atlanta ga on interstate 85 around norcross with the traffic flying 75 80 MPH by me jerking along at 40mph and the transaxle light came on. It was extremely scary since I had my child and husband with me when this happened and we were not at an exit to get off but when we limped to one I turned into a parking lot and it quit going up the small hill. It would not go forward or backward therefore we were in harms way again. With the help of strangers we pushed it to safety. I had to have it towed 169 miles back to my home and the mechanic says that it is full of transmission fluid but it will not go. This is a safety hazard and an accident waiting to happen. Ford should have to take these cars off the road and pay me for all the repairs and a car that won't go.

Filed Jan 19, 2014 · Transmission · 92,200 miles · MD

Cvt failure. Car would not accelerate over 45 MPH and began jerking. Would sit at traffic lights sometimes for 3 turns before car would move. Barely made it home.

Filed Dec 17, 2013 · Engine, Transmission · 132,000 miles · OH

When idle in drive the RPM's surge by itself and the vehicle jerks forward.

Filed Oct 3, 2013 · Acceleration, Engine · 79,661 miles · WA

We purchased a used 2005 ford freestyle on april 4, 2013. It had 74,590 miles on it. On october 1, 2013 the ctv transmission began to fail. Check engine and check transmission warnings came on, the car would not accelerate past 10mph, it lurched and crunched at 3500-4000rpms. We made it less than one block before it just stopped in the road. Turning the engine off and back one, I was able to get back to ten MPH and limp it back home. Later that day after disconnecting the battery for ten minutes, the car fired up no problem and was drivable until the october 3, 2013 where this action repeated but it didn't even make it a block before stopping. Again, by turning the engine off and back on I was able to limp it home. My husband was able to get it started one more time and took it to the mechanic. After an afternoon of full diagnoses, we were told it needed a new refurbed (so not even new) transmission for $6400.00! We were able to limp it home from the mechanics while we consider our options. After researching online this appears to be a well known problem with the ctv transmissions that ford is fully aware of and has no plans to correct. We would like to know what our options are with this lemon! We haven't even had it for 6 months and it has low mileage. Thank you.

Filed Aug 30, 2013 · Acceleration · 96,000 miles · TX

I was sitting in a drive thru when the engine suddenly revved up and the car lurched forward. The gas pedal was not being pressed at the time, only the brake. I applied more pressure to the brake pedal and the car stopped. The engine continued to rev and then it shut off. When the car was restarted, the check engine light was on. The error code was p061b.

Filed Aug 27, 2013 · Acceleration, Engine · 198,000 miles · MI

2005 freestyle sat parked at idle (in parking lot) for approximately 7 minutes. Brake pedal was then pressed and gear shift put into "drive". Vehicle RPM's immediately went up out of control without foot on accelerator. Vehicle quickly lurched forward about 10 feet before brake pedal was depressed far enough to cease the movement. Speed estimated at 8mph. Rpm's continued to increase and vehicle lurched again and traveled about a foot before brake pedal was further depressed enough to cease movement. For about one-half second after brake pedal was depressed, rpms stayed high and then vehicle shook violently and stalled. Dash readout said, "engine failsafe mode". Fortunately, no persons were in front of vehicle during incident. One hour later, same day, vehicle would not properly accelerate during passing attempt. Unknown if this issue was related. The next morning, vehicle would not start and hasn't started since. Vehicle currently in auto repair shop (we've been afraid to drive vehicle and will not drive it until situation is rectified).