FaultScore

2004 Ford Freestar stability control problems

12 of the 1,600 complaints about the 2004 Ford Freestar are about the stability control — 1% of everything reported for this model year. Half of the failures with a mileage on record happened before 50,000 miles.

A

12

Complaints

0

Crashes

0

Fires

0

Injuries

Exactly what failed

Electronic Stability Control (Esc) 8 66.7%
Traction Control System 4 33.3%

What owners said

Filed with NHTSA, in their own words.

at 134,000 miles Schaumburg, IL

ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC)

EVERYTIME I STOP AT EITHER A STOPLIGHT OR STOP SIGN IT STALLS OUT. THE BATTERY LIGHT COMES ON AND THEN GOES BACK OFF. I AM ABLE TO RESTART IT BACK UP AND CONTINUE IT ON. I HAVE HAD THE ELECTRICAL COMPUTER FIXED AND HAD A FULL TUNE UP DONE AND IT STILL STALLS OUT.

NHTSA complaint #11055991 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 45,000 miles Fairfield, CT

ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC)

IT WAS RAINY DAY AND MY WIFE WAS PICKING MY DAUGHTER FROM SCHOOL. IT HAPPENED IN THE SCHOOL ZONE. THE CAR WAS IN MOTION. KIDS CROSS ROAD AS IT WAS END OF SCHOOL DAY. SAFETY OF PASSENGERS AND OTHER PEOPLE WAS IN DANGER. I HAVE REPLACED IN FEB 2016 CONTROL UNIT AND HCU SPENDING $2400 +. AT THAT TIME IT HAD ENGINE LIGHT ON. IT HAS AGAIN CAME BACK ON 10/24/2017. JUST TO NOTE, IN 2010, SPEND $1600 + ON THE CAR BECAUSE OF ISSUES IN THE VEHICLE. HAD ABS LIGHT ON, NORMAL DRIVING. THE CAR HAS ONLY AROUND 45000 MILES. RAIN WATER IS CAUSING ISSUES. IF GOOGLE SEARCH DONE "FORD FREESTAR CHECK ENGINE LIGHT AFTER RAIN", IT HITS LOTS OF RESULTS. FORD KNOW THE ISSUES. FORD EVEN HAD FOLLOWING SERVICE BULLETIN. TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN (TSB 06-14-10.) THESE MINIVANS ARE SAFETY HAZARDS. WHAT WOULD IT TAKE TO GET SOMETHING DONE, RECALL OR GET THESE MINIVANS OFF ROADS ? FORD IS NOT TAKING RESPONSIBILITY. PLEASE FORCE THEM TO OWN THE RESPONSIBILITY WHICH THEY ARE NOT WILLINGLY TAKE. I HAVE DOCUMENTS FOR THE REPAIR THAT WAS DONE. IN 2016, WHEN CHECK ENGINE LIGHT WAS ON, I WAS ON HIGHWAY DRIVING 50 MILES AN HOUR AND IT WAS RAINY. CAR WAS SHAKING AND SEEMED LIKE LOSING POWER. THANKS, ANIL

NHTSA complaint #11041317 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Baltimore, MD

ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC)

WHILE MY HUSBAND WAS ON HIS WAY HOME FROM WORK HE CAME UPON A RED LIGHT. WHEN THE LIGHT TURNED GREEN AGAIN HE ATTEMPTED TO ACCELERATE BUT THE VAN WOULD NOT MOVE. HE TURNED THE IGNITION OFF AND THEN ON AGAIN AND THE VAN STILL WOULD NOT MOVE. ALL OF THIS OCCURRED WITHOUT ANY WARNING, NO LIGHTS FLASHING OR ANY KIND OF UNUSUAL SOUNDS. AFTER HAVING IT TOWED TO THE DEALER WE PURCHASED THE VEHICLE FROM WE WERE TOLD THAT THE VAN HAD AN ELECTRICAL PROBLEM THAT NEEDED TO BE HANDLED AT THE FORD DEALER. NOW WHAT I HAVE BEEN TOLD IS THAT THE ELECTRONIC COMPUTER MODULE WAS THE PROBLEM AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THIS REPAIR COST US $1200 DOLLARS AFTER HAVING THE VAN FOR JUST UNDER FIVE MONTHS. WE ARE PAYING CLOSE TO $13,000 FOR THIS VAN AND WERE NOT ABLE TO DRIVE IT SAFELY FOR AT LEAST SIX MONTHS WITHOUT REPAIR. SOMEONE SHOULD PROTECT THE CONSUMER A LITTLE BETTER THAN THEY ARE. THIS IS DEVASTATING FOR MY FAMILY CONSIDERING THIS IS OUR FIRST VEHICLE AND WE ARE STILL INEXPERIENCED WITH THE WAS DEALERS PREY ON THEIR POTENTIAL CUSTOMERS, FORD SHOULD BE ASHAMED OF HOW THEY TREAT THE PEOPLE WHO ARE THE ONE'S WHO KEEP THEM IN BUSINESS. I THINK PEOPLE SHOULD TAKE A STAND TO REFRAIN FROM PURCHASING FORD VEHICLES UNTIL THEY TAKE CONSUMER SAFETY SERIOUSLY. THERE SHOULD ALSO BE A LAW WHICH STATES THAT ANY USED CAR DEALER DISCLOSE RECALL INFORMATION TO THE POTENTIAL BUYER BEFORE A CONTRACT IS ENTERED INTO. THE TYPE OF PROBLEM THAT WE HAVE COULD HAVE ENDED IN SERIOUS INJURY OR DEATH HAD THIS HAPPENED ON THE HIGHWAY.

NHTSA complaint #10521384 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 61,000 miles Mount Arlington, NJ

ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC)

IN 2010 FOR NO REASON THE TRACTION CONTROL LIGHT WAS COMING ON. AFTER 2 VISITS TO THE DEALER THEY REPLACED THE ABS MODULE AND SWITCH ON THE MASTER CYLINDER. THE PROBLEM SEEMED TO BE RESOLVED BUT ONCE IN A WHILE THE LIGHT WOULD COME ON. NOW IT IS HAPPENING MORE FREQUENTLY AND THE ABS ACTIVATES FOR NO APPARENT REASON (DRY ROAD AND NORMAL BRAKING) WHICH I CONSIDER A SAFETY HAZARD.

NHTSA complaint #10508342 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 50,000 miles Randolph, NJ

TRACTION CONTROL SYSTEM

CHECK TIRES & TRACTION CONTROL OFF LIGHT COMES ON DAILY.

NHTSA complaint #10504772 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 50,000 miles Randolph, NJ

ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC)

CHECK TIRES & TRACTION CONTROL OFF LIGHT COMES ON DAILY.

NHTSA complaint #10504772 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 123,000 miles Sykesville, MD

ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC)

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.

NHTSA complaint #10432754 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 35,000 miles Marysville, OH

TRACTION CONTROL SYSTEM

VERY HIGH PITCHED SQUEALING NOISE COMING FROM FRONT WHEELS. NOISE BEGINS APPROXIMATELY 15 MINUTES AFTER BEGINNING DRIVING. NOISE IS INTERMITTENT BUT VERY IRRITATING TO PASSERS BY AND OTHER DRIVERS. NOISE "LIGHTENS" OR LESSENS WHEN BRAKES ARE APPLIED AND WHEN SLIGHTLY TURNING THE STEERING WHEEL. I BELIEVE IT TO BE WHEEL BEARINGS/HUB BEARINGS. VERY SIMILAR DESCRIPTION TO COMPLAINTS I HAVE READ AND I BELIEVE IT IS RELATED TO THE RECALL #04S24. MY VEHICLE WAS PRODUCED AT THE OAKVILLE ASSEMBLY PLANT, BUT WAS PRODUCED BEFORE THE DATES LISTED IN THE CURRENT FORM OF THE RECALL. MY VEHICLE ONLY HAS 66,000 MILES ON IT AND IS VERY WELL MAINTAINED. I REQUEST THAT THIS RECALL BE EXPANDED IMMEDIATELY AND THAT REMEDY IS OFFERED SWIFTLY.

NHTSA complaint #10348383 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 48,500 miles Ballwin, MO

ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC)

EXPERIENCED A SUDDEN LOSS OF MOTIVE POWER TO THE ENGINE ON 2004 FREESTAR WHILE DRIVING IN BAD WEATHER AND HEAVY TRAFFIC. AIR BAG LIGHT CAME ON AS WELL. TOWED TO DEALER. TOLD TRANSMISSION AND AIR BAG MODULE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. COST $4000. FREESTAR HAS 48,589 MILES. EXTENDED WARRANTY EXPIRED IN AUGUST. HAD CAR IN TO DEALER 4 TIMES DURING THE SUMMER FOR TRACTION CONTROL ISSUES AND FAILURE OF BACKUP SENSORS. 2006 HAD TO BE TOWED TO DEALER DUE TO ENGINE STOPPED RUNNING 3 TIMES IN LESS THAN 2 MILES. TRADE IN VALUE $5700(MINUS $4000 IN TRANSMISSION AND AIRBAG MODULE REPLACEMENT)

NHTSA complaint #10293755 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 70,000 miles Franklin, TN

TRACTION CONTROL SYSTEM

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.

NHTSA complaint #10286074 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 84,000 miles Austin, TX

TRACTION CONTROL SYSTEM

TWO TRANSMISSION FAILURES WITHOUT WARNINGS IN OUR 2004 FORD FREESTAR. NO ACCIDENTS JUST EXHAUSTION AND SUNBURNS DUE TO 112*F IN THE MOJAVE DESERT FOR 6 HOURS OF WAITING FOR TOW TRUCK TO TOW 5 FAMILY MEMBERS TO CLOSEST TRANSMISSION REPAIR PLACE.

NHTSA complaint #10277615 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 44,000 miles Tell City, IN

ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC)

WE OWN A 2004 FREESTAR THAT HAS HAD THE TRANSMISSION REPLACED IN FEB 2008 WITH LESS THAN 43,000 MILES ON IT. IN JULY 2008 WE SPEND $450 ON REPAIRING PART OF THE BREAKING SYSTEM, AND THIS WEEK THE VAN WOULD NOT GO INTO REVERSE AND DID NOT HAVE ANY PULL TO IT WHEN IT FINALLY DID AFTER SEVERAL ATTEMPTS. ONCE I GOT OUT OF THE PARKING SPACE, I GOT AN ESTIMATE OF A BLOCK AND ONTO A BUSY HIGHWAY, ONLY TO HAVE THE VAN STALL ON ME, ALMOST CAUSING A WRECK. THE DEALERSHIP AND FORD PAID FOR THE TRANSMISSION TO BE REPLACED, WE PAID FOR THE CALIPER, DRUM, ROTOR, AND BREAK PAD TO BE REPLACED ON THE FRONT DRIVER SIDE BRAKE. WHEN HAVING THE VAN CHECKED OUT THIS WEEK, WE WERE TOLD YESTERDAY THAT THEY DID DIAGNOSTICS ON IT, AND THE ONLY THING THAT CAME BACK WAS A CAM SENSOR AND THAT THERE WAS PROBABLY MOISTURE INVOLVED THAT WOULD CAUSE THE STALLING. NOTHING WAS REPAIRED, AND THIS COULD HAPPEN AGAIN, ESP DURING THE WINTER MONTHS, WHEN WINTER DRIVING IS ALREADY DANGEROUS. THERE IS ALSO AN ISSUE WITH THE TRACK CONTROL. IT WORKS MOST OF THE TIME BUT NOT ALL OF THE TIME. THE LIGHT COMES ON AT LEAST 2 TIME PER MONTH. THE REASON CAN'T BE FOUND FOR IT. FORD NEEDS TO BE MADE TO DO RECALLS ON THESE VANS FOR THE SAFETY OF THE OWNERS.

NHTSA complaint #10252316 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Other 2004 Ford Freestar problems

← Full 2004 Ford Freestar report