2005 Ford Freestar electrical system problems

“The rear wheel well has rusted on both sides and completely rusted out a large hole (approx. 1 ft diameter area visibly effected) in the the body of the van. The rusted out section is where the back seat is anchored to the frame, so the rust has cause the seat to no longer be securely anchored to the car. The hole has also caused electrical wires to get wet when water gets into the van and intermittently and unpredictably causing failure of electrical features, including headlights and blinkers, while driving.”

“THIS IS A BIG, BIG, DEAL RELATED TO DANGEROUS SAFETY ISSUE. REFERENCE BULLETIN:FORD TSB 6-14-10, ISSUED JULY 24, 2006 (SUPERSEDES FORD TSB 5-23-7 ISSUED NOVEMBER 28, 2005) MY CAR SUDDENLY LOST CONTROL SURGING AND UNABLE TO SHIFT AND NO REVERSE GEAR. HAVE HAD OFF AND ON PROBLEMS FOR THE PAST YEAR RESULTING IN ABOUT $2000 OF SERVICE TO FIGURE OUT WHY CAR ACTING UP, SURGING, INABILITY TO SHIFT, AT TIMES NO FORWARD OR REVERSE GEAR. ONE TIME DROVE 25 MPH TO GET HOME 20 MILES AND POLICE STOPPED ME BECAUSE SUSPICIOUS DRIVING. I TOLD HIM I WAS HAVE TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS. TRANSMISSION AS IT TURNS OUT IS PERFECT. PCM IS MALFUNCTIONING INTERMITTENTLY BECAUSE OF ENGINEERING PROBLEM OF PCM SHORTING OUT.TOWED TO FORD DEALER AND SAID NEEDED $2-5000 TRANSMISSION. TOWED HOME AND SUDDENLY STARTED WORKING. INVESTIGATED THIS BULLETIN THAT THE FORD DEALER WAS NOT FAMILIAR WITH AND THEY ACCEPTED MY INFORMATION DESCRIBING THE BULLETIN TO THEM. WHY HAS THIS PROBLEM NOT RISEN TO THE RECALL STATUS GIVEN THE EXTREME DANGER ON THE HIGHWAY DRIVING AND LOOSING ALL CONTROL OF THE CAR CAUSING A VERY DANGEROUS PERILOUS SITUATION TO ME MY FAMILY AND OTHERS ON THE ROAD?”

“WATER DRIPPED FROM THE WIPER BLADE COWL INTO THE PCM, CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO START, DRIVE BRIEFLY, AND THEN SHUT OFF WHILE MOVING, CAUSING LOSS OF CONTROL OF ELECTRICAL COMPONENTS OF THE VEHICLE WHILE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY. STEERING BECAME DIFFICULT. IF THIS HAD HAPPENED AT HIGH SPEEDS OR WITH A LOT OF TRAFFIC AROUND, IT COULD HAVE BEEN EXTREMELY DANGEROUS OR DEADLY. THE MECHANIC SAYS THIS IS A PROBLEM HE SEES WITH FORD WINDSTAR VEHICLES. THE MECHANIC STATED THE PCM WAS LITERALLY UNDER WATER WHEN HE RECEIVED THE VEHICLE, DESPITE THE CAUSE BEING A FAIRLY TYPICAL RAIN STORM, AND DRYING OUT THE PCM DID NOT HELP, AS THE DAMAGE HAD ALREADY BEEN DONE. THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE THAT, AFTER SEARCHING ONLINE AND SPEAKING WITH MECHANICS, APPEARS TO BE COMMON. FORD NEEDS TO FIX THIS ISSUE BEFORE A VEHICLE LOSES CONTROL AT HIGH SPEEDS.”

“WE OWN A 2005 FORD FREESTAR. THE SLIDING DOOR LOCK FAILED ON PASSENGER SIDE AND COULD NOT BE UNLOCKED ELECTRONICALLY OR MANUALLY. THE LOCAL FORD MECHANIC STATED THAT THE COST TO REPAIR WAS $600+ FOR PARTS & $300 FOR LABOR TO FIX. APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 126,000.”

“2005 FORD FREESTAR. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO UNSATISFACTORY CUSTOMER SERVICE AT DEALERSHIP AND UNRESOLVED VEHICLE PROBLEMS. *SMD CONSUMER SENT ADDITIONAL CORRESPONDENCE. *SMD THE CONSUMER STATED THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT REMAINED ON AFTER MULTIPLE REPAIRS WERE MADE. THE VEHICLE WOULD ALSO STALL. THE TORQUE CONVERTER WENT OUT AND THE VEHICLE HAD TO BE TOWED. THE VEHICLE WAS TRADED IN. *JS *JS”

“AN INCIDENT FROM ABOUT A MONTH AGO: AFTER TRAVELING ON THE FREEWAY AND COMING TO A STOP AT A RED LIGHT AT THE OFF RAMP AT 2AM, MY CAR BEGAN TO SPUTTER AND REV. I PROCEEDED TO THE NEXT RED LIGHT WHERE MY CAR SHUT OFF. EVERY TIME I STARTED IT, IT WOULD SHUT OFF RIGHT AWAY. I DRIVE FOR A TAXI SERVICE AND LUCKILY I DID NOT HAVE PASSENGERS IN THE CAR WITH ME AT THE TIME. I CALLED A FAMILY MEMBER TO COME LOOK AND HELP. HE ENDED UP PUSHING MY CAR WITH HIS INTO A NEARBY PARKING LOT. AFTER SOME INVESTIGATION, I CONCLUDED IT WAS THE PCM. IT WAS TAKEN OUT TO DRY COMPLETELY AND THE WINDSHIELD AREA WHERE WATER MAY HAVE LEAKED INTO IT WAS SEALED WITH SILICONE. IT STARTED WORKING AGAIN FINE AND HAS BEEN SINCE THEN. NOW IT HAS RAINED AGAIN AND THE PROBLEM HAS REOCCURRED. TODAY, AFTER DRIVING ON THE FREEWAY AND ENTERING A NEIGHBORHOOD, MY TRANS-AXLE LIGHT STARTED BLINKING. THEN MY OIL AND BATTERY LIGHT APPEARED AND SECONDS AFTER MY STEERING WHEEL STOPPED TURNING AND THE CAR SHUT OFF. I WAS ABLE TO PARK IN THE STREET AND RESTART THE CAR, BUT ONCE I PUT IT IN DRIVE AND MOVED ABOUT 1 FOOT, THE CAR SHUT OFF AGAIN. IT WILL TURN ON AND STAY IDLE, BUT ONCE I START MOVING, IT SHUTS OFF…”