Problems · by component

2005 Ford Freestyle fuel system, gasoline problems

95 owner complaints to NHTSA about the 2005 Ford Freestyle cite fuel system, gasoline, 7% of all 1,459 complaints for this model year. NHTSA also lists 1 recall on this component.

Complaints
95
7% of all complaints
Crashes
1
Reported by owners
Fires
1
Reported by owners
Injuries
0
Reported by owners
01 —Owner reports

What owners say about the fuel system, gasoline

Verbatim from NHTSA complaints, newest first
“TRAVELING ON HWY AT APPROX 60 MPH, WRENCH LIGHT CAME ON, "FAILSAFE ENGINE MODE" MESSAGE APPEARED AND CAR POWERED DOWN. PULLED OVER, TURNED CAR OFF, WAITED 1 MIN, RESTARTED CAR. MESSAGE WAS CLEARED AND CAR DROVE AS NORMAL. ABOUT 20 MILES LATER, SAME PROBLEM, EXCEPT CHECK ENGINE LIGHT AND MESSAGE APPEARED. PULLED OVER, TURNED OFF CAR, RESTARTED. CHECK ENGINE LIGHT AND MESSAGE REMAINED. VERY LOW POWER UPON ACCELERATION. PROBLEM CONTINUED INTERMITTENTLY. RECEIVED ENGINE CODE P2111, P2112 RELATING TO THROTTLE BODY PROBLEM. ETB HAD BEEN CLEANED 11/13 BY DEALER PER TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN ISSUED BY FORD. NO PROBLEMS UNTIL 12/14. SERVICE PERFORMED TO REPROGRAM ETB, NO CLEANING WAS NEEDED. PROBLEM RECURRED 12/23/14. CHECK ENGINE LIGHT IS ON AND NO POWER UPON ACCELERATION PERSISTS. CODES INDICATE ETB NEEDS TO BE REPLACED. *TR”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jan 5, 2015Fuel system, gasoline, Electrical system, Vehicle speed controlODI 10670132
“THE PROBLEM WITH THIS CAR AND THE THROTTLE BODY HAS BEEN GOING ON FOR A WHILE. I TOOK THE CAR TO THE FORD DEALER BUT THEY ONLY CLEANED THE THROTTLE BODY WHEN IT NEEDED REPLACEMENT. THE LAST EVENT WAS IN AUGUST 1 WHEN WHILE I WAS DRIVING THE FAIL SAFE MODE CAME UP AND THE CAR SUDDENLY LOST THE POWER AND WOULDN'T RUN FASTER THAN PROBABLY 0.1 MILE PER HOUR. THIS WAS THE SECOND TIME THIS HAPPENED THE FIRST TIME I WAS WITH MY KIDS IN A MAJOR HIGHWAY AND THE CAR SUDDENLY STOP RUNNING. THANK GOD I HAD A CHANCE TO STEER TO THE EMERGENCY LANE. MANY PEOPLE ARE HAVING THE SAME ISSUE WITH THE 2005-2007 FREESTYLE, THIS IS A SUPER SAFETY ISSUE AND NOBODY IS DOING ANYTHING ABOUT IT. WHEN MY CAR STOPPED I COULD HAVE BEEN HIT ON THE BACK WITH A WORST OUTCOME. I GOT A TOW TRUCK AND THEY TOOK THE CAR TO THE FORD DEALER. THOSE PEOPLE ARE NOT HELPFUL AT ALL AND TREATED ME WITH A BAD ATTITUDE. VERY EXPENSIVE TO CHANGE THAT'S WHY FORD IS NOT GETTING INVOLVED AND ONLY OFFERED TO CLEAN THE PART IN THE EXTENDED WARRANTY, KNOWING THAT WOULDN'T FIX THE PROBLEM. FORD SHOULD HAVE A RECALL FOR THE THROTTLE BODY PART BEFORE SOMEBODY GETS KILLED IN A VERY SERIOUS ACCIDENT THAT THIS PROBLEM COULD CAUSE. *TR”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Aug 2, 2014Fuel system, gasoline, Power train, EngineODI 10618367
“IN DRIVE AT 40 MPH TO 55 MPH THE CAR ALMOST STALLS AND GOES I TO FAIL SAFE MODE. IN FAIL SAFE MODE THE CAR RUNS AT 15 MPH. THE DEALER SAYS THEY CAN NOT DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM. *TR”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Feb 19, 2014Fuel system, gasoline, Power train, Vehicle speed controlODI 10564917
“ME AND MY WIFE CARPOOL ON THIRD SHIFT TO OUR JOBS. UPON BACKING OUT OF THE DRIVEWAY IN REVERSE, THE WRENCH LIGHT CAME ON, AND AN ERROR READING" FAILSAFE ENGINE MODE". I WAS ABLE TO MAKE IT TO WORK, HOWEVER I COULDN'T GO FAST AT ALL NO MORE THAN MAYBE 40. I'M SEEING ONLINE MANY WITH THIS YEAR AND MODEL NEED OR HAVE HAD NEW THROTTLE BODY'S PUT IN WITH NO LUCK COMING FROM IT. I'M HOPING THERE'S A RECALL BECAUSE I HAVE TWO CHILDREN AND A WIFE TO GET AROUND IN THIS ONE CAR.I WANNA KNOW WHAT THE RECALL IS ON IT IF ONE AT ALL IS AVAILABLE. WHY HAVEN'T THEY CORRECTED IT YET AFTER ALL THESE YEARS OF PROBLEMS AND SO MANY COMPLAINTS? *TR”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jan 23, 2014Fuel system, gasoline, Power train, EngineODI 10561116
“VEHICLE WOULD SURGE AND LOOSE POWER AT ALL SPEEDS. AT TIMES WHEN PRESSING THE ACCELERATOR THE CAR WOULD NOT RESPOND, THEN ALL OF THE SUDDEN WOULD SURGE, THEN WOULD LOSE POWER. TOOK IT TO THE DEALER RECENTLY AS THEY TOLD ME THAT THERE WAS A RECALL. DEALER CLEANED THE THROTTLE BODY ONLY. NOW IT'S WORSE. I WAS DRIVING BACK FROM THE DEALER AND THE CAR LOST POWER, WRENCH LIGHT ON, AND LEFT ME IN THE MIDDLE LANE OF THE HIGHWAY. SHUT THE CAR OFF AND ON AGAIN AND CONTINUE BUT WITH MINIMAL POWER. TOOK IT TO A MECHANIC WHO TOLD ME THAT THE THROTTLE BODY IS GETTING STUCK. I SEE THIS IS HAPPENED TO A LOT OF FREESTYLE OWNER, ESPECIALLY FROM 2005-2007. CAR IS DANGEROUS TO DRIVE AS IT'S UNPREDICTABLE WHEN SURGES WILL HAPPEN. *TR”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Sep 28, 2013Fuel system, gasolineODI 10546015
“I PURCHASED MY FORD FREESTYLE IN JUNE 2011 AND SHORTLY AFTER MY CAR BEGAN LUNGING FORWARD WHEN THE AIR CONDITIONER WAS ON. MY CAR BEGAN DOING IT IN FORWARD AND REVERSE GEAR. I HAVE TAKEN MY CAR TO THE DEALER TWICE BEFORE. THEY REPLACED THE AIR COMPRESSOR, CLEANED THE THROTTLE BODY, AND RESET THE COMPUTER. THIS WILL TREAT THE PROBLEM FOR AWHILE BUT IT WILL ALWAYS COME BACK. LAST WEEK I NEARLY HIT A PEDESTRIAN IN A CROSS WALK WHEN MY CAR DECIDED TO LUNGE FORWARD AT A RED LIGHT WITH MY FOOT ON THE BRAKE. MY WIFE HAS NEARLY HIT CARS IN DRIVE THROUGH LINES. AGAIN I PUT MY CAR IN THE SHOP AND THEY ARE DOING THE SAME WORK AS BEFORE. I HAVE BEEN PUSHED INTO INTERSECTIONS AND NEARLY T-BONED. I HAVE ALMOST HIT CARS WHEN TRYING TO BACK UP. THIS CAR IS NOT SAFE BECAUSE EVEN WITH MY FOOT ON THE BRAKE THE CAR CAN MOVE 5-8 FEET. WHEN THE CAR LUNGES FORWARD OR BACKWARD IT WILL MOST OF THE TIME RUMBLE THEN DIE, WHICH IS DANGEROUS WHEN I AM SENT INTO AN INTERSECTION WITH CARS COMING AT ME. SOMETIMES I AM ABLE TO DEPRESS THE GAS PEDAL ALL THE WAY, DRIVING AT 4000 RPMS AND SLOWLY MOVE OUT OF THE WAY. I WORRY ABOUT MY FAMILY OF SIX SAFETY AS WELL AS ANY INNOCENT THAT MAY GET HURT…”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Aug 26, 2013Fuel system, gasoline, Power train, Vehicle speed controlODI 10537275

Showing 6 of 95 reports. Read every report on NHTSA.gov.

Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Oct 30, 2026NHTSA vehicle page
02 —Related recalls

1 recall on this component

Fuel system

Free remedy

ON CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES, THE STRAPS THAT SECURE THE FUEL TANK TO THE VEHICLE BODY MAY BREAK, CAUSING THE FUEL TANK AND FUEL TANK HEAT SHIELD TO DROP ON THE DRIVESHAFT (ALL WHEEL DRIVE VEHICLES) OR EXHAUST SYSTEM (FRONT WHEEL DRIVE VEHICLES).

Fuel system, gasolineReported Nov 9, 2005NHTSA 05V515000
Data from NHTSA Recalls API · synced Oct 30, 2026

Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.