Problems · by component
2006 Ford Freestyle electrical system problems
84 owner complaints to NHTSA about the 2006 Ford Freestyle cite electrical system, 6% of all 1,300 complaints for this model year.
Complaints
84
6% of all complaints
Crashes
1
Reported by owners
Fires
6
Reported by owners
Injuries
7
Reported by owners
What owners say about the electrical system
Verbatim from NHTSA complaints, newest first
“I recently got my transmission replaced for my 2006 Ford Freestyle in December 2025. Yet, I am having transmission issues on my car now. Bates Ford was the dealership who replaced my transmission, but I feel as if where they got my replaced transmission from was not honest about the product it sold to me. Please help!”
“WAS DRIVING CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AND THEN A WRENCH SHOWED UP IN FAR LEFT HAND CORNER .MY VEHICLE QUIT ACCELERATING GOES TO LIMP MODE WHILE I WAS STILL IN MOTION ON W BUTLER RD IN MAULDIN SC 29662 DOING 40 MILES AN HOUR. IT SCARED ME.I AM 70 YRS YOUNG AND HAVE BEEN LICENSED TO DRIVE FOR 52 YRS. THIS SITUATION WAS BY FAR ONE OF THE WORST I HAVE EVER BEEN INVOLVED IN. WHAT IF ANYTHING IS BEING DONE ABOUT THIS SITUATION IF ANYTHING TO SAVE LIVES.”
“MY MOM'S 2006 FORD FREESTYLE, SURGES FORWARD WHEN USING THE AIR CONDITIONER OR DEFROSTER. THERE HAS BEEN MANY TIMES IT HAS DONE THIS ALMOST REAR ENDING THE VEHICLE IN FRONT OF HHER.THIS HAS BEEN GOING ON SINCE BEET AND MY DECEASED FATHER HAVE OWN IT.(2010?) HER INSTRUMENT PANEL GOES BONKERS NOW, AND SOMETIMES THE CAR WON'T START AND THE PANIC ALARM GOES OFF WHEN WE GET OUT OF THE CAR.”
“MY CAR SURGES AND THE RPMS MOVE WITHOUT TOUCHING THE GAS. IT TRIES TO THROW ME INTO TRAFFIC WHEN AT STOPLIGHTS AND STOP SIGNS. IT TRIES TO THROW ME AT PEOPLE WHEN DRIVING SLOWLY THROUGH PARKING LOTS. I HAVE TO PUT MY CAR INTO NEUTRAL WHILE AT STOPS SO THAT MY FAMILY OR OTHER FAMILY'S DON'T DIE BECAUSE OF A MALFUNCTION THAT FORD HAD WITH THE CAR WHEN THEY SOLD IT. I WAS NEVER TOLD ABOUT THE MALFUNCTION AND THEY SAY I'M YEARS PAST THE WARENTY AND 20000 MILES PAST THE WARENTY MILAGE. SO BECAUSE MY CAR IS 20000 OVER I GUESS IT'S OKAY FOR MY CAR TO KILL ME AND MY CHILDREN OR OTHER PEOPLE?”
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 FORD FREESTYLE. WHILE DRIVING 45 MPH, THE THROTTLE CONTROL TRANSMISSION WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED AND THE VEHICLE STALLED. THE CONTACT COASTED THE VEHICLE TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AND POWERED OFF THE ENGINE. THE CONTACT ATTEMPTED TO RESTART THE VEHICLE, BUT WAS UNSUCCESSFUL. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE CONTACT'S RESIDENCE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE SURGE NEEDED TO BE REPROGRAMMED. THE CONTACT'S HUSBAND CALLED COUGHLIN FORD OF JOHNSTOWN AT (740) 967-2086 (670 W COSHOCTON ST, JOHNSTOWN, OH 43031) AND WAS INFORMED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS INCLUDED IN AN UNKNOWN RECALL THAT HAD BEEN CLOSED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 161,000.”
“THE FIRST WEEK OF JUNE 2017, WE WERE HAVING ISSUES WITH THE ELECTRICAL IN OUR FREESTYLE. THE LIGHTING WOULD DIM AND BRIGHTEN ON AND OFF WHILE THE CAR WAS RUNNING AND THERE WAS ALMOST A PULSE IN THE REV OF THE ENGINE. WE TOOK THE VEHICLE INTO OUR LOCAL MECHANIC AND HAD TO HAVE OUR ALTERNATOR REPLACED. IN JULY 2017, WE WERE DRIVING TO MEET WITH FRIENDS FOR BREAKFAST AND THE FREESTYLE STOPPED RUNNING A COUPLE CAR LENGTHS AWAY FROM A MAJOR INTERSECTION. WE, AGAIN, REPLACED THE ALTERNATOR AND THIS TIME THE BATTERY HAD A DEAD CELL AND NEEDED REPLACED AS WELL. WE NOTICED NOTHING TO ALERT US TO THE ELECTRICAL ISSUE THIS TIME, NO PULSING OR CHANGE IN THE LIGHTING. WE HAVE NOT USED THE FREESTYLE MUCH OVER THE WINTER BECAUSE WE NOTICED THE PULSING AND LIGHT ISSUES AGAIN AND WHEN WE TOOK IT INTO OUR MECHANIC, THEY COULDN'T REPLICATE THE ISSUE. WE ALSO HAVE A SECOND VEHICLE AND DID NOT NEED TO USE IT MUCH. WE STARTED IT A COUPLE OF TIMES TO TRY AND PREVENT ANY ISSUES, BUT COULD NOT GET IT TO START AT ALL THIS WEEK AND WHEN WE TIRED TO JUMP START IT, WE COULD ONLY GET IT TO RUN WHEN IT WAS HOOKED TO OUR SECOND VEHICLE. THE FREESTYLE WAS TOWED TO THE SHOP TODAY AND WE ARE…”
Showing 6 of 84 reports. Read every report on NHTSA.gov.
Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Oct 28, 2026NHTSA vehicle page
Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.