2006 Ford Freestyle engine and engine cooling problems

“THE FREESTYLE CUT OUT ON THE INTERSTATE. LUCKILY IT WAS IN THE BREAKDOWN LANE AND NO CARS WERE COMING. AN 8 YEAR OLD WAS IN THE CAR AS WELL. AFTER SPENDING $1200 ON REPAIRS THE FREESTYLE STILL LEAKS, AND IS HAVING THE SAME PROBLEMS WITH CUTTING OUT, LEAKING INTO THE CAR AND ALL THE LIGHTS COMING ON. WE HAVE SPENT OVER $1200 TO FIX, AND THE CAR STILL HAS THE SAME PROBLEMS. THE DEALERSHIP WANTS US TO SPEND ANOTHER $1000, AND THEY CAN NOT GUARANTEE THAT WILL FIX THE PROBLEM, AS ANOTHER FREESTYLE HERE IN BOONE HAS HAD THE SAME ISSUES. *TR”

“MY CAR ACCELERATES SOMETIMES WHILE MY FOOT IS ON THE BRAKE PEDAL. IT FEELS LIKE IT IS JUMPING FORWARD OR SOMETHING. ALSO WHEN I TURN ON MY AIR CONDITION MY CAR, IF IN MOTION, WILL START TO JUMP FORWARD EVEN THOUGH YOU HAVE YOUR FOOT ON THE BRAKE. IT EVEN CUT OFF ON ME SEVERAL TIMES WITH THE AIR CONDITIONING ON. I NOW JUST DRIVE WITHOUT AIR AT ALL BECAUSE I AM SCARED THAT MY CAR WILL JUST STOP ON ME. ALSO MY AIR ONLY WORKS ON THE HIGHEST LEVEL. *TR”

“I PURCHASED MY 2006 FORD FREESTYLE IN DECEMBER 2009. AS SOON AS THE WEATHER GOT WARMER I NOTICED THAT WHEN PARKING, BACKING UP, OR TRYING TO STOP, THE VEHICLE WOULD SURGE AS IF I STILL HAD MY FOOT ON THE ACCELERATOR. SOON IT ALSO STARTED SURGING/SPUTTERING WHEN I FIRST STARTED OUT AND WOULD OCCASIONALLY STALL, TWICE IN HEAVY TRAFFIC. I TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE FORD DEALERSHIP TO DISCOVER THAT THE THROTTLE BODY POSITION SENSOR DOESN'T WORK PROPERLY & THAT ALL FREESTYLES WERE HAVING THE SAME PROBLEM. I WAS SHOCKED TO FIND THAT A NEW UNIT COULD BE PUT IN BUT WAS NOT COVERED AS A RECALL AND WAS GOING TO COST $1000. AS A SINGLE MOM, THAT WAS JUST IMPOSSIBLE. LUCKILY MY DISABLED FATHER WAS PREVIOUSLY A MECHANIC AND WAS ABLE TO USE CARB CLEANER TO CLEAN THE SENSOR AND TEMPORARILY STOP THE PROBLEM. SINCE THEN, EVERY SPRING THE PROBLEM COMES BACK AND I HAVE TO HAVE THE THROTTLE BODY UNIT CLEANED SEVERAL TIMES BEFORE WINTER. ANOTHER PROBLEM I HAVE WITH THIS VEHICLE IS THAT THE BRAKES WEAR OUT UNUSUALLY QUICKLY. I DON'T KNOW IF IT'S BECAUSE OF HAVING TO FIGHT THE THROTTLE POSITION SENSOR TO STOP THE CAR, OR IF IT'S A FLAW IN THE DESIGN OF THE BRAKE SYSTEM. I DO KNOW THAT…”

“SEPT 2011: STARTED VEHICLE AND PUT IN REVERSE TO BACK OUT OF A SPACE AND ENGINE REVVED. IF I DID NOT HAVE MY FOOT ON THE BRAKE IT WOULD HAVE LEAPED BACKWARDS THRU THE PARKING LOT. WHEN I SHIFTED INTO DRIVE IT BRIEFLY TRIED TO LEAP FORWARD. I TURNED THE VEHICLE OFF, TURNED IT BACK ON AND THE DIAGNOSTIC WARNING LIGHT WENT OFF AND VEHICLE SEEMED NORMAL. THROTTLE BODY REPLACED BY FORD ($800+). NOV 2011: SPEED OVER 50 MPH, WENT TO PASS ANOTHER VEHICLE AND WHEN I PRESSED THE ACCELERATOR THE VEHICLE BOGGED DOWN, RPMS REVVED AND IT WOULD GO NO FASTER THAN 35-40 MPH. DIAGNOSTIC LIGHT COMES ON. PULLED OVER, TURNED THE VEHICLE OFF BRIEFLY, RESTARTED, DIAGNOSTIC LIGHT GOES OUT AND I PROCEEDED. AS LONG AS I DO NOT "PUNCH IT" IN HIGH GEAR I CAN INCREASE SPEED WHEN GOING OVER 50. INCREASE MUST BE GRADUAL. CONDITION HAS HAPPENED SEVERAL TIMES SINCE INITIAL INSTANCE. *TR”

“CAR SURGES WHEN CHANGING GEARS. PROBLEM WORSE WITH FAN CONTROLS ON. RPM'S STAY ABOVE NORMAL IDLE (750-800) MOST OF THE TIME. CAR WILL ACCELERATE WITHOUT USING GAS PEDDLE AT TIMES. MUST KEEP A CONSTANT VIGILANCE WITH FOOT ON BRAKE. WENT THROUGH ALL THE BASIC FIXES (MAINLY CLEANING OF THROTTLE LINKAGE AND MODULE) . WAS TOLD THE THROTTLE BODY NEEDS REPLACED ($1000+). THIS MODULE IS MOUNTED ON TOP OF THE ENGINE-WHY? THIS IS NOT A UNIQUE PROBLEM WITH THIS CAR. MANY, MANY, MANY PEOPLE WITH FORD FREESTYLES HAVE HAD THIS SAME PROBLEM. OTHER PEOPLE HAVE HAD THIS MODULE REPLACED AND THAT EITHER DID NOT FIX THE PROBLEM OR IT WAS A TEMPORARY FIX. I BELIEVE IT IS A FORD ENGINEERING DESIGN FLAW. DID NOT FIX THE VEHICLE. BOUGHT ANOTHER CAR AND GOT RID OF THIS SAFETY HAZARD. *JS”

“I HAVE ALWAYS OWNED FORDS HOWEVER THIS IS BY FAR THE SCARIEST FORD CAR EVER AND TO ME THE UNSAFEST!! I PURCHASED MY FORD FREESTYLE BACK IN OCTOBER 2010. EVER SINCE THEN MY CAR SEEMS TO HAVE A MIND OF ITS OWN. WHEN I AM COMPLETELY STOPPED MY CAR WILL AUTOMATICALLY LUNGE FORWARD AND EVEN STALL WHEN I AM TURNING MY WHEEL. I HAVE A 5 YEAR OLD CHILD WHO I DRIVE EVERYDAY TO SCHOOL IN THIS DEATH TRAP AND IT SCARES ME TO DEATH. I HAVE TRIED TALKING TO MY FORD DEALERSHIP ABOUT THIS SINCE THE CAR WAS LIKE THIS WHEN I BOUGHT IT BUT OF COURSE THEY WANT ME TO SPEND ALL THIS MONEY I DO NOT HAVE ON REPAIRS...AFTER INTERNET RESEARCH IT APPEARS THERE ARE HUNDREDS OF PEOPLE THAT HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM WITH THIS VEHICLE. WHY ISN'T ANYONE DOING SOMETHING ABOUT THIS TO PROTECT THE CONSUMER? IT IS VERY SCARY AND I DO NOT UNDERSTAND WHY THE CAR IS LUNGING FORWARD AND BACKWARDS IF BACKING UP WHEN MY FOOT IS CLEARLY ON THE BRAKE AS WELL AS STALLING . I HOPE SOMEONE WILL DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT BEFORE SOMEONE ENDS UP IN AN ACCIDENT OR EVEN DEAD BECAUSE OF THIS!! THAT WOULD BE A SERIOUS LAWSUIT I AM SURE. THIS IS A SERIOUS ISSUE PLEASE PLEASE DO A RECALL ON IT NOW IF NOT FOR ME FOR THE SAKE…”