Problems · NHTSA complaints
2007 Ford Freestyle problems
Owners filed 893 complaints about the 2007 Ford Freestyle with NHTSA between Nov 2006 and Jan 2025. The most-cited component is vehicle speed control (428).
Complaints
893
Filed with NHTSA
Crashes
27
Reported by owners
Fires
1
Reported by owners
Injuries
4
People reported injured
Deaths
0
Reported to NHTSA
Complaints by component
One complaint can cite several components
- Vehicle speed control428
- Power train360
- Engine93
- Engine and engine cooling74
- Fuel system, gasoline43
- Electrical system39
- Fuel/propulsion system33
- Service brakes17
- Service brakes, hydraulic16
- Fuel system, other15
- Equipment13
- Structure11
- Suspension10
- Steering9
Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.
Data from NHTSA Complaints API · synced Nov 11, 2026NHTSA vehicle page
When complaints were filed
Does it get worse with age? Complaints per calendar year filed
1
3
6
17
139
348
174
56
48
30
17
13
12
11
11
2
2
2
0
1
View as table
| Model year | Complaints filed per calendar year |
|---|---|
| 2006 | 1 |
| 2007 | 3 |
| 2008 | 6 |
| 2009 | 17 |
| 2010 | 139 |
| 2011 | 348 |
| 2012 | 174 |
| 2013 | 56 |
| 2014 | 48 |
| 2015 | 30 |
| 2016 | 17 |
| 2017 | 13 |
| 2018 | 12 |
| 2019 | 11 |
| 2020 | 11 |
| 2021 | 2 |
| 2022 | 2 |
| 2023 | 2 |
| 2024 | 0 |
| 2025 | 1 |
Mileage at failure isn’t a structured field in NHTSA complaint data, so we don’t chart it. Some owners mention it in their reports below.
Top problems in owners’ words
Verbatim from NHTSA complaints, newest first
Vehicle speed control
428 reports16 crashes
“WHEN DRIVING THE CAR SUDDENLY LURCHES FORWARD. I HAVE HAD THE CAR 3 DAYS AND IT HAS DONE THIS TWICE. BOTH TIMES I WAS ON CITY STREETS DRIVING UP A SLIGHT INCLINE. THE FIRST TIME I WAS DRIVING ABOUT 35 MPH. TWO DIFFERENT TOWNS TWO DIFFERENT HILLS. THE FIRST WAS A FREEWAY OVERPASS AND THE SECOND WAS JUST A STREET ON A HILL. TODAY I HAD JUST PULLED OUT FROM A STOP SIGN AND WAS ACCELERATING UP THE HILL BETWEEN 20-30 MPH IT LURCHED/SURGED AGAIN!”
Power train
360 reports5 crashes
“The contact owns a 2007 Ford Freestyle. The contact stated while driving approximately 10 MPH in a parking lot, the contact depressed the brake pedal and the vehicle jolted forward. The contact stated that the vehicle was also hesitating before moving forward when the gear shifter was shifted into drive. The contact stated that the failure was a recurring failure and there was an abnormal sound coming from underneath the vehicle. The contact stated no warning light was illuminated. The contact stated that the failure recurred at various speeds. The contact had taken the vehicle to an independent mechanic who diagnosed the vehicle and determined that there was an internal failure that had caused the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 80,000.”
Engine
93 reports5 crashes
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2007 FORD FREESTYLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS AT STAND STILL AT A FAST FOOD DRIVE THRU AND AFTER TURNING ON THE AC, WHEN THE VEHICLE JERKED FORCEFULLY FORWARD AND STALLED. THE CONTACT STATED NO WARNING LIGHT WAS ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT STATED SHE WAS ABLE TO RESTART THE VEHICLE AND DRIVE TO HER DESTINATION. THE CONTACT STATED SHE HAD EXPERIENCE THE FAILURE MULTIPLE TIMES. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED AS OF YET. A DEALER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE MANUFACTURER HAD NOT BEEN INFORMED OF FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 115,000.”
Engine and engine cooling
74 reports2 crashes
“BOUGHT THIS CAR USED 2 YEARS AGO. CAR STARTED MAKING A LOUD NOISE, BUT WHEN PUT IN DRIVE, IT QUIETS A LITTLE. NOT RUNNING WELL AT ALL. TOOK IT TO GET IT LOOKED AT, 1ST REPLACED A BAD WATER PUMP (ALMOST 700) AND THEN WAS TOLD IT'S THE TRANSMISSION. THEY WANT $6K FOR, WHICH I DON'T HAVE. I STILL OWE $6K ON THE CAR. SO, I AM BASICALLY STUCK W A CAR THAT DOESN'T WORK AND I CAN'T SELL OR TRADE IN, NOR CAN I AFFORD TO AT THIS POINT. *TR”
Fuel system, gasoline
43 reports
“UNKNOWN REASON: ON DEC.28 2016 I@ 1535 I WAS DRIVING ON INTERSTATE #30 IN ARKANSAS. I WAS DRIVING @ A SPEED OF 70 MPH WHEN ALL THE POWER WENT OFF IN MY CAR. I WAS UNABLE TO TURN ON FLASHERS OR RESTART CAR. BEHIND ME WAS A 18 WHEELER AND ON MY RIGHT SIDE WAS A CAR. I IMMEDIATELY BEGAN TO LOSE SPEED. IT JUST SO HAPPENED THAT THE OTHER DRIVERS NOTICED I WAS IN TROUBLE. BOTH DRIVERS PUT THEIR HAZARD LIGHTS ON AND SLOWED TRAFFIC ENABLING ME TO STEER THE CAR ( WITH NO POWER) TO THE SHOULDER. I PUT THE CAR IN PARK TURNED THE RADIO AND HEATER OFF AND TRIED TO RESTART IT. IT DID RESTART BUT I LEFT THE RADIO AND HEATER OFF. I WAS 34.1 MI FROM HOME. I PRAYED ALL THE WAY HOME AND DID NOT DRIVE OVER 60 MPH.( I COULD HAVE BEEN KILLED !!!). WHEN I FINALLY ARRIVED AT HOME, I PUT MY CAR IN PARK AND THE CAR TURNED ITSELF OFF. THE CAR KEYS WERE STILL IN THE ON POSITION! I HAVE CHECKED THE FORD WEBSITE ONLINE,NHTSA WEBSITE, CALLED THE CUSTOMER RELATIONSHIP CENTER @ 1-866-436-7332 AND RISER FORD LINCOLN IN HOT SPRINGS, ARK @ 1 -888 -547 -3820 ( THIS IS WHERE I BOUGHT THE CAR) TRYING TO FIND RECALL NOTICES. IF THERE ARE SOME PLEASE LET ME KNOW. THANK YOU. *TR”
Electrical system
39 reports2 crashes1 fire
“I LEFT WORK AT 8:10 P.M. STARTING DRIVING HOME AND MY BATTERY LIGHT CAME ON WHILE DRIVING ON A MAJOR HIGHWAY AND THEN EVERYTHING SHUT DOWN RADIO A.C. ALL GAUGES WINDOWS POWER LOCKS LIGHTS . I WAS PANICKED I HAD JUST PICKED UP THE CAR THE AFTERNOON BEFORE FROM THE FORD DEALERSHIP FOR A RECALL FIX BECAUSE THIS SAME THING HAPPENED ALREADY I WAS TOLD THE RECALL FIX WOULD SOLVE THE PROBLEM OBVIOUSLY IT DID NOT. NOW FORD WANTS TO CHARGE A DIAGNOSTIC FEE TO FIND THE PROBLEM AFTER FAILING TO FIX THE PROBLEM TO BEGIN WITH . THIS IS A REAL SAFETY ISSUE AND SHOULD BE DEALT WITH I AM A MOM AND A GRAND MOTHER AND ALWAYS HAVE A CHILD IN MY CAR THIS ISSUE SHOULD BE A GREAT CONCERN TO FORD .”
Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Nov 11, 2026
Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.