2005 Ford Freestyle

Family: Freestyle · filed with NHTSA as FREESTYLE

Summary

Of the 1,411 complaints that name a component, 42% concern Accelerator & Cruise Control (587).
These are complaint counts, not failure rates: they are not divided by how many cars were sold, because no public source reports U.S. sales by model year.
Not enough history to compare this year with the rest of its generation.
2 recalls filed for this model year.
2 federal defect investigations cover this model year.

At a glance

Owner complaints: 1,459
Recalls: 2
Investigations: 2
NCAP overall: Not rated
Combined MPG: 19–20
Annual fuel cost: $3,100–$3,300
Median mileage at complaint: 77,950 mi (n = 1,299)
Crashes / fires / injuries / deaths: 32 / 3 / 14 / 0

What owners report

Accelerator & Cruise Control

587 complaints · 42% of complaints that name a component · median 79,100 mi (n = 537)

Owner report MY CAR HAS BEGUN TO ACCELERATE WHEN I AM BRAKING, AND IT IS A POWERFUL AND SUDDEN ACCELERATION! IT SEEMS TO HAPPEN MORE OFTEN WHEN I AM BACKING UP AND TURNING, BUT WILL HAPPEN AT ANY TIME. IT STARTED LAST WEEK AND IS HAPPENING WITH GREATER FREQUENCY, MAKING IT UNSAFE TO DRIVE. LAST NIGHT IT WENT INTO FAIL SAFE MODE, B…

Owner report TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 FORD FREESTYLE. WHILE WAITING TO MAKE A LEFT TURN WITH THE BRAKE PEDAL DEPRESSED, THE VEHICLE LUNGED FORWARD SPONTANEOUSLY. THE CONTACT HAD TO RELEASE AND REAPPLY THE BRAKE PEDAL TO STOP THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS DRIVEN TO THE CONTACT'S RESIDENCE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO THE DEALER …

Powertrain

447 complaints · 32% of complaints that name a component · median 86,100 mi (n = 403)

Owner report The contact owns a 2005 Ford Freestyle. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the traction control and check engine warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle failed to shift into gear. The vehicle was towed to the residence. The contact called the local dealer however, the vehicle was not diagnos…

Owner report CHECK TRANSMISSION KEEPS POPPING UP AND THE WRENCH LIGHT COMES ON AND CARS RPMS GO TO 3000 YO 5000 ON ITS OWN GOING DOWN THE HIGHWAY

Engine

249 complaints · 18% of complaints that name a component · median 84,340 mi (n = 230)

Owner report MY VEHICLE STALLS EVERY WEEK STEERING AND BRAKES HARD TO CONTROL, MY WIFE DRIVES THE VEHICLE. TOOK IT TO MANY SHOPS, NO CODES STORED IN COMPUTER CANNOT FIND PROBLEM. I HAD THE THROTTLE BODY CLEANED, REPLACED FUEL PUMP, SAME FAULT. THE CAR IS UNSAFE HARD TO STOP SOMETIMES WHEN ENGINE SHUTS OFF. FORD DEALER CANNOT FIND T…

Owner report ENGINE SURGES AT IDLE AND WHEN BRAKES APPLIED, COULD EASILY REAR END SOMEONE OR RUN OVER SOMEONE WORSE WHEN AC IS RUNNING

3% of complaints name no specific component and are left out of the shares above.

Across the generation (2005–2007)

To compare years fairly, each year is counted over the same span: complaints received up to two calendar years after its model year. A year is compared only when that span is over and it holds at least 50 complaints.

Model year	All complaints	First three years	Note
2005	1,459	125
2006	1,300	56
2007	893	27	not compared

Recalls

Whether a recall has been fixed on a specific car depends on its VIN; check it at nhtsa.gov/recalls.

06V383000 · LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES:DOORS:LATCH

Filed 2006-10-05 · 139,537 vehicles

Defect: ON CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES CURRENTLY REGISTERED IN THE FOLLOWING STATES: ALASKA, COLORADO, CONNECTICUT, DELAWARE, IDAHO, ILLINOIS, INDIANA, IOWA, KANSAS, KENTUCKY, MAINE, MARYLAND, MASSACHUSETTS, MICHIGAN, MINNESOTA, MISSOURI, MONTANA, NEBRASKA, NEW HAMPSHIRE, NEW JERSEY, NEW YORK, NORTH DAKOTA, OHIO, PENNSYLVANIA, RHODE ISLAND, SOUTH DAKOTA, UTAH, VERMONT, WEST VIRGINIA, WISCONSIN, AND WYOMING. THE SIDE DOOR LATCH MECHANISMS MAY EXPERIENCE WATER INTRUSION ALLOWING THE LATCH MECHANISM TO FREEZE IN COLD WEATHER.

Risk: AS A RESULT, THE DOOR LATCH PAWL MAY NOT RETURN TO THE LATCH POSITION WHEN THE DOOR IS CLOSED, AND THE DOOR COULD OPEN WHILE THE VEHICLE IS MOVING.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSTALL A SHIELD OVER THE FRONT LATCHES; SEAL A DRAIN HOLE IN THE REAR WINDOW TRIM MOLDING ON THE FREESTYLE REAR SIDE DOORS; AND APPLY GREASE TO ALL FRONT AND REAR SIDE-DOOR LATCH MECHANISMS FREE OF CHARGE. THE RECALL BEGAN ON NOVEMBER 8, 2006. OWNERS MAY CONTACT FORD AT 1-800-392-3673.

05V515000 · FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:STORAGE:TANK ASSEMBLY:MOUNTING

Filed 2005-11-09 · 123,206 vehicles

Defect: 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).

Risk: IF THIS HAPPENS, DRIVERS MAY NOTICE A NOISE OR A FUEL LEAK. A FUEL LEAK IN THE PRESENCE OF AN IGNITION SOURCE COULD RESULT IN A FIRE.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL REPLACE BOTH FUEL TANK STRAPS. THE RECALL BEGAN ON DECEMBER 1, 2005. OWNERS MAY CONTACT FORD AT 1-800-392-3673.

Federal investigations

Action	Component	Opened	Closed	Recall
PE11018	VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL	2011-05-11	2013-02-07
PE07058	ELECTRICAL SYSTEM: INSTRUMENT CLUSTER/PANEL	2007-11-16	2008-03-11

PE11018: Idle instability

PE07058: INSTRUMENT CLUSTER FAILURE

Engines and fuel economy

Version	Engine	Transmission	Drive	City	Hwy	Combined	Fuel cost / yr
Freestyle AWD	3.0L 6cyl	Automatic (variable gear ratios)	4-Wheel or All-Wheel Drive	17	22	19	$3300
Freestyle FWD	3.0L 6cyl	Automatic (variable gear ratios)	Front-Wheel Drive	18	25	20	$3100

Fuel cost is EPA's estimate at the fuel prices of its last update, not today's.

Crash test ratings (NCAP)

Variant	Overall	Frontal	Side	Rollover
2005 Ford Freestyle 5-DR	Not Rated	Not Rated	Not Rated	★★★★☆

Service bulletins

Ford issued 43 service bulletins listed against this model year, most often about electrical system.

A bulletin tells dealers how to fix a known condition. It is not a recall and not a defect finding. Most bulletins cover several model years at once, so one listed here may not be specific to this year. The number of bulletins tracks how long and how widely a model was sold, so it is not a measure of reliability.

Date	Component	Summary
2024-05-24	POWER TRAIN	Motorcraft® Continuously Variable Chain-Type Transmission Fluid (XT-7-QCFT in non-Canadian markets, CXT-7-LCF12 in Canada) is no longer manufactured and will only be available until inventory depletes. The recommended replacement fluids are…
2016-09-21	ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE	The Powertrain Control/Emissions Diagnosis (PC/ED) manual has been revised for diagnosing electronic throttle bodies (ETBs). The ETC_ACT and ETC_DSD PIDs should not used to diagnose possible ETB concerns. The IDS has a limited refresh rate …
2012-11-29	ENGINE	FORD: SEE DOCUMENT SEARCH BUTTON FOR OWNER LETTER. MOMENTARY ENGINE IDLE RPM SURGE MAY BE INTERMITTENT AND MAY OCCUR, DUE TO DEPOSITS BUILDUP IN THROTTLE BODY, AT LOW SPEEDS, WHILE PARKING OR ENTERING DRIVEWAY AND CHECK ENGINE LAMP MAY …
2007-11-28	SERVICE BRAKES, AIR	FORD MERCURY SERVICE CAMPAIGN: SEE DOCUMENT SEARCH BUTTON FOR OWNER LETTER. CERTAIN 2005 THROUGH 2007 FWD AND AWD FORD FIVE HUNDRED, FREESTYLE AND MERCURY MONTEGO VEHICLES - REAR BRAKE WEAR. ALSO HAVE AN OWNER'S LETTER. *NJ UPDATED …
2007-04-01	ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE	MIL WITH DTC P0106 AND/OR P0109. *KB
2006-08-01	ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:12V/24V/48V BATTERY	BATTERY LIGHT ILLUMINATED. *KB
2006-01-01	SUSPENSION:FRONT	GRUNT OR SQUEAK FROM FRONT SUSPENSION DURING FULL LOCK TURNS - SERVICE TIP. *TT
2006-01-01	SEATS:FRONT ASSEMBLY:SEAT HEATER/COOLER	HEATED SEATS INOPERATIVE. *TT
2006-01-01	POWER TRAIN	OIL LEAK FROM POWER TRANSFER UNIT. *TT
2006-01-01	SEATS:MID/REAR ASSEMBLY	SECOND ROW SEAT RECLINE CONCERN. *TT

How to read this page

Complaint counts are not failure rates. A model that sells more cars draws more complaints, and owners file more often after news coverage or a recall. That is why this page compares a model year only with other years of the same generation, never with other models.

Each complaint is counted once, even when it names several components; a complaint that names several systems appears under each of them. Owner reports are quoted as filed and have not been verified by NHTSA or by us.

Every model year of this Freestyle, including the ones without a page of their own, is listed on the Ford Freestyle model page.

Sources

NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation: complaints, recalls and investigations (bulk files, data as of 2026-10-28).
NHTSA New Car Assessment Program: crash test ratings.
U.S. EPA / DOE fueleconomy.gov: engines, transmissions and fuel economy.

MotorAlmanac is independent and not affiliated with NHTSA, EPA or any manufacturer. This page summarises public records; it is not a mechanical inspection. Before buying a used car, check its VIN for open recalls and have it inspected.