2005 Ford Freestyle Problems and Recalls (1,448 Complaints)

The most-reported problem on the 2005 Ford Freestyle is Cruise / speed control (32% of 1,448 owner reports). There are 2 safety recalls. Check the VIN and inspect Cruise / speed control — this is the NHTSA file, not a score.

NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation Snapshot 2026-10-16 1,448 complaints · 2 recalls

What problems show up on the 2005 Ford Freestyle?

463 of 1,448 filings named Cruise / speed control (32% of the file). That is what owners wrote, not a shop diagnosis of the vehicle in the driveway.

Second is Transmission / driveline (339 reports).

There are 2 official safety recalls on this year. They were filed about Fuel system. Check the VIN at nhtsa.gov — a campaign on this page can still be open on a specific truck.

The previous year is not published here. Use the year list to jump around.

What to check before you buy a 2005 Ford Freestyle

A useful visit to this page takes five minutes. YearTell does not score years and cannot see the vehicle in front of you.

  1. Look up the VIN for open recalls at nhtsa.gov. This year has 2 campaigns on file below.
  2. Cruise / speed control. Test cruise control and ask about unintended-acceleration reports on this year.
  3. Transmission / driveline. Have a shop drive it and check the transmission: hard or delayed shifts, burnt-smelling fluid, and 4WD engagement if equipped.
  4. Engine. Have a shop check for oil consumption, coolant leaks, rough idle and unusual engine noise.
  5. Skim a few owner reports below for Cruise / speed control. Look for the same symptom repeating.
  6. Take that list to a mechanic. Do not turn the complaint total into a score.

What owners reported

System named most often: Cruise / speed control 463 complaints · 32.0% of the file
Crashes, fires, injuries and deaths in those filings:
  • Crashes 32
  • Fires 3
  • Injuries 14
  • Deaths 0
All Ford Freestyle years →
NHTSA Consumer Complaints Snapshot 2026-10-16 Open source record Read our complete data methodology →

Complaint counts reflect self-selected reports and are not normalised for production sales volume. We publish no reliability scores, superlatives, or vehicle rankings.

Which systems owners named

Share of owner complaints filed against each vehicle system. These shares are not adjusted for how many vehicles were sold.

Which systems owners named Cruise / speed control (VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL) appears in 463 of 1,448 owner complaints (32.0%) in this vehicle snapshot. Cruise / speed control (VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL): 463 complaints, 32.0% of reports Cruise / speed control (VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL) 9 crash reports 463 · 32.0% Transmission / driveline (POWER TRAIN): 339 complaints, 23.4% of reports Transmission / driveline (POWER TRAIN) 7 crash reports 339 · 23.4% Engine (ENGINE): 137 complaints, 9.5% of reports Engine (ENGINE) 1 crash reports 137 · 9.5% Fuel system (FUEL SYSTEM): 99 complaints, 6.8% of reports Fuel system (FUEL SYSTEM) 1 crash reports 1 fire reports 99 · 6.8% Electrical (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM): 90 complaints, 6.2% of reports Electrical (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM) 1 crash reports 1 fire reports 90 · 6.2% Brakes (SERVICE BRAKES): 87 complaints, 6.0% of reports Brakes (SERVICE BRAKES) 2 crash reports 87 · 6.0% Body / frame (STRUCTURE): 45 complaints, 3.1% of reports Body / frame (STRUCTURE) 1 crash reports 45 · 3.1% Steering (STEERING): 13 complaints, 0.9% of reports Steering (STEERING) 1 crash reports 1 fire reports 13 · 0.9% Lights (EXTERIOR LIGHTING): 12 complaints, 0.8% of reports Lights (EXTERIOR LIGHTING) 12 · 0.8% Unclassified NHTSA leftover: 458 complaints, 31.6% of reports Unclassified NHTSA leftover 11 crash reports 1 fire reports 458 · 31.6% 0% 25% 50% 75% 100%

“Unclassified NHTSA leftover” is not a car part. It is a filing bucket and always sits last.

View component data as a table
System / Component Complaints Share of Reports Safety Reports (Crashes / Fires)
Cruise / speed control (VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL) 463 32.0% 9 crashes · 0 fires
Transmission / driveline (POWER TRAIN) 339 23.4% 7 crashes · 0 fires
Engine (ENGINE) 137 9.5% 1 crashes · 0 fires
Fuel system (FUEL SYSTEM) 99 6.8% 1 crashes · 1 fires
Electrical (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM) 90 6.2% 1 crashes · 1 fires
Brakes (SERVICE BRAKES) 87 6.0% 2 crashes · 0 fires
Body / frame (STRUCTURE) 45 3.1% 1 crashes · 0 fires
Steering (STEERING) 13 0.9% 1 crashes · 1 fires
Lights (EXTERIOR LIGHTING) 12 0.8% 0 crashes · 0 fires
Unclassified NHTSA leftover 458 31.6% 11 crashes · 1 fires
NHTSA Consumer Complaints, NHTSA Safety Recalls, and NHTSA Defect Investigations Snapshot 2026-10-16 Open source record

Complaint counts reflect self-selected reports and are not normalised for production sales volume. We publish no reliability scores, superlatives, or vehicle rankings.

When reports and recalls showed up

When owners filed reports, and when recall campaigns showed up.

When reports and recalls showed up Owner reports in this snapshot begin in Jan 2005; the first recall shown was reported in Nov 2005. 2005-Q1: 3 owner reports 3 2005-Q2: 8 owner reports 8 2005-Q3: 10 owner reports 10 2005-Q4: 9 owner reports 9 2006-Q1: 6 owner reports 6 2006-Q2: 3 owner reports 3 2006-Q3: 7 owner reports 7 2006-Q4: 14 owner reports 14 2007-Q1: 24 owner reports 24 2007-Q2: 24 owner reports 24 2007-Q3: 8 owner reports 8 2007-Q4: 3 owner reports 3 2008-Q1: 6 owner reports 6 2008-Q2: 17 owner reports 17 2008-Q3: 13 owner reports 13 2008-Q4: 9 owner reports 9 2009-Q1: 6 owner reports 6 2009-Q2: 7 owner reports 7 2009-Q3: 38 owner reports 38 2009-Q4: 11 owner reports 11 2010-Q1: 27 owner reports 27 2010-Q2: 26 owner reports 26 2010-Q3: 138 owner reports 138 2010-Q4: 26 owner reports 26 2011-Q1: 12 owner reports 12 2011-Q2: 150 owner reports 150 2011-Q3: 237 owner reports 237 2011-Q4: 47 owner reports 47 2012-Q1: 37 owner reports 37 2012-Q2: 56 owner reports 56 2012-Q3: 110 owner reports 110 2012-Q4: 36 owner reports 36 2013-Q1: 19 owner reports 19 2013-Q2: 12 owner reports 12 2013-Q3: 39 owner reports 39 2013-Q4: 16 owner reports 16 2014-Q1: 19 owner reports 19 2014-Q2: 18 owner reports 18 2014-Q3: 19 owner reports 19 2014-Q4: 18 owner reports 18 2015-Q1: 11 owner reports 11 2015-Q2: 10 owner reports 10 2015-Q3: 12 owner reports 12 2015-Q4: 8 owner reports 8 2016-Q1: 15 owner reports 15 2016-Q2: 9 owner reports 9 2016-Q3: 12 owner reports 12 2016-Q4: 9 owner reports 9 2017-Q1: 9 owner reports 9 2017-Q2: 3 owner reports 3 2017-Q3: 1 owner reports 1 2017-Q4: 7 owner reports 7 2018-Q1: 3 owner reports 3 2018-Q2: 4 owner reports 4 2018-Q3: 4 owner reports 4 2018-Q4: 2 owner reports 2 2019-Q1: 7 owner reports 7 2019-Q2: 6 owner reports 6 2019-Q3: 9 owner reports 9 2019-Q4: 1 owner reports 1 2020-Q1: 1 owner reports 1 2020-Q2: 2 owner reports 2 2020-Q3: 1 owner reports 1 2021-Q1: 3 owner reports 3 2021-Q3: 1 owner reports 1 2022-Q2: 1 owner reports 1 2023-Q2: 1 owner reports 1 2023-Q4: 1 owner reports 1 2024-Q1: 1 owner reports 1 2024-Q3: 1 owner reports 1 2024-Q4: 1 owner reports 1 2025-Q1: 1 owner reports 1 2025-Q4: 2 owner reports 2 2026-Q2: 1 owner reports 1 Owner reports Jan 2005 Apr 2026 Recall campaign 05V515000 ◆ Recall campaign 05V515000 Recall campaign 06V383000 ◆ Recall campaign 06V383000 Investigation PE07058 ● Investigation PE07058 Investigation PE11018 ● Investigation PE11018
  • Campaign 05V515000 was reported 219 days after the first earlier complaint mapped to its component.
  • Campaign 06V383000 was reported 600 days after the first earlier complaint mapped to its component.
View timeline records as a table
Date Record type Count Record identifier
2005-Q1 Owner reports 3
2005-Q2 Owner reports 8
2005-Q3 Owner reports 10
2005-Q4 Owner reports 9
2006-Q1 Owner reports 6
2006-Q2 Owner reports 3
2006-Q3 Owner reports 7
2006-Q4 Owner reports 14
2007-Q1 Owner reports 24
2007-Q2 Owner reports 24
2007-Q3 Owner reports 8
2007-Q4 Owner reports 3
2008-Q1 Owner reports 6
2008-Q2 Owner reports 17
2008-Q3 Owner reports 13
2008-Q4 Owner reports 9
2009-Q1 Owner reports 6
2009-Q2 Owner reports 7
2009-Q3 Owner reports 38
2009-Q4 Owner reports 11
2010-Q1 Owner reports 27
2010-Q2 Owner reports 26
2010-Q3 Owner reports 138
2010-Q4 Owner reports 26
2011-Q1 Owner reports 12
2011-Q2 Owner reports 150
2011-Q3 Owner reports 237
2011-Q4 Owner reports 47
2012-Q1 Owner reports 37
2012-Q2 Owner reports 56
2012-Q3 Owner reports 110
2012-Q4 Owner reports 36
2013-Q1 Owner reports 19
2013-Q2 Owner reports 12
2013-Q3 Owner reports 39
2013-Q4 Owner reports 16
2014-Q1 Owner reports 19
2014-Q2 Owner reports 18
2014-Q3 Owner reports 19
2014-Q4 Owner reports 18
2015-Q1 Owner reports 11
2015-Q2 Owner reports 10
2015-Q3 Owner reports 12
2015-Q4 Owner reports 8
2016-Q1 Owner reports 15
2016-Q2 Owner reports 9
2016-Q3 Owner reports 12
2016-Q4 Owner reports 9
2017-Q1 Owner reports 9
2017-Q2 Owner reports 3
2017-Q3 Owner reports 1
2017-Q4 Owner reports 7
2018-Q1 Owner reports 3
2018-Q2 Owner reports 4
2018-Q3 Owner reports 4
2018-Q4 Owner reports 2
2019-Q1 Owner reports 7
2019-Q2 Owner reports 6
2019-Q3 Owner reports 9
2019-Q4 Owner reports 1
2020-Q1 Owner reports 1
2020-Q2 Owner reports 2
2020-Q3 Owner reports 1
2021-Q1 Owner reports 3
2021-Q3 Owner reports 1
2022-Q2 Owner reports 1
2023-Q2 Owner reports 1
2023-Q4 Owner reports 1
2024-Q1 Owner reports 1
2024-Q3 Owner reports 1
2024-Q4 Owner reports 1
2025-Q1 Owner reports 1
2025-Q4 Owner reports 2
2026-Q2 Owner reports 1
Recall campaign 1 05V515000
Recall campaign 1 06V383000
Defect investigation 1 PE07058
Defect investigation 1 PE11018
NHTSA Safety Recalls Snapshot 2026-10-16 Open source record

Safety Recalls (2)

Official campaigns. Each one says what could go wrong and what the dealer was told to fix.

In short, these campaigns were filed about Fuel system.

  1. Recall campaign 05V515000

    Fuel system

    Report date
    Component:
    Fuel system (FUEL SYSTEM)
    Consequence:
    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.
    View authoritative NHTSA record →

  2. Recall campaign 06V383000

    Safety recall 06V383000

    Report date
    Component:
    Unclassified NHTSA leftover
    Consequence:
    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.
    View authoritative NHTSA record →
NHTSA Consumer Complaints Snapshot 2026-10-16 Open source record

Complaint counts reflect self-selected reports and are not normalised for production sales volume. We publish no reliability scores, superlatives, or vehicle rankings.

What owners actually wrote

Short excerpts from the public NHTSA file. Look for the same symptom repeating.

Data: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation · snapshot 2026-10-16
Safety incident filters
Showing 9 of 1,448 complaints · page 1 of 58
2026-06-30Fuel system (FUEL SYSTEM)
NHTSA ODI 11747522
CrashFireInjuryDeath
Our 2005 Ford Freestyle often accelerates or surges forward on its own when applying the brake or parking. It is a very dangerous malfunction that looks to be a wide spread problem for this make and model (based on online reports).
2025-12-09Electrical (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM)
NHTSA ODI 11704107
CrashFireInjuryDeath
When temperature get below freezing car doors will not latch shut and come back open. Car doors work fine when temp are higher. There is a recall already for this NHTSA# 06v383000 Ford# 06545. I have a Ford Case# XXX My car was not included in recall and either should be or needs to be further investigated. I don't want my kids falling out while I go down the highway and I can't wait 45 min for the car to warm up. This had done this all last winter and is doing it again and Ford refuses to do anything. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
2025-10-31Unclassified NHTSA leftover
NHTSA ODI 11696759
CrashFireInjuryDeath
The contact owns a 2005 Ford Freestyle. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 06V383000 (Latches/Locks/Linkages); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the front driver's side door independently unlatched and opened. The local dealer was contacted and informed the contact that the parts for the repair were no longer manufactured. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, a case was filed, and the contact was referred to the NHTSA Hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was approximately 97,000.
2025-01-21Body / frame (STRUCTURE)Unclassified NHTSA leftover
NHTSA ODI 11637411
CrashFireInjuryDeath
PASSANGER DOOR LATCH- DOOR OPENED WHILE DRIVING, WILL NOT STAY CLOSED CHECKED SAID RECALL WAS REPAIRED IN 2006, LATCH IN NOT CLOSING
2024-12-06Unclassified NHTSA leftover
NHTSA ODI 11629170
CrashFireInjuryDeath
The contact owns a 2005 Ford Freestyle. The contact stated that all four door latches failed to latch while attempting to close the doors. The contact had to make several attempts to close and lock the doors before the doors latch and remained closed. The failure had reoccurred intermittently. The contact learned of NHTSA Campaign Number: 06V383000 (Latches/Locks/Linkages) but was unsure if the VIN was included. The dealer was contacted and confirmed that the VIN was not included in the recall The vehicle had not been diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and confirmed that the VIN was not included in the recall. The manufacturer referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline to report the failure. The failure mileage was 150,000.
2024-08-23Body / frame (STRUCTURE)
NHTSA ODI 11610391
CrashFireInjuryDeath
The contact owns a 2005 Ford Freestyle. The contact stated that the vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic for routine maintenance however, the contact was informed that the motor mount torque strap needed to be replaced. The contact had not taken the vehicle to a local dealer to be diagnosed or repaired. The contact stated that the motor mounts had been replaced four times. The vehicle was repaired. The contact stated there was no warning light illuminated. The manufacturer was informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 170,000.
2024-02-02Cruise / speed control (VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL)
NHTSA ODI 11569427
CrashFireInjuryDeath
The contact owns a 2005 Ford Freestyle. The contact stated that while at a stop, the vehicle lunged forward. While starting the vehicle, the vehicle revved high. While driving at high speeds, the vehicle decelerated. The contact stated that several times, the vehicle failed to accelerate as needed. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, who cleaned and replaced the throttle body. The local dealer was not contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not contacted. The failure mileage was approximately 160,000.
2023-11-27Unclassified NHTSA leftover
NHTSA ODI 11557112
CrashFireInjuryDeath
Doors will not close in cold weather. This is a safety issue that was not resolved with prior recall.
2023-04-24VISIBILITYUnclassified NHTSA leftover
NHTSA ODI 11518753
CrashFireInjuryDeath
Driving my 2005 Ford Freestyle today when I suddenly heard a loud explosion or crash sound overhead. At first I thought something had fallen from the sky and crashed into the top of our vehicle. I immediately slowed down and pulled the car off the side of the road. My husband was a passenger in the vehicle. He carefully got out of the vehicle and looked on top of and around the vehicle. That is when we discovered that the glass in the sunroof had literally exploded and blown out of the vehicle. The track was still in place and operating normally. The glass was completely blown out of the vehicle. Because the Ford Freestyle was only in production for 3 years (I believe), there probably are not many still in use. Thus, there are probably not many Ford Freestyle owners having or reporting this problem. Besides being scared, the potential for being hit by the exploding glass and suffering substantial injuries to our heads, eyes, face, shoulders, bodies, could have been tremendous, if not deadly. I reported the incident to Ford Motor Company. The vehicle has not been inspected yet by manufacturer, police, insurance, or others. There were no warning lamps, messages or other symptoms of the problem prior to the sunroof glass failure.

Frequently asked questions

What are the most common problems on the 2005 Ford Freestyle?

Owners named Cruise / speed control most often — 463 of 1,448 reports (32%). That is the NHTSA file, not a diagnosis of every vehicle.

Are there recalls for the 2005 Ford Freestyle?

NHTSA lists 2 safety recall campaigns. They were filed about Fuel system. Check the VIN at nhtsa.gov; a campaign on this page can still be open on a specific vehicle.

What should I inspect before buying a 2005 Ford Freestyle?

Look up the VIN for open recalls. Test cruise control and ask about unintended-acceleration reports on this year. Then skim owner filings for the same symptom and take that list to a mechanic.

Does a high complaint count mean I should skip this year?

No. Counts are reports people chose to file and they are not adjusted for sales volume. YearTell does not publish scores or a list of years to skip. Inspect the vehicle.

EPA Fuel Economy Database Snapshot 2026-10-04 Open source record

Estimated Ownership Cost

EPA fuel economy ratings and annual operating cost estimates

Data: US EPA Fuel Economy Guide · snapshot 2026-10-04
Supported range: 1,000–60,000 miles per year
Supported range: $1.50–$10.00 per gallon
55% city45% highway
Estimate unavailable

EPA fuel-economy data is unavailable for this vehicle.

No estimate is shown when required EPA values are unavailable.

 Open Ownership Cost Calculator →

Adjacent Model Years

Immediate preceding and succeeding model year records

NHTSA Consumer Complaints Snapshot 2026-10-16 Open source record

Complaint counts reflect self-selected reports and are not normalised for production sales volume. We publish no reliability scores, superlatives, or vehicle rankings.

Methodology & Data Integrity

Source: NHTSA ODI / recalls, snapshot 2026-10-16. YearTell is not a government agency.

Read our complete data methodology → Sources