Ford Freestyle Engine and Engine Cooling Problems
Owners have filed 347 complaints with NHTSA about engine and engine cooling problems on the Ford Freestyle across 3 model years. The 2006 model year has the most (144). The words owners use most often: “throttle body” (29% of reports).
- 347engine and engine cooling complaints
- —median miles at failure
- 5mention a crash
- 0mention an injury
- 0related recalls
- $1,100typical repair cost reported by owners
- 8%of reports with a speed happened at 50+ mph
What owners describe
Phrases that appear unusually often in these complaints compared with complaints about other cars.
- Throttle body: mentioned in 99 of 347 complaints (29%)
- Foot brake: mentioned in 42 of 347 complaints (12%)
- Forward reverse: mentioned in 28 of 347 complaints (8%)
- Air conditioning: mentioned in 20 of 347 complaints (6%)
How much does it cost to fix?
Owners who wrote down what they paid or were quoted put the typical engine and engine cooling repair on the Ford Freestyle at $1,100, and half of them between $920 and $1,350.
Based on 12 NHTSA complaints about this problem alone that state a repair bill or quote (2008–2012), converted to 2026 dollars with the U.S. consumer price index. These are owners' own figures, not a quote: they include dealer quotes, and owners who file complaints often faced larger repairs, so they can run higher than typical shop prices. Prices vary by shop, region and warranty coverage. How we calculate this.
At what mileage do engine and engine cooling problems happen?
Based on 316 complaints that reported the odometer reading.
How serious are the reports?
Of 347 complaints, 5 mention a crash, 1 a fire.
Ford Freestyle engine and engine cooling complaints by model year
| Model year | Engine and Engine Cooling complaints | Share of that year | Median miles |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2007 Freestyle | 74 | 8% | 60,750 |
| 2006 Freestyle | 144 | 11% | 68,594 |
| 2005 Freestyle | 129 | 9% | 70,000 |
When owners reported it
Related recalls (0)
No safety recall lists engine and engine cooling for the Ford Freestyle. A pattern of complaints does not always lead to a recall.
What owners report
Short excerpts of recent complaints, with personal details removed. Full reports are on NHTSA.gov.
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…
The dash board info reads safe mode (engine failure) the lite and a wrench appear on the data on the dash. The vehicle motor still on goes down to 1 to 3 mph while driving, on street or freeway, the car have to be shut off and restarted and proceeds to run for awhile and does the same thing and no…
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…
I went in to my local mechanic for tire rotation and we discovered that the motor cradle was rusting out with a big hole in the cradle frame. *tr
In 2010, my car would go into "engine failsafe mode" and i would have to shut it off and restart it. After a few times, is started lurching forward when it was idling. At that time, i had an extended warranty and the throttle body was replaced. Today, april 10, 2013, i was driving to work and the…
Frequently asked questions
Do all Ford Freestyles have engine and engine cooling problems?
No. NHTSA has 347 owner complaints about engine and engine cooling for the Ford Freestyle. Complaint data shows that the problem is reported, not how many of all cars sold are affected.
Was there a recall on the Ford Freestyle engine and engine cooling?
No recall currently lists engine and engine cooling for this vehicle.
How much does it cost to fix engine and engine cooling problems on the Ford Freestyle?
Owners report a typical cost of $1,100 (half paid between $920 and $1,350), from 12 complaints that state a repair bill or quote, in 2026 dollars.
What do owners say about engine and engine cooling problems on the Ford Freestyle?
The most frequent phrase is “throttle body”, in 99 of 347 complaints, followed by “foot brake” (42).
Other Ford Freestyle problems
- Vehicle Speed Control problems (1,617)
- Power Train problems (1,297)
- Engine problems (330)
- Electrical System problems (266)
- Fuel System, Gasoline problems (223)
- Service Brakes, Hydraulic problems (150)
- Fuel/propulsion System problems (127)
- Structure problems (101)
See all Ford Freestyle problems.