Most common 2005 Ford Freestar problems
Share of the 886 complaints; one complaint can involve more than one system. "~" is the median mileage when the problem started.
Ford Freestar complaints by model year
Best Freestar years: 2007, 2006. Years to avoid: 2004, 2005. Compare all years →
2005 Ford Freestar recalls (3)
Seats
Ford is recalling certain model year 2004-2007 Freestar and Mercury Monterey vehicles manufactured from March 24, 2003, through November 7, 2006, equipped with a third row seat and originally sold in, or currently registered in, Connecticut, Delaware, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota,…
Remedy: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will install new third row seat latch striker mounting brackets, free of charge. The recall began on March 28, 2013.
Power train › Automatic transmission › Torque converter
Ford is recalling certain model year 2004 and 2005 Ford freestar and Mercury monterey vehicles. The torque converter output shaft May fail.
Remedy: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will replace the torque converter free of charge. The safety recall began on August 9, 2012. Owners May contact the Ford motor company customer relationship center at 1-866-436-7332.
Structure › Body › Hatchback/liftgate
On certain vans equipped with the power liftgate option, the power liftgate motor automatically disengages after the liftgate is powered open.
Remedy: Dealers will reprogram the power liftgate module to reduce the likelihood that the liftgate could fall free of charge. The recall began on March 15, 2006. Owners May contact Ford at 1-800-392-3673.
NHTSA defect investigations
Federal safety investigators have looked into 6 possible defects involving the 2005 Ford Freestar:
Service Jack Failure
The subject vehicles (SV) are all automatic transmission, front wheel drive vehicles with hand actuated mechanical park brakes. The investigation focused on allegations that the service jack failed and caused the vehicles to fall. The subject scissors-type jack appears to fail at the slotted hinge joints where the jack screw is located (bends at mid-point).
Engine Stalling
The subject vehicles suffered from a design issue whereby water could run down onto the cowling under the hood and located in the area of the windshield wipers and then drip onto a computer module, the Powertrain Control Module (PCM), which could be manifested in a variety of symptoms depending on which part of the circuit board became wet or which of the connector pins shorted out.In addition to causing an engine…
Torque converter output shaft failure
Odi has received 227 owner complaints alleging a sudden and unexpected loss of motive power due to an internal transmission failure in the subject vehicles.of those complaints, 124 can be attributed to the torque converter output shaft splines stripping causing a sudden loss of power to the drivetrain.the remaining 103 complaints experienced a loss of motive power but the specific internal failure cause within the…
Stabilus Rear Liftgate Struts Failing
Please see the attached closing resume summary.It has been attached to this document as a PDF.
Corrosion of Third-Row Seat Attachment
Ford is conducting a safety recall to repair the third-row seat's latch mechanisms in approximately 196,667 model year (MY) 2004 through 2007 Ford Freestar and Mercury Monterey vehicles (see NHTSA recall 13V-081 for more details).The recall covers vehicles originally sold, or currently registered, in the salt belt states or high corrosion areas of the United States: Connecticut, Delaware, the District of Columbia,…
Transmission Torque Converter Failure
On January 4, 2012 Ford Motor Company submitted a Defect Information Report (NHTSA Recall No. 12V-006) to NHTSA regarding a defect in the performance of the transmission torque converter for approximately 205,896 Ford Freestar and Mercury Monterey vehicles.The supplier of the torque converter manufactured converters containing a pump shaft spline that did not consistently meet the specified heat treatment…
What 2005 Ford Freestar owners say
Transmission & drivetrain all 677 →
The contact owns a 2005 Ford Freestar. The contact stated while driving 70 MPH and releasing the accelerator pedal, the contact noticed an abnormal clucking sound. The contact stated that upon depressing the accelerator pedal, the vehicle failed to respond. The contact pulled to the side of the road. The contact stated he was able to continue driving; however, the failure persisted. The contact stated that upon depressing the accelerator pedal, the vehicle only responded when the RPMs were high, and the vehicle failed to exceed 30 MPH. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, where it was diagnosed that the torque converter output shaft had failed. The mechanic determined that the torque converter and the output shaft needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The dealer was not contacted. …
The contact owns a 2005 Ford Freestar. The contact stated that upon selling the vehicle, she allowed another individual to test drive the vehicle; however, as the contact was driving on an incline, the vehicle stalled. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where it was diagnosed that the flex shaft had failed. The contact then stated that upon research, she became aware of NHTSA Campaign Number: 12V00600 (Power Train). The vehicle was not repaired. The contact stated that she received notification of the NHTSA Campaign Number: 13V081000 (Seats). The vehicle was taken to the dealer where the contact was informed that due to the condition of the vehicle the recall repair could not be performed. The contact was concerned that when the vehicle was taken to the dealer, the VIN was entered and displayed a different color. The vehicle was not repaired. …
Engine & cooling all 88 →
Tl* the contact owns a 2005 Ford Freestar. While the vehicle was stationary, the engine caught fire without warning. A police report was filed. The fire department extinguished the fire. There were no injuries sustained. The manufacturer was not made aware of the fire. The failure mileage was 122,000.
Tl* the contact owns a 2005 Ford Freestar. The contact stated that while stopped at a traffic light, the vehicle would not move. The contact turned off and restarted the vehicle and took the vehicle to an independent mechanic where the pcv valve was replaced. The failure recurred with the vehicle not accelerating from a stopped position. The vehicle was taken to bell Ford (1200 nj-27, colonia, nj 07067 [phone]) and repaired under NHTSA campaign numbers: 12V006000 (power train) and 13V081000 (seats). The contact stated that while performing the recall repairs, the lug nuts were damaged. The driver's and passenger's side axles were fractured, the oil pan was damaged, and power steering lines were also damaged. The contact was informed that the vehicle was repaired. While driving home, the failure recurred. The dealer declined to service the vehicle. The vehicle was not repaired. …
Electrical system all 85 →
The rear wheel well has rusted on both sides and completely rusted out a large hole (approx. 1 ft diameter area visibly effected) in the the body of the van. The rusted out section is where the back seat is anchored to the frame, so the rust has cause the seat to no longer be securely anchored to the car. The hole has also caused electrical wires to get wet when water gets into the van and intermittently and unpredictably causing failure of electrical features, including headlights and blinkers, while driving.
An incident from about a month ago: after traveling on the freeway and coming to a stop at a red light at the off ramp at 2 am, my car began to sputter and rev. I proceeded to the next red light where my car shut off. Every time I started it, it would shut off right away. I drive for a taxi service and luckily I did not have passengers in the car with me at the time. I called a family member to come look and help. He ended up pushing my car with his into a nearby parking lot. After some investigation, I concluded it was the PCM. It was taken out to dry completely and the windshield area where water May have leaked into it was sealed with silicone. It started working again fine and has been since then. Now it has rained again and the problem has reoccurred. Today, after driving on the freeway and entering a neighborhood, my trans-axle light started blinking. …
2005 Ford Freestar engines & fuel economy
| Engine | Transmission | Drive | MPG city / hwy / combined |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3.9L 6-cyl | 4-speed automatic | FWD | 16 / 22 / 18 |
| 4.2L 6-cyl | 4-speed automatic | FWD | 16 / 21 / 18 |
| 3.8L 6-cyl | 4-speed automatic | FWD | 16 / 22 / 18 |
EPA ratings. Class: Minivan.
Frequently asked questions
Is the 2005 Ford Freestar a good car?
Based on 886 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the 2005 Freestar rates avoid: 2.7× as many complaints as a typical year of the Freestar at the same age. It is one of the Freestar years we suggest avoiding. Complaint counts don't account for sales volume or individual maintenance, so have any used car inspected before buying.
What is the most common problem with the 2005 Ford Freestar?
The transmission & drivetrain — 677 complaints, 76% of all complaints for this model year, most often about automatic transmission. Next are the engine & cooling (88) and electrical system (85).
How many recalls does the 2005 Ford Freestar have?
There are 3 recalls for the 2005 Ford Freestar, the most recent from March 7, 2013 (seats). Recall repairs are free at any authorized dealer — check whether yours has been done with the VIN recall check.
What are the best and worst years of the Ford Freestar?
The best years by complaints, compared at the same age, are 2007 and 2006. Years to avoid or approach with caution: 2004 and 2005. See the full Ford Freestar years comparison.
At what mileage do 2005 Ford Freestar problems happen?
The median mileage reported in complaints is about 82,000 miles; 15% of problems with a recorded mileage started before 50,000 miles.
Source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) — owner complaints through October 20, 2026, recalls and defect investigations; fuel economy from the EPA. Complaints are unverified reports and are not proof of a defect. How we rate model years.