Steering complaints by model year
Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (power steering, steering column, rack and pinion).
Mileage when the problem started
What owners report
Sudden loss of power to wheels @ 114,000 miles; Ford dealer: "you need to purchase a rebuilt transmission" this is the torque converter as known to NHTSA; demanded Ford refund, refused. Second Ford remanufactured transmission warranty not being honored with failure @ 93,000. Ford dealer: "replaced fuse, torque converter shudder; your van has over 200,000 miles on it!!" significant transmission vibration with steering shudder, re-diagnosed January 10, 2014; continuation of 93,000 failure and claimed repair. PCM failed at aprox. 85,000 miles; power steering leaks year after purchase @ 53,000 original miles. Ford dealer refuses repair/refund. All documents in possession.
Driving down road city street (25 MPH speed limit) on way home. Not raining outside. Temperature was about 85 degrees. Very high humidity. As approached intersection the vehicle suddenly shut itself off. Complete loss of power, power steering, and power breaking. Wife had trouble pulling over, but because were only going 20 MPH at that point, we managed to pull over and stop car. We were only 2 blocks from home, so we restarted engine (which turned on without trouble) and drove home slowly (now with the check-engine light on). Dangerous situation, as it is incredibly difficult to control the vehicle without power steering or braking. If we had taken the interstate home instead of the way we went, we could have been driving at 70 MPH onto an off ramp when it shut off. Very dangerous indeed.
Tl* the contact owns a 2005 Ford Freestar. While driving approximately 40 MPH, the power steering failed intermittently without warning and the engine stalled. The vehicle became increasingly difficult to control. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was 112,000. The VIN was not available.
Tl* the contact owns a 2005 Ford Freestar. While driving 35 MPH, the steering wheel became difficult to turn. The contact had to apply force to the steering wheel in order to steer the vehicle. The vehicle was towed to a dealer, but was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 111,000.
Tl* the contact owns a 2004 Ford Freestar. The contact stated while driving at various speeds, the steering wheel vibrated and started pulling to the right. There was no warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic and the contact was informed the subframe of the front end was fractured and that an alignment could not be performed. Ray price mt. Pocono Ford located at (2971 pa-940, mt pocono, pa 18344), were made aware of the failure. The vehicle was not diagnosed nor repaired. The manufacturer was informed of failure. The failure mileage was 127,000.
Turns out there was a recall on the 2004 Ford Freestar in 2012 regarding the torque converter. Here it is two years later and it goes out again. This should not happen. There needs to be another recall on the torque converter and it needs to be fixed properly this time before there is a death from the incident. I had two kids under the age of 3 with me at the time and sitting in the pouring rain, in chilly weather, waiting for a ride home was not fun. Fix it Ford!!!
Related recalls (1)
Steering › Hydraulic power assist › Hose, piping, and connections
On certain minivans, the power steering low-pressure line May not be fully seated at the rack and pinion steering gear.
Remedy: Dealers will inspect the power steering low-pressure line to ensure that it is seated properly at the rack and pinion steering gear. Owner notification began November 10, 2003.
Frequently asked questions
Which Ford Freestar years have steering problems?
By NHTSA complaints, the 2004 (27), 2005 (19) and 2006 (5) model years. Steering complaints make up 2% of all complaints for the 2004.
Is there a recall for Ford Freestar steering problems?
Yes — 1 recall, including 03V-457 (hose, piping, and connections, Nov 6, 2003). Recall repairs are free at authorized dealers; check a specific car with the VIN recall check.
At what mileage do Ford Freestar steering problems start?
Across all years, half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 93,000 miles; 20% happened before 50,000 miles.
What part fails most often?
Owners most often name the linkages › tie rod assembly (2 mentions), followed by the hydraulic power assist › hose, piping, and connections (2).
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.