Most common 2006 Ford Freestyle problems
Share of the 1,300 complaints; one complaint can involve more than one system. "~" is the median mileage when the problem started.
Ford Freestyle complaints by model year
Best Freestyle years: 2004, 2007. Years to avoid: 2005, 2006. Compare all years →
2006 Ford Freestyle recalls (1)
Latches/locks/linkages › Doors › Latch
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…
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.
NHTSA defect investigations
Federal safety investigators have looked into a possible defect involving the 2006 Ford Freestyle:
Idle instability
On November 29, 2012, Ford Motor Company (Ford) initiated Customer Satisfaction Program 12N03 to extend warranty coverage terms for repair of engine idle RPM surge caused by throttle body deposits in all model year (MY) 2005 through 2007 Ford Freestyle, Five Hundred and Mercury Montego vehicles.The program extends the coverage for up to 10 years of service or 150,000 miles from the warranty start date of the vehicle…
What 2006 Ford Freestyle owners say
Speed control & acceleration all 602 →
Purchased a 2006 Ford Freestyle in April 2010 with 45,831 miles on it. The car is used for transportation to and from work, errands, and leisure. Since purchasing the car, we have experienced unexplained surges in the engine resulting in the rpms to increase and a sudden jerking movement while in drive or reverse. The surges have become more frequent occurring on a daily basis during warm weather especially during the summer months. We have been worried about the car lunging into another vehicle while parking/backing out of a parking space or while waiting at a light or stuck in traffic on the highway. On 6-13-11 at 5 pm est, while on our way home from work, the car unexpectedly surged and moved forward into another car while we were waiting at a traffic light. …
I have a 2006 Ford Freestyle and when ever I drive it, it accelerates when your stopped at stop signs, traffic lights,coasting through parking lots, etc. I have just recently hit the car in front of me while waiting at a traffic light I was slowing down to stop when the car accelerated causing the car to lunge forward hitting the car in front of me before I had time to stop. This has become very dangerous. I took it to a Ford dealer with no results. I called the Ford mfg. And they told me they were aware of the problem but nothing was being done about it. I have ask several owners of the Freestyle about this and they said they were having the same problem. I have checked on the internet and found complaint after complaint about this problem and the high cost of trying to fix it. I have went to several repair shops with no guarantees. …
Transmission & drivetrain all 484 →
We own a 2006 Ford Freestyle and are only the 2nd owners of this car! We bought it in 2011 and are at our boiling point with it! The previous owners had to get the transmission rebuilt, we had owned the car for less than a year and had to get the transmission rebuilt again at almost $4,000! Now 3 years after we fixed the transmission we are back at the same juncture where our transmission is causing us a problem again! I took it in because it was overheating and I ended up having to have the radiator and a portion of the water hose replaced at almost $1000! Two days later I'm driving and as I pull off from a light I notice the car does a pretty heavy jerk forward! I thought I hit the pedal too hard so I didn't think much of it! …
While driving the wrench light will randomly come on and the rpms go crazy and the car struggles to shift gears. After restarting the car, it will drive fine for a while - sometimes weeks - before it happens again. After it happens a few times, the engine light will turn on but will go back off after driving a little or restarting it a few times. Now, a few days ago it started jumping and struggling to move from a complete stop, no wrench light this time. Turning the car off & letting it sit for a couple minutes helped & I got to work. Then on my way home, I made it 5 of the 7 miles before it started acting up again. This time sluggish acceleration from a complete stop. After sitting for a couple days, the car drove smoothly for 3 miles, stopped at a light and car jerked again then limped forward. …
Engine & cooling all 258 →
The contact owns a 2006 Ford Freestyle. The contact stated while driving approximately 25 MPH, the vehicle inadvertently stalled with the battery, oil pressure, and check engine warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was taken to a local dealer but was not diagnosed. The manufacturer was informed of the failure but offered no assistance. The failure mileage was approximately 210,000.
On my 2006 Freestyle, that I purchased on 4/01/2014 from northway motor car in latham, ny,it suddenly jerked forward and shut off today. Upon trying to restart the vehicle ran on an unstable idle and both my service engine and engine wrench light appeared on the dash. The Freestyle would not move, upon putting it into gear it ran low idle and then shut down. Once my local garage ran a diagnostic test it referenced the throttle body being bad?? So now looking up recalls I find natsa action number :pe11018. Of course the extended warranty program 12n03 is only to 10 years or 150,000 miles. Great !!! I now have 180,100 miles and a loan for still over $3000. I am under the 10 year mark but over the milage, despite buying this from a major car dealer who could have had this problem fixed before selling it to me when it only had 148,322miles !!!! …
2006 Ford Freestyle engines & fuel economy
| Engine | Transmission | Drive | MPG city / hwy / combined |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3.0L 6-cyl | CVT | FWD | 18 / 25 / 20 |
| 3.0L 6-cyl | CVT | 4WD/AWD | 17 / 22 / 19 |
EPA ratings. Class: SUV.
Frequently asked questions
Is the 2006 Ford Freestyle a good car?
Based on 1,300 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the 2006 Freestyle rates use caution: 1.4× as many complaints as a typical year of the Freestyle at the same age. It is one of the Freestyle 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 2006 Ford Freestyle?
The speed control & acceleration — 602 complaints, 46% of all complaints for this model year, most often about accelerator pedal. Next are the transmission & drivetrain (484) and engine & cooling (258).
How many recalls does the 2006 Ford Freestyle have?
There is 1 recall for the 2006 Ford Freestyle, the most recent from October 5, 2006 (latch). 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 Freestyle?
The best years by complaints, compared at the same age, are 2004 and 2007. Years to avoid or approach with caution: 2005 and 2006. See the full Ford Freestyle years comparison.
At what mileage do 2006 Ford Freestyle problems happen?
The median mileage reported in complaints is about 75,000 miles; 18% 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.