Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (doors, hood, frame, rust, paint and trim).
Mileage when the problem started
Owner reports
Selected complaints filed with NHTSA by 2006 Ford Freestyle owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
The contact owns a 2006 Ford Freestyle. The contact stated that she noticed that after it rained, the front passenger's side floor would fill up with water. The contact was unsure where the leak was located. The contact called the local dealer and made them aware of the failure. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer had not been informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 139,372.
Took the vehicle in to local Ford for 120000 mile service and was informed the subframe was rusted and starting to separate. The part is no longer available and maybe they could find a used one as they have had to do in other cases. Not sure why just the front subframe is bad and no other part of the frame structure also the car has had rustproofing done on it. Reading on the internet this seems to be a common problem with these subframes.
I was backing out of angle parking space. As I backed I bumped concrete pole. As I put car in drive to go forward the accelerator stuck wide open. I had no control of speed. I sped forward approximately 20 feet and crashed into the back of a parked pick-up. Police were called. I was only bruised and sore. I did see a dr. And will continue to do follow up. My insurance co. Totaled the car. It was very damaged on the driver side. Someone could of been killed in this accident. My description does not adequately describe the seriousness of this incident. Police and others could not believe I was not severely hurt. If theses cars are not recalled it is only a matter of time until someone dies if they have not already .
Last winter the door latches froze and would not stay shut. I had to bungee the 2 rear doors together. So I did research found there was a recall for that issues back in 2006. The number on the old letter was who I contacted. The lady went on to say they will not cover the recheck of issue or re-perform the recall. So I said so what your saying is since you are saying you cannot fix the issue and doors malfunction I could open a lawsuit! She said " yes "! I immediately went to my local Ford dealer and the advisor there said that the recall has never been performed in my vehicle. Winter is just around the corner and I would my children to be safe in the back seat and not have to worry about them. …
We were at a stand still in traffic leading to the off ramp, a vehicle came speeding down the on ramp and by his own admission was not paying attention. He then rammed into the back of our vehicle and hit us so hard that it triggered a multi car crash, 6 vehicles in all. During repairs of the vehicle we were told that the engine was experiencing idle surge. It was also noted that this was not due to the vehicle accident. We paid out of pocket some 1,700.00 and we continue to have the same issues. The Ford dealership has not and will not correct the problem. Ford is responsible for this repair and I would like to see some action taken on their part. I called Ford corporate office and was told despite my vehicle being included in the 2005-2007 recall my particular VIN number is not included in that lot. Not good customer service.
Went for a state inspection in August. The car passed, however, the mechanic said the undercarriage had large amount of rust which could make passing in future years difficult. I finally had time to bring to body shop. On lift, mechanic showed me significant rust. Said he couldn't do anything and would be in thousands to fix. Car has approximately 59,900 miles and has been meticulously maintained. After some research, found this seems to be an issue as seen here: http://www.carproblemzoo.com/Ford/Freestyle/frame-rust-problems.php and here: https://forums.edmunds.com/discussion/39926/Ford/Freestyle/Ford-Freestyle-subframe-rust coincidentally, I just received 11-27-18 a NHTSA recall notice for a "front cross member corrosion safety recall 28181 on my 2009 mazda6.
My daughter had a wreck, she rear-ended a truck who ran into another vehicle. The airbag on my vehicle did not deploy although the seatbelt did lock up. There had been no warning light stating that there was anything wrong with the airbag. I have written to Ford about this malfunction but they just say there is no recall on the airbags. I told them that unfortunately no one will know if there is a problem until they have an accident. I feel this is a very unsafe part and needs investigation.
The driver side passenger door seal is faulty, letting water get into the door causing it to freeze and rust. The electrical for the driver heated seat keeps malfunctioning causing it to keep breaking. The levers that flip the second and third row seating have become faulty and will no longer work. Lastly, the all-wheel drive component on my vehicle stopped working while I was driving. It was during the winter and the roads were icy so it caused me to have less traction and fish tail.
Tl* the contact owns a 2006 Ford Freestyle. The contact took the vehicle to an independent mechanic for routine maintenance and was informed that the cross member frame was rusted. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified and stated that nothing could be done since the vehicle was not included in a recall. The dealer was not contacted. The failure mileage was approximately 140,000.
On multiple occasions the vehicle has lurched forward or backward without having my foot on the accelerator. Applying the brake has stopped the car. The rear bumper was damaged when it hit a light pole. It seems to happen more frequently when it's warmer outside and when running the air conditioning. I'm very concerne someone might get injured. My wife has also had this happen to her on multiple occasion. I've read a number of similar complaints on the internet. I believe this vehicle should be recalled. I'm a mechanical engineer by degree and can state with certainty that this is a dangerous condition especially in a parking lot where it most frequently happens. I won't even attempt to backup the vehicle if someone is nearby in case it has one of these fits. Please keep me posted on any recall updates. …
Body complaints in other Freestyle years
Frequently asked questions
How common are body problems on the 2006 Ford Freestyle?
NHTSA has 28 complaints about the body & structure of the 2006 Ford Freestyle, 2% of the model year's 1,300 complaints. The component named most often is body (19 mentions).
Is there a recall for 2006 Ford Freestyle body problems?
No. NHTSA lists no body & structure recall for the 2006 Ford Freestyle, though it has 1 recall for other components. If the problem is widespread, a repair may still be covered by an extended warranty or a manufacturer service bulletin — ask a dealer.
At what mileage do 2006 Ford Freestyle body problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 89,000 miles, and 14% before 25,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 4 crashes, 0 fires and 9 injuries to body & structure problems on this model year. If you notice symptoms, have the car checked before driving further.
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.