Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (engine, cooling system, oil leaks, timing chain, exhaust).
Mileage when the problem started
Owner reports
Selected complaints filed with NHTSA by 2007 Ford Freestyle owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
Tl* the contact owns a 2007 Ford Freestyle. When starting the vehicle and shifting into reverse or drive at 2 MPH, the vehicle would lunge forward or backwards as the brake pedal was depressed. In addition, the check engine and the wrench warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 190,000.
Several times my vehicle surges forward when moving at slow speeds or braking. This has happened while driving forward and reverse. More noticeable when the A/C is on. Even when my foot is on the brake . I can hear the engine revving when this is happening - even though my foot is on the brake.it also loses power on the freeway and becomes very sluggish in acceleration.the vehicle would lose power unexpectedly when driving 10 MPH and up. Also I had a minor accident,the vehicle accelerated by itself and I hit a wall in my garage. Also, it would not go forward and when put in reverse it would accelerate--this happened in the middle of traffic during rush hour. We finally took it to the dealer to have it looked at, they told us it was the throttle body and our master tech guarantee did not cover the expense. …
Parked in parking garage. When backing up, car lurched and ran into another vehicle that was backing up. I was in reverse when the other car backed up. Foot on brake and car lurched into other car. No personal injuries than goodness. Since that time, it has lurched in both forward and reverse. I originally thought that somehow my foot hit the gas pedal and could not figure out how I was doing this. I also thought that maybe the floor mat had somehow bound the gas pedal, but, I checked and it is not the problem. Sensor replaced on car as mechanic thought that this might be causing the problem. It was fine after that for about 1,500 miles and problem has started again. The problem seems to be made worse if the temperature is over 90 outside or if the car is sitting and idling or operating at low speeds. I have been lucky that no other property damage and/or personal injuries.
Lunging, lugging, while stationary or at low speed, forward or reverse, warning lights come on. I see this same complaint hundreds of times on this NHTSA site as well as internet searches. After reading numerous detailed issues and matching mine to specific complaints, it was determined that the issue is the throttle body. I took my vehicle to my trusted mechanic for removal and thorough cleaning. This inexpensive repair resolved the engine lunging issue. Please provide this information to Ford service departments via bulletins or whatever, so this problem can be resolved easily and quickly. The lunging is a serious problem, with the vehicle suddenly surging forward from an idling position with foot on the brake. I see that expensive, unnecessary repairs are being performed which have nothing to do with the issue. It is a throttle body that just needs to be cleaned.
Tl* the contact owns a 2007 Ford Freestyle. The contact stated that the check engine warning lamp flashed several times and then went off. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic who was not able to replicate and diagnose the failure. When the vehicle was in reverse, it independently surged backwards and the contact had to quickly apply the brake pedal each time the failure occurred. The contact also stated that the vehicle hesitated numerous times upon starting and then stalled. The contact had to apply the brake pedal while at a stop due to the vehicle independently moving forward. The vehicle was not inspected and diagnosed. The contact was not able to drive the vehicle for several months due to the intermittent failures. The manufacturer was not notified of the failures. The approximate failure mileage was 12,000.
My wife & I were visiting a friends house with my wife driving. She put the van into reverse to leave with her foot on the brake. It suddenly took off at a high rate of speed & would not stop even with both. Feet on the brake. We shot out the driveway at high speed & continued down the roadway until my wife lost control & crashed into a ditch; the only thing that stopped the van was hitting a large rock. This of course caused damage to the passenger side rear quarter panel. My wife suffered a small cut to her calf; I was uninjured. We were very lucky there were no other vehicles in the roadway at that time or it could have been very dangerous !! My wife is so shook up by this incident that she now refuses to drive her van.
I have not had a catastrophic incident, yet, but certain to after researching the issue I am experiencing from the CVT transmission in this vehicle. Since about January 2015, while in park or neutral, there is a loud whirring sound, similar to a helicopter. After extensive online research, it seems that most, if not all others who experienced this same issue eventually LED to catastrophic failure of the transmission. I have also experienced the cold weather related issue where once drive is engaged, the check engine light and wrench light illuminate and the car just stumbles when the accelerator is depressed. Letting it run for about 10 to 15 minutes temporarily resolves the issue.
Tl* the contact owns a 2007 Ford Freestyle. While driving 25 MPH, the vehicle accelerated and the throttle control and transmission warning indicators illuminated. The contact coasted the vehicle to the side of the road and powered off the engine. The vehicle was restarted and was able to operate normally; however, the failure recurred. In addition, the vehicle would accelerate without warning at traffic lights, stop signs, or when making turns. The vehicle was not taken to a dealer or independent mechanic for diagnostic testing or repair. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 126,000.
Tl* the contact owns a 2007 Ford Freestyle. While driving approximately 30 MPH, the accelerator pedal was depressed but the vehicle failed to accelerate past 2 MPH. The check engine warning indicator illuminated. The failure recurred three times. The vehicle was taken to a dealer where it was diagnosed that the throttle body failed and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was previously repaired under a manufacturer's recall; however, the remedy failed to prevent the failure. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 102,000. The VIN was unavailable.
Tl* the contact owns a 2007 Ford Freestyle. The contact stated that the vehicle was at stand still at a fast food drive thru and after turning on the ac, when the vehicle jerked forcefully forward and stalled. The contact stated no warning light was illuminated. The contact stated she was able to restart the vehicle and drive to her destination. The contact stated she had experience the failure multiple times. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired as of yet. A dealer was not contacted. The manufacturer had not been informed of failure. The failure mileage was 115,000.
Engine complaints in other Freestyle years
Frequently asked questions
How common are engine problems on the 2007 Ford Freestyle?
NHTSA has 167 complaints about the engine & cooling of the 2007 Ford Freestyle, 19% of the model year's 893 complaints. The component named most often is engine (26 mentions).
Is there a recall for 2007 Ford Freestyle engine problems?
No. NHTSA lists no engine & cooling recall for the 2007 Ford Freestyle. 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 2007 Ford Freestyle engine problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 72,000 miles, and 4% before 25,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 7 crashes, 0 fires and 1 injury to engine & cooling 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.