no report yet
Seats
Risk. In the event that the vehicle is crashed into from the rear, an unlatched seat may increase the risk of personal injury.
2005 Ford FreestarProblems, recalls & complaints
NHTSA has logged 886 owner complaints about the 2005 Ford Freestar, most often about the power train. It is covered by 3 safety recalls.
Source: NHTSA complaints, recalls, investigations and manufacturer recall reports, through June 7, 2026. Updated daily. Photo: Elise240SX, CC BY-SA 4.0.
Complaints by system
Where the 2005 Ford Freestar has problems
886 complaints grouped by the system owners reported.
677Power train4 crash/fire/injury
85Electrical system2 crash/fire/injury
53Engine
39Vehicle speed control
35Engine and engine cooling
33Structure
20Service brakes, hydraulic
20Seats
19Steering
8219 other systems7 crash/fire/injury
| System | Complaints | Crash, fire or injury |
|---|---|---|
| Power train | 677 | 4 |
| Electrical system | 85 | 2 |
| Engine | 53 | 1 |
| Vehicle speed control | 39 | 1 |
| Engine and engine cooling | 35 | 2 |
| Structure | 33 | 7 |
| Service brakes, hydraulic | 20 | 0 |
| Seats | 20 | 1 |
| Steering | 19 | 0 |
| 19 other systems | 82 | 7 |
Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation. Complaints are submitted by the public and are not verified by NHTSA.
3 recalls
2005 Ford Freestar recalls and how many were fixed
Each ring shows the share of affected cars repaired, from the manufacturer’s latest quarterly report to NHTSA. Recall repairs are free at authorized dealers.
no report yet
Power train: automatic transmission
Risk. THIS CONDITION RESULTS IN A SUDDEN LOSS OF MOTIVE POWER WITH NO WARNING, INCREASING THE RISK OF A CRASH.
no report yet
Body: hatchback/liftgate
Risk. IN THE EVENT OF A LIFTGATE STRUT MALFUNCTION, THE LIFTGATE CAN FALL FREELY WITH NO PRIOR WARNING.
Recalls apply to specific cars. To see whether a recall is still open on yours, enter the 17-character VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls or with Ford.
Mileage at failure
When do power train problems start?
81kmiles, median
Based on the odometer reading in 618 power train complaints. 68% were reported before 100,000 miles.
16under 30k miles419under 100k miles199100k miles or more
Owner-reported costs
What owners say repairs cost
Dollar amounts owners wrote in their complaints when describing a repair or a quote. These are not price estimates; a system is shown only when at least 8 owners mentioned a cost.
Power train
123 owners mentioned a cost$2,200median
Middle half: $1,500 – $3,000
Electrical system
8 owners mentioned a cost$1,200median
Middle half: $900 – $2,049
If a problem is covered by a recall, the dealer fixes it for free. Some manufacturers also reimburse owners who paid for a repair before a recall was announced.
Best & worst years
2005 vs. every other Freestar year
Bars show complaints per model year. Colors show the CarFlaw verdict: complaints weighted for crashes, fires and injuries, adjusted for years on the road and compared with the Freestar median. How we score
'04'05'06'07
- Avoid
- Caution
- Solid
- Best
- Not rated
NHTSA crash tests
2005 Ford Freestar safety ratings
2005 Ford Freestar in NHTSA's New Car Assessment Program. Photos are from NHTSA's crash tests.
Frontal crashNot rated
Side barrierNot rated
- Stability control: Optional
- Forward collision warning: No
- Lane departure warning: No
6 investigations
NHTSA defect investigations
Federal investigations that included the 2005 Ford Freestar, and the recalls they led to.
- Transmission Torque Converter FailureLed to recall 12V-006
- Corrosion of Third-Row Seat AttachmentLed to recall 13V-081
- Stabilus Rear Liftgate Struts FailingNo recall
- TORQUE CONVERTER OUTPUT SHAFT FAILURENo recall
- Engine StallingNo recall
- Service Jack FailureNo recall
In owners' words
What Freestar owners report
Recent power train complaints filed with NHTSA, shortened. Personal details are removed.
When I was driving my van was loosing power even when I was pushing the gas I had to pull over before a car was about to hit me. I look it up online it had a recall in 2013 but I bought van from someone last year and I called the ford place about the recall and they said couldn’t do it Mac hik in…
The contact owns a 2005 Ford Freestar. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the transmission seized and remained in neutral. The vehicle jerked and shortly returned to normal functionality; however, the failure persisted. The contact stated that the gear shifter light was…
The contact owns a 2005 Ford Freestar. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the accelerator pedal was depressed, however, the vehicle failed to accelerate as intended. The contact stated that the vehicle stopped in the middle of the street, however the engine was still on. The…
Own a 2005 Freestar?
Decode your VIN to see the recalls for your exact car, then confirm open recalls with NHTSA.