2006 Ford Freestyle

WATER IN THE SPARE TIRE WELL, RUST ON THE THIRD SEAT SUPPORT, MOLD COVERING TIRE COVER, MOLD ON CARPET AND A TERRIBLE MILDEW SMELL IN THE CAR. PROBLEM IS REPORTED IN FORDS TBS07-03-06 TO DEALERS WATER LEAKING FROM DRAIN TUBES INTO BACK OF CAR. I NOTICED THIS PROBLEM WHEN I SAW WATER RUNNING DOWN MY SEAT BELTS AND A TERRIVEL MILDEW SMELL IN CAR. SEEMS TO ME A MOLD/MILDEW PROBLEM IS A SAFETY ISSUE. DRIVING AROUND IN A CLOSED UP VEHICLE WITH SPORES FLOATING AROUND CAN'T BE HEALTHY ESPECIALLY WITH TWO SMALL CHILREN AGES 1 AND 3. I AM VERY CONCERNED ABOUT MY FAMILY BREATHING IN THIS MOLD IF IT WAS IN A HOME IT WOULD BE CONCIDERED A SAFETY HAZARD. I FOUND THIS FROM A POSTING ONLINE ABOUT MOLD-ASSOCIATED CONDITIONS. HEALTH PROBLEMS ASSOCIATED WITH HIGH LEVELS OF AIRBORNE MOLD SPORES INCLUDE ALLERGIC REACTIONS, ASTHMA EPISODES, IRRITATIONS OF THE EYE, NOSE AND THROAT, SINUS CONGESTION, AND OTHER RESPIRATORY PROBLEMS. FOR EXAMPLE, RESIDENTS OF HOMES WITH MOLD ARE AT AN ELEVATED RISK FOR BOTH RESPIRATORY INFECTIONS AND BRONCHITIS. WHEN MOLD SPORES ARE INHALED BY AN IMMUNOCOMPROMISED INDIVIDUAL, SOME MOLD SPORES MAY BEGIN TO GROW ON LIVING TISSUE, ATTACHING TO CELLS ALONG THE RESPIRATORY TRACT AND CAUSING FURTHER PROBLEMS. GENERALLY, WHEN THIS OCCURS, THE ILLNESS IS AN EPIPHENOMENON AND NOT THE PRIMARY PATHOLOGY. ALSO, MOLD MAY PRODUCE MYCOTOXINS, EITHER BEFORE OR AFTER EXPOSURE TO HUMANS, POTENTIALLY CAUSING TOXICITY. FUNGAL INFECTION A SERIOUS HEALTH THREAT FROM MOLD EXPOSURE FOR IMMUNOCOMPROMISED INDIVIDUALS IS SYSTEMIC FUNGAL INFECTION (SYSTEMIC MYCOSIS). IMMUNOCOMPROMISED INDIVIDUALS EXPOSED TO HIGH LEVELS OF MOLD, OR INDIVIDUALS WITH CHRONIC EXPOSURE MAY BECOME INFECTED. SINUSES AND DIGESTIVE TRACT INFECTIONS ARE MOST COMMON; LUNG AND SKIN INFECTIONS ARE ALSO POSSIBLE. MYCOTOXINS MAY OR MAY NOT BE PRODUCED BY THE INVADING MOLD. *TR

I HAVE A 2006 FORD FREESTYLE LIMITED THAT LEAKS THROUGH THE PASSENGER SIDE THIRD ROW SEATBELT. FROM WHAT I HAVE BEEN ABLE TO SEE ON THE INTERNET IT SOUNDS LIKE IT IS BECAUSE OF THE MOONROOF DRAIN CLIPS. I KNOW THIS PART IS NOT A SAFETY ISSUE BUT THE PROBLEM CONTINUED AND SHORTED OUT THE PASSENGER SIDE BRAKE/TURN SIGNAL LIGHT. I KNOW IT IS NOT THE FUSE BECAUSE THE FRONT ONE WORKS AND I KNOW IT'S NOT THE BULB BECAUSE THE BULB ONE THE PASSENGER SIDE WORKED WHEN I TRIED IT ON THE DRIVERS SIDE. I FEEL THAT THIS IS A BIG SAFELY PROBLEM SINCE OTHER DRIVERS DON'T KNOW IF I AM TURNING. FORD NEEDS TO FIX THIS PROBLEM AND ISSUE A RECALL BEFORE ACCIDENTS HAPPEN. *TR

SUNROOF/MOONROOF LEAK: POSSIBLY ALLOWS WATER INSIDE VEHICLE EVERY TIME IT GETS WET. BROUGHT THE VEHICLE TO THE SELLING DEALER APPROXIMATELY 16 MOS. INTO WARRANTY. I THOUGHT IT WAS A WINDSHIELD LEAK AT FIRST AND THE SERVICE REP TOLD ME I WOULD HAVE TO GO TO A GLASS COMPANY. I EXPLAINED THAT I HAD NOT HAD ANY GLASS REPLACED ON THE VEHICLE AND THAT IT WAS A FORD PROBLEM, TO WHICH THEY RESPONDED THAT THEY WOULD CHECK IT OUT. WHEN I RETURNED TO PICK UP THE VEHICLE THEY TOLD ME THAT THEY COULD NOT FIND THE LEAK. I ASKED IF THEY HAD PUT WATER ON THE CAR ROOF AND THEY SAID THEY HAD NOT TO WHICH I QUESTIONED HOW CAN YOU FIND A WATER LEAK WITHOUT WATER? I REFUSED TO PICK UP THE CAR AND THEY SAID THEY WOULD TRY WATER. THE NEXT DAY THEY CALLED TO SAY THE LEAK WAS REPAIRED,THAT THERE WAS A SERVICE BULLETIN ABOUT THE MOONROOF LEAK, AND THAT THEY HAD REROUTED THE DRAINS TO FIX THE PROBLEM. I BELIEVED THEM. I FORGOT ABOUT THE PROBLEM UNTIL MARCH 09 AT WHICH TIME I WAS OUT OF WARRANTY AND WAS TOLD BY A CUSTOMER SERVICE REP IN DEARBORN THAT I WOULD HAVE TO HAVE IT EVALUATED AT A FORD DEALER AT MY EXPENSE.I DECLINED THIS.NOW ROUGHLY ONE YEAR LATER IT IS BACK AGAIN AND I HAVE CONCERNS THAT IT PROBABLY WILL LEAD TO MOLD, IF IT HASN'T ALREADY, AND THAT BECAUSE THE WATER STAYS ABOVE THE HEADLINER, THE WIRING FOR MY REAR BRAKELIGHTS AS WELL AS THE SIDE CURTAIN AIRBAGS COULD POSSIBLY BE COMPROMISED,IN ADDITION TO LEADING TO PREMATURE RUST THROUGH OR ROT WHERE THE WATER EVENTUALLY COMES OUT.ALSO I FEEL BETRAYED BY FORD BECAUSE I HAVE COPIES OF OTHER TSB'S WHICH PERTAIN TO MY VEHICLE BUT WERE NOT TAKEN CARE OF BECAUSE I DID NOT COMPLAIN OF THOSE SYMPTOMS AT THE TIME OF SERVICE AND NOW THAT I'VE REALISED I HAVE THOSE PROBLEMS IT'S TOO LATE FOR THEM TO BE COVERED. I BELIEVE EVERY NEW VEHICLE OWNER SHOULD RECEIVE NOTICE FROM THE MANUFACTURER ABOUT EVERY PROBLEM CONCERNING THEIR VEHICLE AND THAT EVERY TIME A DEALER SERVICES A PRODUCT UNDER WARRANTY, THAT ALL TSB'S ARE CHECKED AND ACTED UPON. *TR

SIX MONTHS AFTER PURCHASING OUR CAR THE PAINT WAS "SAND BLASTED" OFF THE FORWARD SIDE OF THE REAR FENDERS. THE DESIGN OF THE CAR ALLOWS FOR THIS TO OCCUR. IT IS AWD AND THE FRONT TIRES CONSTANTLY THROW ROCKS AT THE REAR FENDERS. THE DEALER PAINTED THE FENDERS. SIX MONTHS LATER, THE PAINT WAS WORN AWAY. THE DEALER PAINTED AGAIN. THIS TIME THE DEALER APPLIED A SPECIAL PROTECTIVE DEVICE GIVEN TO THEM FROM THE FACTORY OVER THE PAINT TO PREVENT IT FROM OCCURRING IN THE FUTURE. WHEN I PICKED THE CAR UP, I LEARNED THAT THIS IS ACTUALLY THE SAME THIN PIECE OF PLASTIC FILM THE MANUFACTURER PUT THERE WHEN THEY BUILT IT. IT WAS DESTROYED ORIGINALLY WITHIN THE FIRST 6 MONTHS ALONG WITH THE PAINT. I HAVE CONTACTED FORDS CUSTOMER SERVICE, FORDS BUY BACK PROGRAM, THE ATTORNEY GENERALS OFFICE, AND BBB. I AM JUST NOW WORKING WITH THE BBB. ALL OTHER CONTACTS TOLD ME THERE WAS NOTHING MORE FORD WOULD DO TO PREVENT THE PROBLEM IN THE FUTURE. WHILE SPEAKING TO FORD CUSTOMER SERVICE, I WAS TOLD: (1) FORD WOULD DO NOTHING MORE TO FIX THE ISSUE, (2) I HAVE THE OPTION WHILE IT IS UNDER WARRANTY TO TAKE IT BACK AND HAVE IT PAINTED EVERY 6 MONTHS, (3) I COULD SEARCH THE FORD WEBSITE AND FIND A PART OFF ANOTHER FORD VEHICLE THAT MIGHT FIX THE PROBLEM, HAVE THE DEALER ORDER IT, AND TAKE IT HOME AND TRY TO MAKE IT FIT ON MY CAR TO PROTECT THE PAINT, (4) HAVING PAINT REMAIN ON THE FENDERS FOR LONGER THAN 6 MONTHS WAS OUTSIDE OF THE SCOPE OF THEIR QUALITY POLICY, (5) THAT THE CAR WAS NOT DESIGNED TO BE DRIVEN ON GRAVEL. ALL THESE RESPONSE ARE NOT ONLY UNABLE TO RESOLVE THE MANUFACTURING DEFECT IN THE VEHICLE, BUT ALSO ABSURD. IF THE DEALER HAD TOLD ME, "SINCE YOU HAVE A GRAVEL DRIVEWAY, I WANT TO LET YOU KNOW THAT YOU WILL HAVE TO HAVE YOUR VEHICLE REPAINTED EVERY 6 MONTHS" I NEVER WOULD HAVE PURCHASED THE VEHICLE. IT IS A POOR DESIGN, POOR CUSTOMER SERVICE, AND POOR SALES PRACTICES TO SELL VEHICLES THAT MUST BE DRIVEN ON CLEAN DRY ROADS AT ALL TIMES. *TR

2006 FREESTYLE SEL INSTRUMENT PANEL IS HARD TO READ AND SOMETIMES IT CANNOT BE READ AT ALL WHEN WEARING SUNGLASSES. *TS ***NO ANSWER REQUIRED*** THE VISIBILITY PROBLEM OCCURS MOSTLY WHEN TRAVELING NORTH AND WHEN THE SUN IS VERY BRIGHT. THE INSTRUMENT PANEL IS BLACK WITH WHITE NUMBERS. THE CONSUMER WAS UNABLE TO SEE THE SPEEDOMETER THEREFORE COULD NOT USE THE SPEED CONTROL. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR A TEST DRIVE BUT THEY INDICATED THAT THERE WAS NOTHING WRONG WITH THE VEHICLE. *NM