VEHICLE SUDDENLY SURGES FROM STOPPED POSITION WITHOUT THE ACCELERATOR BEING DEPRESSED, OCCURS IN FORWARD AND REVERSE WITHOUT WARNING, PROBLEM IS INTERMITTENT. *TR
2007 Ford Freestyle
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
Similar to other model years
Owner complaints for the 2007 Ford Freestyle do not stand out strongly from the model-year median of 893.
About this comparison →How this year compares
Owner complaints by model year
Compare all Freestyle years →Counts vary with age, sales and reporting. They are not failure rates.
What owners reported most
All reported categories
Tap a category to read its complaints. One report may name several components.
When problems were reported
Mileage at the reported incident
809 reports with mileage · 84 unknown
NHTSA’s mileage field refers to the reported incident, not necessarily the filing date. This shows report counts, not the likelihood of a failure.
What to inspect
Issues worth paying extra attention to based on owner reports.
- Vehicle Speed Control. Review the 428 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Power Train. Review the 360 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Engine. Review the 93 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
Power Train complaints
360 reportsVEHICLE SPEED SURGED WITHOUT TOUCHING ACCELERATOR. I HAD TO DEPRESS BRAKING HARD TO STOP VEHICLE. VEHICLE CUT OFF AND WHEN RESTARTED THE THROTTLE LIGHT CAME ON ALONG WITH ENGINE LIGHT. VERY DANGEROUS. *JS
WAS DURING THE DAY OF MY NIECE WEDDING DAY. AFTER WE LEFT FROM THE CHURCH AND HEADED TO MCDONALD'S FOR A QUICK BITE SINCE WE TRAVEL FROM A LONG DISTANCE TO GET THERE ON TIME. MY WIFE AND I SAT AT THE PARKING LOT WITH THE AC ON CAUSE IT WAS VERY HOT THE DAY. WHEN WE FINISH ARE SMALL MEAL I PUT THE CAR IN REVERSE AND SLOWLY RELE…
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WAS DURING THE DAY OF MY NIECE WEDDING DAY. AFTER WE LEFT FROM THE CHURCH AND HEADED TO MCDONALD'S FOR A QUICK BITE SINCE WE TRAVEL FROM A LONG DISTANCE TO GET THERE ON TIME. MY WIFE AND I SAT AT THE PARKING LOT WITH THE AC ON CAUSE IT WAS VERY HOT THE DAY. WHEN WE FINISH ARE SMALL MEAL I PUT THE CAR IN REVERSE AND SLOWLY RELEASE THE BRAKES AND THE CAR JUST LUNGE SO FAST IN REVERSE THAT I ALMOST HIT THIS PERSON WHO WAS ALMOST 15 TO 20 FEET AWAY AND MY WIFE STARTED TO SCREAM. WE COULDN'T BELIEVE WHAT JUST HAPPEN. THIS IS NOT THE FIRST TIME IT HAPPEN. NOW, EVERY TIME I PUT IT IN REVERSE OR DRIVE YOU CAN FEEL AND SEE THE CAR RPM GO UP. I DIDN'T BOTHER TO TAKE IT TO THE DEALER CAUSE THEY WILL NOT FIND THE PROBLEM. I HAVE READ SO MUCH OF THIS PROBLEM BEING TAKEN TO THE FORD DEALER THAT THEY ARE CHARGING SO MUCH MONEY BY CHANGING ALL KIND OF PARTS AND THE PROBLEM IS NOT RESOLVE. I JUST WISH SOME ONE WHO HAS SOME CLOUT WOULD BE READING ALL THIS PROBLEM AND TELL THE FORD DEALER, HEY WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR, FOR SOMEONE TO BE KILL. *TR
MY 2007 FORD FREESTYLE HAS BEEN LUNGING FORWARD OR BACKWARD WHEN IDLING OR AT VERY LOW SPEEDS, BOTH IN DRIVE AND REVERSE. FOR EXAMPLE, WHEN PULLING THE CAR IN OR OUT OF A PARKING SPACE OR WHEN SLOWING AT AN INTERSECTION. IT WILL LUNGE SEVERAL FEET SOMETIMES, AND I HAVE NEARLY HIT PARKED CARS AND ONCE NEARLY HIT A PEDESTRIAN. …
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MY 2007 FORD FREESTYLE HAS BEEN LUNGING FORWARD OR BACKWARD WHEN IDLING OR AT VERY LOW SPEEDS, BOTH IN DRIVE AND REVERSE. FOR EXAMPLE, WHEN PULLING THE CAR IN OR OUT OF A PARKING SPACE OR WHEN SLOWING AT AN INTERSECTION. IT WILL LUNGE SEVERAL FEET SOMETIMES, AND I HAVE NEARLY HIT PARKED CARS AND ONCE NEARLY HIT A PEDESTRIAN. I HAVE TO SLAM ON THE BRAKE TO STOP THE CAR FROM HITTING THINGS! I HAVE DONE SOME RESEARCH AND THERE ARE SO MANY PEOPLE EXPERIENCING THIS SAME EXACT PROBLEM WITH THIS VEHICLE. IT IS A SAFETY HAZARD! THIS NEEDS TO BE RECALLED AND FIXED BY FORD, BEFORE MANY PEOPLE GET INJURED! *TR
I WAS BACKING MY WIFE'S CAR IN AND IT STARTED ACCELERATING WITHOUT ME PRESSING THE GAS, ACTUALLY MY FOOT WAS ON THE BRAKE THANK GOODNESS. WE PROMPTLY TOOK VEHICLE TO FORD DEALERSHIP AND THEY SAID IT WAS THE THROTTLE BODY, AND THAT IT NEEDED TO BE REPLACED, AND OF COURSE IT WAS SUPPOSEDLY NOT UNDER WARRANTY. THEN THEY CHARGED ME …
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I WAS BACKING MY WIFE'S CAR IN AND IT STARTED ACCELERATING WITHOUT ME PRESSING THE GAS, ACTUALLY MY FOOT WAS ON THE BRAKE THANK GOODNESS. WE PROMPTLY TOOK VEHICLE TO FORD DEALERSHIP AND THEY SAID IT WAS THE THROTTLE BODY, AND THAT IT NEEDED TO BE REPLACED, AND OF COURSE IT WAS SUPPOSEDLY NOT UNDER WARRANTY. THEN THEY CHARGED ME $900 TO FIX IT.I HAVE SINCE DONE LOTS OF RESEARCH ONLINE AS WELL AS IN PERSON AND HAVE COME TO THE REALIZATION THAT THERE ARE THOUSANDS UPON THOUSANDS OF THIS SAME COMPLAINT FOR THE 2005-2007 FORD FREESTYLE. I HAVE ALSO FOUND THAT ALMOST EVERYONE WHO HAS HAD A FAILED THROTTLE BODY HAS HAD MULTIPLE FAILED THROTTLE BODY'S AS WELL AS A/C COMPRESSOR FAILURE. *TR
THIS VEHICLE WILL LURCH FORWARD, SOMETIMES SEVERAL FEET WHEN I HAVE BEEN STOPPED WITH MY FOOT ON THE BRAKE. IF I LIFT MY FOOT, THE CAR WILL LURCH FORWARD BEFORE I TOUCH THE ACCELERATOR. REAPPLYING THE BRAKES WILL STOP THE CAR, BUT SOMETIMES HAVE TO TURN OFF THE ENGINE BEFORE IT WILL STOP LURCHING. LAST OCCURRENCE WAS WHEN I WA…
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THIS VEHICLE WILL LURCH FORWARD, SOMETIMES SEVERAL FEET WHEN I HAVE BEEN STOPPED WITH MY FOOT ON THE BRAKE. IF I LIFT MY FOOT, THE CAR WILL LURCH FORWARD BEFORE I TOUCH THE ACCELERATOR. REAPPLYING THE BRAKES WILL STOP THE CAR, BUT SOMETIMES HAVE TO TURN OFF THE ENGINE BEFORE IT WILL STOP LURCHING. LAST OCCURRENCE WAS WHEN I WAS IN LINE AT CARWASH AND WAS MOVING THE CAR FORWARD SLOWLY. EACH TIME I MOVED FORWARD, IT LUNGED. I HAVEN'T YET HIT ANYONE OR ANYTHING BUT THIS IS DANGEROUS AND I KNOW FROM RESEARCHING THAT SEVERAL HUNDRED PEOPLE HAVE REPORTED SIMILAR INCIDENTS, THIS IS NOT NORMAL, IT IS DANGEROUS AND SHOULD BE RECALLED BEFORE SOMEONE IS SERIOUSLY INJURED. *TR
IF YOU HAVE YOUR A/C ON AND LEAVE YOUR CAR IDLING FOR JUST A FEW MINUTES THEN WHEN YOU PUT IT IN REVERSE OR DRIVE, IT SURGES A FEW FEET LIKE 4 TO 5 FT UNLESS YOU REALLY HOLD THE BRAKE DOWN. IT REALLY SEEMS TO BE GETTING WORSE AS TIME GOES ON. *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2007 FORD FREESTYLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE STALLED WHILE DRIVING ON VARIOUS OCCASIONS. THE CONTACT ALSO STATED THAT THE VEHICLE HESITATED TO ACCELERATE WHEN THE ACCELERATOR WAS DEPRESSED ON A FEW OCCASIONS. IN ADDITION, THE VEHICLE INTERMITTENTLY FAILED TO RESPOND WHEN THE BRAKES WERE APPLIED…
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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2007 FORD FREESTYLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE STALLED WHILE DRIVING ON VARIOUS OCCASIONS. THE CONTACT ALSO STATED THAT THE VEHICLE HESITATED TO ACCELERATE WHEN THE ACCELERATOR WAS DEPRESSED ON A FEW OCCASIONS. IN ADDITION, THE VEHICLE INTERMITTENTLY FAILED TO RESPOND WHEN THE BRAKES WERE APPLIED. THE FAILURES RECURRED AND BECAME MORE SEVERE. THE FAILURE WAS COMMON WHEN THE VEHICLE HAD BEEN IDLE OR PARKED UNDER THE SUN FOR A WHILE. THE POWER TRAIN AND ENGINE WARNING LIGHTS ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO DEALER FOR A DIAGNOSTIC TEST OR REPAIR. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 55,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 5,040.
MY 2007 FORD FREESTYLE HAS A CVT TRANSMISSION PROBLEM. WHEN I ARRIVED AT THE HOTEL, THE VALET PARKING DRIVER ALMOST HIT THE CAR ON THE FRONT BECAUSE OF SUDDEN ACCELERATOR OF THE TRANSMISSION. I ALSO ALMOST HIT ANOTHER CAR AFTER THAT. *JB
THE CAR TAKES OFF EVEN WHEN IN PARK. THIS HAS HAPPENED ON MORE THAN ONE OCCASION. MY HUSBAND OR I CAN BE SITTING AT A RED LIGHT, STOP SIGN, EVEN IN PARK IN OUR DRIVEWAY AND THE CAR WILL HAVE A SURGE OF GOING FORWARD. THIS PROBLEM IS EXTREMELY BAD ESPECIALLY WHEN WE START THE CAR OR IF WE ARE IDLING WITH OUR FOOT ON THE BRAKE. IT…
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THE CAR TAKES OFF EVEN WHEN IN PARK. THIS HAS HAPPENED ON MORE THAN ONE OCCASION. MY HUSBAND OR I CAN BE SITTING AT A RED LIGHT, STOP SIGN, EVEN IN PARK IN OUR DRIVEWAY AND THE CAR WILL HAVE A SURGE OF GOING FORWARD. THIS PROBLEM IS EXTREMELY BAD ESPECIALLY WHEN WE START THE CAR OR IF WE ARE IDLING WITH OUR FOOT ON THE BRAKE. IT IS VERY SCARY. I REPORTED THIS PROBLEM TO MY LOCAL FORD DEALER. I WAS TOLD THERE WAS NOT A PROBLEM. *TR
Official recalls
0No recalls in this snapshot.
Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗
NHTSA investigations
2PE11018 · Idle Instability
Opened May 11, 2011 · Closed Feb 7, 2013
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Vehicle Speed Control
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 (all vehicles are eligible for the program through May 31, 2013, regardless of mileage).Dealers will repair vehicles exhibiting the condition by removing and cleaning the throttle body and reprogramming the PCM with software containing an updated idle speed control strategy.According to Ford, some of the affected vehicles may experience momentary, intermittent engine idle RPM surge (idle flare) when stopped or during low speed driving maneuvers such as in a parking lot or driveway.Unstable idle speed control (dips and flares) around the target engine speed (700 rpm) can occur in vehicles with deposit build-up in the throttle body when the system adjusts engine speed in response to changes in engine load, typically from power steering application or air-conditioner compressor cycling.Idle speed control logic is only active at vehicle speeds below 3.5 mph and when the accelerator pedal is not applied.Ford testing of a vehicle with a worst case throttle body measured a maximum idle flare of 1360 RPM lasting approximately 1 second, which Ford indicated was consistent with system design to limit vehicle speed and acceleration in idle control mode.Ford indicated that the test vehicle was held in place with normal brake effort and that vehicle speed remained under 4 mph without the brake pedal applied.In addition to throttle body deposit accumulation, symptoms associated with the condition may include Check Engine lamp illumination and diagnostic trouble codes (DTCs) P0505, P0506 or P061B.Ford attributed the surge condition to changes in idle air flow resulting from the progressive buildup of deposits in the throttle body from normal Positive Crankcase Ventilation (PCV) system operation.This condition was not adequately compensated for in the original Powertrain Control Module (PCM) calibration.Ford issued a technical service bulletin on August 15, 2011 (TSB 11-8-5), releasing an updated powertrain control calibration for vehicles with CVT transmissions.On October 19, 2011, Ford issued a second bulletin (TSB 11-10-21) superseding TSB 11-8-5 and including updated powertrain control calibration for vehicles with 6-speed transmissions.Prior to Ford issuing the TSB?s, owner?s experiencing the alleged defect either received no repairs, if dealers could not duplicate the condition, or had the throttle body cleaned or replaced, which only provided temporary correction until the throttle deposit build-up returned.Ford?s revised powertrain calibrations appear to be effective remedies for the idle instability caused by build-up of throttle body deposits.However, even after the TSB?s were released, many owners experiencing the condition continued to have difficulty with proper diagnosis and repair as dealers were often either unable to duplicate the condition or were unfamiliar with the new repair procedures.Ford's new program addresses those concerns.NHTSA's testing and complaint analysis indicate that the idle speed control issue in the subject vehicles can only occur at very low speeds, are very brief events, are easily controlled by moderate brake pedal forces and result in minor increases in vehicle speed even with no braking.This investigation is closed.The closing of this in
PE08060 · Tire Valve Cracking
Opened Oct 14, 2008 · Closed Apr 9, 2009
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Tires:valve
ON OCTOBER 14, 2008, ODI OPENED PE08-060 TO INVESTIGATE ALLEGATIONS OF CRACKED AND LEAKING SNAP-IN TIRE VALVES IN MODEL YEAR (MY) 2007 VEHICLES MANUFACTURED BY FORD MOTOR COMPANY.THE VALVES WERE SUPPLIED TO FORD BY TOPSEAL AUTO-PARTS, A SUBSIDIARY OF THE SHANGHAI BAOLONG AUTOMOTIVE CORPORATION IN CHINA.VALVES MADE BY TOPSEAL FOR AFTERMARKET SALE WERE THE SUBJECT OF TWO RECENT SAFETY RECALLS BY TECH INTERNATIONAL (08T-018) AND DILL AIR CONTROLS (08T-028), THE LATTER OF WHICH WAS INVESTIGATED BY ODI IN PE08-036 AND EA08-022.THE DEFECT CONDITIONS ADDRESSED BY THE AFTERMARKET TIRE VALVE RECALLS BOTH INVOLVED INADEQUATE RESISTANCE TO OZONE CRACKING DUE TO ISSUES WITH THE SUPPLY OF ANTI-OZONANT CHEMICALS TO TOPSEAL FOR A PERIOD FROM JULY TO MID-NOVEMBER 2006.THE AFTERMARKET VALVES WERE COMPOUNDED WITH A BLEND OF EPDM AND NATURAL RUBBER, USING A RELATIVELY LOW PERCENTAGE OF EPDM (EPDM PROVIDES INHERENT RESISTANCE TO OZONE CRACKING).HENCE, THE NEED FOR ANTI-OZONANT CHEMICALS AND THE PROBLEMS WITH CRACKING WHEN THOSE CHEMICALS WERE MISSING OR OUT OF SPECIFICATION IN SOME LOTS OF VALVES.BOTH RECALL CAMPAIGNS INVOLVED INSPECTION PROGRAMS TO IDENTIFY AND REPLACE VALVES WITH VISIBLE SURFACE CRACKING.ALTHOUGH THE TOPSEAL VALVES SUPPLIED TO FORD ALSO APPEAR TO HAVE BEEN AFFECTED BY THE ANTI-OZONANT SUPPLY ISSUES IN MID TO LATE-2006, FORD INDICATED THAT ITS VALVES WERE MADE AT A DIFFERENT TOPSEAL PRODUCTION LINE AND WERE COMPOUNDED WITH A HIGHER PERCENTAGE OF EPDM RUBBER TO MEET MORE STRINGENT SPECIFICATIONS FROM FORD.ODI'S ANALYSIS OF COMPLAINT AND WARRANTY DATA PROVIDED BY FORD SHOWED THAT PROBLEMS WITH CRACKED TIRE VALVES WERE SIGNIFICANTLY HIGHER FOR MY 2007 VEHICLES PRODUCED FROM DECEMBER 2006 THROUGH MARCH 2007.FORD RESPONDED BY IMPLEMENTING CHANGES IN ITS MATERIAL SPECIFICATIONS FOR SNAP-IN RUBBER TIRE VALVES AND ALSO INCREASING THE QUALITY AND ACCEPTANCE STANDARDS FOR VALVES IMPORTED FOR USE IN ITS VEHICLES.WHILE THE COMPLAINT AND WARRANTY CLAIM RATES ARE ELEVATED FOR SUBJECT VEHICLES PRODUCED FROM DECEMBER 2006 THROUGH MARCH 2007, THE RATES OF LEAKING VALVES ARE WELL BELOW ONE PERCENT OF PRODUCTION FOR EACH OF THE PEAK MONTHS FOR ALL OF THE AFFECTED MODELS.A SUBSTANTIAL MAJORITY OF THE SUBJECT VEHICLES ARE EQUIPPED WITH TIRE PRESSURE MONITORING SYSTEMS (TPMS) WHICH WARN THE DRIVER WHEN ANY TIRE PRESSURES DROPS BELOW 25 PERCENT OF RECOMMENDED INFLATION PRESSURE. AS OUTLINED IN A LETTER TO ODI DATED APRIL 6, 2009, FORD HAS AGREED TO SEND LETTERS TO OWNERS OF CERTAIN MY 2007 AND 2008 FORD, LINCOLN AND MERCURY VEHICLES TO PROVIDE INFORMATION ABOUT THE CRACKING CONCERN. LETTERS WILL BE SENT TO OWNERS OF VEHICLES BUILT FROM NOVEMBER 2006 THROUGH MAY 2007.OWNERS CAN OPT FOR A FREE DEALER INSPECTION.VALVES EXHIBITING SURFACE CRACKS OR AIR LEAKAGE RELATED TO OZONE ATTACK WILL BE REPLACED BY FORD UNDER ITS NORMAL WARRANTY TERMS.FORD EXPECTS TO SEND THE LETTER BY APPROXIMATELY MID-MAY 2009. BASED ON THE USE OF TPMS IN THE MAJORITY OF SUBJECT VEHICLES AND THE RELATIVELY LOW RATES OF REPAIRS ASSOCIATED WITH LEAKING VALVES AND RESULTANT TIRE DAMAGE, ODI BELIEVES THAT THE ACTIONS FORD HAS AGREED TO TAKE WILL PROVIDE EFFECTIVE AND EXPEDITIOUS RESOLUTION FOR VEHICLES THAT WERE BUILT DURING THE PERIOD WHEN VALVES WITH INADEQUATE RESISTANCE TO OZONE CRACKING WERE MOST LIKELY TO HAVE BEEN USED IN VEHICLE PRODUCTION.FURTHER INVESTIGATION OF THIS MATTER WOULD NOT BE AN EFFICIENT ALLOCATION OF AGENCY RESOURCES.ACCORDINGLY, THIS INVESTIGATION IS CLOSED.THE CLOSING OF THIS INVESTIGATION DOES NOT CONSTITUTE A FINDING BY NHTSA THAT A SAFETY-RELATED DEFECT DOES NOT EXIST.THE AGENCY WILL CONTINUE TO
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