WHILE DRIVING AT HIGHWAY SPEED (75MPH) THE TRANSMISSION FAILED, THERE WAS NO WARNING AND THERE WERE NO PREVIOUS PROBLEMS WITH THE TRANSMISSION. THE TRANSMISSION HAS NO FORWARD OR REVERSE GEARS LEAVING IT ESSENTIALLY IN NEUTRAL. THIS LEFT THE CAR WITHOUT POWER OR THE ABILITY TO SAFELY EXIT THE HIGHWAY IN THE MIDDLE OF CROWDED TRAFFIC. EXCEPT FOR THE ABILITY OF OTHER DRIVERS TO AVOID OUR CAR THIS …
2006 Ford Freestar powertrain problems
moderate 248 complaints filed with NHTSA · avg repair $2,500
Complaints
248
Recalls
0
Crashes
2
Avg fix
$2,500
What owners are reporting 15 most recent
TRANSMISSION FAILURE. ON OFF-RAMP OF HIGHWAY, VAN TOTALLY DISENGAGED AND DIED. VAN NOW HAS LOST REVERSE AND HAS TROUBLE EVEN GOING INTO DRIVE. *TR
TRANSMISSION FAILED COMPLETELY WHILE DRIVING 70 MPH ON INTERSTATE - NO PRIOR PROBLEMS OR INDICATIONS OF FAILURE. 2006 FORD FREETSAR VAN WITH 69,000 MILES. *TR
GOING DOWN A SMALL HILL AND WAS PICKING UP SPEED, LET OFF THE GAS PEDAL TO SLOW DOWN. STARTING UP THE NEXT HILL AND WHEN THE GAS PEDAL WAS PUSHED I ENDED UP GOING BACKWARD AND THERE WERE 4 VEHICLES RIGHT BEHIND ME. THEY ALL WERE STOPPING AND EACH TURNED IN A DIFFERENT DIRECTION NOT TO HIT THE OTHER PERSON IN FRONT OF THEM. IT COULD HAVE BEEN WORSE IF I HAD TAKEN THE INTERSTATE. THIS HAPPENED AT AB…
ON NOV. 18, 2011 WHILE ON A TRIP OF APPROXIMATELY 600 MILES ROUND TRIP THIS 2006 FORD FREESTAR SHUDDERED A FEW TIMES WHICH WAS PRESUMED TO BE ROUGH ROAD. ON NOV. 23 THE VAN DID NOT GO INTO REVERSE. AFTER A FEW TRIES IT DID SLIP INTO REVERSE. THE FOLLOWING DAY NOV. 24 THE SAME THING HAPPENED. THE VAN WAS IN ANOTHER TOWN ABOUT 60 MILES AWAY, MY DAUGHTER HAD BORROWED IT, SO ON DEC.06, 2011 SHE TOOK …
2006 FORD FREESTAR TRANSMISSION FAILED AT 77,000 MILES. MINIVAN DIED COMPLETELY WHILE IN MOTION ON MUNICIPAL STREET. *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 FORD FREESTAR. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE TORQUE CONVERTER FAILED AND THE VEHICLE WOULD DECELERATE AND STALL ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS. THERE WERE NO WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE CONTACT'S HOME. THE DEALER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VIN WAS UNKNOWN. THE…
TRANSMISSION FAILED WITHOUT WARNING WHILE DRIVING AT CITY SPEEDS UNDER NORMAL CONDITIONS. *TR
DATE: JULY 4, 2008 VEHICLE: 2006 FORD FREESTAR DEFECT: TRANSMISSION FAILED. *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 FORD FREESTAR. WHILE DRIVING 40 MPH, THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT ACCELERATE, BUT THE ENGINE REVVED. THE VEHICLE WAS ABLE TO BE PULLED OVER, SHUT OFF, AND RESTARTED. WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS SHIFTED OUT OF PARK AND INTO GEAR, THERE WAS NO RESPONSE. THE TRANSMISSION FAILED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE TRANSMISSION AND TORQUE CONVERTER NEEDED TO…
Common questions
How serious is the powertrain problem on the 2006 Ford Freestar?
It's a documented issue but not catastrophic. 248 complaints have been filed. Repairs average $2,500 and most owners catch it before it causes a breakdown.
At what mileage does the powertrain typically fail?
Mileage data is limited for this issue. Owners report failures across a wide range, suggesting cause is more about driving conditions and maintenance than mileage alone.
What does it cost to fix?
Independent shops typically charge around $2,500 for powertrain repairs on this vehicle. Dealer pricing tends to run 20-40% higher. The exact figure depends on the specific failure mode, parts availability, and your local labor rates. If you're outside factory warranty, an extended service contract often covers this category.
Are there any recalls related to powertrain?
No active recalls currently cover powertrain issues on this vehicle. The complaints filed represent owner-reported failures that haven't risen to the level of a manufacturer-issued recall — but they're still worth knowing about before you buy or budget for repairs.
Other problem areas on this vehicle
Complaint and recall data sourced from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA)
public records database. Severity ratings are derived from reported crashes, fires, injuries, and fatalities.
Repair cost estimates are independent-shop national averages and may differ in your area.
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