While traveling on I-81 southbound, my 2004 Ford freestar van went out of gear and the van lost power. When we coasted to the shoulder the van would not go into gear. The Ford dealership that is working on the van believes it is the trans torque converter. *tr
2007 Ford Freestar powertrain problems
moderate 34 complaints filed with NHTSA · avg repair $2,500 · see powertrain across all vehicles →
Failure mileage
Complaints
34
Recalls
0
Avg fix
$2,500
1injury
When does it fail?
Of the 34 powertrain complaints filed for the 2007 Ford Freestar, here's the actual mileage breakdown — failures cluster heaviest at 50,000-75,000 mi.
0-25k
25-50k
50-75k
75-100k
100-125k
125-150k
150k+
Each bar shows the share of total complaints filed at that mileage range. Peak failure window highlighted. Some owners report problems earlier; some make it well past 150,000 miles symptom-free. Maintenance habits and driving conditions shift the curve as much as mileage alone.
How fast does it fail?
Cumulative share of the 10 mileage-bearing powertrain complaints filed against the 2007 Ford Freestar by each odometer reading. Median failure: 115,000 mi.
10% have failed by57,000 mi
Half the fleet by115,000 mi
90% have failed by152,000 mi
Curve based on owner-reported odometer mileage at the time of complaint. Reflects when owners filed, not when symptoms first appeared. Maintenance habits and driving conditions shift the curve.
What stands out
Powertrain accounts for 53% of every owner complaint on file for this vehicle — the dominant problem area across 5 categories tracked.
Owners have filed 34 powertrain complaints with NHTSA against this vehicle, but no formal recall covers the issue — the federal record reflects what manufacturers have admitted, not everything owners are reporting.
The failure pattern owners describe
Owners of 2007 Ford Freestars describe sudden, complete loss of transmission power while driving—the vehicle stops responding to the accelerator, loses all gears, or coasts to a stop without warning. The failure is most commonly tied to the torque converter spline wearing out or stripping, sometimes sending metal shavings into the transmission. One independent transmission mechanic told an owner he'd replaced hundreds of these converters for the same vehicle, citing inadequate heat treatment of the spline as the root cause.
Failures typically occur between 90,000 and 140,000 miles, though some happen much earlier. Many occur at highway speeds in traffic, creating dangerous situations—owners report losing power in the far left lane during rush hour, having to navigate across multiple lanes with no drivetrain, and being stranded miles from home. One owner was pregnant with three children in the vehicle; another had a five-year-old in sub-zero weather.
Transmission control module (PCM) water intrusion is a separate recurring issue: water leaks into the cowl and disables the PCM, causing sporadic power loss during rain. Ford issued a recall for 2004–2005 model year torque converter failures but inexplicably did not include 2006 and 2007 model years despite identical complaints. Repair costs range from $1,200 to $3,500, and Ford has consistently denied financial responsibility.
Same Ford Freestar powertrain reports on nearby years: 2005 · 2006
Failure modes owners describe
Torque converter spline wear and failure
Spline in the torque converter wears out prematurely, described by owners and independent mechanics as inadequate heat treatment/hardening of the part. Spline shaft strips or splines off, causing loss of drive power and occasionally sending metal shavings into the transmission.
When: Most commonly around 90,000–140,000 miles, though some failures reported as low as 48,000–77,835 miles.
Symptoms owners cite: Vehicle loses all power or responsiveness to accelerator without warning; Transmission slips into neutral or won't engage any gear; Vehicle coasts to a stop, no forward or reverse motion; Rattling noise under the hood during acceleration; Engine revs but vehicle doesn't move; Sporadic power loss while driving
Repairs/costs cited: Torque converter replacement or complete transmission rebuild. Owners cite costs of $1,200–$3,500; one shop repair cost $1,269.99. One owner mentioned replacement with an aftermarket part.
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Recall 11S25 issued for 2004–2005 model years for torque converter failure; 2006 and 2007 model years not included despite identical failures reported. Ford corporate declined assistance or reimbursement in cases presented. One dealer service was covered under warranty with a $100 deductible.
Transmission failure — loss of drive engagement
Transmission fails to engage gears or maintain gear selection. Vehicle may shift unexpectedly into neutral, refuse to downshift, or lose all forward and reverse motion. Separate from or concurrent with torque converter failure.
When: Reported between 90,000 and 152,000 miles; one case at stationary/parked condition at 77,835 miles.
Symptoms owners cite: Gear shift lever will not hold in park or other gears; vehicle rolls when parked; Vehicle suddenly will not accelerate despite pedal input; Transmission appears to slip into neutral while driving; All gears become unresponsive—reverse, drive, and neutral do not function; Vehicle can be pushed in all gears as if in neutral
Repairs/costs cited: Transmission rebuild or replacement; costs range from $1,200 to $3,500. One owner declined dealer service after diagnosis.
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Ford declined responsibility in multiple cases. One dealer recommended diagnosis but owner had not yet taken vehicle in. No manufacturer-wide response documented.
PCM/transmission control module water intrusion and failure
Water leaks into the PCM (powertrain control module) through a design flaw in the cowl area, causing electrical failures and transmission control issues. Sporadic failures occur primarily during or after rain.
When: Failures occur intermittently during rain; one case noted at 90,000 miles.
Symptoms owners cite: Vehicle loses power intermittently when it rains; Sporadic loss of drive power every few days; Engine warning indicator illuminates; Mechanics unable to pinpoint cause due to intermittent nature; PCM replacement needed but issue recurs due to continued water intrusion
Codes mentioned: NHTSA Action PE10033 (Vehicle Speed Control; Power Train: Automatic Transmission: Control Module/TCM)
Repairs/costs cited: PCM replacement cost cited as $500 plus labor. Water intrusion is a separate design defect (cowl/hood design flaw); fixing it permanently requires addressing the water leak source.
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Technical Service Bulletin (TSB) exists for this water leak issue. One owner noted Ford is aware of sporadic transmission failures linked to PCM issues but no recall or comprehensive fix issued.
Transmission surge, jump, and noise
Vehicle exhibits surging or jumping motion while in gear, along with abnormal transmission noise. In one case, throttle body replacement was performed; in others, only transmission noise was reported.
When: Cases reported at 48,000 miles and later in vehicle life.
Symptoms owners cite: Vehicle surges or jumps forward unexpectedly while in gear; Rattling or grinding noise from the transmission; Noise gets worse with acceleration; One case: vehicle would only drive 35 mph after throttle body failure
Repairs/costs cited: One case resolved with throttle body replacement. Transmission service (flush and friction modifier per Ford specification) was attempted but did not resolve the issue in at least one case.
Synthesized from 34 NHTSA owner complaints — unverified consumer allegations, summarized for patterns. The verbatim filings appear below.
What owners are reporting 10 most recent
"takata recall" while driving my van I lost to go to the bank, when I went to put my foot on the gas pedal it would not go. There was no movement. It made this funny sound under the hood. I had no warning, it shifted gears, my husband even plugged in the code reader and nothing came up. As we are looking into the issue the torke converter went out in the transmission. So now this needs to be…
When I touched the transmission gear shift one morning, the car began rolling down my driveway & rolled into the street. I had a hard time stopping the vehicle because the engine was not yet running & the power brakes were not on. The gear shift lever would not hold in park or any of the other gears. I had the vehicle towed to a transmission repair shop. When I told the mechanic what had…
Traveling on the pa interstate van lost all power. Towed need complete transmission rebuild due to failure of torque converter. We were lucky we were not hurt. There was no warning at all that there was a issue. Van is a nightmare. *tr
Water leaks down the hood thru the cowl. Vans PCM had to be replaced. There is a tsb on this. Poor design of hood allows water to leak into cowl and into the PCM. Had PCM replaced at $500 plus. This van is a nightmare. *tr
Without any warning the van will just lose power during travel. This happens every few days. Mechanics don't know why. *tr
Tl* the contact owns a 2007 Ford freestar. While driving approximately 25 MPH, while the accelerator pedal was depressed, the contact heard a rattling noise under the hood. The contact stated that the rattling noise seized once the speed was reduced. There were no warning indicators illuminated. The vehicle was taken to homer skelton Ford of millington (9030 us-51, millington, tn 38053 (901)…
Torque converter is showing signs of failure with van a less than 50k miles. A transmission flush and service including Ford's friction modifier did not fix.
Pulled in to driveway to pick up a passenger, stopped and put it in reverse and bang, the motor died. Restarted and same thing. Got it to go forward but same problem, starts fine and runs until you put it in gear, and it dies. *jb
This is my second complaint form submission for the problem. Last fall my 2007 Ford freestar broken down due to transmission malfunction. I was told that Ford has alot of problems with transmissions. I need to know what else I can do to reimbursed for the failure of the transmission. I was on my way to college classes when the van broken down. *tr
Had powertrain trouble with your 2007 Ford Freestar?
File a complaint with NHTSA → It's free, official, and how every report above got here — owner filings are the federal safety record this page is built on.
Common questions
How serious is the powertrain problem on the 2007 Ford Freestar?
It's a documented issue but not catastrophic. 34 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?
Across the 29 complaints that reported odometer mileage, most powertrain failures cluster between 75,000 and 120,000 miles, with the median around 98,000. A quarter of owners report trouble before 75,000; a quarter make it past 120,000. Maintenance history matters more than the odometer alone — this is the reported failure window, not a guarantee.
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.
Related
Complaint and recall data sourced from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA)
public records database. Verify the raw federal record at
nhtsa.gov/vehicle/2007/Ford/Freestar.
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. Some links on this page are affiliate links.