2004 FORD FREESTAR Wheelshub Problems

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 FORD FREESTAR. THE CONTACT HEARD A LOUD SQUEALING NOISE COMING FROM THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE WHEEL WHICH OCCURRED ABOUT ONE YEAR AGO. THE STEERING WHEEL HAD TO BE TURNED TO THE LEFT OR RIGHT IN ORDER TO STOP THE NOISE FROM OCCURRING. LAST SUMMER THE DEALER STATED THAT THE WHEEL BEARINGS CAUSED THE FAILURE TO OCCUR AND IT WAS SAFE TO CONTINUE TO DRIVE THE VEHICLE. THE DEALER ALSO CONFIRMED THAT THE WARRANTY WAS NOT VALID. FORD MOTOR COMPANY WAS NOTIFIED ABOUT NHTSA RECALL CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 04V446000 WHEELS, CAP/COVER/HUB; HOWEVER, HER VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. A DIAGNOSTIC TEST WILL BE PERFORMED BY A LOCAL MECHANIC. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 32,000. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 40,027.

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 FORD FREESTAR. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FRONT WHEEL ASSEMBLY SCREECHED AT A REALLY HIGH PITCH, SIMILAR TO A SCREAMING SOUND. THE ISSUE OCCURRED AT LEAST 50% OF THE TIME WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS DRIVEN AT VARIOUS SPEEDS. THE NOISE STOPPED WHEN THE STEERING WHEEL WAS TURNED, BUT WOULD START AGAIN WHEN THE WHEEL WAS STRAIGHTENED. THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN TAKEN TO THE DEALER. THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT HER VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 04V446000 (WHEELS:CAP/COVER/HUB). THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 100,187 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 75,000. UPDATED 08/04/08. *LJ UPDATED 08/06/08

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 FORD FREESTAR. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FRONT WHEEL HUB HAS CRACKED. NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 04V446000 (WHEELS:CAP/COVER/HUB) WAS REFERENCED; HOWEVER, HIS VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL. WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE, IT BEGAN MAKING A HIGH PITCHED NOISE. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE CONTACT WOULD HAVE TO PAY FOR THE REPAIR. THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE WHEEL WAS PREVIOUSLY REPAIRED, AND CURRENTLY THE FRONT DRIVER SIDE WHEEL HAS FAILED. THE SPEED WAS UNKNOWN. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 70,000.

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 FORD FREESTAR. WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS STARTED, THE RPM'S CONSTANTLY ACCELERATED TO 2,000. WHILE DRIVING 40 MPH, THE TRANSMISSION SHIFTS GEARS AND THE RPM FLUCTUATES BETWEEN 25,000-35,000. THERE IS ALSO SIGNIFICANT LOSS OF POWER. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE FAILURE WAS A NORMAL OCCURRENCE; HOWEVER, THEY INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT THE WHEEL HUBS NEEDED TO BE REPLACED TWO WEEKS LATER. THE PARTS FOR THE REPAIR WILL NOT BE AVAILABLE UNTIL APRIL OF 2008, BUT THE VEHICLE IS SAFE TO DRIVE IN THE INTERIM. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 47,550 AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 47,600.

I BOUGHT MY 2004 FORD FREESTAR USED IN FEBRUARY OF 2006 FROM EASTERN MOTORS AND HAD NOTHING BUT PROBLEMS WITH IT. FIRST IT NEEDED A TUNE-UP THEN THE COIL PACK WENT BAD AND NOW NEEDS BRAKES AND TIRES. BUT MY MAIN CONCERN IS MY TRANS-AXLE LIGHT COMING ON. I AM A MECHANIC SO I SCANNED IT ON OBD-II SCANNER,IT TOLD ME THAT MY TORQUE-CONVERTER WAS STUCK IN THE OPEN POSITION. SO IT NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. I CALLED FORD BECAUSE I CANT GET IT AFTERMARKET AND THEY SAID IT WOULD COST ME 300.00 FOR IT. BUT THE PROBLEM IS I CAN'T AFFORD IT AND ITS ON BACK ORDER FOR WHO KNOWS HOW LONG .FORD CANT GET UNTIL THEY GET SOME IN. ITS 2007 AND THE PROBLEM IS STILL THERE IT BUCKS AROUND WHILE DRIVING AND IT DOESN'T GO INTO GEAR RIGHT AWAY. ALSO WHEN YOU TURN THE WHEEL WHILE DRIVING...

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 FORD FREESTAR. WHILE DRIVING OVER 35 MPH, THE VEHICLE MADE A LOUD WHISTLING NOISE. THE NOISE STOPPED WHEN THE STEERING WHEEL WAS TURNED TO THE LEFT OR RIGHT. THE CONTACT STATED THAT SHE EXPERIENCED THE SAME FAILURE AS NOTED IN RECALL # 04V446000 (WHEELS:CAP/COVER/HUB). THE DEALER STATED THAT HER VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL. THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN TAKEN IN FOR DIAGNOSIS. THE CURRENT MILEAGE IS 29,000 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 27,000.

EXPERIENCED A VERY LOUD SQUEALING NOISE THAT APPEARED TO BE COMING FROM THE FRONT WHEELS - THIS USUALLY OCCURRED AT SPEEDS >60 MPH. WHEN THE STEERING WHEEL WAS TURNED SLIGHTLY TO THE RIGHT, THE NOISE WOULD CEASE. WHEN THE WHEELS WERE STRAIGHTENED AGAIN, THE NOISE WOULD CONTINUE. TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER WITH NO ISSUES FOUND. I HAD SUGGESTED AT THAT TIME THAT THE PROBLEM APPEARED TO BE FRONT WHEEL BEARING RELATED OR SOMETHING OF THAT NATURE - NO ISSUES FOUND WITH THE VEHICLE AT THAT TIME. THE PROBLEM CONTINUED. TOOK THE VEHICLE BACK 2 MONTHS LATER - REPORTED THAT THIS WAS A KNOWN ISSUE FOR THE BEARINGS TO BE REPLACED (AND SOME OTHER NON-SPECIFIC WORK WITH THE HUBS). THIS IS LISTED IN THE RECALL SECTION FOR THIS VEHICLE AS A KNOWN ISSUE SINCE 2004!! WHY WAS THIS NOT TAKEN CARE OF PREVIOUSLY UNDER A RECALL AND WHY DID...

I PURCHASED A FREESTAR IN MARCH 2005, AND RETURNED TO THE LOCAL DEALERSHIP 2 DAYS LATER COMPLAINING ABOUT BRAKE PROBLEMS. THE SALES MANAGER TOLD ME THAT THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED AND FUNCTIONING PROPERLY. I CONTINUED TO DRIVE THE CAR HEARING GRINDING NOISES WHEN I APPLIED THE BRAKE. IN AUGUST 2005, I RECEIVED A RECALL LETTER FROM FORD MOTOR INFORMING ME THAT THE ROTOR AND HUBS NEEDED TO BE REPLACED ON THIS VEHICLE. MY CONCERN IS THAT THE RECALL WAS ISSUED IN SEPT. 2005 AND THE VEHICLE WAS ON A FORD DEALERSHIP AND THEY DID NOT FIX THE CAR PRIOR TO SELLING IT. *JB