2005 FORD FREESTAR Seats Problems

The contact owns a 2005 Ford Freestar. The contact stated that the third-row seat attachments were rusted. The vehicle was taken to the dealer to be repaired under NHTSA Campaign Number: 13V081000 (Seats); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 317,000. Parts distribution disconnect.

The rear wheel well has rusted on both sides and completely rusted out a large hole (approx. 1 ft diameter area visibly effected) in the the body of the van. The rusted out section is where the back seat is anchored to the frame, so the rust has cause the seat to no longer be securely anchored to the car. The hole has also caused electrical wires to get wet when water gets into the van and intermittently and unpredictably causing failure of electrical features, including headlights and blinkers, while driving.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 FORD FREESTAR. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHEN THE LATCH WAS RELEASED TO SECURE THE REAR SEAT, THE LATCH FAILED ALLOWING THE SEAT TO FALL. THE DEALER ANDERSON FORD OF GRAND ISLAND (120 N DIERS AVE, GRAND ISLAND, NE 68803, (308) 384-1700) WAS CONTACTED AND INFORMED OF THE FAILURE HOWEVER, THE VEHICLE HAS NOT DIAGNOSED. THE CONTACT REFERENCED NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 13V081000 (SEATS) AS A POSSIBLE SOLUTION TO THE FAILURE HOWEVER, THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 240,000.

I WROTE ON THIS YESTERDAY BUT DID SOME MORE RESEARCH ON THIS VEHICLE. THERE HAVE BEEN NUMEROUS RECALLS ON THESE TYPE OF VEHICLES. RECALL #12V006000 ON THE TORQUE CONVERTER OUTPUT SHAFT. RECALL BEGAN AUGUST 9 2012. THIS IS A SERIOUS MATTER I JUST RECENTLY PURCHASED THIS VEHICLE TO TAKE MY 8 GRANDCHILDREN AROUND. NOW I WON'T EVEN PUT THEM IN IT. I ALSO FOUND OUT THERE WAS A RECALL ON THE BACK SEAT. RECALL # 13V081000. THIS IS ALSO A PROBLEM WHEN YOUR HAULING AROUND CHILDREN. THE UNDERCARRIAGE OF THE VEHICLE IS REALLY RUSTY. I WISH I WOULD OF NEVER BOUGHT THIS VEHICLE. IT SURE IS GOING TO BE A MONEY PIT FOR SURE. IT ONLY HAS 141000 MILES ON IT. VERY SAD THAT FORD COULD MAKE SUCH A UNSAFE VEHICLE. I BOUGHT THE VEHICLE AND IT SEEMED FINE. 5 DAYS INTO OWNERSHIP THE TORQUE CONVERTER LIGHT CAME ON WHILE...

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 FORD FREESTAR. WHILE THE CONTACT'S SPOUSE WAS DRIVING AT AN UNKNOWN SPEED, AN UNUSUAL NOISE WAS HEARD FROM THE THIRD ROW SEAT AREA. THE DRIVER CHECKED AND FOUND THAT THE THIRD ROW SEAT ANCHOR ASSEMBLY WAS CORRODED AND FELL OUT, WHICH CREATED A HOLE. THE DEALER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE AND STATED THAT THERE WAS NO RECALL. THE CONTACT WAS REFERRED TO THE NHTSA. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 160,000.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 FORD FREESTAR. WHILE DRIVING AT LOW SPEEDS, THE THIRD ROW SEATS FELL BACKWARDS WHILE OCCUPIED. THERE WERE NO INJURIES. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO BOB SIGHT FORD (610 NW BLUE PKWY, LEE'S SUMMIT, MO 64063, (816) 524-6550) WHERE THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 13V081000 (SEATS). THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE AND INFORMED THE CONTACT TO PAY FOR THE REPAIR AND KEEP THE RECEIPT. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 186,000.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 FORD FREESTAR. WHILE REVERSING OF THE DRIVEWAY, A METAL-TO-METAL SOUND EMERGED FROM THE THIRD ROW OF SEATS IN THE VEHICLE. THE SHEET OF METAL HOLDING THE BASE OF THE SEAT CORRODED AND FRACTURED, SENDING THE SEAT FORWARD WHERE TWO OF THE CONTACT'S CHILDREN WERE SEATED. THE DEALER AND INDEPENDENT MECHANIC DID NOT DIAGNOSE THE VEHICLE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 210,000.

"REAR SEAT LATCHES SUBJECT TO CORROSION". AFTER ORIGINAL SALE, THIS VAN WAS MODIFIED BY RIDE-AWAY(RICHMOND) TO TRANSPORT WHEELCHAIR-DEPENDENT PASSENGERS IN THE REAR AREA. THE ENTIRE FLOOR OF THE VEHICLE WAS LOWERED, FUEL TANK ETC. MOVED TO BELOW REAR SEAT AREA, AND A HINGED BENCH SEAT WAS INSTALLED OVER THE SPARE TIRE COMPARTMENT. THE ORIGINAL REAR SEATS NO LONGER EXIST, NOR DO THEIR ATTACHING POINTS. THE CAR WAS SERVICED AT BATTLEFIELD FORD, MANASSAS, VA., ON AT LEAST THREE OCCASIONS WHEREIN THEY WERE REQUESTED TO REMOVE THIS VEHICLE FROM THE REAR SEAT LATCH REPLACEMENT RECALL. BATTLEFIELD FORD HAS ELECTED NOT TO COMPLY, AND I KEEP GETTING NOTICES OF NON-COMPLIANCE WITH THE RECALL. HELP!

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 FORD FREESTAR. WHILE ATTEMPTING TO MOVE THE THIRD ROW SEAT BACK INTO AN UPRIGHT POSITION, THE SEAT FAILED TO LATCH. THE CONTACT FOUND THAT THE METAL AROUND THE SEAT LATCH WAS RUSTED. THE CONTACT THEN NOTED THAT THE REAR WHEEL WELLS ALSO SHOWED SEVERE RUST. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE CONTACT SPOKE TO A DEALER WHO STATED THAT THEY WERE AWARE OF THE ISSUE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE AND STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN A RECALL AND ADVISED THE CONTACT TO TAKE THE VEHICLE TO A DEALER. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 162,015.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 FORD FREESTAR. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE THIRD ROW SEAT MADE UNUSUAL NOISES WHEN OCCUPIED BY A PASSENGER. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A LOCAL DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE THIRD ROW SEAT LATCH STRIKER WAS CORRODED AND RUSTED INSIDE OUT. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE AND STATED THAT THERE WAS NO RECALL. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN.

DISCOVERED THAT THE 3RD ROW SEAT WAS LOOSE. LOOKING CLOSER FOUND THAT THE U SHAPED BOLT THE SEAT ATTACHED TO WAS LOOSE AND THAT THE WHEEL WELL, WHERE THE BOLT CONNECTS,HAD CORRODED. FOUND THAT FORD DOES HAVE A RECALL ON THIS PROBLEM BUT IT DOES NOT COVER KENTUCKY WHERE I LIVE. IT DOES COVER ALL OF THE STATES NORTH OF KENTUCKY. I FEEL THAT FORD SHOULD COVER ALL STATES SINCE THIS IS A SAFETY CONCERN. *TR

THE THIRD ROW SEAT LATCH THAT WAS ATTACHED TO THE REAR WHEEL WELL HAS COMPLETELY RUSTED THROUGH. THE PLATE WITH THE 3RD ROW ATTACHMENT POINT ON THE DRIVER SIDE TIRE WELL COMPLETELY FELL OUT LEAVING A 8-10" HOLE IN THE WHEEL WELL. THERE IS AN EXISTING RECALL FOR THIS BUT ONLY IN CERTAIN STATES. I LIVE IN KANSAS WHICH IS NOT INCLUDED. WHY THIS IS I DO NOT UNDERSTAND. WHAT DOES IT MATTER WHAT STATE YOU LIVE IN? IF IT IS A DEFECT, IT IS A DEFECT NO MATTER WHERE THE CAR IS. *TR

2005 FORD FREESTAR WAS RECALLED FOR TORQUE CONVERTOR, THIRD ROW SEAT LATCH. LESS THAN ONE YEAR LATER (MARCH 2014) THE SAME PROBLEM OCCURRED WITH THE TORQUE CONVERTOR. *JS

I HAVE A 2005 FORD FREESTAR AND NOTICED THE THIRD SEAT CAME LOOSE. WHEN I LOOKED INTO IT I FOUND THAT THE WHEEL WELL AROUND THE REINFORCEMENT PLATE HAD RUSTED COMPLETELY OUT ON THE DRIVER SIDE FOR FEAR OF THIS BEING A COMMON PROBLEM AND THE FACT THAT THE THIRD SEAT IS MOSTLY USED BY CHILDREN I DECIDED TO REPORT IT. IT APPEARS TO ME THAT THE PLATE ON THE OUT SIDE MUST NOT SEALED AFTER BEING WELDED TOGETHER ALLOWING RUST TO START FORMING IMMEDIATELY AFTER VEHICLE WAS PUT INTO SERVICE BY MANUFACTURER. I HAVE PICTURES OF THE WHEEL WELL. *TR

THE DRIVER SIDE WHEEL WELL IS RUSTING OUT AND THE FRONT MOUNT OF THE THIRD ROW SEAT IS DETACHING FROM THE BODY. *JS

SUPPORT BARS IN DRIVER'S SEAT STARTED COMING THROUGH CUSHION & JABBING DRIVER IN THE BACK. VEHICLE HAS 49,000 MILES ON IT. ONLY ABLE TO DRIVE VEHICLE FOR APPROX. 15 MINUTES AT A TIME DUE TO THE DISCOMFORT FROM THE SUPPORT BARS. *TR

TL*- THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 FORD FREESTAR. WHILE PULLING OUT OF THE DRIVEWAY HE HEARD A SQUEAKING NOISE COMING FROM THE DRIVERS SEAT. WHEN HE LOOKED UNDER THE SEAT HE FOUND A LOOSE METAL BRACKET. THE WARRANTY COMPANY WAS CONTACTED; HOWEVER, THE WARRANTY DOESN'T COVER MANUFACTURER DEFECTS. THE DEALER ADVISED THE CONTACT THAT PRESENTLY THERE WERE NO RECALLS FOR THE SEAT FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WILL BE TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR DIAGNOSE. THE CURRENT MILEAGE IS 78,000 THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 73,000. UPDATED 4/16/08 *CN UPDATED

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE STOPPED AT A TRAFFIC LIGHT, ANOTHER VEHICLE REAR ENDED THE CONTACT AT AN ESTIMATED SPEED OF 40-45MPH. THIS RESULTED IN THE CONTACT REAR ENDING A VEHICLE. THERE WERE THREE OCCUPANTS IN THE CONTACT'S VEHICLE, THE DRIVER; THE CONTACT WHO WAS SEATED IN THE PASSENGER SEAT, AND AN OCCUPANT IN THE REAR SEAT ON THE DRIVER'S SIDE. DURING THE ACCIDENT THE SEAT BELT WEBBING SPOOLED, ALLOWING THE OCCUPANTS TO MOVE FORWARD. AS A RESULT, THE SEATBELTS DID NOT LOCK CAUSING INJURIES TO ALL OCCUPANTS. THE DRIVER MADE CONTACT WITH EITHER THE STEERING WHEEL OR THE CORNER OF THE DOOR CAUSING A NECK SPRAIN. THE PASSENGER'S RIGHT SHOULDER MADE CONTACT WITH THE DASHBOARD CAUSING INJURY. THE REAR PASSENGER RECEIVED BRUISING TO THE TOE. IMMEDIATELY FOLLOWING THE ACCIDENT AFTER EXITING THE VEHICLE, ALL SEATS WERE OBSERVED IN THE RECLINED POSITION. ALL OCCUPANTS OF THE VEHICLE WERE TRANSPORTED TO...