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#BS-2004-FORFRE-33952004 Ford Freestar
Based on reports from 1,000 owners and 5 recalls for this exact model.
Preliminary Verdict
Red Flag
Based on 1,000 complaints, 22 crashes, 11 fires, and 5 recalls. Complaint rate is 1.6x the class average.
Top reported problems
transmission failure
51 complaints • Severity 9.3/10
torque converter went out
18 complaints • Severity 8.7/10
ecm pcm replaced
6 complaints • Severity 8.7/10
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Mechanic Inspection Checklist
412 owners reported power train:automatic transmission issues — failures commonly reported around 80K miles.
Failure Timeline by Mileage
Peak failure range: 60–90K miles (327 reports) • Median: 80K miles
30,000-Mile Cost Projection
Best Case
Most Likely
Worst Case
Top cost driver: Power Train:automatic Transmission (412 reports).
Also in your report
Owner Intelligence
AI-synthesized themes from real complaints
Buyer Lot Checklist
Questions, test drive checks, walk-away triggers
Negotiation Talking Points
Data-backed dollar deductions
Buy / Skip Verdict
Final recommendation with conditions
Where the complaints fall
2004 Ford Freestar: Known Issues & Problem Areas
Power Train:automatic Transmission Issues
Power Train:automatic Transmission complaints account for 41% of all reports filed for the 2004 Ford Freestar, with 412 owners filing complaints with NHTSA. The median mileage at time of complaint is 79,500 miles, suggesting issues tend to surface around the 80K-mile mark.
Drivetrain Issues
Drivetrain complaints account for 11% of all reports filed for the 2004 Ford Freestar, with 110 owners filing complaints with NHTSA. Owners should pay attention to drivetrain-related symptoms during test drives and pre-purchase inspections.
Electrical Issues
Electrical complaints account for 6% of all reports filed for the 2004 Ford Freestar, with 56 owners filing complaints with NHTSA. Owners should pay attention to electrical-related symptoms during test drives and pre-purchase inspections.
Engine Issues
Engine complaints account for 5% of all reports filed for the 2004 Ford Freestar, with 45 owners filing complaints with NHTSA. Owners should pay attention to engine-related symptoms during test drives and pre-purchase inspections.
Data sourced from NHTSA owner complaints and community reports. The full report analyzes severity, repair costs, and failure patterns for each category.
Complaint trend by year
Complaints filed with NHTSA by year for the 2004 Ford Freestar. Recent trend: stable.
Don't negotiate blind — know what this car costs to own
Repair costs • Negotiation scripts • Mechanic checklist • Buy/skip verdict
Recall History (5 recalls)
STEERING:HYDRAULIC POWER ASSIST:HOSE, PIPING, AND CONNECTIONS
ON CERTAIN MINIVANS, THE POWER STEERING LOW-PRESSURE LINE MAY NOT BE FULLY SEATED AT THE RACK AND PINION STEERING GEAR.
WHEELS:HUB
CERTAIN MINIVANS MAY HAVE BEEN PRODUCED WITH FRONT WHEEL HUB ASSEMBLIES THAT WERE NOT HEAT TREATED CORRECTLY. THIS CONDITION MAY LEAD TO THE DEVELOPMENT OF SMALL CRACKS IN THE HUB.
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE
CERTAIN AFTERMARKET FUEL FILTERS SOLD UNDER THE PUROLATOR BRAND NAME, P/N F65277, SHIPPED FROM JANUARY 16 THROUGH JUNE 2, 2006, FOR USE ON THE ABOVE LISTED PASSENGER VEHICLES. DUE TO INCORRECT DESIGN, THE QUICK CONNECTORS MAY NOT FULLY SEAT WITH THE TUBE INTERFACE, EVEN THOUGH THE PERSON MAKING THE CONNECTION MAY BELIEVE THAT THE QUICK CONNECTOR IS FULLY ATTACHED.
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
FORD IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2004 AND 2005 FORD FREESTAR AND MERCURY MONTEREY VEHICLES. THE TORQUE CONVERTER OUTPUT SHAFT MAY FAIL.
SEATS
Ford is recalling certain model year 2004-2007 Freestar and Mercury Monterey vehicles manufactured from March 24, 2003, through November 7, 2006, equipped with a third row seat and originally sold in, or currently registered in, Connecticut, Delaware, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, West Virginia, Wisconsin and the District of Columbia. The third row stowable seat can experience corrosion and structural degradation at the seat anchor mechanism mounted to the rear wheel wells. As a result of the corrosion, the third row seat may not fully latch into its seating position.
Recall severity analysis & seller scripts
The full report rates each recall's severity and gives you scripts for asking the seller about recall completion.
The worst model year for the Ford Freestar is the 2005 — worth knowing if you're cross-shopping years. The biggest problem area is transmission.
2004 Ford Freestar vs. Class Average (Minivan - 2WD)
This vehicle
1,000
Class avg
641
1.6x the class average — significantly more complaints than typical minivan - 2wd vehicles.
Complaint counts correlate with sales volume — popular vehicles naturally generate more reports. The full report normalizes for this.
About this data
NHTSA Complaints
Federal database of owner-filed safety complaints. 1,000 records for this vehicle.
NHTSA Recalls
Manufacturer-issued safety recalls. 5 recalls found for this vehicle.
Repair Cost Data
Real-world repair costs from owner reports and independent databases.
2004 Ford Freestar: Frequently Asked Questions
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Get the Full 2004 Ford Freestar Report
10 sections of AI analysis based on 1,000 owner reports. Know before you buy.