Is your car affected?
Check by VIN to confirm the
exact model and see every recall for it.
Recalls are issued for a make, model and model year. Whether the repair has already been done on one specific car is known only to its manufacturer and dealers. Check your vehicle's official status at nhtsa.gov/recalls or with a dealer.
US recalls (4)
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.
Risk and remedy
Risk: In the event that the vehicle is crashed into from the rear, an unlatched seat may increase the risk of personal injury.
Remedy: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will install new third row seat latch striker mounting brackets, free of charge. The recall began on March 28, 2013. Owners may contact Ford Motor Company Customer Relationship Center at 1-866-436-7332.
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.
Risk and remedy
Risk: THIS CONDITION RESULTS IN A SUDDEN LOSS OF MOTIVE POWER WITH NO WARNING, INCREASING THE RISK OF A CRASH.
Remedy: FORD WILL NOTIFY OWNERS, AND DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE TORQUE CONVERTER FREE OF CHARGE. THE SAFETY RECALL BEGAN ON AUGUST 9, 2012. OWNERS MAY CONTACT THE FORD MOTOR COMPANY CUSTOMER RELATIONSHIP CENTER AT 1-866-436-7332.
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.
Risk and remedy
Risk: IF THE CRACKS WERE TO PROGRESS, THIS COULD EVENTUALLY RESULT IN WHEEL SEPARATION. WHEEL SEPARATION MAY LEAD TO LOSS OF VEHICLE CONTROL, AND POTENTIALLY RESULT IN A VEHICLE CRASH.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE FRONT HUB, ROTORS, AND WHEEL BEARINGS. THE RECALL BEGAN SEPTEMBER 20, 2004. OWNERS SHOULD CONTACT FORD AT 1-800-392-3673.
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.
Risk and remedy
Risk: IF THIS LINE BECOMES DISCONNECTED, IT MAY CREATE THE POTENTIAL FOR FLUID TO COME INTO CONTACT WITH THE EXHAUST SYSTEM, WHICH COULD RESULT IN SMOKE OR FIRE.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSPECT THE POWER STEERING LOW-PRESSURE LINE TO ENSURE THAT IT IS SEATED PROPERLY AT THE RACK AND PINION STEERING GEAR. OWNER NOTIFICATION BEGAN NOVEMBER 10, 2003. OWNERS SHOULD CONTACT FORD AT 1-800-392-3673.
Canadian recalls (6)
Show 6 Canadian recalls
Structure
2013-03-06 · campaign 2013-074
On certain vehicles originally sold or currently registered in areas of heavy road salt usage during winter months (Ontario, Quebec, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island, and Newfoundland & Labrador), corrosion can occur at the latch for the forward portion of the third row seat. Continued corrosion in this area may result in the inability to fully latch the forward portion of the seat into its seating position, which could increase the risk of injury in a crash. Note: Seat belt anchorages and permanent seat anchorages, which are at the rear of the seat, are unaffected. Correction: Dealers will install new third row seat latch striker mounting brackets which relocate the seat latch strikers from the potentially corroded area. In addition, dealers will install overlay panels on the exterior of the wheel wells to prevent entry of water and corrosive elements.
Powertrain
2012-01-06 · campaign 2012-004
On certain vehicles, the torque converter could fail. This would result in a loss of vehicle propulsion which, in conjunction with traffic and road conditions, and the driver's reactions, could increase the risk of a crash causing property damage and/or personal injury. Correction: Dealers will replace the torque converter assembly.
Seats and restraints
2005-04-29 · campaign 2005-130 · 19 vehicles
Certain Ford Freestar vehicles modified for wheelchair accessibility by Liberty Motor Company Inc. do not comply with the requirements of CMVSS 210. The second row bench seat only has one set of lower universal anchors (UAS) instead of the required two sets. Also, certain vehicles do not have tether anchor brackets for the bench's two outboard seating positions. This non-compliance would prevent proper installation of a child seat to an outboard seating position. Correction: Owners should contact Liberty Motor Company and then bring their vehicles to a trusted service shop or Ford dealership to have two tether anchors and two UAS brackets installed.
Suspension
2004-09-10 · campaign 2004-319
On certain vehicles, the front wheel hub assemblies were not heat treated correctly. This condition may lead to the development of small cracks in the hub. If the cracks were to progress, this could eventually result in wheel separation. Wheel separation may lead to loss of vehicle control, and potentially result in a vehicle crash. Correction: Dealers will replace the front wheel hub and rotor assemblies.
Label
2004-05-20 · campaign 2004-170
Certain vehicles do not comply with the requirements of CMVSS 120. The Standard specifies that for vehicles other than passenger cars, the label information shall display after each GAWR, the size designation and, if applicable, the type designation of rims. This information was inadvertently omitted from the compliance label affixed to the affected vehicles. Correction: Since this does not pose any safety risk, no corrective action is required.
Steering
2003-11-07 · campaign 2003-272
On certain vehicles, the low-pressure power steering return line connection may not have been fully seated at the steering gear during vehicle assembly. If the return line is not fully seated, a power steering fluid leak may occur. A power steering fluid leak may create the potential for power steering fluid to come in contact with the exhaust system, which could result in smoke or fire. Correction: Dealer will inspect the power steering return line connection.
Owner complaints (1,227)
Owners filed 1,227 complaints with NHTSA about the 2004 Ford Freestar (16 crashes, 14 fires, 21 injuries, 1 deaths reported). Among 4 model years of this model, it ranks #1 for the most complaints (median 886).
| Most-reported problem | Complaints | |
|---|
| Power train | 851 | |
| Electrical system | 118 | |
| Structure | 94 | |
| Seats | 86 | |
| Engine | 69 | |
| Engine and engine cooling | 49 | |
| Service brakes, hydraulic | 44 | |
| Vehicle speed control | 33 | |
Crash test ratings
NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings for the 2004 Ford Freestar.
| Version | Overall | Frontal | Side | Rollover |
|---|
| 2004 Ford Freestar | – | – | – | – |
Fuel economy
EPA ratings for each 2004 Ford Freestar version.
| Version | City MPG | Highway MPG | Combined | Yearly fuel cost |
|---|
| Freestar Cargo Van FWD 3.9 L Automatic 4-spd | 15 | 21 | 18 | $3,700 |
| Freestar Wagon FWD 3.9 L Automatic 4-spd | 15 | 21 | 17 | $3,950 |
| Freestar Wagon FWD 4.2 L Automatic 4-spd | 15 | 21 | 17 | $3,950 |
Need this data in your app?
Recalls, complaints, crash ratings and fuel economy as a JSON API. Decode up to 50 VINs per call and get a daily feed of new recalls.
Explore the API →
Sources: NHTSA recalls, complaints and 5-Star Safety Ratings, US EPA fuel economy and Transport
Canada's Vehicle Recalls Database (contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Canada).
Recalls updated 2026-10-30.