Overview & Reviews

With its Freestar, Ford learned the hard way that in the world of automobiles, there are few segments more cutthroat than the minivan category. Moms have ruthlessly high standards when it comes to their family transportation, and only those haulers with the most compelling mix of refinement, convenience features and luxury amenities survive. The Ford Freestar's sales had been disappointing from the outset, and as a result, 2007 was its last year of production. Crossovers, Ford believes, are the future of family transportation.

Ford's minivan wasn't completely without merit. Safety is an important factor in minivans, and in this area, the Freestar didn't come up short. It earned a perfect five stars in NHTSA frontal crash tests, and mothers and their pint-sized soccer stars were protected with features like standard stability control and optional side curtain airbags. Unfortunately, its success in this area paled in the face of its litany of shortcomings, which included sluggish acceleration, dismal fuel economy, ungainly handling and an unimpressive cabin.

For these reasons, savvy used minivan shoppers will find the Ford Freestar a relatively unsatisfactory proposition. If you're looking for a minivan, you'll no doubt find your needs better served by one of its competitors.

Most Recent Ford Freestar

The Ford Freestar was a seven-passenger minivan. Three trim levels were offered: SE, SEL and Limited. The Freestar could also be had in a cargo van body style, making it ideal for contractors needing a light-duty hauler.

The base SE trim was reasonably well equipped, with air-conditioning, full power accessories, a CD player and keyless entry all standard. The SEL added tri-zone air-conditioning, a power driver seat and second-row captain's chairs. The top-of-the-line Limited included upgrades such as chrome wheels, leather upholstery and automatic climate control.

Two engines were offered. A 3.9-liter V6 for the SE provided 193 horsepower and 240 pound-feet of torque. The SEL and Limited trims got a 4.2-liter V6 that generated 201 hp and 263 lb-ft of torque. Neither engine was especially frugal, turning in real-world fuel economy numbers that were among the poorest in the segment.

At first blush, the Freestar's cabin seemed like a winner. But a closer look revealed shortcomings. Materials looked nice but to the touch became apparent as subpar for the segment. The legroom in the second row was cramped. The lack of versatility didn't help either. Those second-row seats were heavy and tough to remove. And though the third-row seat folded flat, it didn't offer a 60/40 split like virtually all others in its class. At 135.7 cubes, cargo capacity fell short relative to others in the segment.

In editorial reviews, the Ford Freestar earned praise for having reasonable around-town power and a forgiving ride. The engines didn't fare as well when pushed, though, as they ran out of breath when quick passing was attempted. Performance was exacerbated by the van's aged four-speed automatic transmission -- most competitors used more advanced five-speed units. Also, the engines had a rougher, noisier power delivery than nearly any other V6 in the minivan segment. In consumer ratings, the Freestar was panned for its poor ride quality and dismal fuel economy.

Past Ford Freestar models

Ford introduced the Freestar back in model-year 2004 to replace the aged Windstar, which was sold from 1995-2003. Although Ford touted it as an all-new vehicle, the Freestar minivan was little more than a rebadged Windstar with minor upgrades, including a freshened interior equipped with a fold-flat third-row seat. A pair of more powerful V6 engines replaced the Windstar's 3.8-liter V6. Unfortunately, Ford's minivan put on weight during the transition, so even with the larger of the V6s, it was no faster than before and slightly less fuel-efficient to boot. This made the Freestar about as appealing as, well, the Windstar. Straight off the bat, it was trampled by the competition, both import and domestic, and Ford did little to rectify the situation.

The Freestar remained pretty much unchanged for its production duration, so buyers shopping for one on the used market will find few differences between the model years.

User Reviews:

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  Poor braking - 2004 Ford Freestar
  By Rbndawn - February 2 - 3:30 pm

  I bought it with 23000 mi. I just spent $400 on brake parts only and noticed some improvement but still Im not satisfied. Seemed like the system is undersized for the vehicle weight. As far as comfort is very good and the power is just enough for its size with the small 6 cyl. My first and my last Freestar.

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  Ford needs to step up! - 2004 Ford Freestar
  By m_a_t_47362 - January 11 - 9:11 am

  We got our Freestar in October of 2004. We were told it was new and that only the dealer had drove it. We ended up paying full brand new price, when it had over 16,000 miles on it. We get it home and immediately started seeing problems. The side mirror had been glued on, the door handle on the back gate kept coming off, we was supposed to had a bumper to bumper warranty on it, but when I took it in to get handle put back on we was told it would cost us a minimum of $300 just to get it looked at! There is something wrong with all the wiring, it dies all the time, door locks wont work, and driver window wont roll down. Engine light stays on, and brakes and tires cant last long on front end. All in all this is not a good vehicle. Do not buy!

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  Minivan is a minivan - 2004 Ford Freestar
  By tjnb - January 10 - 10:00 am

  I really like the way this van rides. It has a very smooth feel. The tranny shifts smoothly and the seats are very comfortable. Love the tailgate seat.

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  Minivan is a minivan - 2004 Ford Freestar
  By tjnb - January 10 - 10:00 am

  I really like the way this van rides. It has a very smooth feel. The tranny shifts smoothly and the seats are very comfortable. Love the tailgate seat.

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  F-O-R-D - 2004 Ford Freestar
  By brian - January 8 - 12:32 am

  Bought new in July 04, dealer replaced front brakes due to a defect at 10k, no problems until 38k when transmission blew seal. Cost 1700 at independent trans mechanic since it was at holiday. Brought faulty seals to dealer, they replied "you should of brought vehicle in to us and got an estimate" Would of gotten gouged for sure my opinion. Plan on driving it to the junkyard. How can sticker on this plastic monster be 27k, got it after rebates for 17k and worth 4k 5 years later? Brakes squeak, and I put so much time into shims and anti-rattle compound. Dont let dealer put another Ford trans in your vehicle, let someone rebuild it with new seals. Why invite the same trouble twice?

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  Freestar - 2006 Ford Freestar
  By dale - January 6 - 1:37 am

  I will never buy another Ford product in my life. After buying this van I changed my thought about Ford, we have had nothing but problems with it, in and out of the shop who knows how many time. Has a druming noise coming from the breather they say they cant fix. Problems with the front end, and on and on with this thing. But I see they did circle the problem on the Ford emblem. It should say junk!

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  A major disappointment - 2004 Ford Freestar
  By skihighdj - December 18 - 12:13 am

  There is a serious mechanical design flaw that has been undiagnosed. Do your research! It is sickening to see how many people have had problems with these minivans breaking down. Some think it is transmission, others some sort of electrical problem. At any rate, it is not a safe situation! I loved my van, I just wish someone could make it run right. I traded in my Jeep Grand Cherokee (which I would give rave reviews for) something newer that I could rely on. I should have kept my Jeep and fixed it when it broke. At least I wouldnt be paying a monthly payment and full coverage insurance while I was sinking money that I dont have in to it!

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  Poor ratings - 2004 Ford Freestar
  By shocked 1 - November 18 - 2:19 pm

  In short, 3 years owner of 2004 Ford van, Freestar. No warning, trans quit! No safety recall? Its a major safety when youre in middle of a freeway and van litterally stops pulling! Come on Ford, own up. Were 60 & 70, cant just go & buy new car! Ford wants a loan, but wont help fellow customers over bad workmanship? Poor, poor bussines. Never will our families or friends buy Ford!

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  Problems from day 1 - 2004 Ford Freestar
  By LynnK - November 4 - 2:52 pm

  I purchased it as a Ford Certified vehicle and the front end has always "smoked", my door locks dont work every time, the side mirrors do not work electronically now, the car has always had intermittent "jerking" at around 45 mph, replacing brakes was a chore, caliper would not compress, now my power steering is having issues, cant remove rear captains chairs. When I took it in because of a transmission leaked early on, they told me nothing is wrong, only replaced seals. Did not fix problem. Gas mileage horrible, also have an Avalanche and that gets better gas mileage. Traded in Mustang for this? I do not expect a 4 year old vehicle to have this many problems.

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  Dont bother - 2004 Ford Freestar
  By Jennifer - November 3 - 10:32 pm

  We have had several problems with our Freestar. It was in the shop for over 3 weeks for the brake, ABS and battery light being on. It had a leak on the front passenger floor, they claim the fire wall was not sealed correctly. It is still leaking, as well as some where in the back, maybe the rear door, and out of nowhere the oil is leaking. Been keeping an eye on it while we find a reliable mechanic other than the dealership where we bought it. I drove it earlier to run errands and it was fine. My husband went to take it to run to the store and there oil is all over the driveway and it is making a weird noise that it shouldnt be making. I am a dedicated Ford owner but I will have to rethink it.