Our Freestyle started surging and had assumed it was caused by the AC turning on or off. When we discovered it was not the AC we took it in for service and inquired about it.
They said it need a new throttle body. The bad news is none exist and there was a national backlog.
After reviewing the service record it had a note about the throttle body being bad-- "and the costumer is aware the car is unsafe to drive"!
After some searching I've seen this is somewhat a common problem.
Anyone else having this problem?

 

It's been a month and nobody's has a comment on this???
Here's more information backing up my statement.

05 Ford Freestyle Throttle body kit - Ford Forums

2005 Ford Freestyle throttle body malfunction | CarComplaints.com

2006 FORD FREESTYLE COMPLAINTS - CONSUMER SAFETY COMPLAINTS FOR 2006 FORD FREESTYLE - ARFC

Ford Motor Company Complaints - 2006 ford freestyle

Major backorder on throttle body????? - Eric Peters Automobiles


This list can go on for ever. I'm wondering when Ford will do something
I think they're hoping the light will continue to shine on Toyota, but in the end it's going to backfire on Ford.

P/T

 

No part for an '07???? Oh boy...

Are you driving it?

 

NO.
Cant trade it, either. No dealer wants an unsafe car with no parts.
p/t

 

It won't because the "failsafe" mode prevents uncontrolled acceleration which is the danger with Toyotas.

Buying a new throttle body hasn't killed anyone.

 

They are not available....
Tell that to a person who gets hit while crossing a crosswalk. Granted it may not kill someone but if you hit some little kid thats going to really suck.
p/t

 

How is a car in "failsafe mode" going to hit someone? The car can be stopped rather easily, uncontrolled WOT blasts are essentially impossible with Ford's drive-by-wire setup.

I feel for you on the lack of availability (though they should be readily available by now), but it isn't a mortal danger as is the case with the Toyota recall.

 

Unintentional acceleration is controllable in any vehicle including Toyotas.. simply shift the transmission into neutral.

 

Your right, it's not an issue. I think Big Country Ford must have made a typographical error when the quoted "the customer is aware the car is unsafe to drive" in the repair bill.

Let me be clear, It's not going to wide open throttle and is not a fail safe issue. It' a momentary surge. If your are sitting with your foot on the brake and holding just fine one moment and the next it surges. So if some little kid in the parking lot is walking behind this POS car, and it deices to surge some irate parent is probably going to kick some **** in the parking lot.
I have kids and I would too. It's total BS, I know I'm not the one in danger here and probably why it's not in the spot light yet.

But how may drivers got face punched in when they ran into a car, hit someone walking by or whatever the case was that didn't result in a "driver fatality".
p/t

 

It more than likely doesn't need a new throttle body, it's probably just dirty.

The reason behind the surging is that the PCM thinks that the engine isn't getting enough air. The surging is the PCM opening the throttle body more to account for the "lack" of air.

Prime example: I was wonking on a 2004 Mazda 6 and after I got it back to the owner, it kept bucking and surging as you came to a stop. After reading on a Mazda forum, a mechanic pointed out that the throttle body just needed to be cleaned. I took off the intake, cleaned the throttle body with B12 and then brake cleaner and the car never did it again.

I'm not sure what engine is below the hood of the freestyle, but it may be worth a shot...

 

I'll give that a try.
Thanks for sharing that.
p/t

 

This is an ongoing problem that happens mainly in hot areas like NM. Ford says a new throttle body will fix the problem but there are no new tb's. I believe they are just waiting for the affected cars to fall out of service.

 

I dont own one of these vans. but in the world of interchangeable parts is it a stretch that you just find another for vehicle with the same motor and maybe you can order that one or maybe aftermarket. i dunno just a thought.

 

supposedly this is an upgraded "fixed" TB, so just swapping one from another car would not help. Have not seen an aftermarket available.

 

Have you spoke with Ford yourself? How about trying a different dealer to see if they have the part