Ford Freestar Years to Avoid — Worst & Best Years to Buy

Every Ford Freestar model year (20042007) ranked by recall count, complaint volume, deaths, and injuries. Data sourced directly from NHTSA.

4
Years Tracked
10
Total Recalls
1542
Total Complaints
30
Reported Injuries
0
Reported Deaths

Ford Freestar Years to Avoid

#1 WORST
2004

2 recalls · 753 complaints

16 reported injuries

Top issue: POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION

Problem score: 791

#2 WORST
2005

3 recalls · 533 complaints

13 reported injuries

Top issue: POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION

Problem score: 568

#3 WORST
2006

3 recalls · 227 complaints

1 reported injury

Top issue: POWER TRAIN

Problem score: 238

Best Ford Freestar Years to Buy

#1 BEST
2007

2 recalls · 29 complaints

Main area: POWER TRAIN

Problem score: 35

Found the right year? Verify that specific Freestar with a free VIN report.

Ford Freestar — Year-by-Year Problem Report

YearRecallsComplaintsInjuriesDeathsProblem ScoreVerdict
2007229
35
Excellent
200632271
238
Good
2005353313
568
Avoid
2004275316
791
Avoid

All 4 model years shown. Deaths and injuries from NHTSA complaint filings. Higher problem scores indicate more reported safety issues.

Ford Freestar Shopping Guide by Era

Pre-2013

Proceed with Caution

Older Freestar models have more accumulated wear and a larger recall history. These are higher-risk purchases without documented maintenance records and a clean VIN history report.

Frequently Asked Questions

What year Freestar should I avoid?+

Avoid the 2004 Ford Freestar if possible. It has 2 recalls, 753 owner complaints. The overall problem score is 791 — the highest in our dataset.

What is the best year Freestar to buy?+

The 2007 Ford Freestar is the lowest-risk year in our analysis, with a problem score of 35. It has only 2 recalls and 29 complaints on record with NHTSA.

Which Freestar has the fewest problems?+

The 2007 model years have the fewest documented problems. Even for low-problem years, verifying a specific vehicle's history via its VIN is always recommended before purchase.

More Ford Freestar Research

Check a Specific Ford Freestar VIN

Model-year rankings show statistical risk. A VIN-specific report reveals the individual vehicle's full history — accidents, odometer rollbacks, auction records, and open recall status.

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