Used Ford Freestar Buying Guide: 2004-2007 Recalls, Transmission and Checks

Buy a used Ford Freestar only after you've seen two things in writing: proof that a 2004 or 2005 van got its torque converter replaced under recall 12V006, and a clean bill on the third-row seat anchors if it spent its life in the Northeast or Midwest. Everything else on a 2004-2007 Freestar, or its Mercury Monterey twin, is a condition question, and a history report won't answer most of it.

Ford built this van for only four model years. Consumer Guide's used Freestar file describes it as the 2004 revamp of the Windstar under a new name, with Mercury selling an upscale version as the Monterey. I checked both nameplates against NHTSA's recall API on Saturday night, October 17, 2026, and they returned the same campaigns year for year, so the advice below covers either badge.

Engines, trims and the short production run

Every Freestar has a four-speed automatic and front-wheel drive; all-wheel drive was never offered. Consumer Guide lists a 193-hp 3.9-liter V6 in S, SE and SES models and a 201-hp 4.2 in the SEL and Limited. It got 16.6 mpg out of a 4.2 Monterey in mixed driving, which is about what you'd guess for a heavy van with a big V6. The good bits are real, though: the third row folds into the floor, a first for a Ford minivan, and optional curtain air bags cover all three rows and were designed to fire in a rollover.

That run ended abruptly. CBC reported that Ford confirmed it would not resume Freestar production at its Oakville, Ontario plant and would build the Edge and Lincoln MKX there instead, with a spokeswoman saying minivan demand had "really decreased." IIHS says on its Freestar page that the Monterey was discontinued after the 2006 model year, and that 2006 models got revised door trim and side air bags for better side-impact protection. If you can choose, a 2006 or 2007 with the optional side bags is the one to want.

Recalls to clear by VIN

• 12V006, 2004-2005: the torque converter output shaft may fail, causing a sudden loss of power with no warning. Dealers replace the torque converter.
• 13V081, 2004-2007: on vans with a third-row seat sold or registered in 20 listed states, mostly Northeast and Midwest, plus D.C., corrosion at the seat anchor on the rear wheel wells can keep the seat from latching. Dealers install new striker mounting brackets.
• 04V446, 2004: front wheel hubs that weren't heat treated correctly can crack, and in the worst case the wheel can separate. Dealers replace hubs, rotors and bearings.
• 03V457, 2004: a power steering low-pressure line may not be fully seated, which can drip fluid onto the exhaust.
• 06V069, 2005-2006: on vans with the power liftgate, the motor disengages after opening, so a failed strut can let the gate fall. Dealers reprogram the module.

Run the VIN through NHTSA's recall API, then confirm completion with Ford using our Ford recall check by VIN walkthrough. A Monterey goes through the same Ford system, and our Mercury recall check post covers the quirks of an orphaned brand.

What a history report won't tell you

A CARFAX or AutoCheck shows owners, reported accidents, title brands and the service visits that shops chose to report. It won't tell you whether the transmission shifts right today. Consumer Guide's trouble spots for this van are mostly transmission: fluid leaking from the filler tube because of a restricted vent valve (2004-05), a clutch piston seal that can keep it from upshifting from first to second (2004-05), and late or harsh shifts plus rough idle when water leaks from the fresh-air intake area onto the transmission vent or the engine computer (2004-06). That last one is a rainy-day problem you can actually check: look for water stains and corrosion around the cowl and the PCM.

The same file mentions short-lived original rear brake pads and ABS or traction control lights, sometimes with the ABS activating on its own, on 2004-05 vans. So on the drive, brake hard once on a dry straight road and watch the dash. Then fold and unfold the third row a few times. If it won't latch with a solid click, that's the corrosion recall in person, and it matters if a kid rides back there.

Family vans also rack up the kind of wear no database records: juice in the seat tracks, a sliding door motor that's been "fixed" with a screwdriver, curbed wheels from school pickup. None of that is fatal. It's just why I'd pay a mechanic for an hour before paying a seller.

Before you hand over cash

Use our Ford VIN decoder guide to confirm the engine, since the 4.2 only came in the top trims, and search NMVTIS for salvage or junk brands. Be wary of a seller who emails a "clean CARFAX" PDF with no VIN visible on the page; buy your own. If a newer van is in budget, our used Honda Odyssey and used Toyota Sienna guides are the obvious next step.

We're a licensed CARFAX and AutoCheck reseller, and CarVins has no affiliation with CARFAX, AutoCheck, Experian or Ford. Our mid October 2026 prices sit around $5.50 per report for guests, close to $4.50 for members and about $6.75 for both reports together, where retail tends to land between $39.99 and $44.99. The figure at checkout is the one that counts.

Sources

• Consumer Guide: 2004-07 Ford Freestar; IIHS Freestar ratings page
• CBC News: Ford exits minivan market
• NHTSA recallsByVehicle (Freestar and Monterey 2004-2007, read Oct. 17, 2026); NMVTIS