Ford Freestyle Check Engine Light!

Mommycar · 08-15-2008, 02:10 PM

I know to some this may be a no brainer, but I need some info if anybody has it.

A couple of days ago the 'check engine' light came on our 2005 Freestyle. Of course we took it straight to the garage where they seemed to think they could do a computer diagnostic-no go. This garage is on base at our US Navy installation in bella Italia. The folks there said that we needed to go to a Ford dealership here in Italy (sorry, my Italian isn't that good), as they can run the test.

Well, before we get into the whole dealership thing, most of us around here-in light of the air quality-are figuring it's the O2 sensor(s). Unfortunately, I don't how many O2 sensors the Freestyle comes with (our young boys put our owners manual somewhere after our household goods arrived), and I can't find a thing online regarding them except how to buy them.

The car seems to be running okay, though I'm using a lot more fuel than usual. Of course I'm running my kids back and forth to day camp, and on the roads here we have to do a lot of quick accelerating, so it's difficult to say whether or not the fuel economy is going down hill.

Anyway, if anybody has any info and/or experience regarding this, please let me know. I'm going to go ahead and order some sensors anyway (my husband is pretty good at car stuff), and hope that it works. It's not that I don't want to go to a dearlership, but with the communication disconnect and the fact that it's August in Europe, well, this Mom of four can't afford to be without her car for too long.

Grazie tutti!

RememberMorrison · 08-15-2008, 04:32 PM

You need to pull codes. Meaning go to the dealer, if you were in America Autozone. The car will send a specific code of whats wrong. Could be a MAF, or O2 sensors. Could be anything.

06RedfireGT · 08-16-2008, 12:48 AM

What needs to be done is it needs to be taken to an auto parts store. They can read the trouble codes and tell you what the CEL (check engine light) is on for, then you can go from there.

Mommycar · 08-16-2008, 02:34 PM

Thanks for the input. I'm not exactly sure if they have autoparts stores here like we do in the US. We'll call the Ford dealership on Monday (via an Italian friend that can translate), and see what they can do.

The car is still running fine, and I still plan on ordering the O2 sensors. Even if I don't need them they might come in handy. Besides, it will still be less expensive to have them shipped via USPS to our military address than it will be to pay for them with Euros (our dollar stinks against the Euro), at a dealership.

Still, does anybody know how many O2 sensors the Freestyle has? I'm pretty sure it has at least 2.

06RedfireGT · 08-18-2008, 07:10 PM

There is at least 4 O2 sensors. And if the car runs fine, but gets poor fuel economy, it is most likely the 02 sensors. If you have the trouble code read you can determine which ones are bad.

Mommycar · 08-25-2008, 09:49 AM

Well, the problem has corrected itself. We spoke to my father-in-law, AND finally found some info online, and we tried what we could to determine if we just got a batch of bad fuel. I had put in an additive when the light came on, and finally when it got near being empty, the light went out and all is well.

According the owners manual, this is common. Though the solutions they offer aren't necessarily feasible since we don't live in the US, this time it worked. We're still going to buy some O2 sensors when we go on leave in Oct, but for now we're okay.

Ciao e grazie tutti!!

99mustang232 · 10-03-2008, 11:49 AM

o2's are a long term maitenance item, better to have them on hand when you need them. do you get smog tested there?

what type of fuel additive do you use? does your gas there have ethenol in it?

08-15-2008, 02:10 PM	#1
Mommycar Newbie Join Date: Aug 2008 Posts: 3	Ford Freestyle Check Engine Light! I know to some this may be a no brainer, but I need some info if anybody has it. A couple of days ago the 'check engine' light came on our 2005 Freestyle. Of course we took it straight to the garage where they seemed to think they could do a computer diagnostic-no go. This garage is on base at our US Navy installation in bella Italia. The folks there said that we needed to go to a Ford dealership here in Italy (sorry, my Italian isn't that good), as they can run the test. Well, before we get into the whole dealership thing, most of us around here-in light of the air quality-are figuring it's the O2 sensor(s). Unfortunately, I don't how many O2 sensors the Freestyle comes with (our young boys put our owners manual somewhere after our household goods arrived), and I can't find a thing online regarding them except how to buy them. The car seems to be running okay, though I'm using a lot more fuel than usual. Of course I'm running my kids back and forth to day camp, and on the roads here we have to do a lot of quick accelerating, so it's difficult to say whether or not the fuel economy is going down hill. Anyway, if anybody has any info and/or experience regarding this, please let me know. I'm going to go ahead and order some sensors anyway (my husband is pretty good at car stuff), and hope that it works. It's not that I don't want to go to a dearlership, but with the communication disconnect and the fact that it's August in Europe, well, this Mom of four can't afford to be without her car for too long. Grazie tutti!

Similar Threads To: Ford Freestyle Check Engine Light!
Thread	Thread Starter	Forum	Replies	Last Post
Chevy Camaro Will Be Given Economical Engine	Newsami	Camaro	1	Today 03:28 PM
Engine Problems? (Look Here)	TurboLX	General Automotive Discussion	1	08-14-2008 11:11 PM
2010 Camaro To Get A 4-Cylinder Engine	Newsami	Camaro	14	05-30-2008 05:54 PM
BMW’s Diesel Engine Takes Home 2008 International Engine Of The Year Award	Newsami	BMW	0	05-07-2008 06:11 PM
Bud Light Ice	Dennis-96GT	The Clubhouse	12	04-28-2008 05:36 AM

08-15-2008, 04:32 PM	#2
RememberMorrison Serious Enthusiast Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Auburn University Posts: 724	You need to pull codes. Meaning go to the dealer, if you were in America Autozone. The car will send a specific code of whats wrong. Could be a MAF, or O2 sensors. Could be anything.

08-16-2008, 12:48 AM	#3
06RedfireGT MA Editor / Moderator Join Date: Mar 2008 Posts: 372	What needs to be done is it needs to be taken to an auto parts store. They can read the trouble codes and tell you what the CEL (check engine light) is on for, then you can go from there.

08-16-2008, 02:34 PM	#4
Mommycar Newbie Join Date: Aug 2008 Posts: 3	Thanks for the input. I'm not exactly sure if they have autoparts stores here like we do in the US. We'll call the Ford dealership on Monday (via an Italian friend that can translate), and see what they can do. The car is still running fine, and I still plan on ordering the O2 sensors. Even if I don't need them they might come in handy. Besides, it will still be less expensive to have them shipped via USPS to our military address than it will be to pay for them with Euros (our dollar stinks against the Euro), at a dealership. Still, does anybody know how many O2 sensors the Freestyle has? I'm pretty sure it has at least 2.

08-18-2008, 07:10 PM	#5
06RedfireGT MA Editor / Moderator Join Date: Mar 2008 Posts: 372	There is at least 4 O2 sensors. And if the car runs fine, but gets poor fuel economy, it is most likely the 02 sensors. If you have the trouble code read you can determine which ones are bad.

08-25-2008, 09:49 AM	#6
Mommycar Newbie Join Date: Aug 2008 Posts: 3	Well, the problem has corrected itself. We spoke to my father-in-law, AND finally found some info online, and we tried what we could to determine if we just got a batch of bad fuel. I had put in an additive when the light came on, and finally when it got near being empty, the light went out and all is well. According the owners manual, this is common. Though the solutions they offer aren't necessarily feasible since we don't live in the US, this time it worked. We're still going to buy some O2 sensors when we go on leave in Oct, but for now we're okay. Ciao e grazie tutti!!

10-03-2008, 11:49 AM	#7
99mustang232 Newbie Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: virginia Posts: 9	o2's are a long term maitenance item, better to have them on hand when you need them. do you get smog tested there? what type of fuel additive do you use? does your gas there have ethenol in it?