[PCCrit]

For those that are struggling with the auto AC in your freestyles some things I noticed.
My Ac struggled when temperature outside was 42+ and temperature inside was set at <21 and I was stuck in traffic for over 20 minutes or was driving up a ghat slow n steady. If these combinations were not met, I had no AC issues and no engine over heat warnings.
The AC performance issues creep in much before the engine heat warning comes up. So be mindful of that.
Also the temperature sensor for the car is located inside a small circular grill near the left knee on the driver side. It's actually got a tiny fan that pulls in air. With time that grill gets dusty. Keep it clean for the car to get the right readings on the cabin temperature achieved.
If your AC works fine all the way in AC max but not the usual auto setting, u have an AC issue. If it does not work after being set at AC max or in a few minutes of being at AC max, you probably have a heat issue.
Get it to ford for a scan. You'll be out smiling in a few hours. Also heat warnings go away if u turn off AC for a few minutes.
Freestyles don't hold a lot of data to give in the scan it seems. So if u can drive once you've got the error, the scan will show it. But if u go after a few days. It's probably over written. That's what Ford told me.
A few limitations, oodles of fun to drive, and some known errors being fixed seamlessly. A good Ford.

By the way, I've got the Philips ultinon extreme H4 in my car and it's super for highways and city. Thats the only change I made to the car on day #1 of delivery.

Have fun. Drive safe.

PCCrit

[PCCrit]

I think I saw this go buy but will ask again to be sure.

Had anyone with the freestyle petrol experienced the car not allowing a half clutch in gear 2 and higher especially when you don't want to drop gears because you wanna keep speed but are executing a snazzy pin bend turn climbing a slope in the ghats? I've experienced my car loose rpm and the clutch simply engage anyways forcing me to drop gears.
Traction control has been on always. Not sure if anyone has experienced better fun without it in the above mentioned scenario.

[PCCrit]

My freestyle is over heating again but only in the ghats when the weather is >40°C and the AC is on.
Gonna take it back to Ford

[rohith741]

Originally Posted by PCCrit

I think I saw this go buy but will ask again to be sure.

Had anyone with the freestyle petrol experienced the car not allowing a half clutch in gear 2 and higher especially when you don't want to drop gears because you wanna keep speed but are executing a snazzy pin bend turn climbing a slope in the ghats? I've experienced my car loose rpm and the clutch simply engage anyways forcing me to drop gears.
Traction control has been on always. Not sure if anyone has experienced better fun without it in the above mentioned scenario.

Yes. I own a Petrol Titanium Plus freestyle and I have experienced this more in 1st gear in bumper to bumper traffic. This has also happened in 2nd gear.
Took it Ford with the complaint but they couldn't reproduce it but said they have a software upgrade that might fix the issue. It didn't fix the issue though.
When this is a real issue is when I slow down in an up slope and try to move again but the acceleration does not respond literally like the vehicle has switched off. Then I would have to shift to 1st gear and then it takes couple of seconds to respond.
Hope this doesn't cause any problems for me

[humyum]

Originally Posted by PCCrit

My freestyle is over heating again but only in the ghats when the weather is >40°C and the AC is on.
Gonna take it back to Ford

Hey, No modern car will overheat even with the outside temperature touching 50 degrees, the cooling systems are overengineered, if you keep driving in the ghats for hours on end, it will still not overheat.

Get you car checked, something is definitely wrong

[kaushikduttajsr]

Originally Posted by rohith741

Yes. I own a Petrol Titanium Plus freestyle and I have experienced this more in 1st gear in bumper to bumper traffic. This has also happened in 2nd gear.
Took it Ford with the complaint but they couldn't reproduce it but said they have a software upgrade that might fix the issue. It didn't fix the issue though.
When this is a real issue is when I slow down in an up slope and try to move again but the acceleration does not respond literally like the vehicle has switched off. Then I would have to shift to 1st gear and then it takes couple of seconds to respond.
Hope this doesn't cause any problems for me

Buddy, you've experienced the anti stall feature of Freestyle. It is not a defect, but the expected engine behavior by design. Whenever this happens, depress the clutch completely, allow the rpm to rise above the idle rpm (800-1000 depending on the status of the ac) and drive away.

[PCCrit]

No Kaushik, This is not anti stall. Anti stall helps with a RPM bump when the driver isn't doing it at the right time. I'd rather prefer to call this the "gummy Clutch Syndrome" where I see the RPM drop to match the car speed (even with half clutch being used) instead of the car catching up with the higher RMP and speed as the clutch gets engaged better. What we're experiencing is the RMP just flat out and then us having to forcibly downshift a gear or 2. I admit, I've not tried to see how the vehicle behaves when the TCS is turned off. This does not look like a situation where the engine has no strength. It surely looks like excess control by TCS, software, stability management, etc.

Rohit, the software upgrade that Ford performed, was that for the car overall or Sync 3 or are they both a part of the same update? Did you see how they did it?

Humyum, yes i will take this beast back to Ford. Surprisingly its not over heating anymore. Dunno what changed. Weather is cooler for sure.

[hgps]

Seems like my dealer didn't gave me tool kit with my freestyle, Its not in the boot under spare wheel. Only jack, tow hook and emergency triangle was there. Its not in glove box either. What should i do. Mail directly to ford or talk to the dealers (I already have bad terms with dealers as they didn't fulfill their initial commitment).

I wonder what would've happened if i had a flat tyre with no tools with me.

[hgps]

Originally Posted by hgps

Seems like my dealer didn't gave me tool kit with my freestyle, Its not in the boot under spare wheel. Only jack, tow hook and emergency triangle was there. Its not in glove box either. What should i do. Mail directly to ford or talk to the dealers (I already have bad terms with dealers as they didn't fulfill their initial commitment).

I wonder what would've happened if i had a flat tyre with no tools with me.

Talked to some guys so apparently, jack lever functions as a lug nut wrench as well. Thats the only tool provided with the car (can anyone confirm this? coudln't find this in manual) Maybe i am too old now but all of my previous cars (and bikes) had a descent sized bag that contrained screwdrivers, spanners etc.

[amitayu]

It is a new kind of a tool, with build in nut opener. It does not have separate spanner for opening the nuts.

I learned it the hard way!

[slvrstrk]

I'm getting my Freestyle titanium plus petrol today (hopefully, registration process ongoing). As a first timer, I was looking to have a great buying experience but Cauvery Ford in Bangalore completely ruined it for me.


However, I'm looking forward to have a great time with my first car though. Excited! I'm getting the engine guard accessory fixed as I have rodent issues in the apartment parking. I hope it helps in preventing rats from entering the engine bay.

[NaXal]

Originally Posted by slvrstrk

I'm getting my Freestyle titanium plus petrol today (hopefully, registration process ongoing). As a first timer, I was looking to have a great buying experience but Cauvery Ford in Bangalore completely ruined it for me.

It will be nice & hopefully helpful for others if you don't mind sharing the experience as what went wrong?

However, I'm looking forward to have a great time with my first car though. Excited! I'm getting the engine guard accessory fixed as I have rodent issues in the apartment parking. I hope it helps in preventing rats from entering the engine bay.

I am sorry spoil your hope but that guard won't give much protection from rat issue.

Thanks

[slvrstrk]

Originally Posted by NaXal

It will be nice & hopefully helpful for others if you don't mind sharing the experience as what went wrong?

It is about the way they engage with customers and the constantly changing prices after deal finalization.

- During the entire deal finalization - I had to speak/negotiate/renegotiate with at-least 4 folks! 2 junior sales guys who can come home during the test drive, 1 senior sales guy who cropped in later to clear some huge confusion on the finalized deal, and the sales manager who messed it up even further.

- The first confusion was with regards to the discount. We finalized the price to 8.77 L (9.19 L is the on-road in Bangalore). I told both the junior guys and the senior guy on phone multiple times that I will be availing Ford's Friends and Family discount which is given by Ford themselves with no effect on the dealer's margin. Ford gives it to the dealer and the dealer passes it to the customer.

Dealer's Discount breakup - 32k Cash discount, 4k Corporate discount, 6k Accessories discount.

They came back to me saying the price is 8.83 L and not 8.77 L after I paid the token amount, saying the 6k is accessories discount which is non-cash discount. I disputed their claim and took it up with their senior saying that nowhere in the piece of paper is it written as non-cash discount. The final price, not effective price, was written as 8.77 L within a box in the paper!

Since it is my first car purchase, I let this pass thinking I'm still getting a 6k discount on accessories and maybe I understanding of the deal was wrong.


- After I paid the remaining amount, then came another shocker. The next day, they call me to tell me that I have pay them another 4k as FnF and corporate discount can't be clubbed it seems! This I felt was completely unethical - trying to extort money after the deal is finalized and the amount is paid. While the dealership knew about this the entire time, they only told me after I paid the balance amount. When asked to adjust the 4k under some other bucket, they flatly refused. The escalation with sales manager and subsequently with Ford Customer Care was also of no use and left me thoroughly and utterly disappointed.

I clearly stated that while i could pay 4k and settle the issue, this is completely unethical from the dealership and the folks from Ford Customer Care.

I'll hopefully be collecting my vehicle today from them. I'll have to pay them the 4k during delivery. I'm only excited for driving the vehicle. The experience of 'owning' it is lost.

Originally Posted by NaXal

I am sorry spoil your hope but that guard won't give much protection from rat issue.

Is it? I just searched the forum for solutions to rat problems, seems like there is no sure-shot solution. I would have gone for the engine guard anyway. Any other accessory that you would recommend as a must have?

[NaXal]

Any other accessory that you would recommend as a must have?

Accessories are usually subjective preference. Varies person to person.

One thing is definitely common & must have is the extended warranty. Get the 5 years / 1L KM's package.

[slvrstrk]

Few pictures from yesterday evening's delivery for your viewing pleasure. My first car purchase!







I couldn't go beyond 3rd Gear so far (30 Kms clocked since delivery) thanks to Bangalore traffic. Itching to take this car out on the highway this weekend to see what the engine can do.

Originally Posted by NaXal

Accessories are usually subjective preference. Varies person to person.

One thing is definitely common & must have is the extended warranty. Get the 5 years / 1L KM's package.

I've option for the default the 3 and 4th year (or 1l Km) extended warranty. Maybe i will go for 5 years extended warranty as you suggested as I doubt if I'd hit 1L Km by the 4th year.