The 2004 Ford Freestar is designed to be the most flexible, most powerful and highest-quality minivan Ford has ever built. Freestar offers more safety and security features than any of its competition, including the Safety Canopy™ rollover curtain air bag system, a fail-safe cooling system for the engine that allows the vehicle to continue running for a short period following the loss of coolant, the Reverse Sensing System, signal mirrors, adjustable pedals, self-sealing tires, Smart Locks, keyless entry keypad, available 17-inch wheels and tires and predictable, confidence-inspiring handling.
Making Freestar very quiet was a top engineering priority. Special attention has been paid to the body and door sealing, sound insulation and powertrain mounting technology to ensure a virtually noise-free interior. Notable sound insulation treatments include thicker front side windows, revised roof rack and exterior mirrors, a noise-absorbing dash panel and a sound blocking technology called Conformable Constrained Layer Damping that contributes to making Freestar the quietest Ford minivan ever.
Freestar is built in Oakville, Ontario, Canada.
Design and Equipment
The 2004 Freestar is available in five trim levels: Freestar, LX, LX Sport Appearance, SE and Limited.
Different front, rear and body-side design treatments give each Freestar model its own character. The base and LX models have monochromatic, body-color fascia and grille. On the SE and Limited, the grille is chromed and the bumper fascia and cladding have bright trim strips. Limited models also have color-coordinated two-tone lower body paint.
Ford has tripled its investment in interior design and development, and the Freestar’s all-new interior is a direct result of this effort.
Freestar includes seating for up to seven passengers and more than 25 cubic feet of cargo volume behind the third-row seat. When the third-row seat is stowed in the floor and the second-row seats are removed, the rear cargo area expands to 134 cubic feet and can accommodate large sheets of work material. Freestar’s third-row seat can also be placed in a rearward-facing position for use during picnic or tailgating activities.
Dozens of storage features have been engineered into the Freestar, including a large third-row seat bin, 20-ounce bottle holders in the front doors and dual map pockets stacked vertically to hold plenty of kid paraphernalia. The rear sliding doors feature sizable bins for books, toys and other items, while the driver’s seat has a “kangaroo” pouch at the front of the cushion. The covered compartment on top of the instrument panel is ideal for small items. A covered lower instrument storage bin is now standard on all vehicles. The Freestar has cup holders for nine beverages.
Powertrain
Freestar’s standard 3.9-liter V-6 is one of the top in the minivan segment in torque, with 248 foot-pounds available (estimated).
A new intake camshaft that allows more intake and exhaust valve overlap helps deliver peak torque some 500 rpm lower in the rev range than before. The new 4.2-liter V-6 engine offers more than 265 foot-pounds of torque.
Both powertrains allow Freestar to be classified as an ultra-low emissions vehicle.
Freestar uses the latest-generation Ford four-speed automatic transmission. It has been designed with “fast-acting” hydraulics to help the transmission shift quicker and smoother. A new torque converter provides better initial acceleration from a stop.
Safety and Security
Safety is a Ford minivan tradition. The 2004 Freestar, complete with smarter air bags, a stronger structure and improved functional attributes, builds on Ford’s legacy of safety leadership and is expected to follow in the footsteps of its predecessor when it comes to attaining the government’s highest crash test ratings for front and side impacts.
Freestar offers more standard safety features than any of its competition, with the added security of available features like the Safety Canopy™ rollover curtain air bag system, the Personal Safety System™, a fail-safe engine cooling system that allows the vehicle to continue running for a short period following the loss of coolant, the Reverse Sensing System, mirrors that signal when turning or when a sliding door is open, adjustable pedals, self-sealing tires, Smart Locks, keyless entry keypad, available 17-inch wheels and tires, and predictable, confidence-inspiring handling.
Large four-wheel disc brakes with anti-lock control and electronic brake-force distribution are standard. AdvanceTrac™-equipped models also have Panic Brake Assist, which can help reduce stopping distances in a panic stop.
Text and photos courtesy of Ford Motor Company 
