Key Programming: Ford Freestar 1997-2007
Ford Freestar 1997-2010 Key Programming Procedure
The following are the key programming procedures for the year 1997, 2004 and 2007 Ford Freestar.
Ford Freestar 1997
ORIGINATE NEW MASTER KEY:
1. Put the new key into the ignition. Turn it to the ON position. The dashboard security light will flash for 15 minutes. Once the dashboard security light stops flashing, you have five minutes to begin Step 2.
2. Turn the ignition OFF and then back to the ON position. The dashboard security light will flash for 15 additional minutes.
3. Repeat Step 2.
4. Once the dashboard security light has turned off for the third time, the key will be able to function in the car. It has been programmed into the car’s computer and has replaced ALL previous electronic key codes — the computer will not recognize any other key.
ADD DUPLICATE KEY:
1. Put the current key into the ignition.
2. Turn the ignition ON and back to OFF.
3. Remove the current key and insert the new key, turning it ON. You MUST do this within 15 seconds.
4. The security light will switch on for two seconds, confirming that the key has been successfully programmed into the vehicle.
Ford Explorer Freestar 1998 +
ADD KEY (Requires two working keys):
1. Put a current key into the ignition.
2. Turn the ignition to ON, then back to the OFF position.
3. Remove the key and insert a second key. Turn it ON and back to the OFF position. You MUST do this within five seconds.
4. Before ten seconds have elapsed, put a new key in and turn the ignition ON. After one second, turn the key back to the OFF position.
5. The dashboard security light will glow for three seconds. This confirms the programming of the new key has been successful.
About Ford Freestar
Ford Motor Company produced the Ford Freestar minivan from 2004 to 2007. Although Ford said it was “all-new,” it was only a modernized version of the Ford Windstar minivan. The name was modified because Ford wanted every car name to begin with the initial “F.” (Other cars with similar names include the Ford Five Hundred and the Ford Fusion.)
The Freestar features seating for seven persons on the inside. It, like the Ford Windstar, is front-wheel drive. The Freestar and Windstar share the same platform.
The Freestar did not sell well because customers preferred SUVs. As a result, it was no longer manufactured. The Ford Flex was introduced in 2008 to replace the Freestar. The Flex had a redesigned design that did not resemble the Freestar.
The third generation Ford Windstar was produced for the 2004 model year; as part of a mid-2000s rebranding of the Ford car model line with nameplates beginning with the letter “F,” the Windstar was renamed the Ford Freestar.
The $600 million makeover, which shared the MV1 platform with the 2000-2003 Ford Windstar, focused on driveline dependability, a problem that had plagued the Windstar since its launch in 1994. The Freestar’s evolution included heavier-duty drive axles, larger wheel bearings, and the standardization of four-wheel disc brakes. Both the 3.0L and 3.8L V6 engines were phased out in favor of two new engines. The Freestar was powered by a 193 hp 3.9L V6 (shared with the Ford Mustang) in the United States (alone), but a 201 hp 4.2L V6 (the base engine of the Ford E-150) was standard for Canada and export vans. The 3.9L and 4.2L V6 engines were both larger versions of the 3.8L V6 that had been in use for many years. The 4-speed automatic transmission was upgraded for enhanced shifting and dependability as part of the driveline reliability project.
The Ford Freestar received a small exterior update as part of the revamp. While maintaining much of the previous-generation Windstar’s roofline, the Freestar incorporates aesthetic cues from numerous Ford vehicles, including the Ford Explorer, Ford Freestyle, and Ford Five Hundred, in a departure from New Edge design language. The Ford Freestar ditched the curved dashboard of the previous Ford Windstar in favor of a flat dashboard, sharing many design aspects with the then-upcoming Ford Five Hundred. The Ford Freestar, like a number of other minivans, included a third-row seat that folded flat into the floor.
