Freestyle Exhaust Flap Defect

Hey guys, I've got a 2006 Ford Freestyle with a gasoline engine and a bit of a head-scratcher. My exhaust flaps seem to have gone AWOL. I'm getting an error stored in the error memory, plus the exhaust noise is louder than usual, especially after a cold start – the engine sounds kinda rough. Mileage is only 45776 km. From what I've gathered, the exhaust flap itself is likely defective. Anyone else run into this? Feels a bit like driving a tractor at times!

4 comment(s)

Whoa, loud exhaust on a Freestyle? That's not good! Is it like, a constant loud, or just when you accelerate? Maybe check the flap actuator? Could be stuck or broken. I'm no expert, but I've heard those can cause issues and throw codes.

Good point about the actuator. It's more noticeable on acceleration, yes, but also pretty loud at idle after a cold start. How would I go about checking the actuator? Is it something I can easily get to, or am I better off just biting the bullet and taking it to a shop?

Hmm, sounds more complicated than just a loose bolt. Honestly, if it's throwing error codes and you're not super confident, I'd get a pro to look at it. Could be more than just the actuator, and you don't want to mess something else up. Better safe than sorry!

Yeah, you're probably right. Bit the bullet and took it in. Turns out the exhaust flap was indeed defective. Replaced it and the actuator – cost me 190€ all in. Runs much smoother and quieter now. Thanks for the advice!

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