RoadVitals

2005 Ford Five Hundred Owner Complaints

Reports submitted to NHTSA by owners and drivers, shown in full

Data refreshed

Complaints on fileComplaints are reports submitted to NHTSA by owners and drivers. NHTSA does not verify most reports before publishing them, and a complaint does not establish that a defect exists. Volume is influenced by how many of a vehicle were sold, how long it has been on the road, and how much attention an issue has received.
510
Latest Aug 19, 2025
Crash or fire reportedComplaints whose submitter recorded that a crash or a fire occurred. These are the reporter's own answers on the NHTSA form, not verified findings.
26
Filed in the last 12 monthsReports filed with NHTSA in the trailing 365 days. Recent volume reflects attention and vehicle age as much as anything else.
1
Reports on file since Jan 5, 2005

What this page shows

Our database holds 510 NHTSA owner-reported complaints for the 2005 Ford Five Hundred. Each one is a report filed by an owner or driver and published by NHTSA without most of them being verified. A complaint is not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. Narratives are shown exactly as filed.

Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.

Complaints, most recent first

Showing 1–25 of 510 · page 1 of 21

Powertrain (other)
Filed Aug 19, 2025

The contact owns a 2005 Ford Five Hundred. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the vehicle made an abnormal knocking sound. The vehicle was taken to two independent mechanics, where the flywheel was replaced twice with used parts because the part had been discontinued. The contact stated that while her son was driving approximately 20 MPH, the vehicle stalled. The check transmission warning light, the check engine warning light, and other unknown warning lights were illuminated. The driver was able to pull over to the side of the road. The vehicle was able to restart but was undrivable. The vehicle was towed to the residence. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 80,000.

NHTSA ID
11681667
Incident
Feb 19, 2025
Mileage
80,000 mi
ElectricalEngine
Filed Mar 9, 2024

I am having problem with the reset button in my 2005 five hundred ford, the oil light stays on after oil changes, no one does not know how to reset, the reset button does not work, several mechanic told me not to worry about it , but the car can't pass the smog, it reads not ready, they told my to take a ride for about 50 miles and drive up to sixty miles per hour. . On going problem and I am running out of money, can you help, please

NHTSA ID
11576414
Incident
Feb 24, 2024
EngineSuspension
Filed Aug 22, 2023
Crash reported2 injuries reported

I have 2 very serious and dangerous issues. The 1st issue, the car will shut off while driving and without warning. I'll be cruzing down the highway and out of no where it shuts off. I then do not have breaks or power stearing. This last Winter my daughter was driving it and it shut off while she was on black ice. The car flew into the ditch and the snow was so deep it was compacted in the entire engine so it was impossible to restart the car. It was akso -37 below temperature. It took me almost a half hour to get to her and she almost froze to death. She sustained frost bite on her hands, toes, ears, and cheeks. She almost died. Issue 2, my daughter was driving and all of the sudden a loud noise and she couldn't steer. The rear control arm bracket that is part of the subframe busted causing the control arm to no longer be attached to the frame. She almost flipped the car when that happened. I looked into it and many cars this year make and model had the exact same thing happen in the exact same spot. So that tells me that it is a manufacturer defect. I had this looked at and inspected by Trusted Tires & Auto. Neither of these issues had any warning at all. So now the car sits unable to be driven. Even if it was fixed I won't drive it or let my daughter drive it and I can't sell it because I don't want anyone else to drive it period. It is a death trap literally and puts everyone's life in dangernear that come near the car. It needs to be recalled immediately. This is absolutely unacceptable and Ford needs to stand behind their product. If this car continues to stay on the roads Many people will die because of all the defects on the car.

NHTSA ID
11540215
Incident
Nov 10, 2022
Other / unspecifiedSteeringSuspension
Filed Jul 8, 2023

While driving the front end suspension slips, bounces up and down very harshly, tires slip, squeak, and slide in an hard to control way, sometimes into oncoming traffic when in slightly damp conditions an on roads with any amount of bumps, to the point that I need to drive extremely slow to avoid danger which in turn puts my and my passengers and my kids in danger by goin to slow in regards to the traffic around us. When hitting relatively small bumps the suspension bounces the car severely up and down and across the road into harms way.

NHTSA ID
11531095
Incident
Jul 8, 2023
ElectricalEngineFuel system
Filed Jul 8, 2023

The engine keep going into limp mode. The car stalls out while at lights an stop signs, power steering goes out on highway an other roads making it impossible to steer or steer out of others ways, limp mode causes car to not be able to keep up with traffic on highway and other roads. Engine jerks forward an shifts irractically an shifts an downshifts hard.

NHTSA ID
11531091
Incident
Jul 8, 2023
Powertrain (other)
Filed Jul 12, 2022

While waiting at the light in traffic, my car all of a sudden Accelerated, and decelerates, I have to push hard on the breaks in order for it to not slam into the cars infront of me.. this is really dangerous, from what I have been reading this is a wide spread issue that ford has ignored for years..

NHTSA ID
11473538
Incident
Jul 12, 2022
Driver assistance
Filed Jun 20, 2022

while we are in idel for a period of time the car wants to surge forward without pushing on the gas. it wants to rev withough the has pedal being pushed. It does it at red lights, stop signs, and if Im in a drive through.

NHTSA ID
11470129
Incident
Jun 20, 2022
Engine
Filed Aug 20, 2021

The contact owns a 2005 Ford Five Hundred. The contact stated that while starting the vehicle, the "fail safe engine mode" and check engine warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle stalled with the RPM revved up. The vehicle jerked while driving at an undisclosed speed. The dealer nor the independent mechanic was not made aware of the failure. The vehicle was not diagnosed nor repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and referred the contact to a dealer for assistance. The failure mileage was approximately 122,832.

NHTSA ID
11429929
Incident
Aug 20, 2021
Mileage
122,832 mi
Driver assistanceElectricalEngine
Filed Feb 16, 2021

I WAS AT RED LIGHT PERSON CROSSING ROAD I WAS I. DRIVE FOOT ON BRAKE, RPMS SHOT UP ENGINE REEVES CAT LUNGED FORWARD I PRESSED HARDER IN BRAKE ALMOST HIT PERSON. AT THE TIME NO WARNING LIGHTS. THEN AT PHARMACY DRIVE THRU W CAR I. FROM AND I. BACK OF ME CAR DID SAME THING. I HAD TO PRESS BRAKE HARD TO PREVENT MOVING HITTING CAR IN FROM OF ME. I WAS IN DRIVE BUT FOOT ON BRAKE! NO WARNING LIGHTS AT TIME. HAD THROTTLE BODY REPLACED STILL HAD SIMILAR PROBLEMS PROGRESSING LITTLE DID I KNOW WHEN THROTTLE BODY IS REPLACED HAS TO BE REPROGRAMMED BY FORD! SPENT SO MUCH MONEY AND TIME TRYING TO FIGURE OUT PROBLEM. THIS IS A FLAW W FORD 500 2005 THROTTLE BODY MANY COMPLAINTS AND TEST DOES NEVER ISSUES RECALL, UNSAFE. I COULD HAVE KILLED SOMEONE.

NHTSA ID
11396488
Incident
Feb 10, 2021
Mileage
170,000 mi
ElectricalEnginePowertrain (other)
Filed Oct 26, 2020

I PURCHASED THE CAR USED WITH THE UNDERSTANDING THAT IT HAD SOME ISSUES WITH A MISFIRE. UPON INITIAL INSPECTION I FOUNT THE CAR WAS THROWING THE CODE P0351 I CLEARED ALL FAULTS AND PROBLEM WENT AWAY WEKS WENT BY AND PROBLEM STARTED AGAIN BUT MORE SEVER DURING NORMAL OPERATION THE CAR STARTED SHAKING AND SHIFTING ERRATIC I THEN CAME UPON SOME K FORMATION AS TO A RECALL FORD PUT IN PLACE STATING IMPROPER CALIBRATION OF PCM AND TCM CAUSE UNNECESSARY INTERACTION I THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM AND MALFUNCTION OF THE VEHICLE

NHTSA ID
11366459
Incident
Aug 26, 2020
Mileage
237,232 mi
Driver assistancePowertrain (other)
Filed Oct 23, 2020

TRANSMISSION HAS VERY HARD AND DELAYED UPSHIFT AND DOWNSHIFT MAKING IT DIFFICULT TO CONTROL SPEED WHEN ACCELERATING AND DECELERATING. RPM GETS STUCK AROUND 3000 AT LOWER SPEEDS AND UPON ENGAGING INTO GEAR HAS MADE MY TIRES SQUAWK WITH A SUDDEN LUNGE IN SPEED AND SAME PROBLEM WHEN TRYING TO STOP, THE CAR LUNGES FORWARD. IT ACTS AS THOUGH IT IS IN NEUTRAL BUT THEN WHEN IT ENGAGES INTO GEAR SUDDEN CHANGES IN SPEED OCCUR CAUSING RAPID ACCELERATION OR DECELERATION. THE PROBLEM GETS WORSE AFTER THE CAR IS UP TO NORMAL OPERATING TEMPERATURE. IT DOESN'T OCCUR AS OFTEN AT COLDER OPERATING TEMPERATURE. THIS PROBLEM MAKES IT DIFFICULT TO GET BACK UP TO SAFE HIGHWAY SPEEDS AFTER HAVING TO STOP FOR TRAFFIC OR RED LIGHTS AS WELL AS HARD TO GET UP TO SPEED TO SAFELY MERGE INTO TRAFFIC FROM AN ON RAMP. AS FAR AS "WHEN" THIS HAPPENED IT IS EVERY DAY AS I DRIVE DAILY.

NHTSA ID
11365936
Incident
Oct 22, 2020
Mileage
226,768 mi
Powertrain (other)
Filed Aug 11, 2020

RECEIVED A CODE STATING THAT I HAVE A FAULTY PCM. WHEN I DRIVE ALL THE LIGHTS COME ON AND THE SPEED GAUGE SHUTS DOWN.

NHTSA ID
11348696
Incident
Aug 11, 2020
Mileage
266,000 mi
Fuel system
Filed Apr 28, 2020

WHEN I BOUGHT THE CAR HAD ENGINE LIGHT ON SO REPLACE THE SPARK PLUGS AND PUT NEW BATTERY PROBLEM STILL THERE. HAD A MECHANIC CHECK OUT AND HE SAID CODES READING FUEL PROBLEM SO CHANGE OUT THE FUEL PUMP AND PUT INJECTOR CLEANER. PROBLEM STILL THERE HE SAID MAYBE THE COMPUTER SO NOW I DON'T KNOW WHAT TO DO. THE PROBLEM IS CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ON AND WHEN YOU STEP ON THE THROTTLE DOES NOT GO PASS 3000 RPM.

NHTSA ID
11322586
Incident
Apr 7, 2019
Fuel system
Filed Apr 24, 2020

THE FUEL SYSTEM IS MALFUNCTIONING. THE FUEL TANK HAS A CRACK CAUSED BY A WELDING POINT ON THE FUEL TANK WAS BROKEN LOOSE. OVER TIME I SAW MY FUEL GAUGE DROP DRAMATICALLY. THIS CAUSES ME TO GET GAS MORE OFTEN.

NHTSA ID
11322158
Incident
Apr 24, 2020
Mileage
177,593 mi
ElectricalSuspension
Filed Feb 18, 2020

I WAS DRIVING MY CAR IT STARTED TO SHAKE VERY HARD WELL I HEARD A SNAP SOUND AND MY CAR STARTED TO DRAG I GOT OUT MY FRAME ABOVE MY RIGHT LOWER CONTROL HAD SNAPPED IVE READ THAT MANY OTHER PEOPLE ARE HAVING THE SAME PROBLEM I CONTACTES FORD ABOUT THE ISSUE AND THEY SAID THERE IS NOTHING THEY CAN DO WELL I'M OUT OF A VEHICLE BUT VEFORE ALL OF THIS I KEPT GOING THROUGH FUEL RELAY ISSUES AND EVENTUALLY STARTED LOSING MY INSTRUMENT CLUSTER SO NOW I'M FIGHTING WITH THEM TO DO THE REPAIRS

NHTSA ID
11309959
Incident
Feb 7, 2020
Fuel system
Filed Feb 2, 2020

THE CAR JERKS WHEN ACCELERATED.

NHTSA ID
11306524
Incident
Jan 15, 2020
Mileage
178,000 mi
Driver assistanceEnginePowertrain (other)
Filed Aug 18, 2019

(ETB) ELECTRONIC THROTTLE BODY ON MY CAR CAUSES AN ACCELERATION THAT MAKES THE CAR JERK FORWARD. I'VE ALMOST HIT A WALL, AND GOD FORBID THIS HAPPENS ON THE HIGHWAY I COULD CAUSE AN ACCIDENT. ITS UNSAFE AND SHOULD BE RECALLED. POOR DESIGN I GUESS BUT IT'S NOT WORTH MY LIFE. THIS HAPPENED WHILE IDLING IN DRIVE THRU WHEN I TRIED TO GO FORWARD IT IDLED REALLY HIGH THEN DROPPED DOWN. WOULD BOT ACCELERATE AFTERWARDS.

NHTSA ID
11244759
Incident
Aug 18, 2019
Mileage
270,453 mi
Fuel system
Filed Jul 24, 2019

ELECTRONIC THROTTLE BODY A MAJOR COMPLAINT AND CAUSES THE CAR TO HAVE NO THROTTLE RESPONSE. ELDERLY MOTHER GOT STUCK ON A HILL AND COULD NOT GET CAR REST OF THE WAY UP THE HILL TO SAFETY. PAGE AFTER PAGE OF THIS COMPLAINT ON INTERNET. FORD AWARE OF THESE ISSUES AND STILL REFUSES TO LAUNCH A RECALL. PART COST $500+ FOR THE PART AND DEALER WANTS ANOTHER $300+ FOR INSTALL. ABSOLUTELY DISGUSTING TO HAVE ELDERLY OR WOMEN WITH INFANT CHILDREN STUCK ON ROADWAYS WITH THIS ISSUE. WILL NEVER BUT FORD AGAIN BASED ON MY EXPERIENCE WITH THIS ISSUE AND THEM TURNING THEIR BACK ON THIS KNOWN PROBLEM.

NHTSA ID
11234627
Incident
Jul 24, 2019
Mileage
140,000 mi
ElectricalFuel system
Filed Jul 8, 2019

TAKATA RECALL MY CAR HAS A FUEL LEAK PROBLEM AND FUEL TANK IS DAMAGE TO WELD DEFECT CIDE: P04442. ALSO PREVIOUS OWN INSTALLED A AFTERMARKET REMOTE CAR STARTER. NOW MY CAR HAS TROUBLE STARTING EVER AFTER I REPLACED THE STARTER. PROBLEM MIGHT BE THE (ECU) ENGINE CONTROL UNIT NOW WORKING PROPERLY.

NHTSA ID
11229975
Incident
Jul 1, 2019
Mileage
172,940 mi
Filed May 23, 2019

AS WE WERE DRIVING ON THE FREEWAY OUR SUNROOF EXPLODED CRACKING ALL THE GLASS. LUCKLEY THE PROTECTOR WAS CLOSED. IT SHOWED A BUMP LIKE SHAPE WITH THE CENTER CRACKED OPEN.

NHTSA ID
11209461
Incident
May 23, 2019
EngineFuel systemSuspension
Filed May 16, 2019

SUSPENSION: CONTINUOUS RATTLE ISSUES IN THE REAR SUSPENSION. BUSHINGS? SWAY BARS?? WHO KNOWS. NO ONE CAN SEEM TO PINPOINT THE PROBLEM. HAPPENS ONLY DURING DRIVING. CONSISTENT NOISE FROM THE REAR. FUEL: PROBLEMS WITH FUEL SENSOR. FAILED READING. ALL GAUGES LIGHT UP. RUN OBD AND ALL FLUID LEVELS / PRESSURE FINE. NO REASON FOR THE FAILURE. DEALERSHIP TOLD ME THE THROTTLE BODY WAS AN ISSUE AND THE SENSOR INSIDE SAME. HOWEVER, AFTER NUMEROUS WEB BASED SEARCHES I FOUND THAT THROTTLE BODY ISSUES ARE DEFINITELY AN ISSUE. FOUND THAT REMOVING THE AIR CLEANER BOX FOR FILTER REPLACEMENT CAN CAUSE SENSOR ISSUES. WHY? SINCE MY LAST OIL CHANGE I HAVE HAD AT LEAST THREE FAILURES HERE. THIS IS DANGEROUS, EXPENSIVE AND SHOULD BE TAKEN CARE OF.

NHTSA ID
11207982
Incident
May 16, 2019
Mileage
136,000 mi
Filed Mar 31, 2019

"TAKATA RECALL" DRIVER SIDE FRONT DOOR WON'T LATCH CLOSE UNTIL CAR IS WARM UP I SPRAYED IT WITH WD40 THIS IS THE SECOND TIME IT DID IT TO ME. CAR WAS PARKED

NHTSA ID
11192702
Incident
Mar 31, 2019
Mileage
87,414 mi
Powertrain (other)
Filed Mar 10, 2019

I STOPPED ON A CITY STREET AT STOP SIGN. AS I TRIED TO ACCELERATE, BUT THE CAR WOULD BARELY MOVE. THE THROTTLE CONTROL/TRANSMISSION WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. I TURNED THE CAR OFF AND LET IT SIT FOR ABOUT 2 TO 3 MINUTES. I STARTED THE CAR UP AND WAS ABLE TO MAKE IT HOME. I AM THANKFUL THAT THIS HAPPEN ON CITY STREET AND NOT ON THE HIGHWAY. I PLAN ON CONTACTING MY FORD DEALER TOMORROW.

NHTSA ID
11185706
Incident
Mar 10, 2019
Mileage
86,921 mi
Body & structure
Filed Feb 26, 2019

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 FORD FIVE HUNDRED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FRONT DRIVER'S AND FRONT PASSENGER DOORS DID NOT SHUT WHEN IT RAINED OR WHEN THE WEATHER WAS COLD. THE DEALER AND MANUFACTURER WERE NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 146,000.

NHTSA ID
11182566
Incident
Jan 26, 2019
Mileage
146,000 mi
Interior & seats
Filed Jan 24, 2019

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 FORD FIVE HUNDRED. DURING INCLEMENT COLD WEATHER CONDITIONS, THE FRONT DRIVER AND PASSENGER DOORS FAILED TO LATCH SECURELY. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED PER NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 06V383000 (LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES), BUT THE FAILURE RECURRED. BOYD COUNTY FORD (LOCATED AT 2119 GREENUP AVENUE, ASHLAND, KY 41101) PERFORMED THE RECALL REPAIR. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 235,000.

NHTSA ID
11171807
Incident
Jan 24, 2019
Mileage
235,000 mi

Higher-selling and older vehicles accumulate more reports. Counts are not failure rates and are not directly comparable between vehicles that sold in very different numbers.

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