Owner-reported complaints naming the electrical system, filed with NHTSA
Data refreshed
Reports naming the electrical system — wiring, battery, charging, control modules, infotainment and electrical accessories. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 2007 Ford Five Hundred submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 23 reports on file name it.
Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.
Shown in the owner’s own words, exactly as filed
I HAD THIS CAR REPAIRED TWICE AT A PROFESSIONAL MECHANIC SHOP THAT COST ME THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS. EVERY TIME, THE CAR COMES TO STOP OR DIES ON ME. I REPLACED THE FUEL FILTER ONE TIME THAT IS UNDERNEATH THE CAR. NOW THE CAR IS SITTING IN MY GARAGE BECAUSE OF THE FUEL PUMP NOT FUNCTIONING AND DOES NOT MAKE THAT SOUND ANYMORE WHEN YOU TURN THE KEY ON.
IT BEGAN WITH THE 12 VOLT NOT WORKING. PUT IN NEW FUSE IT BLEW. THEN INSTRUMENT PANEL SPEEDOMETER GOES BLACK, IF YOU GOT THE DASH IT COMES BACK ON THE BATTERY GOT COMPLETELY DRAINED BOUGHT A NEW ONE. STILL HAVE A SHORT SOMEWHERE . NOTICED A MILLION OTHER COMPLAINTS THE SAME SHOULD THIS NOT BE INVESTIGATED? A SODERING DEFECT OR ELECTRICAL SHORT DRAINING BATTERY, IT'S OBVIOUSLY A VEHICLE DEFECT. ISN'T FORD A BIG ENOUGH COMPANY TO TAKE CARE OF THIS INSTEAD OF IGNORING IT? THIS IS ON A 2007 FORD 500, LOW MILES. THIS HAPPENS SITTING STILL OR DRIVING.
THE ANTI THEFT IS ON
INSTRUMENT CLUSTER FLASHES THEN GOES BLACK WHILE DRIVING. INTERIOR EXTERIOR AND GAUGE LIGHTS GO BRIGHT AND DIM AND GO OUT ALTOGETHER WHILE DRIVING. CAR DIES WHILE MOVING. BATTERIES ONLY LAST 1 YEAR FROM BEING DRAINED. NO ALTERNATOR ISSUE PER 3 DIFFERENT MECHANICS.
DASH PANEL LIGHT GO ON AND OFF WHILE DRIVING, REVERSE LIGHTS COME ON AND CAR WANTS TO STALL. PUT NEW BATTERY IN AND HAD ALTERNATOR REPLACED STILL HAVING PROBLEM. CAN NOT DRIVE CAR BECAUSE OF SAFETY RISKS. BEEN DOING THIS FOR A MONTH AND STILL DOING IT EVEN AFTER REPAIRS DONE BY MECHANIC.
SINCE I BOUGHT MY CAR IN 2007 I AM ON MY 4TH BATTERY. THE BATTERY WILL JUST DIE AND STOP HOLDING A CHARGE. THE DEALER CANNOT FIGURE OUT WHAT IS CAUSING THE BATTERY TO DRAIN. EVERY TIME THE CHARGE IT, THE CAR JUST DRAINS IT. THE BATTERIES ON OVERAGE ONLY LAST AROUND 2 YEARS. WHEN I GO UP AND DOWN STEEP HILLS MY CHECK BATTERY LIGHT COMES ON, BUT ONCE ON LEVEL THE LIGHT GOES OUT. MY CAR IS FINE AND THEN I GO TO START THE CAR IT WON'T START. NO WARNING WHAT SO EVER. THE CHECK BATTERY LIGHT NEVER EVEN COME ON. UNLESS OF COURSE WHILE I AM DRIVING UP OR DOWN A STEEP HILL. I LIVE IN SPOKANE WASHINGTON, BUT I HAD TO HAVE THE BATTERY REPLACED ONCE WHILE I WAS ON VACATION IN MONTANA. SOMETHING HAS TO BE DRAINING THE BATTERY BUT WE CANNOT FIGURE OUT WHAT IT IS.
WHILE DRIVING ONE DAY, MY CLUSTER PANEL WENT DARK. AT FIRST I THOUGHT IT MAY BE THE BATTERY, WHICH WOULD ALSO CAUSE THE CAR TO DIE. HOWEVER, THE CAR WAS STILL RUNNING. WHEN I DROVE IT TO MY MECHANIC, IT DID THE SAME THING BUT BEGAN FLICKERING ON AND OFF THE WHOLE WAY THERE. NOT ONLY WAS IT ANNOYING, BUT I COULD NOT SEE MY SPEED NOR MY GAS GAUGE. ADDITIONALLY, WHEN I TRIED TO USE MY EMERGENCY LIGHTS, THEY WOULD ALSO GO OFF WHENEVER THE PANEL WENT OUT. THE REPAIR OF THE WHOLE CLUSTER PANEL IS NOT CHEAP. AN ESTIMATE FOR ME WAS $900 FROM MY MECHANIC. SINCE IT WILL HAVE TO BE PROGRAMMED HOWEVER, I WILL HAVE TO TAKE IT TO FORD WHICH IS A PAIN IN ITSELF. THERE ARE COUNTLESS REVIEWS ON THIS PROBLEM, IT SHOULD NOT BE LEFT UP TO THE CONSUMER TO TAKE ON SUCH A SIGNIFICANT EXPENSE. MY CAR HAS ROUGHLY 62,000 MILES ON IT.
WHILE DRIVING DOWN THE STREET AT MIDNIGHT THE CAR WARNING LIGHTS STARTED TO COME ON (ABS, BATTERY, TRACTION CONTROL, AND FINALLY THE FACTORY STEREO/GPS UNIT) ONE BY ONE. THEN FOLLOWED BY THE DASHBOARD ILLUMINATION GOING OUT WHICH MEANS I NOW HAD NO TAILLIGHTS. THEN FINALLY LOST ALL ACCELERATION AND THE CAR JUST STOPPED. LUCKILY, I WAS ABLE TO ILLEGALLY PARK THE CAR BLOCKING A DRIVEWAY AND FIRE HYDRANT. HAD I BEEN ON THE HIGHWAY I MAY HAVE HAD A COMPLETELY DIFFERENT ENDING. A WEEK AFTER THE MECHANIC REPLACED THE ALTERNATOR THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM SHUT DOWN AGAIN ONLY I GOT NO LIGHTS ON, IT JUST DIED. AFTER HAVING THE CAR FOR A WEEK MY MECHANIC REPLACED A FAULTY GROUND AND THE BATTERY. THE CAR STILL DOESN'T WORK PROPERLY. HE HAS NO IDEA WHY. *TR
ON A TRIP SOUTH ON AN INTERSTATE, MY CAR OVERHEATED. THERE WAS BUMPER TO BUMPER TRAFFIC ON A HOT DAY. I HAD MY AIR CONDITIONER ON AND WE WERE ONLY TRAVELING AT 5-10 MPH. A SERVICE STATION DIAGNOSED THE PROBLEM AND FOUND AN ELECTRICAL SHORT IN A COMPUTER MODULE WHICH CONTROLS THE RADIATOR FAN. THIS PROBLEM RESULTED IN A $700 REPAIR BILL. *TR
WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 40 MPH, ALL OF THE GAUGES ON THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER STOPPED FUNCTIONING AND DISPLAYED READINGS OF ZERO. CONTINUED TO DRIVE AND THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER BEGAN WORKING A FEW MOMENTS LATER. THE FAILURE OCCURRED INTERMITTENTLY WHILE DRIVING AT ANY SPEED. WHEN THIS HAPPENS THE REVERSE LIGHTS COME ON EVEN WHEN IN DRIVE. THIS, AS WELL AS NO SPEEDOMETER TO ME IS VERY DANGEROUS. I THINK CORRECTIVE ACTION SHOULD BE TAKEN TOWARDS A RESOLUTION. THERE ARE COUNTLESS OTHERS WHO HAVE FILED COMPLAINTS AND CONCERNS REGARDING THIS VERY ISSUE. PLEASE ISSUE A RECALL ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL REPLACEMENT. I FEEL THE COST OF REPLACEMENT (AS WELL AS A DIAGNOSIS FEE) SHOULD NOT BE ABSORBED BY THE CONSUMER FOR SOMETHING THAT IS NOT NORMAL MAINTENANCE FOR THE VEHICLE!
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2007 FORD FIVE HUNDRED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE SIDE MIRROR ON THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE DOOR CAUGHT FIRE. THE DEALER STATED THAT THERE WAS A SHORT IN THE WIRING HARNESS. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED AND THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 82,172.
THIS IS NOT THE FIRST TIME I HAVE COMPLAINED NOR AM I THE ONLY ONE HAVING THIS ISSUE. I BOUGHT THE CAR BACK IN 2010 AND INFORMED THE CAR LOT OF FLICKERING LIGHTS WELL NOW ITS GONE AS FAR AS MY WHOLE DASH LIGHTS FLICKER AND WHEN THEY COME BACK THEY DO NOT COME BACK CORRECTLY ALL THE TIME. MY GAS GAUGE DOESN'T REGISTER PROPERLY. THIS HAPPENS WHEN I RUN THE AC. WHEN I HAD IT CHECKED I WAS TOLD THAT IT HAD SOMETHING DO WITH BATTERY. THE ALTERNATOR IS PULLING TOO MUCH POWER WHEN AC IS ON. WELL IF I AM NOT THE ONLY ONE HAVING THIS ISSUE I DON'T UNDERSTAND WHY THIS IS NOT GETTING A BETTER SETTLING BESIDES OH I THINK IT IS THIS OR I THINK IT IS THAT. I HAVE SEARCHED YOUTUBE AND THERE ARE A LOT OF PPL HAVING THIS ISSUE. A WHOLE LOT OF PPL. I AM GOING TO GO HAVE MY BATTERY CHECKED AGAIN AND TAKE BACK TO CAR LOT AGAIN AND HOPE TO HAVE A SOLUTION. THIS IS GETTING REALLY RIDICULOUS AND BAD. I CAN RUN MY AC FOR MAY 10 MINUTES WITHOUT THIS HAPPENING AND ONCE I DO THE CAR DOESN'T WANNA RUN PROPERLY AFTER. PLEASE LOOK INTO THIS AND REACH OUT TO OTHER OWNERS AND SEE IF THEY ARE HAVING SAME ISSUES. MAYBE THEY DON'T KNOW HOW OT REACH YOU LIKE I DID. *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2007 FORD FIVE HUNDRED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING BETWEEN 25 TO 65 MPH, THE INTERIOR LIGHTING AND INSTRUMENT PANEL LIGHTS SUDDENLY FAILED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE IT WAS FOUND THAT THE SOFTWARE NEEDED TO BE REPROGRAMMED AND THE BATTERY NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED BUT THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 101,000. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 109,000.
THE VEHICLE SURGES/LUNGES FORWARD/BACKWARD WHEN GOING FROM PARK TO REVERSE/DRIVE WITHOUT ANY GAS BEING APPLIED. WHEN BRAKE IS APPLIED THE VEHICLE STILL DOESN'T STOP AND I HAVE NO CONTROL OF THE CAR WHEN IT HAPPENS. THE CAR MAINLY DOES IT WHEN THE AIR CONDITION IS ON, BUT WILL DO IT OTHER TIMES AS WELL. THE CAR HAS SHUT OFF TWICE WHILE DRIVING WITH THE WRENCH LIGHT APPEARING ON THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER. WHEN I TRIED TO RESTART THE CAR IT SHUT OFF AGAIN. WHEN I TURNED THE AIR CONDITIONING OFF THE CAR STOPPED SHUTTING OFF. THIS IS VERY DANGEROUS AND SHOULD BE RECALLED BY FORD, BEFORE SOMEONE GETS SERIOUSLY HURT. I'M HAVING TO PAY OUT $800 FOR A PART THAT HAS BEEN REPORTED BY THOUSANDS OF OTHER FORD OWNERS. FORD NEEDS TO RECALL THIS PART. *TR
SINCE MY VEHICLE WAS NEW I HAVE COMPLAINED TO THE DEALERSHIP, AND ONLINE, THAT THE OPTIONAL BRAKE AND ACCELERATOR PEDAL HEIGHT ADJUSTMENT ROCKER SWITCH IS WIRED IMPROPERLY. THAT IS, WIRED IN REVERSE. THE MOUNTED SWITCH CLEARLY DEPICTS A FOOT OVER A PEDAL IN THE CENTER WITH AN ARROW POINTING 'UP' AT THE TOP OF THE SWITCH AND AN ARROW POINTING 'DOWN' AT THE BOTTOM OF THE SWITCH. THIS CONTROLS THE HEIGHT ADJUSTMENT OF BOTH PEDALS FROM THE FLOOR AND IS DESIGNED TO PLACE THE PEDALS WITHIN REACH OF THE OPERATOR. ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS MEMBERS OF MY FAMILY HAVE DEPRESSED THIS SWITCH WHILE IN MOTION PUSHING THE TOP PORTION OF THE ROCKER SWITCH ASSUMING THE PEDALS WOULD RISE 'UP' AS INDICATED BY THE ARROWS ON THE SWITCH. WRONG!! PRESSING THE SWITCH IN THE UPWARD POSITION 'LOWERS' THE PEDALS TO THE FLOOR, WHILE PRESSING THE LOWER PORTION OF THE SWITCH, WITH THE ARROW POINTING 'DOWN', ACTUALLY RAISES THE PEDALS UP, CLOSER TO THE OPERATOR. AFTER PRESSING THE SWITCH SEVERAL TIMES IN THE UP POSITION AND BELIEVING THE PEDALS WERE AT THEIR MAXIMUM HEIGHT, SEVERAL OF THE DRIVERS IN THE HOUSE WHOM HAVE SHORT LEGS, WERE IMMEDIATELY PANICKED AND DESPERATELY BEGAN TRYING TO COMPENSATE BY READJUSTING THE SEAT TO BE WITHIN REACH OF THE BRAKE! A SCARY AND DANGEROUS CONDITION WHILE THE VEHICLE IS IN MOTION! IF FORD REFUSES TO SIMPLY REVERSE THE OPERATION OF THE SWITCH, MAYBE A SAFETY INTERLOCK COULD BE DEVISED TO PREVENT OPERATION WHILE THE VEHICLE IS IN GEAR. *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2007 FORD FIVE HUNDRED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE ALTERNATOR WAS USING MOST OF THE VEHICLE POWER AND CAUSING THE BATTERY TO FAIL. THE CONTACT HAD TO PURCHASE TWO BATTERIES IN A ONE MONTH PERIOD AS A RESULT OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHO ADVISED THAT THEY COULD NOT REPAIR THE VEHICLE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE WHO OFFERED NO ASSISTANCE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 85,000.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2007 FORD FIVE HUNDRED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE RECEIVED REPAIRS FOR AN INTERMITTENT LOSS OF COMMUNICATION BETWEEN THE TRANS CONTROL AND THE ONBOARD COMPUTER. AFTER REPAIRS, THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WOULD ABNORMALLY ACCELERATE SPORADICALLY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN BACK TO THE DEALER WHERE THE DEALER WAS UNABLE TO DIAGNOSE THE EXACT CAUSE OF FAILURE. THE DEALER THEN UPDATED THE PCM AND MADE NO FURTHER REPAIRS. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 49,226, AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 43,623.
2007 FORD 500 CAR SURGES IN DRIVE AND REVERSE. WHEN BACKING OUT OF PARKING PLACES CAR MOTOR RACES AND CAR SURGES 3 TO 4 FEET. SO FAR WE HAVE NOT HIT ANYONE. *TR
CAR: 2007 FORD 500 LIMITED. MOVING SHIFT LEVER FROM PARK TO REVERSE OR TO DRIVE, AFTER ABOUT 1 SECOND THE CAR "LURCHES" FORWARD OR BACKWARD. I KEEP THE BRAKE LOCKED DOWN WHEN CHANGING GEARS FOR SEVERAL SECONDS UNTIL I'M SURE IT WON'T JUMP.THIS IS DANGEROUS. WHEN THIS FIRST STARTED HAPPENING, I ALMOST RAN OVER SOMEONE IN A PARKING LOT AS I WANTED TO BACK OUT OF A PARKING SPOT. I TOOK THIS IN FOR SERVICE AND MENTIONED IT TO THE SERVICE MANAGER. AS HE DROVE THE CAR AROUND TO THE BACK, HE SAID HE NOTICED IT TOO AND ASKED THE TRANSMISSION MAN TO LOOK IT OVER. SINCE I WAS HAVING THE TRANSMISSION OIL CHANGED, HE THOUGHT IT MIGHT BE RELATED TO OLD FLUID. (CAR HAD ABOUT 70K MILES AT THE TIME). ITS ABOUT 5K MILES SINCE THE SERVICE AND THE CARIS AS BAD OR WORSE THAN IT HAS EVER BEEN. I BELIEVE THE PROBLEM IS RELATED TO THE COMPUTER GETTING A WRONG SIGNAL FROM ONE OF THE THROTTLE SENSORS AND CAUSING THE ENGINE TO SURGE. DEALER SAID HE HAD NOT SEEN THE PROBLEM BEFORE AND DIDN'T KNOW WHAT TO DO. THE PROBLEM IS STILL OCCURRING BUT SINCE ONLY MY WIFE AND I DRIVE THE CAR, WE ARE COMPENSATING BY HOLDING THE BRAKE FOR SEVERAL SECONDS AFTER MOVING THE SHIFT LEVER. I HOPE YOU CAN IDENTIFY THE PROBLEM AND LET ME KNOW OR HAVE FORD PUT OUT A SAFETY RECALL AND A FIX FOR THE PROBLEM. THANKS *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 FORD FIVE HUNDRED. THE CONTACT STATED THE BATTERY WOULD REPEATEDLY FAIL. ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS, THE CONTACT WAS UNABLE TO START THE VEHICLE DUE TO THE FAILURE. IN ADDITION, THE RADIO AND DASHBOARD LIGHTS WOULD FLICKER ON AND OFF. THE DEALER WAS UNABLE TO DETERMINE THE CAUSE OF THE PREMATURE BATTERY FAILURE. THE BATTERY WAS TAKEN BACK TO WHERE IT WAS PURCHASED AND THE CONTACT WAS ADVISED THAT THERE WAS NOTHING WRONG WITH THE BATTERY. THE CONTACT WAS CONCERNED THERE WAS AN INTERNAL ELECTRICAL FAILURE WITHIN THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 23,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE 44,500.
FAILURE OF THE HEATING ELEMENT FOR DRIVER'S SIDE SEAT. DEALERSHIP TESTED AND FOUND HEATING ELEMENT HAS INTERMITTENT FAULT. REPAIRED WITH FORD PARTS, UNDER WARRANTY ON 11-12-07. HEATING ELEMENT FOR DRIVER'S SIDE SEAT FAILED AGAIN 2-12-09. BROUGHT INTO DEALERSHIP AND WAS TOLD THE PART IS NOT COVERED UNDER WARRANTY. AT THE COST OF APPROXIMATELY $679, DID NOT HAVE SEAT FIXED. *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2007 FORD FIVE HUNDRED. THE VEHICLE SUSTAINED DAMAGE DURING A TORNADO. AFTER HAVING THE VEHICLE REPAIRED THE BATTERY AND THE OIL LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE OIL LEVELS IN THE VEHICLE WERE NORMAL. THE VEHICLE WAS CURRENTLY BEING DIAGNOSED BY THE DEALER. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 11,090. *AK
TL* - THE CONTACT HAS A 2007 FORD 500. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE BACKUP SENSORS CANNOT BE HEARD OVER THE RADIO, AND VOLUME CANNOT BE ADJUSTED ON THE RADIO SO THAT ONE CAN HEAR THE SENSORS. ALSO, THE CONTACT STATED THAT HE HAS THIS FEATURE IN THE FORD TRUCK, AND THAT THE RADIO AUTOMATICALLY TURNS DOWN WHEN THE BACKUP SENSORS COME ON. THE CONTACT STATED THAT HE DEPENDS ON THE SENSORS BECAUSE HE HAS THE FEATURE, BUT IT DOES NO M GOOD TO HAVE IT IF HE CAN'T HEAR IT. THE CONTACT WOULD LIKE THE CAR TO BE WIRED SO THAT THE RADIO'S VOLUME LOWERS AUTOMATICALLY AND HE CAN HEAR THE SENSOR. *AK UPDATED 2/13/2007 - *NM
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.
Categories with enough reports to have a page of their own
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