Problems · NHTSA complaints

2005 Ford Five Hundred problems

Owners filed 510 complaints about the 2005 Ford Five Hundred with NHTSA between Jan 2005 and Aug 2025. The most-cited component is power train (136).

Complaints
510
Filed with NHTSA
Crashes
20
Reported by owners
Fires
6
Reported by owners
Injuries
14
People reported injured
Deaths
0
Reported to NHTSA
01 —By component

Complaints by component

One complaint can cite several components
  1. Power train136
  2. Vehicle speed control104
  3. Electrical system95
  4. Engine58
  5. Engine and engine cooling49
  6. Service brakes, hydraulic41
  7. Structure33
  8. Fuel/propulsion system24
  9. Latches/locks/linkages22
  10. Suspension17
  11. Fuel system, gasoline17
  12. Air bags15
  13. Exterior lighting14
  14. Steering9

Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.

Data from NHTSA Complaints API · synced Oct 30, 2026NHTSA vehicle page
02 —Trend

When complaints were filed

Does it get worse with age? Complaints per calendar year filed
View as table
Model yearComplaints filed per calendar year
200521
200638
200736
200826
200935
201070
201185
201264
201329
201428
201512
201621
201713
20186
201910
20207
20212
20222
20233
20241
20251

Mileage at failure isn’t a structured field in NHTSA complaint data, so we don’t chart it. Some owners mention it in their reports below.

03 —Owner reports

Top problems in owners’ words

Verbatim from NHTSA complaints, newest first

Power train

136 reports3 crashes
“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.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Aug 19, 2025Power trainODI 11681667

Vehicle speed control

104 reports3 crashes
“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.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jun 20, 2022Vehicle speed controlODI 11470129

Electrical system

95 reports1 crash3 fires
“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”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Mar 9, 2024Electrical system, EngineODI 11576414

Engine

58 reports2 crashes1 fire
“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…”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Aug 22, 2023Suspension, EngineCrash reportedODI 11540215

Engine and engine cooling

49 reports1 crash2 fires
“THE CAR PERIODICALLY LURCHED AND SURGED. FINALLY, IT WOULD NOT START. THE DEALER DETERMINED THAT THE ELECTRONIC THROTTLE BODY WAS DEFECTIVE. BASED ON INFORMATION FROM THE DEALER AND FROM THIS WEBSITE, IT APPEARS THAT THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM ON CERTAIN FORD MODELS. IF THIS PROBLEM IS AS WIDE-SPREAD AS IT APPEARS, THERE SHOULD BE A RECALL. *TR”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Apr 10, 2012Engine and engine coolingODI 10454666

Service brakes, hydraulic

41 reports
“WE BOUGHT MY CAR IN JULY 2011, ITS WAS GARAGED BY THE 1ST OWNER SO IT WAS LIKE BRAND NEW!! LOW MILES JUST 12,850 , START WHAT NOW SEEMS TO BE THE ENDLESS DRIVES IN A RENTAL CAR AND WITH EMPTY WALLETS TOTALING NOW APPROX; CLOSE TO AN ADDITIONAL $3,500 NOW IN REPAIRS FROM THE BATTERY IN AUG 2011 TO NOW TO HAVING THE THROTTLE BEING REPLACE ALONG WITH A SET IF TIRES AND THE 2ND SET OF BOTH REAR AND FRONT BRAKES IN LESS THEN A YEAR , ALL DUE TO THE CONSENT STOPPING AND GOING OF THE CAR BY HITTING THE BRAKES TOO MUCH AND HAVING TO ACCELERATE, BECAUSE THE CAR WOULD WHILE TEMPTING TO PULL OUT OF MY GARAGE AT WHAT SHOULD OF BEEN A MERE 3MILES PER HOUR; RESULTED IN FLYING BACKWARDS SUDDENLY WHILE FOOT WAS APPLYING PRESSURE ON THE BRAKES TO KEEP FROM MOWING DOWN MY TEENAGE SON AT 15 MILES A HOUR ON ITS OWN WITH THE MP RISING RAPIDLY , WAS THE SCARE OF MY LIFE!!!! PLEASE SOMEONE RECALL THIS CAR , BEFORE SOMEONE REALLY DOES GET KILLED OR HURT!!! AS OF TODAY THE TOTAL THIS TIME TO REPAIR MY CAR IS AT A TOTAL IF$ 1,585.00; TO REPLACE THE THROTTLE AND TIRES & BRAKES AGAIN, AND FORD WOULDN'T EVEN COMP, US A RENTAL CAR THIS TIME ON OUR 5 TRIP DOWN TO THE SERVICE DEPT OF FORD!!!! *TR”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Feb 1, 2012Service brakes, hydraulic, Engine and engine cooling, Power trainODI 10446102
Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Oct 30, 2026

Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.