Problems · NHTSA complaints
2007 Ford Five Hundred problems
Owners filed 199 complaints about the 2007 Ford Five Hundred with NHTSA between Jan 2007 and Nov 2023. The most-cited component is vehicle speed control (70).
Complaints
199
Filed with NHTSA
Crashes
17
Reported by owners
Fires
3
Reported by owners
Injuries
6
People reported injured
Deaths
0
Reported to NHTSA
Complaints by component
One complaint can cite several components
- Vehicle speed control70
- Power train59
- Electrical system22
- Engine21
- Fuel system, gasoline21
- Engine and engine cooling19
- Fuel/propulsion system13
- Structure8
- Equipment7
- Steering6
- Air bags6
- Wheels4
- Tires4
- Suspension4
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
When complaints were filed
Does it get worse with age? Complaints per calendar year filed
11
2
12
22
61
35
13
13
9
6
2
3
4
4
1
0
1
View as table
| Model year | Complaints filed per calendar year |
|---|---|
| 2007 | 11 |
| 2008 | 2 |
| 2009 | 12 |
| 2010 | 22 |
| 2011 | 61 |
| 2012 | 35 |
| 2013 | 13 |
| 2014 | 13 |
| 2015 | 9 |
| 2016 | 6 |
| 2017 | 2 |
| 2018 | 3 |
| 2019 | 4 |
| 2020 | 4 |
| 2021 | 1 |
| 2022 | 0 |
| 2023 | 1 |
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.
Top problems in owners’ words
Verbatim from NHTSA complaints, newest first
Vehicle speed control
70 reports10 crashes
“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.”
Power train
59 reports3 crashes
“It's starting not going into highway gears (5&6) just revs real high and when it does finally, it kicks really hard. Sounds and feels like it's going to drop out from under the car.”
Electrical system
22 reports1 crash1 fire
“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.”
Engine
21 reports1 crash
“AFTER DRIVING HALF-HOUR IN HIGH-WAY SOUTHWARD ON I-45 IN THE MORNING. THE CAR CANNOT BE ACCELERATE AT AROUND 40MPH WHEN I RAMP UP TO 288, AND THE AUTO-LOCK LIGHT TURNED RED. SECONDS LATER, IT RECOVERED BACK. 2 MINUTES LATER, IT HAPPENED AGAIN . AND AGAIN . SO I PARKED IT . ~8-HOURS LATER, I STARTED IT AND THE AUTO-LOCK LIGHT RED AGAIN. SECONDS LATER, THE ENGINE STOPPED WHEN I BACK THE CAR. I STEPPED ON GAS-PEDAL WHEN I TRIED 3RD TIME, AND THE CAR MOVED AND THE AUTO-LOCK LIGHT KEPT RED. 10-MINUTS LATER, WHEN I DRIVE ON 288-SOUTH AT ~60MPH, BOTH OF THE REPAIR LIGHT AND ENGINE LIGHT TURNED YELLOW AND THE AUTO-LOCK LIGHT OFF, SECONDS LATER, THE REPAIR LIGHT OFF. THE ENGINE LIGHT KEPT ON. SO I GET DOWN THE HIGHWAY, CANNOT ACCELERATE CAR WITH GAS-PEDAL ON AND CANNOT TURN STERRING WHEEL, THE CAR SLOW DOWN AND STOPPED BY ITSELF. 5-MINUTES LATER, I STARTED IT AGAIN WITH ENGINE LIGHT ON WITH YELLOW, THE CAR MOVED AND 10 MINUTES LATER, I PARKED IT HOME.”
Fuel system, gasoline
21 reports3 crashes2 related recalls
“FUEL TANK FAILURE ,FUEL LEAK, VAPOR LEAK. THIS DUE TO A FAILURE OF THE SEALS ON THE FUEL TANK ALONG WITH THE DETERIORATION OF THE MOUNTING BRACKETS ON THE FUEL PUMP AND FUEL SENDING UNITS.”
Engine and engine cooling
19 reports2 crashes1 fire
“THERE IS A CHRONIC RECURRENCE OF THE ENGINE STALLING, JERKING, IDLE SPEED LOPING, IN LOW GEAR FOR THIS VEHICLE. AT START UP AND THE ENGINE IS COLD THERE IS LITTLE TO NO PROBLEM. HOWEVER, ONCE THE NORMAL OPERATING TEMPERATURE IS REACHED (PER THE READOUT GAUGE), AND UPON APPLYING THE BRAKES TO COME TO A STOP, AND AS THE TRANSMISSION DOWNSHIFTS THE ENGINE GOES DEAD OR STALLS, AFTER RE-STARTING AND AT IDLE, THE IDLE SPEED, PER THE INDICATOR, FLUCTUATES BACK AND FORTH FROM ABOUT 500 RPM'S TO 900 RPMS. PLACING THE GEAR SHIFT IN THE DRIVE POSITION CAUSES THE CAR TO JUMP PRIOR TO ACCELERATION. AT THIS POINT WHEN TAKING OFF THE CAR JERKS FORWARD. IT SMOOTHES OUT AFTER INCREASING THE SPEED, BUT PRIOR TO EACH STOP THE FLUCTUATING BEGINS AGAIN. *JS”
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.