2005 Ford 500: complaints, problems and recalls
Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.
Key facts
99 owner complaints analyzed
0 distinct recall campaigns
117,000 mi median reported failure mileage
Scope: 2005 model year. Data snapshot: . 84 complaints include usable failure mileage.
Most common problems
Engine is the most frequently named component, appearing in 31 of 99 complaints (31.3%). A complaint can name multiple components.
| Topic | Matching reports | Share of complaints |
|---|---|---|
| Transmission and shifting | 17 | 17.2% |
| Engine operation | 16 | 16.2% |
| Braking behavior | 11 | 11.1% |
| Steering behavior | 6 | 6.1% |
| Fuel system concerns | 1 | 1.0% |
Topic matches use published keyword rules. They describe mentions, including negations or comparisons, and do not confirm a diagnosis. Read the matching rules.
Component breakdown
Number of unique complaints naming each component. Top eight shown.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Engine | 31 |
| Power Train | 27 |
| Electrical System | 19 |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 18 |
| Fuel/Propulsion System | 7 |
| Unknown Or Other | 6 |
| Air Bags | 5 |
| Latches/Locks/Linkages:Doors:Latch | 4 |
Engine: 31; Power Train: 27; Electrical System: 19; Vehicle Speed Control: 18; Fuel/Propulsion System: 7; Unknown Or Other: 6; Air Bags: 5; Latches/Locks/Linkages:Doors:Latch: 4
Reported problems by failure mileage
Complaint counts in mileage bands. These are not failure rates per vehicle or mile.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Under 25,000 | 0 |
| 25,000 to 49,999 | 2 |
| 50,000 to 74,999 | 12 |
| 75,000 to 99,999 | 12 |
| 100,000 to 149,999 | 37 |
| 150,000 and above | 21 |
Under 25,000: 0; 25,000 to 49,999: 2; 50,000 to 74,999: 12; 75,000 to 99,999: 12; 100,000 to 149,999: 37; 150,000 and above: 21
100,000 to 149,999 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (37). 15 complaints have missing, zero or invalid mileage.
Complaints over time
Year the complaint was filed, not the vehicle model year or incident year. The snapshot year is partial.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| 2012 | 2 |
| 2013 | 20 |
| 2014 | 20 |
| 2015 | 22 |
| 2016 | 15 |
| 2017 | 8 |
| 2018 | 8 |
| 2019 | 4 |
2012: 2; 2013: 20; 2014: 20; 2015: 22; 2016: 15; 2017: 8; 2018: 8; 2019: 4
Pattern summary
Engine leads the component reports. Transmission and shifting appears in 17 complaint narratives. Engine operation appears in 16 complaint narratives. Braking behavior appears in 11 complaint narratives. Use these patterns to inspect individual reports and prepare questions for a mechanic.
Calculated from recorded counts. An AI narrative has not been published for this selection.
Examples from the source records
Examples provide context, not a representative sample or a verified diagnosis.
Owner report 10478532 · 2012-10-03 (October 3, 2012)
I WAS DRIVING IN MY 2005 FORD 500 WITH 84,000 MILES ON IT, DOWN A BUSY HIGHWAY IN THE LEFT LANE ON SEPT. 30, 2012, AND ALL OF A SUDDEN MY CAR WOULD NO LONGER ACCELERATE. THE SPEED CONTINUED TO DECREASE AND I HAD A CAR DIRECTLY BEHIND ME AND A CAR DIRECTLY TO THE RIGHT OF ME, SO I COULD NOT IMMEDIATELY PULL OVER TO THE SHOULDER OF THE HIGHWAY. I IMMEDIATELY TURNED ON MY HAZARD LIGHTS, BUT BECAUSE MY CAR SLOWED DOWN SO SUDDENLY ON THE BUSY HIGHWAY, THE CAR BEHIND ME ALMOST REAR-ENDED ME, AND BECAUSE THERE WAS A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF TRAFFIC IN BO…
Owner-reported narrative. 84,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10478532 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10480126 · 2012-10-15 (October 15, 2012)
VEHICLE LUNGES AT IDLE SPEEDS WITH TACHOMETER GOING FROM APPROXIMATELY 700 TO 1500 RPM, GENERALLY HAPPENS IN PARKING LOTS DRIVEWAY AND GARAGE, AND OCCURS IN DRIVE AND REVERSE. FIRST OCCURRED SPORADICALLY BUT IS HAPPENING WITH MORE FREQUENCY NOW. CAR HASN`T HIT ANYTHING YET BUT HAVE HAD VERY CLOSE CALLS. SERVICE ENGINE OR ANY OTHER WARNING LIGHT HAVE NOT COME ON DURING INCIDENTS. LUNGING HAPPENS MULTIPLE TIMES PER INCIDENT OFTEN OCCURRING SEVERAL TIMES DURING A SINGLE PARKING ATTEMPT. WITH EACH LUNGE MOVING THE CAR ABOUT 2 OR 3 FEET IF YOU DON'…
Owner-reported narrative. 70,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10480126 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10493195 · 2013-01-16 (January 16, 2013)
ENGINE IDLE RPM SURGE WHEN STOPPED OR DURING LOW SPEED DRIVING. RESPONDED TO FORD PROGRAM 12N03 TO FIX PROBLEM. THIS DID NOT FIX PROBLEM. TOOK CAR BACK TO DEALER. DEALER COULD NOT VERIFY AFTER TWO DAYS OF TESTING (INTERMITTENT PROBLEM). TECH ADVISOR SAID REPLACING THE THROTTLE BODY MIGHT FIX PROBLEM. I AM HAVING THROTTLE BODY REPLACED. NOTE THAT IN 2011 I HAD THE SAME PROBLEM BUT THE DEALER WAS UNABLE TO VERIFY SO THEY DID NOTHING. WHEN THE SURGE HAPPENS IT FEELS LIKE THE CAR WILL TAKE OFF BY ITSELF. *TR
Owner-reported narrative. 109,177 miles reported. Look up ODI 10493195 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10495232 · 2013-01-30 (January 30, 2013)
WHILE DRIVING THROUGH PARKING LOTS AT LOW SPEED, ENGINE WOULD DIE. THIS HAPPENED NUMEROUS TIMES. AFTER GETTING UP TO 40 MPH IT DIED AGAIN AND AGAIN IN HEAVY TRAFFIC. I HAVE HAD THE CAR IN AT THE DEALERSHIP EVERY SINCE IT WAS PURCHASED FOR DIFFERENT SPEED CONTROL ISSUES, HESITATION, SURGING AT IDLE SPEEDS, AND THE MOST RECENT ISSUE. MANY TIMES WE WERE TOLD THAT THEY COULD NOT FIND ANY PROBLEMS, BUT THE ISSUES KEPT OCCURRING. EVENTUALLY WE WERE TOLD THE HESITATION PROBLEM WAS FIXED BUT OUR MPG DROPPED CONSIDERABLY. NEXT WAS THE SURGE. IN P…
Owner-reported narrative. 118,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10495232 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10496677 · 2013-02-06 (February 6, 2013)
WHEN IT RAINS, WATER SEEPS INTO THE DOOR FRAMES OF ALL DOORS. WHEN DOORS ARE OPENED, WATER DRAINS OUT FROM THE RUBBER GUARD AT THE BOTTOM OF THE DOOR. *TR
Owner-reported narrative. 33,500 miles reported. Look up ODI 10496677 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10500585 · 2013-02-27 (February 27, 2013)
IN 2005 FORD HAD A RECALL ON THE 500 DUE TO THE FUEL TANK STRAP CORRODING AND FALLING OFF CAUSING THE FUEL TANK TO LEAK OR FALL OFF WHEN THE VEHICLE HAD HIGHER MILEAGE. THIS IS WHAT HAPPEN TO ME. WHEN I TOOK MY VEHICLE TO THE DEALER THEY SAID THE RECALL HAD ALREADY BEEN FIXED. MY ISSUE IS THAT EITHER THE FIX DID NOT WORK OR THE DEALER CLAIMING TO HAVE MADE THE REPAIR DID NOT DO IT. I CONTACTED FORD CUSTOMER SERVICE AND WAS TOLD THERE WAS NOTHING THEY COULD DO. THIS IS VERY DANGEROUS AND SHOULD NOT HAPPEN! SOME ONE COULD HAVE DIED! *TR
Owner-reported narrative. 140,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10500585 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10503253 · 2013-03-16 (March 16, 2013)
OWN A 2005 FORD 500. THROTTLE BODY HAD TO BE REPLACED AT 76000 MILES, 1000 MILES OVER OUR EXTENDED WARRANTY. WE ASKED THE DEALER IF THIS WAS A KNOWN ISSUE AND WERE TOLD THAT THEY HAD NO COMPLAINTS ABOUT THE THROTTLE BODY ON THE FORD 500. NOW I'M HEARING THAT FORD IS BEING INVESTIGATED FOR THROTTLE BODY ISSUES ON DIFFERENT MODELS OF CARS BUT THE FORD 500 WAS NOT PART OF THE INVESTIGATION. *TR
Owner-reported narrative. 76,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10503253 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10508267 · 2013-04-15 (April 15, 2013)
I WAS DRIVING AT THE APPROX. SPEED OF 58MPH AND MY CAR STARTING SKIPPING AND CHUGGING. I SLOWED DOWN AND AS I BEGUN TO SLOW DOWN MY CAR GAVE ME A DIAGNOSIS CODE OF FAILSAFE ENGINE MODE, THEN MY CAR COMPLETELY SHUT DOWN WITH NO POWER AT ALL. IT WAS HARD TO PULL OFF THE RODE AND STEER THE CAR OFF THE ROAD BECAUSE THE STEERING WHEEL TIGHTENED UP. I PULLED OVER AND LET THE CAR SIT FOR A FEW MINUTES AND THEN TRIED RE-CRANKING THE CAR. I WAS ABLE TO RE-CRANK THE CAR AND DROVE FURTHER UP THE RODE. I CONTINUED TO HAVE THESE PROBLEMS. I DROVE APPRO…
Owner-reported narrative. 151,385 miles reported. Look up ODI 10508267 at NHTSA ↗
Recall history
0 distinct campaigns affect this selection. Announcement dates below are different from vehicle model years. A campaign may cover multiple years.
No recall campaigns are recorded in this snapshot.