Most common 2005 Ford 500 problems
Share of the 99 complaints; one complaint can involve more than one system. "~" is the median mileage when the problem started.
Ford 500 complaints by model year
Best 500 years: 2007. Compare all years →
What 2005 Ford 500 owners say
Engine & cooling all 32 →
Tl* the contact owns a 2005 Ford 500. While driving 70 MPH, an unknown warning indicator illuminated while driving and the engine stopped running. The vehicle stopped accelerating and the contact had to pull over to the side of the road. The vehicle did not restart and was left on the side of the road. Mike castrucci Ford (1020 oh-28, milford, oh 45150, [phone]) stated that the vehicle had a shutdown feature and it would have to be towed in for diagnostic testing. The manufacturer was not notified. The VIN was unknown. The failure mileage was 130,000.
For the past several months my car has been going into "failsafe engine mode" (basically stalling) while excellerating on highway or in stop and go traffic. According to others online this is a problem that is common with a throttle body failure. I have already had the "fix" Ford provided in their customer satisfaction program, however like many others this has not fixed the problem. Ford needs to stand by there products. I can not express to you how dangerous this is to be going highway speed and to have your car stall!!
Transmission & drivetrain all 28 →
Vehicle downshifts very hard when braking or when trying to pass someone and you give it gas and it downshifts to accelerate it's like the vehicle goes into neutral. I was doing 70mph with someone on my rear end on I-77n and when I tried to speed up to get out of his way car shifted really hard to where I thought something broke and started to slow down quickly. Since I had the cruise control on the car shot up to 7000 RPM. So I hit the break to shut off cruise control all the while this driver behind me was about to get into my rear end I quickly moved into the right lane then over to the birm. At about 35mph the transmission engaged again and I immediately drove the car home. I took it to the Ford dealership and they recommended a valve body replacement @$3000. …
Tl* the contact owns a 2005 Ford 500. While driving 65 MPH, the vehicle jerked without warning. The engine light and failed safe mode light illuminated. The vehicle was pulled over to the side of the road and shut off. The vehicle was able to be restarted, but the failure recurred. The vehicle was driven one mile and then stalled. The throttle control and transmission lights illuminated. The vehicle was able to be restarted and was taken to a local mechanic where it could not be diagnosed. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was 178,300.
Electrical system all 20 →
Ford told me in 2012-2013 there was a recall on the instrument cluster, the previous car owner had brought to dealership and fix. Well the same issue is occurring now ( 138kmiles) I started the car 4/1 and the reverse lights stay on, dash board gauges are off ( no speed, RPM, fuel gauge working) the vents wont work. I continued to drive car for about 1-2 miles ( at felt like 35-45mph) and as I am driving the computer reset ( car did not turn off, this is still when the car is in motion) and all the gauges started to work. Ford said that the recall is closed and there is nothing they can do except have me spend money for them to diagnose. The same problem is occurring on this car the Ford recall suppose fixed in 2013. Ford needs to research this same issue as it is dangerous when this does occur. I would like a resolution to this issue. I do have a case # with Ford case # 14495583.
Throttle - engine shut off when pushing gas pedal. This has happened 3 times... When entering and exiting the beltway or hwy. Extremely dangerous. I've so far been able to drift onto shoulder of the road twice but the third time there was no shoulder. I was stuck in the traffic lane with no power. I had heart spasms due to fear of being run-over. This problem needs a recall issued. Similar problems have been identified in other Ford models. I do not want to be killed or have this problem result in a serious accident. I do not want to have a heart attack due to engine failure! Help! This has happened three times in November 2016. I'm fearful of going out to important appointments like my cancer treatments at mercy medical center that requires me to be on highways with speeds up to 60 MPH. (dates 11/19, 23 and 28/2016,)
Frequently asked questions
Is the 2005 Ford 500 a good car?
Based on 99 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the 2005 500 rates average: about as many complaints as a typical year of the 500 at the same age. Complaint counts don't account for sales volume or individual maintenance, so have any used car inspected before buying.
What is the most common problem with the 2005 Ford 500?
The engine & cooling — 32 complaints, 32% of all complaints for this model year. Next are the transmission & drivetrain (28) and electrical system (20).
How many recalls does the 2005 Ford 500 have?
NHTSA lists no recalls for the 2005 Ford 500. You can still confirm with your VIN using our VIN recall check.
What are the best and worst years of the Ford 500?
The best years by complaints, compared at the same age, are 2007. See the full Ford 500 years comparison.
At what mileage do 2005 Ford 500 problems happen?
The median mileage reported in complaints is about 118,000 miles; 2% of problems with a recorded mileage started before 50,000 miles.
Source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) — owner complaints through October 20, 2026, recalls and defect investigations; fuel economy from the EPA. Complaints are unverified reports and are not proof of a defect. How we rate model years.