Most common 2005 Ford E-150 problems
Share of the 16 complaints; one complaint can involve more than one system. "~" is the median mileage when the problem started.
Ford E-150 complaints by model year
Best E-150 years: 2009, 2014, 2015. Years to avoid: 2001, 1997, 1999, 1995, 1996. Compare all years →
2005 Ford E-150 recalls (2)
Equipment adaptive/mobility
Van conversions is recalling 52 my 2004-2007 Ford e-150, e-250 e-350 and my 2006 GM savanna 3500 vans built on Ford and GM chassis and equipped with ricon platform style wheelchair lifts. These lifts fail to comply with the requirements of federal motor vehicle safety standard no.
Remedy: Van conversions is working with ricon to correct the wheelchair lifts free of charge (please see 07e097). Owners May contact ricon at 1-818-267-3000 or van conversions at 610-837-0707.
Equipment adaptive/mobility
Van conversions is recalling 74 my 2004-2007 Ford e-150, e-250 e-350 and my 2006 GM savanna 3500 vans built on Ford and GM chassis and equipped with ricon platform style wheelchair lifts. These vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of federal motor vehicle safety standard no.
Remedy: Van conversions is working with ricon to correct the wheelchair lifts free of charge (please see 07e095). Owners May contact ricon at 1-818-267-3000 or van conversions at 610-837-0707.
What 2005 Ford E-150 owners say
Engine & cooling
Tl* the contact owns a 2005 Ford e-150. While driving at approximately 20 MPH, the vehicle stalled and lost all steering and braking ability. The engine warning light illuminated. The contact mentioned that the hand brake was engaged in order to stop the vehicle. The vehicle was not able to start while the gear was in park until it was shifted into neutral. The failure recurred intermittently. The vehicle was taken to an authorized dealer where it was diagnosed that the throttle body and the transmission range sensor had to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 122,010.
I was crushing at 55 MPH and I heard a loud pop that was followed by a continuous popping obviously from lost compression. I took to a local Ford dealer and they stated that this is a common problem for this type of motor to "blow spark plug". This happened without warning and is now a hardship for me
Fuel & propulsion system
After driving lightning, it loses power and a wrench appears, I already changed the gasoline pump, gasoline pump module, injection rail regulator, and it remains the same
I purchased a new 2005 Ford passenger van in May 2006 I have since put 45,000 miles on this vehicle. I have poor gas milage approximately 6 miles to the gallon pulling a trailer. I was told that this vehicle would get at least 11. I have black smoke blowing out the tailpipe. And I have had brake failure 5 times now during cold weather driving conditions. I have taken the vehicle in repeatedly for these problems but the dealership told me that I was imagining them, and Ford told me unless the dealership could verify my problem that they won't do anything about it.
Brakes
I was driving down a hill and my brakes failed totally. I ran head on into a tree which caused me to blackout. Once rescued from truck I was told the air bag never deployed. So I feel there are two failures here the brakes and the air bag.
I purchased a new 2005 Ford passenger van in May 2006 I have since put 45,000 miles on this vehicle. I have poor gas milage approximately 6 miles to the gallon pulling a trailer. I was told that this vehicle would get at least 11. I have black smoke blowing out the tailpipe. And I have had brake failure 5 times now during cold weather driving conditions. I have taken the vehicle in repeatedly for these problems but the dealership told me that I was imagining them, and Ford told me unless the dealership could verify my problem that they won't do anything about it.
2005 Ford E-150 engines & fuel economy
| Engine | Transmission | Drive | MPG city / hwy / combined |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4.6L 8-cyl | 4-speed automatic | RWD | 13 / 18 / 15 |
| 5.4L 8-cyl | 4-speed automatic | RWD | 13 / 16 / 14 |
EPA ratings. Class: Van.
Frequently asked questions
Is the 2005 Ford E-150 a good car?
Based on 16 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the 2005 E-150 rates better than average: 43% fewer complaints than a typical year of the E-150 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 E-150?
The engine & cooling — 5 complaints, 31% of all complaints for this model year, most often about engine › gasoline. Next are the fuel & propulsion system (4) and brakes (4).
How many recalls does the 2005 Ford E-150 have?
There are 2 recalls for the 2005 Ford E-150, the most recent from March 27, 2009 (equipment adaptive/mobility). Recall repairs are free at any authorized dealer — check whether yours has been done with the VIN recall check.
What are the best and worst years of the Ford E-150?
The best years by complaints, compared at the same age, are 2009, 2014 and 2015. Years to avoid or approach with caution: 2001, 1997, 1999, 1995 and 1996. See the full Ford E-150 years comparison.
At what mileage do 2005 Ford E-150 problems happen?
The median mileage reported in complaints is about 53,000 miles; 43% 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.