Most common 2005 Ford Excursion problems
Share of the 65 complaints; one complaint can involve more than one system. "~" is the median mileage when the problem started.
Ford Excursion complaints by model year
Best Excursion years: 1999, 2005, 2004. Years to avoid: 2000, 2001. Compare all years →
2005 Ford Excursion recalls (2)
Exterior lighting › Brake lights
Ford is recalling certain model year 2011 ranger trucks built from January 25, 2011, through April 25, 2011 at the twin cities assembly plant, and service parts distributed to dealers for certain 2004 through 2011 model year ranger trucks, 2002 through 2005 model year excursion vehicles, and 2002 through 2007 model year f-250,…
Remedy: Dealers will replace the switches free of charge. The safety recall began on August 15, 2011. Owners May contact Ford motor company customer relationship center at 1-866-436-7332.
Electrical system › Wiring
Certain pickup trucks, sport utility vehicles and vans equipped with 6.0l diesel engines May experience stalling without warning while driving and May or May not restart.
Remedy: Dealers will upgrade the fuel injection control module (ficm) wire harness or replaced, and/or have a new injection control pressure (icp)) sensor connector installed free of charge. The recall began on July 22, 2005.
What 2005 Ford Excursion owners say
Engine & cooling all 23 →
Tl* the contact owns 2005 Ford Excursion diesel. The contact stated that while driving 60 MPH, the vehicle began smoking and stalled. The contact attempted to restart the vehicle but to no avail. The vehicle was taken into a local repair shop and diagnosed as a faulty engine. The vehicle was repaired. In addition, the contact stated that every time the heater or air conditioner was activated, fumes would emit into the vehicle. The failure mileage was 176,000 and the current mileage was 179,000. Updated 2/28/11 updated 04/29/11
Tl* the contact owns a 2005 Ford Excursion. The contact stated that the vehicle stalled without warning. After several attempts, the vehicle was able to restart, but the failure recurred. The vehicle was not included in NHTSA campaign number: 05V270000 (electrical system). The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 150,000. ....updated 07/22/15 the consumer stated after the vehicle was repaired the failure recurred. Updated 9/22/2015
Electrical system all 20 →
While driving the truck the accelerator becomes nonresponsive and soon after the truck shuts down, complete power loss. Very difficult to steer and brake. It will start back up most of the time, but on occasion it will take 20 to 30 minutes to re-start. Ford has a recall for this # 05s34. My VIN indicates that my Excursion isn't under this recall, but this is exactly what is happening. This event happens on city streets and highways, while driving or sitting at a stop sign or stop light. This event has become more frequent as my wife will no longer drive it do to the vehicles handling/breaking issues without power so I only drive it on weekends. It happens at least once a day sometimes repeatedly within seconds after restarting and sometimes never again during the weekend. It also is not time or distance related. …
Tl* the contact owns a 2005 Ford Excursion. The contact stated that while driving approximately 10 MPH, the vehicle stalled without warning and the steering wheel became difficult to maneuver. The vehicle was able to start on the first attempt. The failure recurred intermittently. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where it was diagnosed that the instrument panel and the fuel injection control module needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The VIN was not included in the NHTSA campaign number: 05V270000 (electrical system). The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 70,000.
Fuel & propulsion system
While driving the truck the accelerator becomes nonresponsive and soon after the truck shuts down, complete power loss. Very difficult to steer and brake. It will start back up most of the time, but on occasion it will take 20 to 30 minutes to re-start. Ford has a recall for this # 05s34. My VIN indicates that my Excursion isn't under this recall, but this is exactly what is happening. This event happens on city streets and highways, while driving or sitting at a stop sign or stop light. This event has become more frequent as my wife will no longer drive it do to the vehicles handling/breaking issues without power so I only drive it on weekends. It happens at least once a day sometimes repeatedly within seconds after restarting and sometimes never again during the weekend. It also is not time or distance related. …
Tl* the contact owns a 2005 Ford Excursion. The contact stated that the vehicle stalled without warning while driving 70 MPH. The contact was able restart the engine. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic who stated that the failure could be related to the fuel injector. The vehicle was not repaired. The vehicle was previously serviced under NHTSA campaign number: 05V270000 (electrical system). The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The VIN was not available. The failure mileage was 146,000.
Frequently asked questions
Is the 2005 Ford Excursion a good car?
Based on 65 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the 2005 Excursion rates better than average: 49% fewer complaints than a typical year of the Excursion at the same age. It is one of the best Excursion years by this measure. 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 Excursion?
The engine & cooling — 23 complaints, 35% of all complaints for this model year, most often about engine › diesel. Next are the electrical system (20) and fuel & propulsion system (12).
How many recalls does the 2005 Ford Excursion have?
There are 2 recalls for the 2005 Ford Excursion, the most recent from July 13, 2011 (brake lights). 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 Excursion?
The best years by complaints, compared at the same age, are 1999, 2005 and 2004. Years to avoid or approach with caution: 2000 and 2001. See the full Ford Excursion years comparison.
At what mileage do 2005 Ford Excursion problems happen?
The median mileage reported in complaints is about 84,000 miles; 19% 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.