Most common 2005 Ford Five Hundred problems
Share of the 510 complaints; one complaint can involve more than one system. "~" is the median mileage when the problem started.
Ford Five Hundred complaints by model year
Best Five Hundred years: 2007. Years to avoid: 2005. Compare all years →
2005 Ford Five Hundred recalls (2)
Latches/locks/linkages › Doors › Latch
On certain passenger vehicles currently registered in the following states: alaska, colorado, connecticut, delaware, idaho, illinois, indiana, iowa, kansas, kentucky, maine, maryland, massachusetts, michigan, minnesota, missouri, montana, nebraska, new hampshire, new jersey, new york, north dakota, ohio, pennsylvania, rhode…
Remedy: Dealers will install a shield over the front latches; seal a drain hole in the rear window trim molding on the freestyle rear side doors; and apply grease to all front and rear side-door latch mechanisms free of charge.
Fuel system, gasoline › Storage › Tank assembly › Mounting
On certain passenger vehicles, the straps that secure the fuel tank to the vehicle body May break, causing the fuel tank and fuel tank heat shield to drop on the driveshaft (all wheel drive vehicles) or exhaust system (front wheel drive vehicles).
Remedy: Dealers will replace both fuel tank straps. The recall began on December 1, 2005. Owners May contact Ford at 1-800-392-3673.
NHTSA defect investigations
Federal safety investigators have looked into 2 possible defects involving the 2005 Ford Five Hundred:
Idle instability
On November 29, 2012, Ford Motor Company (Ford) initiated Customer Satisfaction Program 12N03 to extend warranty coverage terms for repair of engine idle RPM surge caused by throttle body deposits in all model year (MY) 2005 through 2007 Ford Freestyle, Five Hundred and Mercury Montego vehicles.The program extends the coverage for up to 10 years of service or 150,000 miles from the warranty start date of the vehicle…
Instrument cluster failure
The subject vehicles experience a loss of proper instrument cluster operation.typically, the problem appears as the needle on the gauge (speedometer, tachometer, fuel, and/or temperature) sweeps and resets intermittently.Ford reports the problem as momentary power interruption causes the gauges to sweep and then recover to normal function.in August 2006, Ford issued a technical service bulletin (TSB 06-17-9) to…
What 2005 Ford Five Hundred owners say
Transmission & drivetrain all 136 →
The contact owns a 2005 Ford Five Hundred. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the vehicle made an abnormal knocking sound. The vehicle was taken to two independent mechanics, where the flywheel was replaced twice with used parts because the part had been discontinued. The contact stated that while her son was driving approximately 20 MPH, the vehicle stalled. The check transmission warning light, the check engine warning light, and other unknown warning lights were illuminated. The driver was able to pull over to the side of the road. The vehicle was able to restart but was undrivable. The vehicle was towed to the residence. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 80,000.
While waiting at the light in traffic, my car all of a sudden Accelerated, and decelerates, I have to push hard on the breaks in order for it to not slam into the cars infront of me.. this is really dangerous, from what I have been reading this is a wide spread issue that ford has ignored for years..
Engine & cooling all 107 →
The contact owns a 2005 Ford Five Hundred. The contact stated that while starting the vehicle, the "fail safe engine mode" and check engine warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle stalled with the RPM revved up. The vehicle jerked while driving at an undisclosed speed. The dealer nor the independent mechanic was not made aware of the failure. The vehicle was not diagnosed nor repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and referred the contact to a dealer for assistance. The failure mileage was approximately 122,832.
I have 2 very serious and dangerous issues. The 1st issue, the car will shut off while driving and without warning. I'll be cruzing down the highway and out of no where it shuts off. I then do not have breaks or power stearing. This last Winter my daughter was driving it and it shut off while she was on black ice. The car flew into the ditch and the snow was so deep it was compacted in the entire engine so it was impossible to restart the car. It was akso -37 below temperature. It took me almost a half hour to get to her and she almost froze to death. She sustained frost bite on her hands, toes, ears, and cheeks. She almost died. Issue 2, my daughter was driving and all of the sudden a loud noise and she couldn't steer. The rear control arm bracket that is part of the subframe busted causing the control arm to no longer be attached to the frame. …
Speed control & acceleration all 104 →
while we are in idel for a period of time the car wants to surge forward without pushing on the gas. it wants to rev withough the has pedal being pushed. It does it at red lights, stop signs, and if Im in a drive through.
Tl contact's client owns a 2005 Ford Five Hundred. While the client was driving 35 MPH, she removed her foot from the accelerator pedal; however, the vehicle continued to accelerate. She attempted to apply the brakes, but the speed continued to increase. The client also applied the emergency brake and encountered a pickup truck traveling in the same direction. She crossed over the double-yellow line on a 2-lane road and passed the pickup truck. The driver of the pickup informed police that he noticed brakes being applied, smelled, and saw blue smoke coming from the vehicle. The vehicle continued accelerating. The air bags deployed. The client then side swiped a guardrail for approximately 40 feet. The front tire blew out and the vehicle was pushed across the roadway. A police report was filed. Two passengers sustained injuries. …
2005 Ford Five Hundred engines & fuel economy
| Engine | Transmission | Drive | MPG city / hwy / combined |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3.0L 6-cyl | 6-speed automatic | FWD | 19 / 26 / 21 |
| 3.0L 6-cyl | CVT | FWD | 18 / 25 / 20 |
| 3.0L 6-cyl | CVT | 4WD/AWD | 17 / 23 / 19 |
EPA ratings. Class: Large car.
Frequently asked questions
Is the 2005 Ford Five Hundred a good car?
Based on 510 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the 2005 Five Hundred rates use caution: 1.7× as many complaints as a typical year of the Five Hundred at the same age. It is one of the Five Hundred years we suggest avoiding. 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 Five Hundred?
The transmission & drivetrain — 136 complaints, 27% of all complaints for this model year, most often about automatic transmission. Next are the engine & cooling (107) and speed control & acceleration (104).
How many recalls does the 2005 Ford Five Hundred have?
There are 2 recalls for the 2005 Ford Five Hundred, the most recent from October 5, 2006 (latch). 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 Five Hundred?
The best years by complaints, compared at the same age, are 2007. Years to avoid or approach with caution: 2005. See the full Ford Five Hundred years comparison.
At what mileage do 2005 Ford Five Hundred problems happen?
The median mileage reported in complaints is about 72,000 miles; 32% 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.