Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (door latches, locks, hood and tailgate latches).
Mileage when the problem started
Owner reports
Selected complaints filed with NHTSA by 2005 Ford Five Hundred owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
Received a recall notice from Ford moco. Took the wifes vehicle into the dealership for repairs, the technician called and said the car was repaired and we took the vehicle home. I took the vehicle to work that evening and when I got off work my freind and I that rides to work with me noticed thast the door still wasn't shutting properly. I slammed the door 3 or4 times and thought it had latched as the dome light went out. I dropped my freind off at his home and was heading to a nearby convenience store when the door popped open. I was startled and was trying to close the door, while I was distracted with the door I went off the road and struck a power pole and chain link fence. I refused an ambulance ride to the hospital but had to go later with nech pain.
Tl* the contact owns a 2005 Ford Five Hundred. During inclement cold weather conditions, the front driver and passenger doors failed to latch securely. The vehicle was repaired per NHTSA campaign number: 06V383000 (latches/locks/linkages), but the failure recurred. Boyd county Ford (located at 2119 greenup avenue, ashland, ky 41101) performed the recall repair. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The approximate failure mileage was 235,000.
Tl* the contact owns a 2005 Ford Five Hundred. The contact stated that the driver's door was not able to shut completely. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The VIN was not included in NHTSA campaign number: 06V383000 (latches/locks/linkages). The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 100,000.
Tl* the contact owns a 2005 Ford Five Hundred. The contact stated that the door latch failed to close. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where it was diagnosed that the door latch needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 145,618.
In extremely cold temperatures, the door will not latch or will pop open while driving. It has happened multiple times, but only in below freezing temperatures. Ford recall notice 06s45 describes it perfectly, but somehow my Ford Five Hundred is not included in the recall.
I purchased a 2005 Ford 500 ltd. The first incident occurred while driving home from atlantic city. The dashboard lit up like I was starting the car and went into failsafe engine mode. After pulling over, the car ran normal. The next occurrence was when the car started shutting off while driving. It has done this on numerous occastions. Then the dashboard lit up again and the reverse lights stayed on. This winter season the door latches would not catch to keep the doors shut. After it rains the rear doors have water sitting inside of them. Upon doing some research, I found that these problems were on Ford's technical service bulliten (TSB). I called Ford and they said there were no recalls according to the vehicle identification number. They also stated that there was work done prior to me purchasing the vehicle. …
Tl contact owns a 2005 Ford Five Hundred. On March 26, 2007, the contact had the rear brakes on his vehicle checked and was told by the mechanic that the brakes were in good condition. On May 10, 2007, the brakes began to fail. While driving 35 MPH under normal conditions, the contact heard the rear brakes grinding metal to metal. The contact took the vehicle to the dealer who replaced the rear rotors and brake pads. The contact has the rear rotors to show the unusual wear. The contact also has the repair orders from both repairs. The engine size was unknown. The current and failure mileages were 38,585. The dealer stated that the recall for this car was performed on the latch of the door for this vehicle. Updated 06/06/07
Tl contact owns a 2005 Ford Five Hundred. The contact stated that the driver's side door failed to close securely. There was a malfunction with the latch system. The interior door handle had to be held in order to secure the door while the vehicle was in motion. The failure occurred without warning. The vehicle was taken to an authorized dealer, but they could not determine the cause of the failure. The vehicle was taken to the dealer four additional times. The contact stated that the vehicle was previously repaired under a recall; however, the NHTSA campaign id number was unable to be found. The recall remedy has not corrected the failure. The VIN was unknown. The failure mileage was 3,000 and current mileage was 3,753.
Tl* - the contact owns a 2005 Ford Five Hundred with a current mileage of 29,345 miles. After driving the vehicle for 191 miles the contact heard a thumping noise coming from the rear brakes. She took the vehicle to the dealer, and was told that there was corrosion between the brake pads and rotors. Both rear brakes were replaced. The contact drove the vehicle for another 9,319 miles. When the contact took the vehicle to the dealer for routine maintenance she was told that the rear brakes were 90% corroded. The contact replaced the brakes. The contact called Ford, and was told not to use the brakes as frequently. The consumer states door latch freezes at times, dealer performed recall on vehicle. Update 05/04/07
Tl* the contact owns a 2005 Ford Five Hundred. The contact stated that during cold weather, the front driver and passenger side doors were almost impossible to open due the latches becoming frozen. The contact mentioned that there were times when the latches would freeze in an open position. Also, the contact stated that the doors would open independently while the vehicle was in motion. The dealer was contacted and they informed the contact that the VIN was not included in recall NHTSA campaign: 06V383000 (latches/locks/linkages). The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 147,000. Pam
Related recalls
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.
Door Lock & Latch complaints in other Five Hundred years
Frequently asked questions
How common are door lock & latch problems on the 2005 Ford Five Hundred?
NHTSA has 22 complaints about the locks & latches of the 2005 Ford Five Hundred, 4% of the model year's 510 complaints. The component named most often is doors › latch (13 mentions).
Is there a recall for 2005 Ford Five Hundred door lock & latch problems?
Yes — NHTSA recall 06V-383 (latch, Oct 5, 2006). Recall repairs are free at authorized dealers.
At what mileage do 2005 Ford Five Hundred door lock & latch problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 71,000 miles, and 29% before 25,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 1 crash, 0 fires and 1 injury to locks & latches problems on this model year. If you notice symptoms, have the car checked before driving further.
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.