1.3

hardly worth mentioning
Crashes / Fires:
0 / 0
Injuries / Deaths:
0 / 0
Average Mileage:
132,121 miles

About These NHTSA Complaints:

The NHTSA is the US gov't agency tasked with vehicle safety. Complaints can be spread across multiple & redundant categories, & are not organized by problem. See the Back button — blue bar at the very top of the page — to explore more.

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problem #20

Feb 072020

Five Hundred

  • 0 miles
I was driving my car it started to shake very hard well I heard a snap sound and my car started to drag I got out my frame above my right lower control had snapped ive read that many other people are having the same problem I contactes Ford about the issue and they said there is nothing they can do well I'm out of a vehicle but vefore all of this I kept going through fuel relay issues and eventually started losing my instrument cluster so now I'm fighting with them to do the repairs

- Frankfort, WV, USA

problem #19

May 232019

Five Hundred

  • miles
As we were driving on the freeway our sunroof exploded cracking all the glass. Luckley the protector was closed. It showed a bump like shape with the center cracked open.

- Rosarito Baja California, CA, USA

problem #18

Mar 312019

Five Hundred

  • 87,414 miles
"takata recall" driver side front door won't latch close until car is warm up I sprayed it with WD40 this is the second time it did it to me. Car was parked

- Niles, MI, USA

problem #17

Sep 012018

Five Hundred

  • 131,000 miles
The shift cable is burnt at the end. The gear shift started going from netural as drive and reverse was between park N reverse. The shop was going to ajust the linkage but upon looking found the cable was burnt.. it was also making a clicking sound when in park. Which was actually sparking the cable somehow. Park will roll so U have to use parking break.

- Moline, IL, USA

problem #16

Aug 182017

Five Hundred

  • 1,420,000 miles
Ac compress went out at 99804, now with 1420000 the ac compress is bad again.

- Ottawa, KS, USA

problem #15

Feb 052017

Five Hundred

  • 204,000 miles
My 2005 Ford 500 some times the dash quits working radio heat that stuff is fine but the dash it's self RPM speedometor gas gauge all the dash quits and when that happens the airbag light comes on because when the dash quits so does the airbags that is a saftey and should be a recall

- New London, IA, USA

problem #14

May 062016

Five Hundred

  • miles
While driving on the freeway going the speed limit I changed lanes and the rear of the car fished tailed. It happened so fast it scared me to death. I was very lucky to get the car under control. It was not raining and some what heavy traffic at the time. The car does not maneuver well. I have to be careful while changing lanes and do it slowly or the car jerks quickly and not smooth as my other cars I've owned.

- Grand Rapids, MI, USA

problem #13

Aug 012016

Five Hundred

  • 139,000 miles
Driving when the call RPM drop and ABS goes out car won't excelerate "failsafe engine mode " is what it says N my check engine light and ABS light and rench light on, had to pull over and shut off and turn back on. Cleaned the throttle body and reprogramed the computer and it continues to happen at random and will randomly excelerate on its own with rpms rising and yet I'm no where near gas pedal, I'm on brakes. As my instrument panel will malfunction and all gauges will go to zero and wiggle and all warning lights will be displayed them goes completely black, this has also been very unsafe of an issue because at night when this happens you can't see your spend or gas or anything. And the fail-safe mode also has almost cause me to have crashed as well as been crashed into over four dozen times. Seeing how I pay for it to be fixed and nothing can't seem to fix it... it's very scary and I worry for my life each time I drive

- Covina, CA, USA

problem #12

Jun 032016

Five Hundred

  • 97,000 miles
The air conditioning system will only blow warm air if the RPM is below about 2000. The higher the RPM the colder the air. It is not the refrigerant being low as I have checked it. I've heard from many online sources that it is a valve inside the compressor and that it seems to be a common problem with the Five hundred. Given that it seems to be a common problem, Ford should issue a recall to fix the issue.

- Gervais, OR, USA

problem #11

Dec 052008

Five Hundred

  • 35,000 miles
Takata recall door latches and links. As like all the other complaints when it gets cold my door will open but it will not close. When it first occurred my door flew open while I was driving. I looked up the recall but my VIN number was not included this does not make any sense to me.on a city street at 6:00 in the morning.

- Indianapolis, IN, USA

problem #10

Mar 032015

Five Hundred 6-cyl

  • 98,000 miles
After it rained, the temperature dropped below freezing. My door was difficult to open, but would not close or latch. It was frozen open. There is already a recall on this, but Ford dealers in the area says it does not apply to cars in the South. A recall is a recall. First of all, both tn and ok get snow and ice, and a recall is a recall. If I decide to move back to Maine with this car, then I'll be able to get it fixed for free" what if decide to go skiing in Colorado, but cannot leave because my door latches freeze"

- Hermitage, TN, USA

problem #9

Jul 152013

Five Hundred

  • 87,530 miles
Car drives on its own! if I do not have foot on gas on break it will continue to move. Said failsafe mode then check engine light illuminated, dash board said check engine check transmission then the light went out the following day. Now driving back to normal. I took to auto zone the day it went haywire & they advised me its a possible recall several ppl said the same issue with their Ford.

- Washington, DC, USA

problem #8

Jul 012011

Five Hundred

  • 60,000 miles
Vehicle will intermittently stall when accelerating from a stop. The vehicle has stalled numerous times in the middle of executing a turn, leaving the vehicle and occupants in a dangerous situation. A Ford dealership diagnosed the problem as being the throttle body, however, after replacing the very expensive throttle body, the problem persists. A non-Ford mechanic is now saying it is more likely loose wiring and is working to diagnose the exact wiring issue causing the problem. There seem to be many people online with the same stalling issue. In addition to the stalling, the vehicle has also been surging sporadically. It surges forward (or backward) without the accelerator being pressed. It appears that my vehicle is not the only one affected by this problem. Ford needs to be held accountable for the precarious position they are putting vehicle owners in.

- Taylorsville, UT, USA

problem #7

Jun 172009

Five Hundred

  • 89,000 miles
As I was parking in a parking garage, the car surged forward. It happened occasionally over the next year, but during the past year it became more frequent and pronounced. I would need to put it in park at red lights to insure I did not lurch forward into the car in front of me. We took it to a Ford dealership and for almost $900 they replaced the throttle control. The problem still exists, but not as pronounced or frequent. However new symptoms appeared including intermittently dimming dashboard lights and the air conditioner began to surge up and down almost as if it were gasping for air. This lunging forward when your foot is on the brake or you are at a minimal speed could be dangerous.

- Springfield, CO, USA

problem #6

Jul 062011

Five Hundred

  • miles
Engine surges when parking, when backing slowly with foot on brake pedal.

- Hyde Park, MA, USA

problem #5

Feb 232011

Five Hundred

  • 87,107 miles
Experienced a spark plug blowout requiring replacement of front head. Repair cost $2600. I understand this is a problem on Ford trucks. I think Ford should investigate why this occurs and fix it! I'm lucky I didn't experience a fire, that would have totaled the car!

- Elyria, OH, USA

problem #4

Jul 232010

Five Hundred

  • 104,361 miles
Defective electronic throttle body (etb) on 2005 Ford 500, freestyle, and Mercury montego. Causes car to move forward or backward in drive or reverse without using any pressure on the gas pedal. Must place foot on the brake to avoid running into something, especially while parking. Ford has a technical service bulletin (tsb 05-25-13) on this but has not notified any owners of vehicles affected to date. It appears that Ford has come up with a new replacement part for the etb unlike the original that was just made available in July 2010. I paid a local Ford dealer $128.08 to have this problem diagnosed and another $615.83 to have it fixed. I was told the etb part number was "5F9Z-9E926-aa". another number for the new etb part on my sales slip dated 07/30/10 was fmc 6F9Z 9E926 a. they called it a kit for the electronic throttle body. The price for the kit was $495.86. Since I have heard of this problem coming up on more than one occasion, I thought I would turn it in for your investigation. Since the affect of the defective etb actually can cause the car to move on its own, forward or reverse, and requires you to use your brakes simultaneously to keep it from hitting adjoining objects, I thought this is a safety hazard that should be addressed on several Ford and Mercury 2005 products, it is not the money, it is the safety issue I am most interested in. To parallel park or get into a parking stall with this problem was a real chore keeping you foot on the brake as you tried to maneuver in and out of a parking space. If you did not hold your foot on the brake, the car would move in its own either in drive or reverse. This is not acceptable and a true safety hazard, but I have not seen the problem on the recall lists for my car or others affected in the Ford tsb. Nor have auto owners been notified by Ford or offered compensation for the expense to have the kit installed.

- Shawnee, KS, USA

problem #3

Jul 242008

(reported on)

Five Hundred

  • miles
2005 Ford Five hundred with a paint defect. Consumer states that there was a recall on the paint but was stopped. He also discovered a service bulletin for 2000 thru 2005 models due to iron contamination. The consumer stated he discovered a small section of the hood with cracked paint.

- Watertown, CT, USA

problem #2

Oct 112005

Five Hundred 6-cyl

  • Automatic transmission
  • 1,500 miles
Purchased 2005 Ford 500 new on Oct 11, 2005. At first oil change 3000 miles on Jan 10, 2006 I reported vibration and popping on right front of car. They replaced upper strut mounts/bearings. Vibration continued. On March 7, 2006 a tire specialist stated tires were showing light chopping on the outer edges and the right front tire had it. March 8, 2006 returned to dealership reported the vibration again-nothing done. Tires checked. May 30, 2006 reported vibration. Did road force balance. Vibration continued. Aug 8, 2006 told the mgr about the vibration again. Week of Oct 9 the mgr said nothing more could be done. Mgr said his service rep would not be back for 2-3 months. I asked the manager if I could contact his service rep and he said no. Oct 19, 2006 called bill mccort, took car to the garage again. Test drove with bill mccort, joe essex, tech, my husband, and myself. Tech confirmed the vibration. Car left at dealership.. scott vasko, asst. Service mgr. Called and told us all readings were within specs. Said they did four hook-ups for testing. Still vibrating. Oct 19, 2006 bill mccort authorized the Continental tires be replaced by new Michelin tires. Still vibrating after new tires were put on. Oct 20, 2006 met phyllis stoves and, owner of dealership. She drove my car and felt vibration. Oct 21, 2006 stoves and, my husband, and myself drove two 2007 Ford Five hundreds. They had the same vibration. Stoves said she would E-mail an engineer and will contact us week after next stoves called me and asked me to bring the car to the dealership because an engineer was coming to look at my car. I was not allowed to see or talk to the engineer. Stoves said customers are not allowed to meet with or talk to the engineer. Later stoves called and told me she and the engineer drove my car and it drove wonderfully. Vibration continues. I once again reported Jan 4, 2007.

- Kevil, KY, USA

problem #1

Jan 112006

Five Hundred 6-cyl

  • Automatic transmission
  • 1,500 miles
Vibration on right front of car during speeds of 55 mph to 62 mp. Replaced Continental tires with Michelin and vibration still occurs.

- Kevil, KY, USA