10.0
really awful- Crashes / Fires:
- 3 / 0
- Injuries / Deaths:
- 0 / 0
- Average Mileage:
- 68,850 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.
« Read the previous 20 complaints
When car was placed in gear throttle surged causing car to jump while foot still on the brake., also surges when pulling slowly into parking place.
- San Antonio, TX, USA
When after starting car and gear shift put into either drive or reverse the engine will surge causing car to lunge. If not aware of issue and have foot on brake would hit what ever in the way of car. The same thing happens when pulling into or out of parking space. I had my car fixed at a Ford dealer and then contacted Ford motor about the problem and they don't seem to take the issue seriously. According to my Ford dealer the problem is in the throttle body. I went out on the internet and found other Ford 500 owners reporting the same thing. The big problem is that it doesn't happen all of the time. The main reason for this compliant is that Ford doesn't want to acknowledge they have a problem.
- Blue Springs, MO, USA
The contact owns a 2007 Ford Five hundred. While stopped with the brakes depressed, the vehicle suddenly jerked forward. The vehicle would also stall intermittently after the jerking. The vehicle was taken to the dealer for diagnostics. The technician replaced the transmission kit but after the repair, the failure persisted. The vehicle was not further repaired. The approximate failure mileage was 90,000.
- Winston-Salem, NC, USA
The car surges while sitting at a stop light or stop sign also while going slow backing out of garage or driving slow in a parking lot. I am afraid I will hit some or someone when car is surging the tach will jump to 2000 or more rpms while sitting or going slow..something needs to be done !!!
- Des Moines , IA, USA
With the A/C on and the car traveling at low speed, the car surges(lurches) forward or in reverse depending on the gear shift selector. It happens, for example, when pulling in to a parking stall. As I'm approaching the final position where I'm nearly ready to put the gear shift in park, the car will lurch forward nearly hitting the car parked in front of me. It also happens when pulling into my garage or at a stop light. Occurrences are obviously when it's hot outside which is why I've got the A/C on. It doesn't happen all the time with the A/C on, just some of the time.
- Shakopee, MN, USA
My 2007 Ford Five hundred sel fwd with the 3.0 V-6 (81,421 miles) and 6 speed automatic transmission will intermittently surge forward or backwards without gas pedal application when idling in gear. It is as if I floored in a jackrabbit start. It does not do this every time that the car goes to idle in drive or reverse (for example, if I am in traffic at a stoplight) but it will do this at least once every time I drive. I have had to keep my right foot firmly on the brake pedal while backing or in a parking lot to keep the car from hitting pedestrians, other cars, sign poles in parking lots and my carport's wall. It will suddenly rev up when in either drive or reverse without my foot on the gas pedal and try to move in an uncontrolled manner. It may only do it once or it may do it three or four times in just as many seconds. I was unaware of this problem and nearly hit another car the first time this happened. There was no warning. No check engine light activated. My car is equipped with a tachometer, I have seen it jump as high as 2000 RPM from a 750 RPM idle and then fall right back to 750. The fact that I have not hit anyone yet is proof that this is not a pedal misapplication error, but my concern is that an inexperienced driver or someone who is unaware of this defect will be surprised by it and kill or injure themselves or someone else. This is the first time I have ever owned a vehicle with such a problem I took my car to my local Ford dealer and was told that the problem is a defective throttle body which is being replaced tomorrow. I researched this problem on the internet and have found reports that the replacement part is no better than the original. The fact that a defective part can cause a vehicle to act in such a dangerous manner is symptomatic of a factory defect and should be acted upon by the NHTSA as soon as possible.
- Little Rock, AR, USA
Starting around March 2011, my 2007 Ford 500 would lurch when I moved it from park to reverse or from park to drive. It seemed to get worse with the air conditioner on. I took it in for service and they "cleaned" the throttle body. This did not really fix the problem. Since then, the problem has gotten much worse. It now lurches when I am sitting still. If the brake is not all the way to the floor, it will lurch several inches. I have almost had several wrecks because of this. I am scared to drive the car. It now has 95,000 miles on it but is not paid off yet. I was quoted $800 to fix the throttle body. I feel like with the extent of the complaints on this part, Ford should recall this product on all of these vehicles.
- El Dorado, AR, USA
Was stopped at a drive-thru window and when I went to pull up to receive my food, the car lurched ahead of the window. I put the car in reverse to pick up my food and it lurched so fast backward that I had no control of it, even with my foot on the brake. This caused a crash into the front of another car. I have never had an accident and I am a careful driver. I received a moving violation and there was damage done to both cars. Enough damage that our insurance company is involved. Ford should do something about these lurch problems before someone is killed. Thank goodness no one was in front of me or they would have been killed, please, Ford, do something about these Ford that have this problem.
- Garner, NC, USA
The vehicle lunges when shift lever is moved from park to drive or reverse upon starting. It does not happen everytime, but when it does happen, it is a marked move, enough to go thru a garage, jump a curb or hit a passerby. It seems to happen more often when the car is started, and then waiting a few seconds before moving the shift (time to put on seat belt). Put your foot on brake, shift to gear and wonder if it will jump or not. It became noticable at about 65,000 miles and has become worse. The car has about 76,000 miles on it now. It seems other Ford 500 owners are experience similar problems. I would hope Ford does something to rectify this issue.
- Marietta, NY, USA
Car will "jump" when shifting into drive or reverse gears!! sometimes the car wont immediately accelerate when applying gas. Was told my multiple mechanics that I was the throttle body control causing this but Ford wont do anything about this!!
- Georgetown, SC, USA
When car is in either drive or reverse and the car is idling then the car will lung and almost caused numerous accidents.
- Chesterland, OH, USA
My 2007 Ford Five hundred has recently start "lunging" forward. The dealership tells me it is the throttle body and it needs to be totally replaced. Recently when I was at an intersection, I took my foot off the brake and the car lunged forward into traffic. I was able to stop the vehicle in time to prevent an accident. A few days ago someone walked in front of the vehicle while in a parking lot and the car happened to lurch forward. I was able to apply the brake quickly enough to prevent him from being run over. I've been told this part is not covered under my extended warranty.
- Metairie, LA, USA
Purchased a new Ford Five hundred in 2007. Have kept up with all regular maintenance. After putting about 20,000 miles on the vehicle, I started having a problem with sudden acceleration. I would come to a stop at an intersection, mailbox, or drive-thru and let my foot off the brakes and the car would "jump" -- accelerate on its own. My foot would not even be on the gas pedal. I took it to the Ford dealership and was told that the transmission had to be "reprogrammed". I specifically asked could it be a problem with fuel system and was told no. I had the work completed but the problem persists to this day. I have had several near misses with rear end collisions. Finally as I was entering a parking space, the car accelerated on its own and hit a post in front of the parking space.
- Hartsville, SC, USA
2007 Ford Five hundred sel accelerating and lunging while pulling into a parking spot, garage, or drive-thru lane. Occurs in drive and in reverse. Sudden acceleration lunges the car several feet and has caused several near-miss incidents. Can't park too close to another car in parking lot or garage or pull up behind another car very close at a red light for fear of car lunging into the car in front. Very scary not being able to control this. Afraid to coast into parking spot without foot on brake for fear of hitting someone or some thing.
- Humble, TX, USA
2007 Ford Five hundreds frequently surge forward and backward when first put into gear. There are hundreds, if not thousands of owners of these cars with the same safety issue - potential running over/into people/other cars & structures.
- Kingwood, TX, USA
Car was jerking on acceleration, was told there were no codes even though the light was flashing it is still doing it only worse the light is on solid now and the car is now out of warranty. It would also jerk when taken out of park or when in traffic sitting idle, once I thought I was rear ended. I took it to the mechanics and they told me this is 'normal' behavior and there was nothing wrong with the car. It will not even stay running now when warm and it dies.
- Dresser, WI, USA
2007 Ford 500 car surges in drive and reverse. When backing out of parking places car motor races and car surges 3 to 4 feet. So far we have not hit anyone.
- Al, AL, USA
We have a 2007 Ford Five hundred and have had issues with the throttle body causing a surge and lunge when we put the car from idle to reverse or drive. The car will lunge forward suddenly causing some near accidents. On two separate occasions when the temperatures are in the 90's and the ac is on full blast the car will surge and lunge in reverse and then stall. The mechanic said it was do to an issue with the throttle body and that there have been many other similar complaints. I was thinking that there should be some sort of recall for the throttle body in Ford Five hundreds, because this is a major safety issue!
- San Mateo, CA, USA
2007 Ford Five hundred lunges when put in drive or reverse. Happens all the time. Car has 130K miles.
- Lees Summit, MO, USA
- Clarksville, GA, USA