There are 50 owner-reported engine complaints for the 2005 Ford Five Hundredin NHTSA's database. These are unverified consumer reports and may not reflect confirmed defects.
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.
ESTABA MANEJANDO HACIA MI TRABAJO Y ME APARECIO EN EL PANEL FAILSAFE ENGINE MODE, NO PUDE SEGUIR MANEJANDO MAS POR QUE ME ESTABA FALLANDO EL ANDAR DEL AUTO.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 FORD FIVE HUNDRED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT 20 MPH, THE VEHICLE HESITATED TO SHUT OFF. THE INSTRUMENT PANEL ILLUMINATED AND LOSES POWER. THE FAILURE RECURRED FIVE TIMES. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE THROTTLE BODY WAS STUCK OPEN AND THE ECM NEEDED TO BE REPROGRAMMED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED HOWEVER THE RECURRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 105,585.
SPARK PLUGS HAVE BACKED OUT OF THE ALUMINUM HEAD IN THIS VEHICLE TWICE NOW. THIS SECOND TIME, IT WAS A PLUG IN THE BACK HEAD HARD TO REACH AND IT PULLED SOME OF THE THREADS OUT WITH IT. THESE ALUMINUM HEADS SHOULD BE RECALLED AND REPLACED WITH STEEL HEADS. *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 FORD FIVE HUNDRED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE AT A STOP LIGHT, THE VEHICLE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING AND SHIFTED INTO REVERSED INDEPENDENTLY. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 49,000. *TR
DURING HOT ( 95 DEGREES) AFTERNOON, WITH A/C ON HIGH, VEHICLE REVS AND LURCHES WHILE VEHICLE IS IN GEAR. HARD PRESSURE ON THE BREAK WILL STOP THE VEHICLE, BUT ENGINE REVS STILL CONTINUE. ENGINE THEN DIES AND ' ENGINE FAIL SAFE MODE ' APPEARS. TURNING THE VEHICLE OFF AND WAITING TO RESTART RESETS THE FAIL SAFE MODE. ALLOWING VEHICLE TO COOL DOWN CLEARS THE SHORT TERM PROBLEM. REPORTED TO LOCAL FORD DEALER WHO CLAIMS TO HAVE NOT HEARD OF THE PROBLEM. *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 FORD FIVE HUNDRED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 60 MPH, THE FAIL SAFE MODE ACTIVATED, CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO STALL. THE VEHICLE WAS MERGED TO THE SHOULDER, TURNED OFF AND THEN RESTARTED AFTER SEVERAL MINUTES, AS IT RESUMED NORMAL OPERATION. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE THE CONTACT WAS AWAITING A FULL DIAGNOSIS OF THE FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED WHO ADVISED THAT THERE WERE NO RECALLS FOR THE VEHICLE AND OFFERED NO OTHER ASSISTANCE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 126,000.
WHILE PARKING, WITH FOOT ON BRAKE THE CAR SURGED FORWARD. THE A/C WAS ON AS WELL. IT HAS NOW HAPPENED 7 MORE TIMES ALL WHILE THE A/C IS ON EITHER PARKING OR REVERSING FROM A PARKING SPOT. *JS
THE CAR PERIODICALLY LURCHED AND SURGED. FINALLY, IT WOULD NOT START. THE DEALER DETERMINED THAT THE ELECTRONIC THROTTLE BODY WAS DEFECTIVE. BASED ON INFORMATION FROM THE DEALER AND FROM THIS WEBSITE, IT APPEARS THAT THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM ON CERTAIN FORD MODELS. IF THIS PROBLEM IS AS WIDE-SPREAD AS IT APPEARS, THERE SHOULD BE A RECALL. *TR
BEING STOPPED AT AN ATM, MY CAR BEGAN TO SMOKE. PULLED OVER INTO THE BANK PARKING LOT TO SEE IF IT WAS OVER HEATING. THE WHITE SMOKE WOULD NOT SUBSIDE AND BEGAN GETTING WORSE. DIALED 911 AND A FIRETRUCK CAME OUT OPENED THE HOOD AND EXTINGUISHED A FIRE UNDER THE HOOD. PRIOR TO THE TRUCK ARRIVING, A LOUD BANG OCCURRED UNDER THE HOOD. *TR
WHEN YOU ARE DRIVING THE VEHICLE WILL STOP ACCELERATING AND A FAIL SAFETY MODE LIGHT COMES ON, IF YOU PULL OVER AND RESTART IT, IT WILL RESTART AND HAPPENS A FEW MINUTES LATER. *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 FORD FIVE HUNDRED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 55 MPH, THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO JERK VIOLENTLY AND RESPONDED AS THOUGH IT WOULD STALL. THE FAILURE OCCURRED SPORADICALLY WHEN DRIVING AT LOW AND HIGH SPEEDS. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER FOR A DIAGNOSIS. THE TECHNICIAN STATED THAT THE MOTOR MOUNT WOULD NEED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE DEFECT. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 55,000.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 FORD FIVE HUNDRED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 10 MPH, THE VEHICLE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO THE DEALER. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 155,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 160,000.
SINCE 2007 THE CAR INTERMITTENTLY WILL PERIODICALLY LUNG FORWARD AND IT IS ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE TO CONTROL THE CAR. THIS HAS HAPPENED SEVERAL TIMES SINCE JUNE 2007 (88,000 MILES). EVEN HARD BRAKING DOES NOT NECESSARILY STOP THE CAR...I HAVE HAD TO PUT THE CAR IN NEUTRAL THE ENGINE REVS UP AS IF I AM TOUCHING THE ACCELERATOR (AND MY FOOT IS NOT ON THE PEDAL) AND I SHUT THE CAR OFF. TURNING THE CAR BACK ON DOES NOT NECESSARILY REMEDY THE PROBLEM. IN ADDITION, THE CAR ROUTINELY GOES INTO FAIL SAFE ENGINE MODE OR CUTS OFF WHILE I AM DRIVING AT A REASONABLE RATE OF SPEED BOTH ON RURAL ROADS AND HIGHWAYS. THIS CAR IS A HAZARD TO DRIVE, MORE SO IN THE WARMER MONTHS...MY THOUGHT IS SOMETHING MUST GET OVERHEATED BUT WHAT I DO NOT KNOW. *TR
I WAS DRIVING DOWN A RESIDENTIAL STREET WHEN ALL OF THE SUDDEN THE ENGINE STALLED ON ME AND I RECEIVED A "FAILSAFE ENGINE MODE" MESSAGE IN THE MESSAGE CENTER. I STOPPED THE CAR AND SHUT OFF THE ENGINE, THEN WAITED A COUPLE OF MINUTES AND STARTED IT AGAIN AND HAD NO PROBLEMS. I WAS THEN DRIVING DOWN A RESIDENTIAL STREET AGAIN A COUPLE OF DAYS LATER AND THE SAME THING HAPPENED WHERE THE ENGINE STALLED ON ME. THE ONLY WARNING SIGNS THAT I CAN RECALL WERE THAT AT TIMES, I WOULD EXPERIENCE SLUGGISH ACCELERATION. THIS IS A HUGE ISSUE TO ME AND VERY DANGEROUS SINCE I HAVE A CHILD AND WHAT IF I WAS TRAVELING ON THE HIGHWAY AND THIS HAPPENED TO ME? *TR
CARS ENTERS INTO FAILSAFE MODE AND ENGINE CUTS OUT. I HAVE BEEN ALMOST REAR- ENDED THREE TIMES SINCE FIRST OCCURRENCE AND ONE TIME ALMOST T-BONED. SLUGGISH ACCELERATION WHEN TAKING OFF MAY OCCUR ALSO. I HAVE NOTICED THIS HAS BEEN A COMMON PROBLEM WITH THIS MODEL AND THE FAULTY THROTTLE BODY HAS SINCE BEEN REDESIGNED BY FORD. THEY SHOULD RECALL THIS AS IT IS A SAFETY HAZARD. I KNOW THAT I WAS LUCKY TO HAVE NOT BEEN INJURED IN AN ACCIDENT DUE TO THIS FAULTY PART, BUT I AM SURE SOME HAVE NOT BEEN SO LUCKY. *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 FORD FIVE HUNDRED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 70 MPH, THE WRENCH WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED AS THE VEHICLE STALLED. THE VEHICLE WAS RESTARTED BUT THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC FOR DIAGNOSIS WHERE THE VACUUM OPERATIVE VALVE BEHIND THE THROTTLE BODY WAS REPLACED. THE FAILURE RECURRED AFTER THE REPAIRS. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT FURTHER REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 60,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 121,000.
I OWN A 2005 FORD 500. THE CAR HAS STARTED LURCHING FORWARD ON ITS OWN. I HAVE BEEN READING FORUMS AND HUNDREDS OF OTHER PEOPLE ARE HAVING THE SAME PROBLEMS. THEY SAY IT IS THE THROTTLE BODY. FORD SHOULD HAVE A RECALL ON THE 500 .THE FORD FREESTYLE IS HAVING THE SAME PROBLEM. DO PEOPLE HAVE TO DIE OR BE RUN OVER BEFORE SOMETHING IS DONE. IT IS EXTREMELY SCARY WHEN MY CAR LURCHES FORWARD ON ITS OWN. HELP, PLEASE HELP! *TR
THE VEHICLE HAS RPM SURGES AT LOW SPEEDS EITHER IN REVERSE OR FORWARD. I NEARLY HAD 3-4 ACCIDENTS IN 2 DAYS BECAUSE OF THE ISSUE. THE VEHICLE WILL ACTUALLY INCREASE UP TO 1000 RPMS BY ITSELF WHILE I HAVE MY FOOT ON THE BRAKE. AS SOON AS I BEGIN TO RELEASE PRESSURE OFF THE BRAKE WHILE TRYING TO PARK OR NEGOTIATE THE VEHICLE AT VERY LOW SPEEDS THE ENGINE WILL JUST TAKE OFF. THE FIRST TIME I NOTICED IT I WAS BACKING OUT OF A PARKING SPACE AND THE VEHICLE TOOK OFF BACKWARD CAUSING ME TO HAVE TO SLAM THE BRAKES ON. I ALMOST HIT A WOMAN WHO WAS PASSING ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE LANE. *KB
BACKING OUT OF THE DRIVEWAY IN A 2005 FORD 500 AWD, CAR STUMBLES THEN LAUNCHED BACKWARD VIOLENTLY. LUCKILY I HAD MY FOOT ON THE BRAKE OR THE CAR WOULD HAVE KEPT GOING. "FAILSAFE ENGINE MODE" APPEARS ON THE DASHBOARD. THIS HAS HAPPENED SEVERAL TIMES BEFORE. SHOULD BE A RECALL ON THIS CAR. *KB
Showing 1–20 of 50 complaints
Complaints are unverified consumer reports submitted to NHTSA. A high complaint count may reflect vehicle popularity, not defect severity. Data sourced from NHTSA public records.
Data synced from NHTSA on Apr 26, 2026