Is the 2005 Ford Five Hundred a bad year?
510 owner complaints to NHTSA. Engine and transmission complaints are in line with other Five Hundred years.
Keep it
Engine and transmission complaints for the 2005 Ford Five Hundred are in line with other Five Hundred years. Speed control stands out for this year: see below.
The verdict moves with mileage: the same car reads differently at 30,000 and at 150,000 miles.
What 2005 Five Hundred owners report, by mileage
Each system owners named in five or more complaints, with the mileage range where the middle half of those complaints were filed. Read at 73,000 miles.
| SYSTEM | COMPLAINTS | MIDDLE HALF FILED AT | TYPICAL US REPAIR BILLS |
|---|---|---|---|
| Speed controlSTANDS OUT | 104 (20%) | 65k–135k miles · around this mileage | — |
| Transmission and drivetrain | 136 (27%) | 50k–100k miles · around this mileage | CV axle / CV joint replacement (one side) $300–$1,500 · Automatic transmission replacement $2,500–$7,000 |
| Engine | 101 (20%) | 62k–129k miles · around this mileage | Valve cover gasket replacement $110–$500 · Timing chain replacement $1,000–$4,000 |
| Electrical system | 95 (19%) | 41k–110k miles · around this mileage | 12-volt battery replacement $100–$400 · Starter motor replacement $350–$1,200 |
| Fuel system | 44 (9%) | 66k–151k miles · around this mileage | Fuel pump replacement $220–$1,500 · Fuel injector replacement (one injector) $300–$1,200 |
| Body structure | 33 (6%) | 31k–128k miles · around this mileage | — |
| Air bags | 15 (3%) | 34k–96k miles · around this mileage | — |
| Exterior lighting | 14 (3%) | 55k–108k miles · around this mileage | — |
| Brakes | 44 (9%) | 20k–47k miles · mostly behind | — |
| Latches and locks | 22 (4%) | too few with a mileage | — |
| Suspension | 17 (3%) | too few with a mileage | — |
| Equipment | 9 (2%) | too few with a mileage | — |
| Steering | 9 (2%) | too few with a mileage | — |
| Engine and cooling | 7 (1%) | too few with a mileage | — |
Bills are typical US ranges from the sources named in the tool (J.D. Power, Kelley Blue Book, CarParts.com and others), printed only for systems that stand out or sit at or ahead of 73,000 miles. Not a quote.
What owners reported alongside their complaints
Of 510 complaints: 20 mention a crash · 6 mention a fire · 10 report an injury · 4 say the car was towed.
No complaints in the last 12 months; the newest was filed in Aug 2025.
Counts of what owners wrote in their complaints, not verified by anyone.
In owners' own words
Transmission bucked when trying to pass at highway speeds. Vehicle has 73,000 miles and now transmission has to be replaced.
I have a Ford Five Hundred 2005 sel.with only 50,000 miles on it. When the car gets warm the transmission will shift in to a lower gear while driving on the road.
Bought the vehicle used in may 2010. Realized early-on that the transmission was not smooth, but willing to settle for less than perfection since it was a 2005 vehicle.
Unedited excerpts from complaints filed with NHTSA, chosen by mileage (nearest 73,000 miles), not by content. Unverified.
Recalls for the 2005 Ford Five Hundred: 3
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… As a result, the door latch pawl may not return to the latch position when the door is closed, and the door could open while the vehicle is moving.
Certain aftermarket fuel filters sold under the purolator brand name, p/n F65277, shipped from january 16 through june 2, 2006, for use on the above listed passenger vehicles. Failure of this connection could lead to fuel spillage and, in the presence of an ignition source, a fire could occur.
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). If this happens, drivers may notice a noise or a fuel leak. A fuel leak in the presence of an ignition source could result in a fire.
A recall may cover only some cars of a model year; the campaign size counts every model and year it lists. Enter your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls: dealers fix open recalls free.
Service bulletins from Ford: 3
Repair instructions Ford sent its dealers for symptoms seen in the shop on the 2005 Ford Five Hundred. Ask a dealer or mechanic for a bulletin by its number.
NHTSA defect investigations: 2
Idle instability
Instrument cluster failure
Neighbouring years
2006 Five Hundred: 364 complaints, consider selling.
Every Ford Five Hundred year
2004 · 2005 · 2006 · 2007 · All Five Hundred years side by side
Other Ford models: Ford 500 · Ford Bronco · Ford Bronco Sport · Ford C-Max · Ford Contour · Ford Crown Victoria · Ford E-150 · Ford E-250 · Ford E-350 · Ford E-450 · Ford EcoSport · Ford Edge · Ford Escape · Ford Escape Hybrid · Ford Escort · Ford Excursion · Ford Expedition · Ford Explorer · Ford Explorer Sport · Ford Explorer Sport Trac · Ford F SD · Ford F-150 · Ford F-150 Hybrid · Ford F-150 Lightning BEV · Ford F-250 SD · Ford F-350 SD · Ford F-450 SD · Ford F-550 SD · Ford Fiesta · Ford Flex · Ford Focus · Ford Focus Electric · Ford Ford · Ford Freestar · Ford Freestyle · Ford Fusion · Ford Fusion Energi · Ford Fusion Hybrid · Ford Maverick · Ford Maverick Hybrid · Ford Mustang · Ford Mustang GT · Ford Mustang Mach-E · Ford Ranger · Ford Taurus · Ford Taurus X · Ford Thunderbird · Ford Transit · Ford Transit Connect · Ford Windstar. All makes and models.
Questions
Is the 2005 Ford Five Hundred a bad year?
510 owner complaints to NHTSA. Engine and transmission complaints are in line with other Five Hundred years. At 73,000 miles the tool says: Keep it.
What are the most common problems with the 2005 Ford Five Hundred?
By owner complaints to NHTSA: speed control (104), transmission and drivetrain (136), engine (101), electrical system (95), fuel system (44).
How many recalls does the 2005 Ford Five Hundred have?
3 recall campaigns list this model year: Latches and locks (NHTSA 06V-383), Fuel system (NHTSA 06E056000), Fuel system (NHTSA 05V-515). A recall may cover only some cars; check by VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
Method: counts of unverified owner complaints filed with NHTSA, compared only with other years of the same model (sales volumes are unknown, so no failure rate is computed). A system stands out at 40+ complaints and at least twice the model's quiet (lower-quartile) year, or twice the share across every vehicle of that model year. The mileage range is the 25th to 75th percentile of the mileages owners reported. Data received by NHTSA through November 5, 2026. Repair prices are typical US ranges from named sources, not quotes. Not a diagnosis and not financial advice. PulsCar is not affiliated with NHTSA. Check this car at your own mileage.