NHTSA recalls & complaints · 2004–2007

Ford Five Hundred recalls, complaints and VIN decoding

NHTSA lists 3 recall campaigns and 1,278 owner complaints for the Ford Five Hundred, covering model years 2004 to 2007. The 2005 model year drew the most complaints (609), and Power Train is the component owners name most often.

Source: NHTSA recall and complaint flat files, updated September 25, 2026.

Decode your Ford Five Hundred VIN

See the model year, plant and build details of one vehicle, then the recalls for its exact year.

3 recall campaigns on file
1,278 owner complaints (unverified reports to NHTSA)
4 model years with data (2004–2007)

most complaints: 2005 (609 for that model year)
top component: Power Train (358 complaints)
latest recall 11V355000 (reported Jul 13, 2011)

67 complaints reporting a crash (5.2%)
20 complaints reporting a fire (1.6%)
27 complaints reporting an injury (2.1%)
0 complaints reporting a death (0.0%)

Ford Five Hundred complaints by model year

4 model years · NHTSA complaints

The 2005 model year has the most complaints: 609 of 1,278, or 47.7%. Next come 2006 (432) and 2007 (236). The fewest are for 2004, with 1 complaint.

Owner complaints per model yearHighest yearOther years

Ford Five Hundred complaints by model year, with complaints reporting a crash, fire, injury or death

Ford Five Hundred complaints by model year, with complaints reporting a crash, fire, injury or death
Model year	Complaints	Reporting a crash	Reporting a fire	Reporting an injury
2004	1	0	0	0
2005	609	24	7	15
2006	432	24	9	6
2007	236	19	4	6
All model years	1,278	67	20	27

Crash, fire, injury and death columns count complaints that report at least one of them, not people.

Most-reported Ford Five Hundred components

top 15 · NHTSA categories

Power Train is the component named most often, in 358 complaints (28.0% of all 1,278), followed by Vehicle Speed Control (342) and Electrical System (209).

Components named most often in Ford Five Hundred complaints (top 15)

Components named most often in Ford Five Hundred complaints (top 15)
Component	Complaints	Share of complaints
Power Train	358	28.0%
Vehicle Speed Control	342	26.8%
Electrical System	209	16.4%
Engine	170	13.3%
Engine and Engine Cooling	93	7.3%
Service Brakes, Hydraulic	74	5.8%
Fuel/Propulsion System	68	5.3%
Structure	68	5.3%
Fuel System, Gasoline	60	4.7%
Unknown or Other	57	4.5%
Exterior Lighting	40	3.1%
Air Bags	37	2.9%
Suspension	28	2.2%
Latches/Locks/Linkages	27	2.1%
Equipment	26	2.0%

One complaint can name several components, so the shares add up to more than 100%. Component names are NHTSA’s top-level categories.

What NHTSA owner complaints mean

These figures count complaints that vehicle owners and other members of the public have submitted to NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation. NHTSA uses complaints, together with other data, to spot safety issues that may warrant an investigation and to check whether existing recalls go far enough.

They are reports, not findings. Each complaint is the submitter's own account. Its presence in the database does not mean NHTSA has confirmed a defect.
Counts are not defect rates. The data doesn't say how many vehicles were sold, so a raw count can't tell you what share of vehicles had a problem.
Popular models collect more complaints. A model sold in large numbers will usually gather more complaints than a rare one, simply because more people own it.
One complaint can name several components. Totals by component can therefore add up to more than the number of complaints.
Coverage starts in 1995. NHTSA's complaint file contains complaints received since January 1, 1995.

Use complaint patterns as a prompt for questions: whether a recall covers the issue, whether the vehicle you are considering has had the fix, and what a mechanic finds on inspection. For confirmed safety defects, see the recall list for this model.

Ford Five Hundred recalls

3 campaigns · newest first

Every vehicle recall campaign NHTSA lists under the model name Five Hundred, newest first. The 3 campaigns cover model years 2005 to 2007. The 2005 model year appears in the most campaigns (2).

3 recall campaigns

Ford Five Hundred recall campaigns covering each model year
2005: 2 campaigns	2006: no campaigns	2007: 1 campaign

Highlighted: the model year with the most campaigns.

NHTSA campaign 11V355000
Reported Jul 13, 2011
Fuel System, Gasoline › Storage › Tank Assembly › Filler Pipe and Cap
Model year 2007
Ford is recalling certain model year 2007 Ford Five Hundred and Mercury Montego vehicles manufactured from September 5, 2006, through September 11, 2006. The fuel tanks may not have consistent welds between the fuel tank and fuel filler neck spud which can affect the strength of the joint. Some fuel tank spud welds may not provide the expected strength in the event of a severe rear impact to the vehicle. An improper weld can result in a crack in the joint which could illuminate the emissions malfunction indicator light, cause a fuel odor, or allow fuel to leak out.
Consequence:
Fuel leakage, in the presence of an ignition source, could result in a fire.
Remedy:
Dealers will replace the fuel tank free of charge. The safety recall began on August 16, 2011. Owners may contact Ford motor company customer relationship center at 1-866-436-7332.
Filed by Ford Motor Company
NHTSA campaign 06V383000
Reported Oct 5, 2006
Latches/Locks/Linkages › Doors › Latch
Model year 2005
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 Island, South Dakota, Utah, Vermont, West Virginia, Wisconsin, and Wyoming. The side door latch mechanisms may experience water intrusion allowing the latch mechanism to freeze in cold weather.
Consequence:
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.
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. The recall began on November 8, 2006. Owners may contact Ford at 1-800-392-3673.
Filed by Ford Motor Company
NHTSA campaign 05V515000
Reported Nov 9, 2005
Fuel System, Gasoline › Storage › Tank Assembly › Mounting
Model year 2005
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).
Consequence:
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.
Remedy:
Dealers will replace both fuel tank straps. The recall began on December 1, 2005. Owners may contact Ford at 1-800-392-3673.
Filed by Ford Motor Company

Recall text is shown as NHTSA publishes it; older campaigns, which NHTSA stores in capital letters, are shown in sentence case. NHTSA’s Vehicle Safety Hotline, 1-888-327-4236, also answers recall questions.

How to read this recall list

This list shows every safety recall campaign NHTSA has on file for this make, model and model year. It is not specific to one vehicle: a recall often covers only vehicles built in a certain date range or with a certain part, and many of the vehicles it covers will already have been repaired.

What each recall field means

What each recall field means
Field	What it tells you
Campaign number	NHTSA's unique ID for the recall, such as 20V771000. Quote it to a dealer or when searching NHTSA's site.
Component	The system or part involved, for example air bags, brakes or electrical software.
Summary	What the defect or non-compliance is and which vehicles are covered.
Consequence	The safety risk if the problem isn't fixed.
Remedy	What the manufacturer will do, such as a repair, replacement or software update, and whether it is free.

Some recalls carry an NHTSA consumer advisory, “Do Not Drive” or “Park Outside”. Follow it until the repair is done.
A single campaign often covers several models or model years, so the same campaign number can appear in more than one list.
Recalls are shown as NHTSA publishes them. Very recent campaigns may take time to appear.

Does your vehicle have an open recall? Only a VIN check can tell you. Enter the VIN at NHTSA's recall lookup (opens in a new tab) or on the manufacturer's website. Our VIN recall check guide explains what each option covers.

Ford Five Hundred questions

5 questions

How many recalls does the Ford Five Hundred have?

NHTSA lists 3 vehicle recall campaigns for the Ford Five Hundred, covering model years 2004 to 2007. The most recent, 11V355000, was reported on July 13, 2011 and is filed under “Fuel system, gasoline”. The 2005 model year is covered by the most campaigns (2).

Which Ford Five Hundred model year has the most complaints?

The 2005 model year, with 609 of the 1,278 complaints in NHTSA’s file (47.7%). The next are 2006 (432) and 2007 (236). Complaint counts also reflect how many vehicles of each year were sold and how long they have been on the road, so they are not a reliability ranking.

What is the most common Ford Five Hundred complaint?

Power Train is the component named most often: 358 complaints, or 28.0% of all 1,278. Vehicle Speed Control (342) and Electrical System (209) follow. Complaints are unverified reports from owners, not confirmed defects, and one complaint can name several components.

Does every recall on this page apply to my Ford Five Hundred?

Not necessarily. Each campaign lists specific model years, and many cover only vehicles built in a certain period or fitted with a certain part; repairs already carried out aren’t shown. To see whether a recall is open on your vehicle, enter its VIN at NHTSA’s recall lookup (opens in a new tab) or ask a Ford dealer.

How many Ford Five Hundred complaints report a crash, fire, injury or death?

Of the 1,278 complaints, 67 report a crash, 20 a fire, 27 at least one injury and 0 at least one death. These figures count complaints, not people, and each complaint is the submitter’s own unverified account.

8 models · most complaints first

The Ford models with the most NHTSA complaints, and the Ford VIN decoder with every Ford model page, WMI code and VIN note.

Ford F-150 1995–2027 · 158 recalls · 35,790 complaints
Ford Explorer 1995–2027 · 131 recalls · 31,089 complaints
Ford Escape 2000–2026 · 95 recalls · 27,343 complaints
Ford Fusion 2006–2020 · 46 recalls · 22,383 complaints
Ford Focus 1999–2018 · 36 recalls · 22,086 complaints
Ford Windstar 1995–2005 · 33 recalls · 14,108 complaints
Ford Edge 2004–2024 · 43 recalls · 14,009 complaints
Ford Taurus 1995–2019 · 52 recalls · 12,702 complaints

All Ford models and WMI codes Look up recalls by year

Data: NHTSA recalls and complaints flat files, updated September 25, 2026. Recall campaigns are vehicle (V) campaigns listed for this model name; complaints are counted once per NHTSA ODI number and model year.