Reliability & cost of ownership
Ford 500 Reliability & Common Problems
How reliable is the Ford 500? Compare every model year side by side — NHTSA recalls, owner complaints, and crash-test stars where on file — then open the year you're shopping for its AI reliability outlook where NHTSA has enough data.
Ford 500 problems by model year
204 owner complaints on file across 3 model years, sourced from the federal NHTSA database. We couldn't confirm the NHTSA recall list for those years — check the VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
| Year | Recalls | Complaints | NCAP stars | Full report |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2007 500 | Not confirmed | 37 | No overall rating on file | AI reliability outlook → |
| 2006 500 | Not confirmed | 68 | No overall rating on file | AI reliability outlook → |
| 2005 500 | Not confirmed | 99 | No overall rating on file | AI reliability outlook → |
Most-complained-about components
Owner complaints filed with NHTSA against the Ford 500, grouped by the component each complaint names — the fastest read on where this model gives trouble.
- power train59 complaints
- engine55 complaints
- vehicle speed control50 complaints
- electrical system41 complaints
- fuel/propulsion system17 complaints
- unknown or other13 complaints
- exterior lighting11 complaints
- structure10 complaints