The 2005 Ford Five Hundred has 4 recalls, the most serious being fuel tank mounting straps that can break and allow the tank to drop onto the exhaust or driveshaft, creating a fuel leak and fire risk.
When the straps fail, the tank and its heat shield fall and make contact with hot exhaust components on front-wheel-drive models or the spinning driveshaft on all-wheel-drive models. Drivers may notice a clunking or scraping noise before or after a fuel smell develops, but a fire can occur without much warning if the leaking fuel reaches an ignition source. The remaining two recalls both involve door latches. In cold, wet climates, water can work its way into the latch mechanism and wash out the factory grease over time. When temperatures drop well below freezing, the now-dry latch can freeze in place, preventing the pawl from returning to its locked position after the door is shut. That means the door may swing open while the vehicle is moving. One of these latch recalls is scoped to vehicles registered in specific northern and midwestern states where road salt and severe winter temperatures are common, while the other applies more broadly to vehicles exposed to similar wet and cold conditions.
