NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
Engine And Engine Cooling complaints
19 reportsClear category filterMileage unknown · Mar 21, 2012
Engine And Engine Cooling
THERE IS A CHRONIC RECURRENCE OF THE ENGINE STALLING, JERKING, IDLE SPEED LOPING, IN LOW GEAR FOR THIS VEHICLE. AT START UP AND THE ENGINE IS COLD THERE IS LITTLE TO NO PROBLEM. HOWEVER, ONCE THE NORMAL OPERATING TEMPERATURE IS REACHED (PER THE READOUT GAUGE), AND UPON APPLYING THE BRAKES TO COME TO A STOP, AND AS THE TRANSMISSI…
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THERE IS A CHRONIC RECURRENCE OF THE ENGINE STALLING, JERKING, IDLE SPEED LOPING, IN LOW GEAR FOR THIS VEHICLE. AT START UP AND THE ENGINE IS COLD THERE IS LITTLE TO NO PROBLEM. HOWEVER, ONCE THE NORMAL OPERATING TEMPERATURE IS REACHED (PER THE READOUT GAUGE), AND UPON APPLYING THE BRAKES TO COME TO A STOP, AND AS THE TRANSMISSION DOWNSHIFTS THE ENGINE GOES DEAD OR STALLS, AFTER RE-STARTING AND AT IDLE, THE IDLE SPEED, PER THE INDICATOR, FLUCTUATES BACK AND FORTH FROM ABOUT 500 RPM'S TO 900 RPMS. PLACING THE GEAR SHIFT IN THE DRIVE POSITION CAUSES THE CAR TO JUMP PRIOR TO ACCELERATION. AT THIS POINT WHEN TAKING OFF THE CAR JERKS FORWARD. IT SMOOTHES OUT AFTER INCREASING THE SPEED, BUT PRIOR TO EACH STOP THE FLUCTUATING BEGINS AGAIN. *JS
NHTSA ODI #10452550
87,800 miles · Jan 11, 2012
Engine And Engine Cooling
THROTTLE BODY CAUSED SURGING AND THEN AFTER COUPLE MONTHS JUST STARTED STALLING OUT AND DYING EVERYTIME THE CAR WOULD SLOW DOWN FOR A STOP OR COMING TO A STOP. *TR
NHTSA ODI #10443515
84,000 miles · Dec 14, 2011
Engine And Engine CoolingVehicle Speed Control
AT A STOPLIGHT WITH THE BRAKE ON THE ENGINE REVVED UP AND THE CAR JUMPED FORWARD ABOUT 20 FEET BEFORE I COULD STOP IT. AT THE NEXT LIGHT THE SAME THING HAPPENED. AT MY FINAL DESTINATION APPROXIMATELY 2 MILES AWAY MY SON (WHO WAS WITH ME THE WHOLE TIME = I WAS TAKING HIM BACK TO COLLEGE) TOLD ME TO LET THE CAR RUN TO SEE IF IT …
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AT A STOPLIGHT WITH THE BRAKE ON THE ENGINE REVVED UP AND THE CAR JUMPED FORWARD ABOUT 20 FEET BEFORE I COULD STOP IT. AT THE NEXT LIGHT THE SAME THING HAPPENED. AT MY FINAL DESTINATION APPROXIMATELY 2 MILES AWAY MY SON (WHO WAS WITH ME THE WHOLE TIME = I WAS TAKING HIM BACK TO COLLEGE) TOLD ME TO LET THE CAR RUN TO SEE IF IT WOULD DO IT AGAIN. WITH THE CAR IN DRIVE AND MY FOOT ON THE BRAKE (HARD) IT REVVED UP 2 MORE TIMES IN LESS THAN 2 MINUTES TO AT LEAST 1500 RPM AND WAS VERY DIFFICULT TO HOLD BACK. I TOOK IT IN TO THE DEALER THE NEXT DAY AND THEY REPLACED THE THROTTLE BODY AT A COST OF $800. AFTER CALLING FORD AND REPORTING THE SITUATION THEY REFUSED TO DOCUMENT THIS OR MAKE A CASE NUMBER UNTIL I TOLD THEM I KNEW THERE WAS A TECHNICAL BULLETIN ON THIS ACCORDING TO THE DEALER. THEY GAVE ME A CASE NUMBER [XXX] BUT WERE RUDE TO ME AND COULD NOT ANSWER IF THE REPLACEMENT PART ADDRESSED THE ISSUE AND HAS BEEN FIXED. I DO NOT KNOW IF IT WILL HAPPEN IN THE NEXT MILE, NEXT 100,000 MILES, OR NEVER AGAIN IF THEY WILL NOT SAY IF REPLACEMENT PARTS HAVE CORRECTED A PROBLEM. IF A CAR OR PEDESTRIAN WERE IN FRONT OF ME WHEN THIS HAPPENED I WOULD HAVE HAD AN ACCIDENT WITHOUT DOUBT. THIS CAR HAS A SAFETY PROBLEM AND THE INCIDENT HAPPENED ON NOV. 27, 2011. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR
NHTSA ODI #10439966
74,432 miles · Oct 28, 2011
Engine And Engine Cooling
WHEN I SHIFT FROM A STOPPED POSITION, EITHER INTO DRIVE OR REVERSE, THE CAR LUNGES OR JUMPS FORWARD. IT MAKES IT VERY DIFFICULT TO CONTROL. THE DEALER KNOWS ABOUT THE PROBLEM AND SAYS THAT FORD KNOWS ABOUT THE PROBLEM, BUT REFUSES TO FIX IT UNLESS A GOD AWFUL AMOUNT OF MONEY IS PAID IN REPAIR COSTS. THEN HE SAYS IT MAY HAPPEN AG…
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WHEN I SHIFT FROM A STOPPED POSITION, EITHER INTO DRIVE OR REVERSE, THE CAR LUNGES OR JUMPS FORWARD. IT MAKES IT VERY DIFFICULT TO CONTROL. THE DEALER KNOWS ABOUT THE PROBLEM AND SAYS THAT FORD KNOWS ABOUT THE PROBLEM, BUT REFUSES TO FIX IT UNLESS A GOD AWFUL AMOUNT OF MONEY IS PAID IN REPAIR COSTS. THEN HE SAYS IT MAY HAPPEN AGAIN! *TR
NHTSA ODI #10433160
67,000 miles · Oct 22, 2011
Engine And Engine CoolingFuel System, GasolineVehicle Speed ControlCrash
FORD FIVE HUNDRED STARTED LURCHING OR LUNGING WHEN PLACED IN GEAR. FROM A PARKED POSITION.. THE CAR LURCHED BACK INTO THE WALL OF THE CARPORT CRUSHING THE BACK BUMPER. ON ANOTHER OCCASION THE CAR LURCHED WHEN THE DOOR WAS OPEN AND KNOCKED INTO THE CARPORT POST. VERY DANGEROUS. *TR
NHTSA ODI #10432422
35,000 miles · Sep 25, 2011
Engine And Engine CoolingVehicle Speed Control
THIS CAR HAS LUNGED FORWARD AND BACKWARD ALMOST CAUSING SEVERAL ACCIDENTS. DEALERSHIP SAY THEY DON'T KNOW WHAT IS CAUSING IT. WARRANTY IS WORTHLESS. AIR CONDITIONER WENT OUT WHEN TEMP'S WERE OVER 105 DEGREES. OVER $1000 TO REPAIR. *TR
NHTSA ODI #10427128
56,000 miles · Sep 14, 2011
Engine And Engine CoolingPower TrainVehicle Speed Control
IN NOVEMBER OF 2010 MY 2007 FORD 500 BEGAN TO "LEAP" FOWARD OR BACKWARD AFTER SHIFTING FROM PARK TO REVERSE OR DRIVE. THIS ACTION HAS CONTINUED FOR THE FOLLOWING MONTHS. IT SEEMS TO BE HAPPENING MORE AND MORE OFTEN. IN MAY OF 2011 IT "LUNGED" WHEN I WAS BACKING OUT OF MY DRIVEWAY CAUSING DAMAGE TO BOTH MY VEHICLE AND MY HUSBA…
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IN NOVEMBER OF 2010 MY 2007 FORD 500 BEGAN TO "LEAP" FOWARD OR BACKWARD AFTER SHIFTING FROM PARK TO REVERSE OR DRIVE. THIS ACTION HAS CONTINUED FOR THE FOLLOWING MONTHS. IT SEEMS TO BE HAPPENING MORE AND MORE OFTEN. IN MAY OF 2011 IT "LUNGED" WHEN I WAS BACKING OUT OF MY DRIVEWAY CAUSING DAMAGE TO BOTH MY VEHICLE AND MY HUSBANDS WHO WAS PARKED NEAR ME. I TOOK IT TO THE DEALERSHIP TODAY AFTER IT "LUNGED" IN A PARKING LOT LAST WEEK ALMOST HITTING A CHILD WALKING BY. I ASSUMED IT WAS THE TRANSMISSION. HOWEVER, I AM TOLD IT'S A BAD ELECTRONIC THROTTLE BODY AND IS NOT COVERED UNDER THE POWERTRAIN WARRANTY. I AM TOLD IT WILL GO OUT SOMETIME, THERE ISN'T ANY WAY OF KNOWING WHEN BUT IT WILL GO INTO "FAIL SAFE MODE". AFTER SEARCHING ONLINE I SEE FORD HAD A RECALL ON THIS PART THAT INCLUDED MODELS OLDER THEN MINE. THE PROBLEM ISN'T FIXED AS MANY FORD OWNERS ARE EXPERIENCING THE SAME PROBLEM. *KB
NHTSA ODI #10425447
53,000 miles · Aug 10, 2011
Engine And Engine Cooling
OUR 2007 FORD 500 CURRENTLY HAS 63,000 MILES ON IT. AT ABOUT 53,000 MILES WE STARTED TO SEE A RANDOM "SURGE" OF THE THROTTLE WHEN WE WERE SHIFTING THE CAR FROM PARK TO REVERSE OR FROM REVERSE TO DRIVE. IT HAS CONTINUED TO GET PROGRESSIVELY WORSE, NOW OCCURRING ALMOST EVERY TIME WE SHIFT THE CAR FROM THE POSITIONS NOTED ABOVE.…
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OUR 2007 FORD 500 CURRENTLY HAS 63,000 MILES ON IT. AT ABOUT 53,000 MILES WE STARTED TO SEE A RANDOM "SURGE" OF THE THROTTLE WHEN WE WERE SHIFTING THE CAR FROM PARK TO REVERSE OR FROM REVERSE TO DRIVE. IT HAS CONTINUED TO GET PROGRESSIVELY WORSE, NOW OCCURRING ALMOST EVERY TIME WE SHIFT THE CAR FROM THE POSITIONS NOTED ABOVE. THIS IS A DEFINITE SAFETY ISSUE THAT FORD NEEDS TO ADDRESS. FROM ALL OF THE ONLINE FORUMS, THIS BEHAVIOR IS NOT ISOLATED TO JUST ONE CAR//ONE OWNER BUT RATHER SEEMS TO BE A COMMON PROBLEM. ALSO, ON A SEPARATE NOTE, OUR AC FAILED AT 63,000 MILES, THE COMPRESSOR NEEDING REPLACEMENT. ALTHOUGH THIS IS NOT A SAFETY ISSUE, AGAIN THIS SEEMS TO BE A COMMON PROBLEM. *TR
NHTSA ODI #10418475
87,000 miles · Jul 29, 2011
Engine And Engine Cooling
WE PURCHASED OUR 2007 FORD 500 IN JULY OF 2007. AT 87,000 MILES THE A/C COMPRESSOR IS FAILING. THE A/C WORKS PROPERLY IF GOING ABOVE 45 MILES PER HOUR, HOWEVER ONCE YOU SLOW DOWN AND OR STOP, THE AIR STARTS WARMING UP. I WAS JUST QUOTED $1400.00+ TO HAVE THIS REPAIRED. I COMPLETED A LOT OF RESEARCH THIS WEEK IN REFERENCE TO …
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WE PURCHASED OUR 2007 FORD 500 IN JULY OF 2007. AT 87,000 MILES THE A/C COMPRESSOR IS FAILING. THE A/C WORKS PROPERLY IF GOING ABOVE 45 MILES PER HOUR, HOWEVER ONCE YOU SLOW DOWN AND OR STOP, THE AIR STARTS WARMING UP. I WAS JUST QUOTED $1400.00+ TO HAVE THIS REPAIRED. I COMPLETED A LOT OF RESEARCH THIS WEEK IN REFERENCE TO THIS ISSUE PRIOR TO HAVING THE PROBLEMS LOOKED AT AND THERE ARE LITERALLY 100'S OF DOCUMENTED CASES OF THIS SAME PROBLEM ON 2005-2007FORD 500'S. OBVIOUSLY THERE IS A PROBLEM WITH THIS AND FORD SHOULD STEP IN AND MAKE THIS RIGHT. *TR
NHTSA ODI #10415605
45,000 miles · Jul 26, 2011
Engine And Engine CoolingEquipment
FORD 2007 500 IS LUNGING FORWARD WHEN FOOT IS ON THE BRAKE ... THIS BEGAN ABOUT A YEAR AGO . ON AND OFF I THOUGHT IT WAS BAD GAS BUT NOW THAT I HAVE USED THE RECOMMENDED FUEL FOR MY TIME OF OWNING THE CAR IT DOES IT MORE . ESPECIALLY WHEN THE AIR IS ON .. BUT EVEN WHEN IT NOT. *TR
NHTSA ODI #10415170
NHTSA investigations
1PE11018 · Idle Instability
Opened May 11, 2011 · Closed Feb 7, 2013
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Vehicle Speed Control
On November 29, 2012, Ford Motor Company (Ford) initiated Customer Satisfaction Program 12N03 to extend warranty coverage terms for repair of engine idle RPM surge caused by throttle body deposits in all model year (MY) 2005 through 2007 Ford Freestyle, Five Hundred and Mercury Montego vehicles.The program extends the coverage for up to 10 years of service or 150,000 miles from the warranty start date of the vehicle (all vehicles are eligible for the program through May 31, 2013, regardless of mileage).Dealers will repair vehicles exhibiting the condition by removing and cleaning the throttle body and reprogramming the PCM with software containing an updated idle speed control strategy.According to Ford, some of the affected vehicles may experience momentary, intermittent engine idle RPM surge (idle flare) when stopped or during low speed driving maneuvers such as in a parking lot or driveway.Unstable idle speed control (dips and flares) around the target engine speed (700 rpm) can occur in vehicles with deposit build-up in the throttle body when the system adjusts engine speed in response to changes in engine load, typically from power steering application or air-conditioner compressor cycling.Idle speed control logic is only active at vehicle speeds below 3.5 mph and when the accelerator pedal is not applied.Ford testing of a vehicle with a worst case throttle body measured a maximum idle flare of 1360 RPM lasting approximately 1 second, which Ford indicated was consistent with system design to limit vehicle speed and acceleration in idle control mode.Ford indicated that the test vehicle was held in place with normal brake effort and that vehicle speed remained under 4 mph without the brake pedal applied.In addition to throttle body deposit accumulation, symptoms associated with the condition may include Check Engine lamp illumination and diagnostic trouble codes (DTCs) P0505, P0506 or P061B.Ford attributed the surge condition to changes in idle air flow resulting from the progressive buildup of deposits in the throttle body from normal Positive Crankcase Ventilation (PCV) system operation.This condition was not adequately compensated for in the original Powertrain Control Module (PCM) calibration.Ford issued a technical service bulletin on August 15, 2011 (TSB 11-8-5), releasing an updated powertrain control calibration for vehicles with CVT transmissions.On October 19, 2011, Ford issued a second bulletin (TSB 11-10-21) superseding TSB 11-8-5 and including updated powertrain control calibration for vehicles with 6-speed transmissions.Prior to Ford issuing the TSB?s, owner?s experiencing the alleged defect either received no repairs, if dealers could not duplicate the condition, or had the throttle body cleaned or replaced, which only provided temporary correction until the throttle deposit build-up returned.Ford?s revised powertrain calibrations appear to be effective remedies for the idle instability caused by build-up of throttle body deposits.However, even after the TSB?s were released, many owners experiencing the condition continued to have difficulty with proper diagnosis and repair as dealers were often either unable to duplicate the condition or were unfamiliar with the new repair procedures.Ford's new program addresses those concerns.NHTSA's testing and complaint analysis indicate that the idle speed control issue in the subject vehicles can only occur at very low speeds, are very brief events, are easily controlled by moderate brake pedal forces and result in minor increases in vehicle speed even with no braking.This investigation is closed.The closing of this in