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2005 Ford Thunderbird

Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations

Limited comparison data

There is not enough comparable history to draw a useful model-year comparison.

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How this year compares

Owner complaints by model year

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Counts vary with age, sales and reporting. They are not failure rates.

What owners reported most

All reported categories

Tap a category to read its complaints. One report may name several components.

When problems were reported

Mileage at the reported incident

22 reports with mileage · 5 unknown

NHTSA’s mileage field refers to the reported incident, not necessarily the filing date. This shows report counts, not the likelihood of a failure.

What to inspect

Issues worth paying extra attention to based on owner reports.

  • Electrical System. Review the 5 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Air Bags. Review the 4 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Engine. Review the 4 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

0 crash reports0 fire reports0 injury reports

Electronic Stability Control (esc) complaints

2 reports
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39,896 miles · Aug 16, 2010
Electronic Stability Control (esc)

MY 2005 FORD THUNDERBIRD FOR NO APPARENT REASON JUST LOOSES POWER AND THE WRENCH ICON COME ON. I WAS DRIVING ON THE FREEWAY AND THIS HAPPENED AND I BARELY MADE IT TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. THIS HAPPENED TO ME IN 2007 AND I TOOK IT IN TO A FORD DEALERSHIP AND THEY COULD NOT FIND ANYTHING WRONG. NOW IT IS HAPPENING AGAIN AND I A…

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MY 2005 FORD THUNDERBIRD FOR NO APPARENT REASON JUST LOOSES POWER AND THE WRENCH ICON COME ON. I WAS DRIVING ON THE FREEWAY AND THIS HAPPENED AND I BARELY MADE IT TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. THIS HAPPENED TO ME IN 2007 AND I TOOK IT IN TO A FORD DEALERSHIP AND THEY COULD NOT FIND ANYTHING WRONG. NOW IT IS HAPPENING AGAIN AND I ALMOST GOT IN TO A SERIOUS ACCIDENT AT HIGH SPEED. I DID A SEARCH AND FOUND THAT THIS IS HAS HAPPENED ENOUGH THAT FORD EXTENDED THE WARRANTY FOR THE COIL ON PLUG. WHEN I CALLED MY DEALERSHIP AND EXPLAINED THE PROBLEM THEY TOLD ME THAT THE COP IS NOT THE PROBLEM BUT TO BRING IT IN. IN MY SEARCH I FOUND THAT SEVERAL PEOPLE WITH THIS SAME PROBLEM WERE TOLD THAT THE COP WAS NOT THE PROBLEM ONLY TO SPEND OVER $1500 ON AN ELECTRONIC THROTTLE CONTROL AND THAT DID NOT FIX IT. WHEN THEY WENT BACK THE PROBLEM WAS THEN DISCOVERED TO BE THE COP. THIS IS DANGEROUS AND SHOULD BE A RECALL. AT THE VERY LEAST THE SERVICE PEOPLE AT FORD SHOULD BE AWARE OF THIS POTENTIAL LIFE THREATENING PROBLEM. FROM WHAT I HAVE FOUND IT HAS BEEN A PROBLEM SINCE THE 2002 THUNDERBIRD. MY FORD DEALER SHOULD HAVE BEEN AWARE OF THIS WHEN I BROUGHT THE CAR IN UNDER FULL WARRANTY IN 2007 BEFORE I HAD ANOTHER INCIDENT THAT COULD HAVE CAUSED A VERY SERIOUS ACCIDENT. THIS WAS VERY SCARY AND IT ALARMS ME THAT IT IS NOT BEING TAKEN SERIOUSLY ENOUGH. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10349732

39,789 miles · Feb 26, 2009
Electronic Stability Control (esc)

1. I WAS ACCELERATING FROM A STOP POSITION AND THE "WRENCH ICON" CAME ON AND THE CAR WENT ON :"LIMP MODE". 2. HAS OCCURRED TWICE, ONCE, A WEEK AFTER THEY INSTALLED A NEW ELECTRONIC THROTTLE CONTROL. 3. I AM AFRAID THE THROTTLE COULD JAM ON THE MAJOR HIGHWAY THAT I TRAVEL EVERYDAY TO WORK. 4. I DID A SEARCH ON THIS PROBLEM…

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1. I WAS ACCELERATING FROM A STOP POSITION AND THE "WRENCH ICON" CAME ON AND THE CAR WENT ON :"LIMP MODE". 2. HAS OCCURRED TWICE, ONCE, A WEEK AFTER THEY INSTALLED A NEW ELECTRONIC THROTTLE CONTROL. 3. I AM AFRAID THE THROTTLE COULD JAM ON THE MAJOR HIGHWAY THAT I TRAVEL EVERYDAY TO WORK. 4. I DID A SEARCH ON THIS PROBLEM AND SO FAR I HAVE COUNTED 20 COMPLAINTS AND I STOPPED SEARCHING. 5. THIS HAPPEN ON A 2005 FORD THUNDERBIRD THAT I JUST PURCHASED. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10260010

Official recalls

1

05V113000 · Fuel System, Gasoline:storage

Mar 18, 2005

ON CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES, THE FUEL TANK MAY HAVE A LOCALIZED THIN WALL SECTION IN THE LOWER HALF OF THE TANK. THE FUEL TANK MAY CRACK CREATING A POTENTIAL FOR A FUEL LEAK AND FUEL ODOR. THE "SERVICE ENGINE SOON" INDICATOR MAY ILLUMINATE.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: A FUEL LEAK IN THE PRESENCE OF AN IGNITION SOURCE COULD RESULT IN A FIRE.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE FUEL TANK FREE OF CHARGE. THE RECALL BEGAN ON APRIL 4, 2005. OWNERS MAY CONTACT FORD AT 1-800-392-3673, LINCOLN AT 1-800-521-4140.

Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗

NHTSA investigations

0

No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.