Print this page

10.0

really awful
Crashes / Fires:
1 / 2
Injuries / Deaths:
1 / 0
Average Mileage:
56,772 miles

About These NHTSA Complaints:

This data is from the NHTSA — the US gov't agency tasked with vehicle safety. Complaints are spread across multiple & redundant categories, & are not organized by problem.

So how do you find out what problems are occurring? For this NHTSA complaint data, the only way is to read through the comments below. Any duplicates or errors? It's not us.

2005 Ford Mustang electrical problems

electrical problem

Find something helpful? Spread the word.
Get notified about new defects, investigations, recalls & lawsuits for the 2005 Ford Mustang:

Unsubscribe any time. We don't sell/share your email.

2005 Ford Mustang Owner Comments (Page 2 of 9)

« Read the previous 20 complaints

problem #141

Jan 012008

Mustang 6-cyl

  • 20,000 miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

None of the gauges work. I have to drive pacing myself with other vehicles. Only the icon for gas needed comes on when the gas is low. Starting after about 10,000 miles on the car I have had increasing problems getting fuel in the car. Not just myself, but anyone that tries to fuel the car. I initially started holding the fuel nozzle upside down to get gas and that worked for a few years. (although you look like a dumb ass that doesn't know how to put gas in a car!) this last year it has gotten so bad that I am lucky to get 2 gallons in it, and that is with it repeatedly shutting off. Since day one the right front wheel makes a grinding/clunking noise when I turn the tire in either direction. It makes me feel like the wheel will fall off. My cars body assembly is also crap. The front lower grill has popped off and disappeared. I have seen several, at least 10 other Mustangs of this year missing the same part. The plastic, yes plastic!, screws pop out. The places where the inside seams of the car are supposed to connect are detached. The light enclosure in the trunk will not stay attached. The seat handles fall off. I only have 50,000 miles on this car. Repair shops tell me to wait for a recall, when is that going to happen?

- Santee, CA, USA

problem #140

Dec 102014

Mustang 6-cyl

  • 67,000 miles
The speedometer were not working at all. I read in very forum that 2005 models with very same issue. Think Ford should recall the cluster. I read this in other complain and my opinion is the same. "please recall the gauge cluster it's the right thing to do for a big name company like Ford. Original owner".

- Camuy, PR, USA

problem #139

Dec 112014

Mustang

  • 40,000 miles
. I got in my car an started the engine. I then noticed my fuel gauge and speedometer were not working at all. I have always taken care of my Mustang an I think Ford should recall the cluster. There's been plenty of 2005 models with very same issue. Please recall the gauge cluster it's the right thing to do for a big name company like Ford. Original owner.

- Canby, OR, USA

problem #138

May 252011

Mustang 6-cyl

  • 44,000 miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

The incident reported below also happened to me. Ford replaced the entire instrument cluster at no charge to me. I got in my car an started the engine. I then noticed my fuel gauge and speedometer were not working at all. I have always taken care of my Mustang an I think Ford should recall the cluster. There's been plenty of 2005 models with very same issue. Please recall the gauge cluster it's the right thing to do for a big name company like Ford.

- New Orleans, LA, USA

problem #137

Jul 292014

Mustang 6-cyl

  • 80,000 miles
Since about a year ago, November 2013, this vehicle has shown multiple issues. To start, it is an automatic 05 Mustang which, the more I read online, the more that I seem to find that many have these exact same or very similar issues. Initially the dash cluster (everything besides the tachometer) was not functioning properly. The speedometer would get stuck at 20 mph but still move acting as though the 20 mph was the 0 mph mark (so 35 mph = 15 mph). More recently the gas gauge has stopped working, it sits at empty even after plenty of gas has been put into it. The temperature gauge also gets stuck often, still moving as the speedometer does. Not too long after these issues started occurring, when I went to fill up the gas tank it wouldn't take the gas as it normally would. Sometimes only a couple dollars worth would be in before it clicked off. After paying closer attention I have also noticed sometimes gas actually splashes out when filling it up even though it is definitely not full. Much more recently the vehicle has worrying issues. At one point while driving on the freeway at 70 mph the vehicle suddenly started to decelerate on its own, even while I was pressing on the gas pedal. I pulled it off to the side, shut it off completely, started it up and it was as though nothing happened. Ever since that incident though it has been running a bit louder and now it seems a possible misfire is happening with one of the cylinders occasionally. The vehicle has a delayed and very hard shift from third to fourth gear. It is not as though the vehicle has not been taken care of, and for a 2005 the mileage is pretty low still. At least one or two of these issues seem to be a safety concern, and it is very obvious after researching online that these issues are prevalent in tons of these exact same vehicles.

- Saginaw, MI, USA

problem #136

Nov 042014

Mustang 6-cyl

  • 80,000 miles
They get stuck especially in cooler weather. The tach is now stuck hanging in the down position. The odometer can go anywhere from 20 to 40 mph faster than I am going. When stopped it will be in that position.

- Brandon, FL, USA

problem #135

Sep 012014

Mustang 6-cyl

  • miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

Speedometer and tachometer needle does not function correctly. Speedometer does not move half the time from resting position and the tachometer will rotate all the way around and stay where it is when the car is turned off. The battery, oil, and temp needles do not move from off position half the time. Transmission does not shift smoothly and shifts harder going from second to third.

- Aragon, GA, USA

problem #134

Mar 302010

Mustang 8-cyl

  • 30,000 miles
This is regarding a defect, but not an accident. I had the exact same issues on my 2000 Mustang, which Ford declared a lemon 2 years after I purchased it new. Primary problem is fault in electrical system, which causes intermittent and increasingly inoperative problems with engine dying in the middle of the road, even at high speeds, losing all steering and control; convertible top opening and closing; windows opening and closing by themselves but not when desired; and dash gauges not working, indicating randomly and literally off the chart, or spectrum, if you will. Other intrinsic issues include gas tank gauge giving false "full" read every few seconds whenever attempting to refuel, requiring near constant repositioning of nozzle, and random interior parts falling off without even minimal use and within 3 years of owning vehicle. Vehicle currently has only 67,000 miles on it. Since this is my 2nd Mustang with same problems, I have to believe it should have been a recall. Please recall this vehicle, and all Ford with these issues. Dangerous and problematic, not only because you cannot close and lock your car, but because engine dying in middle of road has almost caused what could have easily been a very serious accident on more than a few occasions, in both cars. I have seen many complaints online regarding the engine stalling out, which seems to have something to do with running the air conditioner.

- San Diego, CA, USA

problem #133

Oct 202010

Mustang 6-cyl

  • 55,000 miles
Entire gauge cluster is now inoperable. First thing to stop working was fuel gauge, needle stuck around 1/8th tank. Low fuel lamp indicator still works and is only way to know when low on fuel. Around same time speedometer needle started sticking at random points, more noticeable as weather got cooler. Would go up with acceleration but not all the way back down when braking. Needle is now stuck all the way cw on trip reset button. Odometer still works correctly. Then same with tachometer a few months later. Finally quit looking at gauge cluster while driving, not really sure when coolant temperature gauge got stuck and quit working. Have seen many complaints of the same problem. Ford seemed to fix the problem in the next year model, but still refuse any sensible solution for affected vehicles in 2005. To have issue fixed by Ford: $660 for new instrument cluster + labor.

- North Lauderdale, FL, USA

problem #132

Sep 012014

Mustang

  • 29,100 miles
The speedometer on my Ford saleen Mustang 2005 recently has stopped working properly, the needle on the speedometer sits on 10 mph when idling, when I accelerate the needle is off by 10 mph, this is a safety issue, not knowing how fast you are traveling. I have looked up if there are any recalls available through the web and have only found similar issues on forums.

- Brownsville, TX, USA

problem #131

Oct 012013

Mustang

  • 85,000 miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

After a light rain I noticed water dripping into the passenger side kick plate/glove box area. Car would not start. Had it towed to dealer. Started next day and could not replicate problem. Next day, same problem. Water noticeable in passenger compartment. Shook smart junction box and notice water leaking out. Car started and stopped when sjb shaken. Took to dealer. Replaced sjb for $750. Month later same issue, this time car shut off while driving on freeway in rain. Loss of all control, electrical and power. Could not restart. Pounded on sjb and eventually started. Got it back home. Now brakes lights, turn signal, headlights, A/C and display panel not operating. I am surprised that someone has not been killed yet. In trying to solve this issue, it appears that the internet is fully of the same stories. Sickening.

- Milwaukee, WI, USA

problem #130

Aug 012008

Mustang 6-cyl

  • 80,000 miles
The instrument cluster on my Mustang began behaving erratically at about the time and mileage noted for a long time, the speedometer and tachometer would work for 30-45 minutes of driving (less when it was hot outside) then quit, however the gas and temperature gauges worked consistently until a few years later. In 2010 or thereabouts the other gauges quit working. The warning lights still work and the speedometer/tachometer come on feebly for a few minutes when you first start driving the car the gas and temperature gauges never change at all. I used the low fuel light for the last few years to tell when I needed gas and have had no idea how fast I was going most of the time. Apparently this is so common there is a cottage industry providing a rebuild of the instrument cluster for these cars much more cheaply than Ford. Although my car is far out of warranty (254,000 miles and still running good) I thought it would help to report this issue since it appears to have happened to so many of these cars. Otherwise a great car, bought a 2014 V6 Mustang replacement.

- Red Oak, TX, USA

problem #129

Jul 152014

Mustang 6-cyl

  • 110,000 miles
After the leaving the car turned off for approximately 1.5 hours my two teenage daughters, age 17 and 15, got in the car to drive home and noticed that the car smelled a little smoky. They drove down the road for about 5 minutes when the electrical panel went dead, then the power locks began to go up and down continuously and the smell of smoke became more prominent. At this point, they became very concerned that they were going to be locked in the car with smoke pouring out and not be able to get out of the car. So they pulled into a parking lot, immediately exited the car and called 911. As soon as they got out of the car, smoke began billowing out of both doors which were left open. 5 minutes after exiting the car, flames which reached two feet high, began coming out from under the glove compartment. A passerby obtained a fire extinguisher and tried to put out the flames, then the fire department arrived and proceeded to put out the fire completely. The fire department indicated that it was an electrical fire but were not able to determine the source. They indicated that they thought the vehicle was totaled, which was in fact the case. Clearly, this was a very upsetting situation for our entire family. We feel blessed that the girls were able to get out in time, but also upset at the thought of what could have happened had they not acted immediately or were not in a position to do so.

- Ballwin, MO, USA

problem #128

Jul 012013

Mustang

  • 107,000 miles
Automatic transmission has trouble shifting into low gear. Doesn't want to accelerate after stopping. Sounds as if it is stuck in a gear. Have read many complaints about this online and Ford just claims it isn't their problem. Also, all gauges quit working at approx 70,000 miles. Fuel system is terrible. Will not pump gas past half a tank and spits gas back out while pumping like its full. Causes pump to constantly shut off. All of these are incredibly dangerous and makes this car unsafe to drive.

- Johnson City, TN, USA

problem #127

Feb 062014

Mustang 6-cyl

  • 70,000 miles
Drove not knowing how fast I was going except my gps thank god, airbag said malfuntion popped me in the face, lights were dim couldn't see and drove into a pole. Third huge issue and Ford won'R fix B/C warranty I could have killed or been killed.

- Sleepy Hollow, NY, USA

problem #126

Jun 122013

Mustang 6-cyl

  • 68,000 miles
My car shows erratic needle movement and gauges are reading over heat 0 miles per hour while moving and sticks at 120 mph after use and is parked. Gas meter is off, odometer is off, it's very scary to drive and expensive. Already dealt with the water leak issue form passenger side. Cluster panel is broken I believe. Bad dash board. Hundreds of forums explain same issues on going years on new models. Not safe or fair for Ford to not address this death trap.

- Sleepy Hollow , NY, USA

problem #125

Jun 182014

Mustang 6-cyl

  • 52,250 miles
While traveling, the speedometer indicated speed changed from 60 mph to 125 mph. It now reads 65 mph when stopped, even while off, and seems to always indicate actual speed plus 65. There is no way to determine actual speed.

- Liberty Lake, WA, USA

problem #124

May 132011

Mustang

  • 6,500 miles
I was driving down the road at the speed limit when all of a sudden the engine light came on and the car immediately stalled. I had to pull over to the shoulder and put my hazards on so I didn't get hit from behind or cause a dangerous accident to the other motorists. I turned off the car, left the hazards on and waited a few minutes before starting it up again. It started thankfully and I was able to pull into a parking lot safely to avoid an accident. Very frightening experience. Eventually someone was able to come and help me get my car home. We believe that the incident had something to do with the defective throttle body, and throttle body sensor. Ford should have recalled this problem and pay for their faulty parts. This car is a 2005 Ford Mustang convertible with a V6 engine.

- Medford, NJ, USA

problem #123

Jun 062014

Mustang 6-cyl

  • 92,500 miles
Returning home from work, the engine stopped operating. I pulled onto the median and managed to bring my vehicle to a stop. The check engine light as well as other icons were lit up on the information panel which indicated there was still electrical power. After a couple of attempts the vehicle started and I proceeded on my way. Traffic was heavy by this time. Within the next mile or so the vehicle stalled an additional 4-5 times particularly when stopped at intersections. I managed to restart the vehicle and proceeded directly to the auto dealership since it was on my way.

- Palatine, IL, USA

problem #122

Mar 012014

Mustang 6-cyl

  • 109,000 miles
The instrument cluster on my 2005 Mustang is failing. The RPM (tach) does not work at all. My temperature gauge does not work at all. My speedometer is starting to fail. I have researched and found this is a common problem w/ the 2005 Mustangs, yet there is no recall. If my car overheats, I will never know it. When my speedometer finally fails, I will not know how fast I am going.

- Oak Lawn, IL, USA

Read the next 20 complaints »

Not what you are looking for?