Problems owners report
Complaints filed with NHTSA about the 2005 Ford Thunderbird, by the system named in each complaint. One complaint can name several.
- Electrical system5
- Engine4
- Air bags4
- Vehicle speed control4
- Fuel/propulsion system3
- Engine and engine cooling3
- Wheels3
- Fuel system, gasoline2
- Electronic stability control (esc)2
- Power train2
NHTSA ODI complaints (public domain) · updated 23 Oct 2026 · 0 injuries and 0 deaths reported
Compared with other years
NHTSA ODI complaints by model year
New York safety inspections
At its first New York inspection the 2005 Ford Thunderbird failed the safety check 0.48% of the time — 79% less often than the average 2005 passenger car (2.30%). Median odometer at inspection: 44,416 miles.
NY DMV Vehicle Inspections (vezn-fmmk), initial inspections since Aug 2021 · how we count
In the United Kingdom
4 cars built in 2005 were licensed for the road at the end of 2025, and 4 more were declared off the road (SORN).
Department for Transport and DVLA, vehicle licensing statistics (table VEH0124, year of manufacture) · Open Government Licence v3.0
In New Zealand
7 2005 cars are on the New Zealand register; 100% arrived as used imports, 0% were sold new in New Zealand.
NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi, Motor Vehicle Register (March 2026) · CC BY 4.0
Fuel consumption
Official Canadian test results for 2 variants: combined 13.0 L/100 km (about 18 mpg US), CO₂ 299 g/km.
| Variant | City | Highway | Combined |
|---|---|---|---|
| Thunderbird · Two-seater · Premium gasoline | 14.9 | 10.6 | 13.0 |
| Thunderbird SST · Two-seater · Premium gasoline | 15.1 | 10.5 | 13.0 |
Litres per 100 km. Natural Resources Canada, Fuel consumption ratings (open.canada.ca) · Open Government Licence – Canada
Recalls
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.
Whether a recall was fixed on a particular car is known only to the manufacturer: check the VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
NHTSA recalls · summaries in NHTSA's own words
Service bulletins
What Ford told its dealers about the 2005 Ford Thunderbird: known faults, fixes and updates.
| Bulletin | Summary |
|---|---|
| 636096 | EXCESSIVE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM CURRENT DRAW WHICH COULD RESULT IN A DISCHARGED BATTERY AND A NO CRANK CONDITION. *TT SERVICE TIPS. *TT |
| 10109070 | The Powertrain Control/Emissions Diagnosis (PC/ED) manual has been revised for diagnosing electronic throttle bodies (ETBs). The ETC_ACT and ETC_DSD PIDs should not used to diagnose possible ETB concerns. The IDS has a limited refresh rate when reading these PIDs and cannot display quickly enough to validate a concern. The PCM automatically monitors these inputs more accurately and will set diagnostic trouble codes (DTCs) when appropriate. Using these PIDs for diagnostics will lead to inaccurate results and improper ETB replacements. If a concern is intermittent and no DTCs are present, refer |
| 10048099 | FORD/LINCOLN/MERCURY: MAY HAVE SLUDGE BUILDUP IN THROTTLE BODY LEADING TO LESS AIRFLOW OR ENGINE IDLING RPM FLUCTUATION AND HARD STARTS OR BATTERY DISCONNECT OR DEAD BATTERY AFTER KEEP ALIVE MEMORY (KAM) CLEAR. MODELS 2003-05 THUNDERBIRD, 05-06 MUSTANG, 06-08 FUSION, 04-05 EXPLORER, 05-06 EXPEDITION, 05-07 F-150; 2003-06 LS, 06 ZEPHYR, 05-06 NAVIGATOR; 06-08 MILAN. *PE |
| 10026402 | FORD/LINCOLN MERCURY: CERTAIN 2003-2005 MODEL YEAR LINCOLN LS AND FORD THUNDERBIRD VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH 3.9L ENGINE WITH EXTENDED WARRANTY COVERAGE ON IGNITION COIL ASSEMBLIES AND ON 2003 MY VEHICLES ONLY , ENGINE VALVE COVER GASKETS. *PE |
| 10022290 | AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION SOLENOID EMISSIONS WARRANTY EXTENSION. SAMPLE CONSUMER LETTER ATTACHED. *KB |
| 10017925 | WATER/MOISTURE IN COP WELLS - DTC P0301-P0308 - 3.9L ENGINE - VEHICLES BUILT THROUGH 5/1/2004. *TT |
| 10017917 | UNUSUAL ENGINE NOISE OR ENGINE KNOCK CONCERNS DUE TO REGULAR FUEL. *TT |
| 10017898 | DELAYED OR HARSH REVERSE ENGAGEMENTS - 5R55S TRANSMISSION - VEHICLES BUILT PRIOR TO 09/23/2004. *TT |
| 10014703 | MOISTURE IN STORAGE COMPARTMENT. *EH |
| 10014594 | VIBRATION FELT FOR A FEW MILES OF DRIVING AFTER PARKING. *EH |
| 10014310 | WELD BONDING PROCEDURE. *TT |
| 10014086 | GENERAL (PCM) POWER TRAIN CONTROL MODULE PROGRAMMING PROCEDURES. *TT |
| 10013401 | DIAGNOSTIC TROUBLE CODE (DTC) C1145 AND/OR C1155 STORED IN ANTI-LOCK BRAKE SYSTEM (ABS) MODULE. *TT |
| 10011162 | ENGINE MISFIRE OR RUNNING - COIL ON PLUG (COP) IGNITION SYSTEMS - WDS COP KIT DIAGNOSTIC TIPS. TO INCLUDE VARIOUS 2005 MODELS. * AR THIS ARTICLE 04161 SUPERSEDES TSB 03-14-04. |
| 10009344 | ABS WARNING INDICATOR ON WITH DIAGNOSTIC TROUBLE CODE C1145 AND/OR C1155. *TT |
NHTSA manufacturer communications (public domain)