2005 Ford Mustang Electrical System

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 FORDS 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. *TR

THE GAUGES ON THE 2005 MUSTANG ARE FAULTY. IT AFFECTS ALL GAUGES BUT THE SPEEDOMETER BEING THE MOST IMPORTANT. THE SPEEDOMETER MAY READ HIGHER OR LOWER THAN THE ACTUAL SPEED YOU'RE GOING. THIS MAKES IT A DEFINITE SAFETY ISSUE IF YOUR CAR IS GOING FASTER THAN YOU THINK IT IS. THIS SHOULD BE A RECALL!!! *TR

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. *TR

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. *TR

SPEEDOMETER AND RPM WOULD JUMP AROUND THEN IT JUST STOPPED WORKING THEN MY TEMP GAUGE WENT ALL THE WAY PAST H AND ITS STUCK THERE. *TR

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. *TR

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. *TR

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. *TR

THE SPEEDOMETER GAUGE IS STUCK AROUND 100 MPH WHEN THE CAR IS NOT MOVING. THE GAUGE THEN MOVES FROM THAT POINT ONCE THE CAR IS IN MOTION. *TR

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. *TR

SINCE THE CAR HAS HAD AROUND 45000 MILES ON IT I BEGAN HAVING INTERMITTENT ELECTRICAL ISSUES. SPEEDOMETER, WIPERS, INSTRUMENT CLUSTER, BRAKE LIGHTS, HEAD LIGHTS, AND BLINKERS ALL STOP WORKING WHILE DRIVING. I AM FORCED TO SHUT THE IGNITION OFF WHILE DRIVING AND RECYCLE THE KEY JUST TO GET THE BLINKER WORK AND THEN SHUT IT OFF AGAIN TO TURN IT OFF! DOORS WILL NO LONGER LOCK OR UNLOCK AND CANNOT POP THE TRUNK USING FOB. THE ELECTRICAL PANEL ON THE FLOOR OF THE PASSENGER SIDE IS CLICKING AND I HAVE READ HUNDREDS OF COMPLAINTS ON THE INTERNET ABOUT THIS WATER LEAKAGE ISSUE. HOW MANY PEOPLE NEED TO DIE BEFORE SOMEONE HOLDS THIS MANUFACTURER RESPONSIBLE? THIS HAS BEEN A KNOWN ISSUE FOR OVER 8 YEARS AND NOTHING HAS BEEN DONE. DOES SOMEONE NEED TO BE KILLED WHEN MY BRAKE LIGHTS FAIL TO ILLUMINATE BEFORE YOU TAKE ACTION? *TR

GAUGES QUIT WORKING. STARTED WITH SPEEDOMETER AND HAS GROWN TO INCLUDE NOT ONLY THE SPEEDOMETER BUT ALSO THE TACHOMETER AND TEMPERATURE GAUGE. *TR

MY FUEL GAUGE, CAR TEMPERATURE, AND SPEEDOMETER, ALL OF A SUDDEN STARTED READING ALL OVER THE PLACE. THE FUEL GAUGE GOES WAY PAST THE FULL MARK. THE TEMPERATURE GAUGE GOES WAY PAST THE HOT MARK. THE SPEEDOMETER ALWAYS READS 110 MPH. *TR

THE SPEEDO WENT FIRST THEN ALL THE OTHER GAUGES STARTED GIVING FALSE ON NO READING AT ALL. I AM USING A GPS FOR A SPEEDO OTHERS IN THIS SMALL TOWN SAY THEY ARE HAVING THE SAME PROBLEMS WITH THERE 2005 MUSTANGS.I TOOK IT BACK TO THE DEALER THEY SAID THEY KNEW OF NO RECALLS OR PROBLEMS. *TR

DASH BOARD GAUGE STEPPER MOTORS ARE FAULTY RESULTING IN NO SPEED REGISTERED...NO COOLANT TEMP REGISTERED..IMPROPER/NO FUEL LEVEL READING...INCORRECT/NO R.P.M. READINGS... UPON START UP, THE GAUGES GO ,FOR LACK OF BETTER WORD, CRAZY..OR DON'T OPERATE AT ALL LOTS OF FORD MUSTANG OWNERS ARE EXPERIENCING THIS ISSUE>>>> DANGEROUS TO NOT KNOW THE SPEED RPM FUEL LEVEL AND COOLANT TEMP.... COULD RESULT IN ACCIDENT, VEHICLE DAMAGE...OR WORSE!! FORD NEEDS TO BE ADVISED TO RECALL AND FIX THIS ISSUE.... *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 FORD MUSTANG. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING 50 MPH, THE SPEEDOMETER STOP WORKING WITHOUT ANY WARNINGS. THE CONTACT MENTIONED THAT THE SPEEDOMETER WAS READING 0 MPH WHEN THE DRIVER WAS TRAVELING APPROXIMATELY 25 MPH. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 26,865.

AT ABOUT 80,000 MILES MY TACHOMETER GAUGE DIAL STOPPED WORKING. AT ABOUT 90,000 MILES MY TEMPERATURE GAUGE DIAL STOPPED WORKING. AT ABOUT 100,000 MILES MY FUEL GAUGE STOPPED WORKING. *TR

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. *TR

THE GAUGE CLUSTERS FAILED. THE SPEEDOMETER FAILED AND IS NO LONGER WORKING. RPM AND FUEL GAUGE ARE STARTING TO FAIL. FROM WHAT I HAVE READ ON-LINE. THE 2005 MUSTANG GAUGE MOTORS WERE POORLY DESIGNED AND FORD FIXED THE PROBLEM IN THE 2006 MODELS BUT FAILED TO FIX THE DEFECTIVE PARTS IN THE 2005 MODELS. *TR

I WAS DRIVING HOME. THE ROAD WAS WET. BECAUSE OF THIS, I RELIED ON MY SPEEDOMETER TO MAKE SURE I AM GOING A BIT SLOWER THAN MY SPEED LIMIT. I DID NOT NOTICED UNTIL I HAD TO HIT MY BRAKES TO AVOID A STRAY DOG. MY CAR SKIDDED; I WAS GOING FASTER THAN WHAT THE GAUGE WAS SAYING (WHICH IS LOWER THAN ACTUAL SPEED) SINCE I HAD TO STOP ABRUPTLY, ANOTHER CAR REAR-ENDED ME. EVER SINCE THEN, THE GAUGE IS ALL OVER THE PLACE, BELOW 0 ABOVE ONE HUNDRED...THIS COULD HAVE COST ANOTHER LIFE, IF NOT MINE. *TR

AS WITH MANY OTHER FORD MUSTANG OWNERS KNOW INSTRUMENT GAUGES FAIL. I HAVE STOPPED DRIVING MY MUSTANG BECAUSE I RECEIVED TWO SPEEDING TICKETS ABOUT A MONTH OR TWO APART.. I WAS DOING THE SPEED LIMIT ACCORDING TO MY DASH BUT CHP TOLD ME DIFFERENT. DID NOT BELIEVE OR WANT TO HEAR ANYTHING I SAID. I PAID $900 FOR THE FIRST TICKET AND CANT AFFORD TO PAY ANOTHER $900.00 FOR THE SECOND ONE SO THEY ARE NOT LETTING ME RENEW MY LICENSE WHICH IS REQUIRED FOR THE JOB I DO. SO I'M GONNA LOSE MY JOB ON MY BIRTHDAY. JUSTICE IN AMERICA... THIS HAS RUINED MY LIFE... NO ONE WILL HELP ME OR LISTEN TO ME AND I'M TIRED OF TRYING TO GET HELP... SOMEONE NEEDS TO BE HELD RESPONSIBLE FOR THIS SO WHEN I COMMIT SUICIDE AFTER I'M LET GO FROM MY JOB IN TWO MONTHS WHAT HAPPENED TO ME WILL NOT HAPPEN TO ANYONE ELSE. PLEASE... JUSTICE FOR ALL.. *TR

WAS DRIVING THE CAR AND THE GAS GAUGE STARTED ACTING WEIRD. STOPPED AND FILLED UP THE CAR AND AFTER STARTING THE CAR THE GAUGE WENT ALL THE WAY PAST 'E'. SHORTLY AFTER THAT THE SPEEDOMETER STARTED STICKING. I COULD BE AT A STOP LIGHT AND IT WOULD SHOW I WAS GOING 20 MPH. USUALLY TURNING THE CAR OFF AND BACK ON WOULD GET THE SPEEDOMETER TO GO DOWN. THE HIGHER THE SPEED SAID THE MORE YOU HAD TO TURN IT OFF AND ON SINCE IT ONLY WENT DOWN A LITTLE AT A TIME. NOW THE GAUGE IS STUCK AT 80 MPH AND DOESN'T MOVE AT ALL. THE TACHOMETER IS ALSO MESSING UP NOW. IT WILL VARY FROM BEING TOO LOW TO BEING TOO HIGH TO BEING JUST RIGHT. *TR

SPEEDOMETER NOT WORKING CORRECTLY. GO ANYWHERE FROM 20 TO 80 MPH OVER TRAVELED SPEED. EVEN WHEN SITTING IT STICKS AT 20-80 MPH. *TR

I WAS TOLD THAT THESE ITEMS, THE FUEL GAUGE, TACHOMETER PARTS OF THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER ARE FAULTY IN MOST 2005 MUSTANGS. THERE HAVE BEEN SO MANY PROBLEMS THAT FORD CHANGED IT FOR 2006 MODELS. I WAS FURTHER INFORMED THAT IF ENOUGH OWNERS COMPLAINED THAT A RECALL WOULD BE ACTIVATED. HOPEFULLY I'LL BE HEARING FROM YOU AND OR FORD MOTOR COMPANY. THANK YOU. *JS

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 FORD MUSTANG. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE SPEEDOMETER AND FUEL GAUGE MALFUNCTIONED. AS A RESULT, THE CONTACT WAS UNABLE TO READ THE LEVEL OF FUEL OR THE SPEED BEING TRAVELED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE THE TECHNICIAN DIAGNOSED THAT THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER WAS DEFECTIVE AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 50,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 87,000. UPDATED 09/25/13*LJ UPDATED 9/27/2013 *JS