Showing the 2007 Five Hundred SEL. NHTSA's VIN data shows it with a 3.0 L engine, but that may not be every version of it, so the numbers below cover every version of this model year. Every version
Owner complaints, recalls, fuel economy and safety ratings from public NHTSA and EPA data, updated Oct 17, 2026.
Fuel economy
19–21 mpgcombined; city 17–19, highway 23–26; every version of this model year
Five years of fuel
$15,470–$17,100U.S. average; Ohio $13,820–$15,280 at local prices; every version of this model year; fuel only, not other costs of owning it; 15,000 miles a year, at EIA fuel prices for the week of Oct 12, 2026
NHTSA's VIN data lists these trims for the 2007 Five Hundred. A trim's engine and numbers are shown as its own only where EPA names versions after the trim and no other version could be it; "seen with" means a source shows that engine on the trim, not that it was the only one. Recalls and complaints cover the whole model year: whether a recall applies to a car depends on its VIN, on NHTSA's recall lookup.
Owners have filed 236 complaints with NHTSA about the 2007 Five Hundred. These are unverified owner reports, counted by the part of the car they name; one complaint can name several parts. Counts aren't adjusted for how many were sold, so they don't show how reliable a car is.
Complaints by part of the car
Part
Complaints
Crashes
Fires
Injuries
Vehicle speed control
78
10
0
0
Power train
70
3
0
0
Electrical system
29
1
2
0
Engine
28
1
0
1
Fuel system, gasoline
22
3
0
0
Engine and engine cooling
20
2
1
0
Fuel/propulsion system
16
1
0
0
Structure
9
1
0
0
Unknown or other
8
1
1
0
Air bags
7
4
0
6
Equipment
7
0
0
0
Steering
7
0
0
0
14 more parts
Suspension
5
0
0
0
Wheels
5
0
0
0
Tires
4
0
0
0
Exterior lighting
3
0
0
0
Service brakes
3
0
0
0
Electronic stability control (ESC)
2
0
0
0
Seat belts
2
0
0
0
Seats
2
1
0
1
Traction control system
2
1
0
0
Visibility
2
0
2
0
Back over prevention
1
0
0
0
Fuel system, other
1
0
0
0
Service brakes, hydraulic
1
0
0
0
Visibility/wiper
1
0
1
0
Complaints by model year
Newer years have had less time to collect complaints, and counts aren't adjusted for sales, so a shorter bar doesn't mean a more reliable year.
NHTSA lists 1 recall campaign for the 2007 Five Hundred over its history. Campaigns are matched by model and year, so each one may apply to a given car, and its repair may already be done: check a VIN on NHTSA's recall lookup for the open recalls on that exact car.
FORD IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2007 FORD FIVE HUNDRED AND MERCURY MONTEGO VEHICLES MANUFACTURED FROM SEPTEMBER 5, 2006, THROUGH SEPTEMBER 11, 2006. THE FUEL TANKS MAY NOT HAVE CONSISTENT WELDS BETWEEN THE FUEL TANK AND FUEL FILLER NECK SPUD WHICH CAN AFFECT THE STRENGTH OF THE JOINT. SOME FUEL TANK SPUD WELDS MAY NOT PROVIDE THE EXPECTED STRENGTH IN THE EVENT OF A SEVERE REAR IMPACT TO THE VEHICLE. AN IMPROPER WELD CAN RESULT IN A CRACK IN THE JOINT WHICH COULD ILLUMINATE THE EMISSIONS MALFUNCTION INDICATOR LIGHT, CAUSE A FUEL ODOR, OR ALLOW FUEL TO LEAK OUT.
Risk: FUEL LEAKAGE, IN THE PRESENCE OF AN IGNITION SOURCE, COULD RESULT IN A FIRE.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE FUEL TANK FREE OF CHARGE. THE SAFETY RECALL BEGAN ON AUGUST 16, 2011. OWNERS MAY CONTACT FORD MOTOR COMPANY CUSTOMER RELATIONSHIP CENTER AT 1-866-436-7332.
Carmakers sent NHTSA 10 service bulletins and notices that cover the 2007 Five Hundred, the latest on May 24, 2024. They tell dealers how to fix known issues.
The parts they mention most: engine and engine cooling (3), service brakes (3), engine (2), hydraulic (2), power train (2).
NHTSA defect investigations
Opening an investigation isn't a finding of a defect. Outcomes are as NHTSA's summary states them. A recall is shown as an investigation's outcome only where NHTSA's summary names it; other recalls NHTSA's file lists with it are marked as listed, not caused.
Investigation
Part
Opened
Status
Preliminary evaluation PE11018 Idle instability · covers 2 makes
The owner's manual gives the oil and how often to change it. We show oil facts only once we've checked them against the manual, and we haven't yet for the 2007 Five Hundred.
NHTSA manufacturer communications, file of Oct 17, 2026
NHTSA defect investigations, file of Oct 17, 2026
NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings, file of Aug 7, 2026
U.S. Energy Information Administration, file of Oct 12, 2026
Fuel cost: EPA mpg with fuel prices for the week of Oct 12, 2026 and electricity prices for Jul 2026. Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration (Oct 2026). Complaints are unverified reports owners filed with NHTSA. About the data