Automatic Transmission Control Module problems of the 2005 Ford Five Hundred

I purchased the car used with the understanding that it had some issues with a misfire. Upon initial inspection I fount the car was throwing the code p0351 I cleared all faults and problem went away weks went by and problem started again but more sever during normal operation the car started shaking and shifting erratic I then came upon some k formation as to a recall Ford put in place stating improper calibration of pcm and tcm cause unnecessary interaction I the electrical system and malfunction of the vehicle.

Received a code stating that I have a faulty pcm. When I drive all the lights come on and the speed gauge shuts down.

Bought the vehicle used in may 2010. Realized early-on that the transmission was not smooth, but willing to settle for less than perfection since it was a 2005 vehicle. In late 2012 or early 2013, I received 'recall' notice that pcm (I. E. - powertrain control module) could need to be reprogrammed due to stalling, herky-jerky transmission, etc. Took car to dealership, they ran diagnostics, charged me $100, and told me that my car wasn't effected because no error codes were noted and check engine light wasn't on. I was not happy, and refused to take my car to the dealership for repair. Problem persisted, until check engine light came on in October 2017 at roughly 125,000 miles. Took to local mechanic, was charged $150 for sensor replacement. Light came back on a day later. Took back, replaced sensor for free (nice!), but light back on a day later. Took to a different mechanic, was charged $250, replaced multiple sensors, light back on the next day. Took back to 2nd mechanic, when they shared with me that it was likely the pcm and the dealership would need to fix. Called dealership 3 days in a row, on hold for nearly an hour the 3rd time, was never connected to a service writer or tech, left 3 voice mails for service manager and was never called back. Researched issue and found NHTSA action number pe11018, where Ford initiated a customer satisfaction program 12n03 to extend coverage terms of repair of engine idle rpm surge caused by pcm needing reprogramming with software containing updated idle speed control. Per NHTSA, symptoms associated with the condition may include check engine light, diagnostic codes (dtcs) p0505, p0506, or p061b. Ford issued bulletin TSB 11-10-21 that included updated powertrain control calibration.

While attempting to slow to a stop or make a turn, at approximately 25 mph, the transmission downshifted hard. It does not do this while speeding up. I have had two mechanics tell me there is no known fix, short of replacing the transmission, and there is no information available, parts brake down, etc, for them to diagnosis the problem. I had the vehicle at a Ford dealer to have the throttle body issue fixed. At that time, the power control module and the transmission control module were both re-programed. No long term fix was achieved.

The contact owns a 2005 Ford Five Hundred. The contact stated that while driving 60 mph, the transmission failed and the speed dropped to 30 mph. The contact moved the vehicle off the roadway and allowed the vehicle to cool down. The contact was able to drive the vehicle home. The vehicle was later taken to the dealer for inspection where they stated that the transmission control module needed to be reprogrammed. The vehicle was repaired but the failure recurred. The manufacturer was not notified. The failure mileage was 200,000. The VIN was unavailable.

The car entered engine "failsafe mode" and shut down while trying to merge into traffic on a busy rush-hour highway. After pulling over and restarting the engine, operation was normal. This was the 3rd time in a 2. 5 week period this occurred. The car experienced the same issues in July 2010 frequently (it had existed for 2-3 year on and off before then). Ford applied the service alert fix by replacing the throttle body and refreshing the pcm. This fix has not worked. The car will sporadically enter failsafe mode on warm days when trying to accelerate/shift gears. The original fix in July 2010 was covered under warranty. In October 2010 there was a transmission control failure and the computer had to be replaced. The warranty had expired and the fix cost $2000. Operation was normal during the winter months, however, when the warm weather returned so did the problem. An independent mechanic believes the failsafe mode issue was the beginning of the transmission failure and Ford should not have charged $2000 for a new computer. The problem has not been resolved and continues to occur. The dealership's suggestion is to pull over and restart the car to clear the computer. The car is unsafe to drive, especially on multiple lane highways. Once the failsafe mode engages, there is little power to get the car off the road. If you are on an incline it will stop altogether. This is a dangerous situation and the possibility of a rear end collision is great. Ford has not issued a recall, only a service alert for a fix that does not work.

The contact owns a 2005 Ford Five Hundred. The contact stated that while driving 35 mph, the vehicle stalled while depressing the accelerator pedal. All of the lights on the instrument panel failed and the reverse lights illuminated erroneously. The vehicle was taken to an authorized dealer where they advised the contact that the pcm module failed and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was 80,000 and the current mileage was 125,000.