2005 FORD FIVE HUNDRED instrument cluster

If it is necessary to modify an advanced front airbag system to
accommodate a person with disabilities, contact the Ford Customer
Relationship Center at the phone number shown in the Customer
Assistance section of this Owners Guide.
Any alteration/modification to the front passenger seat may
affect the performance of the front passenger sensing system.
Determining if the system is operational
The supplemental restraint system uses a warning indicator in the
instrument cluster or a back-up tone to indicate the condition of the
system. Refer to theWarning lights and chimessection in the
Instrument Clusterchapter. Routine maintenance of the airbag is not
required.
A difficulty with the system is indicated by one or more of the following:
•The readiness light (same light
for front and side airbag system)
will either flash or stay lit.
•The readiness light will not
illuminate immediately after ignition is turned on.
•A series of five beeps will be heard. The tone pattern will repeat
periodically until the problem and/or light are repaired.
If any of these things happen, even intermittently, have the supplemental
restraint system serviced at your dealership or by a qualified technician
immediately. Unless serviced, the system may not function properly in
the event of a collision.
Side airbag system (if equipped)
Do not place objects or mount equipment on or near the airbag
cover on the side of the seatbacks of the front seats or in front
seat areas that may come into contact with a deploying airbag. Failure
to follow these instructions may increase the risk of personal injury in
the event of a collision.
Do not use accessory seat covers. The use of accessory seat
covers may prevent the deployment of the side airbags and
increase the risk of injury in an accident.
2005 Five Hundred(500)
Owners Guide (post-2002-fmt)
USA(fus)
Seating and Safety Restraints
116

The Safety Canopy
is mounted to roof side-rail sheet metal, behind the
headliner, along the entire side of the vehicle. In certain lateral collisions
or rollover events, the Safety Canopy
system will be activated,
regardless of which seats are occupied. The Safety Canopy
is designed
to inflate between the side window area and occupants to further
enhance protection provided in side impact collisions and rollover events.
The fact that the Safety Canopy
did not activate in a collision does not
mean that something is wrong with the system. Rather, it means the
forces were not of the type sufficient to cause activation. The Safety
Canopy
is designed to inflate in certain side impact collisions or
rollover events, not in rear impact, frontal or near-frontal collisions,
unless the collision causes sufficient lateral deceleration or rollover
likelihood.
Several Safety Canopy
system components get hot after
inflation. Do not touch them after inflation.
If the Safety Canopy

system has deployed,the
Safety Canopy
will not
function again unless replaced.
The Safety Canopy
system
(including the A, B, and C
pillar trim) must be inspected
and serviced by a qualified
technician in accordance with
the vehicle service manual.If
the Safety Canopy
is not
replaced, the unrepaired area will
increase the risk of injury in a
collision.
Determining if the system is operational
The SRS uses a readiness light in the instrument cluster or a tone to
indicate the condition of the system. Refer to theAirbag readiness
section in theInstrument Clusterchapter. Routine maintenance of the
airbag is not required.
2005 Five Hundred(500)
Owners Guide (post-2002-fmt)
USA(fus)
Seating and Safety Restraints
121

BRAKES
Occasional brake noise is normal. If a metal-to-metal, continuous grinding
or continuous squeal sound is present, the brake linings may be worn-out
and should be inspected by a qualified service technician. If the vehicle
has continuous vibration or shudder in the steering wheel while braking,
the vehicle should be inspected by a qualified service technician.
Refer toBrake system warning
lightin theInstrument Cluster
chapter for information on the brake
system warning light.
Four-wheel anti-lock brake system (ABS)
Your vehicle is equipped with an Anti-lock Braking System (ABS). This
system helps you maintain steering control during emergency stops by
keeping the brakes from locking. Noise from the ABS pump motor and
brake pedal pulsation may be observed during ABS braking and the
brake pedal may suddenly travel a little farther as soon as ABS braking is
done and normal brake operation resumes. These are normal
characteristics of the ABS and should be no reason for concern.
Using ABS
When hard braking is required, apply continuous force on the brake
pedal; do not pump the brake pedal since this will reduce the
effectiveness of the ABS and will increase your vehicle’s stopping
distance. The ABS will be activated immediately, allowing you to retain
full steering control during hard braking and on slippery surfaces.
However, the ABS does not decrease stopping distance.
ABS warning lamp
The ABS lamp in the instrument
cluster momentarily illuminates
when the ignition is turned on. If
the light does not illuminate during
start up, remains on or flashes, the
ABS is disabled due to a malfunction and needs to be serviced.
Even when the ABS is disabled,
normal braking is still effective. (If
your BRAKE warning lamp
illuminates with the parking brake
released, have your brake system
serviced immediately.)
P!
BRAKE
ABS
P!
BRAKE
2005 Five Hundred(500)
Owners Guide (post-2002-fmt)
USA(fus)
Driving
169

Parking brake
Apply the parking brake whenever
the vehicle is parked. To set the
parking brake, press the parking
brake pedal down until the pedal
stops.
The BRAKE warning lamp in the
instrument cluster illuminates and
remains illuminated (when the
ignition is turned ON) until the
parking brake is released.
Always set the parking brake fully and make sure that the
gearshift is securely latched in P (Park).
The parking brake is not recommended to stop a moving vehicle.
However, if the normal brakes fail, the parking brake can be used to stop
your vehicle in an emergency. Since the parking brake applies only the
rear brakes, the vehicle’s stopping distance will increase greatly and the
handling of your vehicle will be adversely affected.
Push the pedal downward again to
release the parking brake. Driving
with the parking brake on will cause
the brakes to wear out quickly and
reduce fuel economy.
Note:If the vehicle is driven with
the parking brake applied, a chime
will sound.
P!
BRAKE
2005 Five Hundred(500)
Owners Guide (post-2002-fmt)
USA(fus)
Driving
170

Do not use sharp objects, such as a razor blade, to clean the
inside of the rear window or to remove decals, as it may cause
damage to the rear window defroster’s heated grid lines.
INSTRUMENT PANEL AND CLUSTER LENS
Clean the instrument panel with a damp cloth, then with a clean, dry
cloth, or use Motorcraft Dash & Vinyl Cleaner (ZC-38-A).
•Avoid cleaners or polish that increase the gloss of the upper portion of
the instrument panel. The dull finish in this area helps protect the
driver from undesirable windshield reflection.
Do not use chemical solvents or strong detergents when cleaning
the steering wheel or instrument panel to avoid contamination of
the air bag system.
•Be certain to wash or wipe your hands clean if you have been in
contact with certain products such as insect repellent and suntan
lotion in order to avoid possible damage to the interior painted
surfaces.
INTERIOR TRIM
•Clean the interior trim areas with a damp cloth, then with a clean, dry
cloth; you may also use Motorcraft Dash & Vinyl Cleaner (ZC-38-A).
•Do not use household or glass cleaners as these may damage the
finish.
INTERIOR
For fabric, carpets, cloth seats, safety belts and seats equipped with side
air bags:
•Remove dust and loose dirt with a vacuum cleaner.
•Remove light stains and soil with Motorcraft Professional Strength
Carpet & Upholstery Cleaner (ZC-54).
•If grease or tar is present on the material, spot-clean the area first
with Motorcraft Spot and Stain Remover (ZC-14).
•If a ring forms on the fabric after spot cleaning, clean the entire area
immediately (but do not oversaturate) or the ring will set.
•Do not use household cleaning products or glass cleaners, which can
stain and discolor the fabric and affect the flame retardant abilities of
the seat materials.
2005 Five Hundred(500)
Owners Guide (post-2002-fmt)
USA(fus)
Cleaning
213

Do not be concerned if your engine sometimes knocks lightly. However, if
it knocks heavily under most driving conditions while you are using fuel
with the recommended octane rating, see your dealer or a qualified
service technician to prevent any engine damage.
Fuel quality
If you are experiencing starting, rough idle or hesitation driveability
problems, try a different brand of unleaded gasoline. “Premium”
unleaded gasoline is not recommended for vehicles designed to use
“Regular” unleaded gasoline because it may cause these problems to
become more pronounced. If the problems persist, see your dealer or a
qualified service technician.
It should not be necessary to add any aftermarket products to your fuel
tank if you continue to use high quality fuel of the recommended octane
rating. Aftermarket products could cause damage to the fuel system.
Repairs to correct the effects of using an aftermarket product in your
fuel may not be covered by your warranty.
Many of the world’s automakers approved the World-wide Fuel Charter
that recommends gasoline specifications to provide improved
performance and emission control system protection for your vehicle.
Gasolines that meet the World-wide Fuel Charter should be used when
available. Ask your fuel supplier about gasolines that meet the
World-wide Fuel Charter.
Cleaner air
Ford endorses the use of reformulated “cleaner-burning” gasolines to
improve air quality.
Running out of fuel
Avoid running out of fuel because this situation may have an adverse
affect on powertrain components.
If you have run out of fuel:
•You may need to cycle the ignition from OFF to ON several times after
refueling, to allow the fuel system to pump the fuel from the tank to
the engine.
•The
indicator may come on. For more information on the
Service engine soonindicator, refer to theInstrument Cluster
chapter.
Fuel Filter
For fuel filter replacement, see your dealer or a qualified service
technician. Refer toscheduled maintenance informationfor the
appropriate intervals for changing the fuel filter.
2005 Five Hundred(500)
Owners Guide (post-2002-fmt)
USA(fus)
Maintenance and Specifications
235

Readiness for Inspection/Maintenance (I/M) testing
In some localities, it may be a legal requirement to pass an I/M test of
the on-board diagnostics system. If your
indicator is on, refer to
the description in theWarning lights and chimessection of the
Instrument Clusterchapter. Your vehicle may not pass the I/M test with
the
indicator on.
If the vehicle’s powertrain system or its battery has just been serviced,
the on-board diagnostics system is reset to a “not ready for I/M test”
condition. To ready the on-board diagnostics system for I/M testing, a
minimum of 30 minutes of city and highway driving is necessary as
described below:
•First, at least 10 minutes of driving on an expressway or highway.
•Next, at least 20 minutes driving in stop-and-go, city-type traffic with
at least four idle periods.
Allow the vehicle to sit for at least eight hours without starting the
engine. Then, start the engine and complete the above driving cycle. The
engine must warm up to its normal operating temperature. Once started,
do not turn off the engine until the above driving cycle is complete.
POWER STEERING FLUID
Refer to thescheduled maintenance informationfor the service
interval schedules. If adding fluid is necessary, use only MERCONAT F.
1. Start the engine and let it run
until it reaches normal operating
temperature (the engine coolant
temperature gauge indicator will be
near the center of the normal area
between H and C).
2. While the engine idles, turn the
steering wheel left and right several
times.
3. Turn the engine off.
4. Check the fluid level in the reservoir. It should be between the MIN
and MAX lines. Do not add fluid if the level is in this range.
5. If the fluid is low, add fluid in small amounts, continuously checking
the level until it reaches the range between the MIN and MAX lines. Be
sure to put the cap back on the reservoir.
2005 Five Hundred(500)
Owners Guide (post-2002-fmt)
USA(fus)
Maintenance and Specifications
241

specifications ..................248, 250
Exhaust fumes ..........................168
F
Fluid capacities .........................246
Foglamps .....................................34
Four-Wheel Drive vehicles
driving off road .......................178
Fuel ............................................231
calculating fuel
economy ............................60, 236
cap ...........................................233
capacity ...................................246
choosing the right fuel ...........234
comparisons with EPA fuel
economy estimates .................239
detergent in fuel .....................235
filling your vehicle with
fuel ...........................231, 233, 236
filter, specifications ........235, 245
fuel pump shut-off switch .....186
improving fuel economy ........236
octane rating ...................234, 250
quality ......................................235
running out of fuel .................235
safety information relating to
automotive fuels .....................231
Fuel pump shut-off switch .......186
Fuses ..........................................187
G
Garage Door Opener
(see Homelink wireless control
system) ........................................55
Gas cap (see Fuel cap) ............233
Gas mileage
(see Fuel economy) .................236
Gauges .........................................14H
Hazard flashers .........................186
Head restraints .....................88, 93
Headlamps ...................................33
aiming ..................................35–36
autolamp system .......................33
bulb specifications ....................38
daytime running lights .............34
flash to pass ..............................35
high beam .................................35
replacing bulbs ...................38–39
turning on and off ....................33
Heating
heating and air conditioning
system ...........................25, 27, 29
Homelink wireless control
system ..........................................55
Hood ..........................................217
I
Ignition ...............................165, 250
Infant seats
(see Safety seats) .....................125
Inspection/maintenance (I/M)
testing ........................................241
Instrument panel ........................45
cleaning ...................................213
cluster ........................................10
lighting up panel and
interior .......................................35
J
Jack ............................................138
positioning ...............................138
storage .....................................138
Jump-starting your vehicle ......194
2005 Five Hundred(500)
Owners Guide (post-2002-fmt)
USA(fus)
Index
258