RoadVitals

2006 Ford Taurus

Recalls, owner-reported complaints, investigations and safety data

Data refreshed

Owner complaintsComplaints are reports submitted to NHTSA by owners and drivers. NHTSA does not verify most reports before publishing them, and a complaint does not establish that a defect exists. Volume is influenced by how many of a vehicle were sold, how long it has been on the road, and how much attention an issue has received.
318
Latest Sep 11, 2024
Safety recallsA safety recall is issued when a manufacturer or NHTSA determines that a vehicle has a safety-related defect or does not comply with a federal motor vehicle safety standard. Recall repairs are free. Whether a specific vehicle is covered depends on its VIN — a recall listed for a model year does not necessarily apply to every vehicle of that year.
3
Latest Apr 1, 2016
InvestigationsNHTSA opens an investigation to examine whether a safety defect may exist. An open investigation is not a determination that a defect exists, and many investigations close without a recall. Investigations can, however, lead to one.
1
Crash or fire reportedComplaints whose submitter recorded that a crash or a fire occurred. These are the reporter's own answers on the NHTSA form, not verified findings.
23
12 injuries, 1 deaths reported

Overview

Our database contains 318 NHTSA owner-reported complaints for the 2006 Ford Taurus, most frequently naming the driver assistance, engine and brakes categories. 3 safety recalls have been issued covering this model year; 1 NHTSA investigation names it; and 13 manufacturer communications are on file.

Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.

What owners report

Complaints grouped by the component NHTSA recorded

Percentages are of component mentions. A single complaint can name more than one component, so these do not sum to the total complaint count.

Safety recalls

3 campaigns cover this model year

Recalls apply to specific vehicles, not to every vehicle of a model year. Check your VIN with NHTSA or your manufacturer's dealer to confirm whether a recall affects your vehicle.

Check a VIN on NHTSA.gov

SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DISC:PADS

Apr 1, 2016
49,635 units potentially affected
The defect: Bosch Brake Components LLC (Bosch) is recalling certain aftermarket replacement front brake pads, models Bosch QuietCast BC598 and BP765, Bosch Blue BE598 and BE598H, Prostop PD598 and PD765M, Duralast Gold DG598, Duralast MKD598, Stop Master ST598, UltraStop ULT598, UltraLife MX598 and MX765, BrakeBest MKD765, and Prostop Platinum PGD598. These brake pads, manufactured October 1, 2014, to October 31, 2015 are intended for use on 2001-2007 Ford Taurus, 2001-2005 Mercury Sable, 1995-1999 Ford Taurus SHO, 1995-2002 Lincoln Continental, and 1993-1998 Lincoln Mark VIII vehicles. The brake pad shim may shift out of position causing the shim to contact the brake disc resulting in damage to the disc.
The risk: A damaged or broken brake disc may reduce a vehicle's braking power, increasing the risk of a crash.
The remedy: Bosch will instruct the owners how to have the affected brake pads replaced, free of charge. The recall began on May 26, 2016. Owners may contact Bosch customer service at 1-888-715-3616.
Robert Bosch LLCView on NHTSA.gov

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM: INSTRUMENT CLUSTER/PANEL

Apr 10, 2006
19 units potentially affected
The defect: CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES BUILT FOR ONE SPECIFIC FLEET CUSTOMER WERE MODIFIED FOR OPTIONAL HANDS-FREE CELLULAR PHONE OPERATING CAPABILITY. TO PROVIDE THIS FUNCTIONALITY, A SPECIAL OVERLAY WIRE HARNESS WAS INSTALLED THAT INADVERTENTLY DID NOT INCLUDE THE CIRCUITS FOR PASSENGER AIR BAG DEACTIVATION INDICATOR (PADI) LAMP FUNCTION. AS A RESULT, THESE VEHICLES DO NOT COMPLY WITH THE REQUIREMENTS OF FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 208, 'OCCUPANT CRASH PROTECTION.'
The risk: THE PADI LAMP WILL FAIL TO ILLUMINATE AND THE AIR BAG WARNING LAMP IN THE CLUSTER WILL STAY ILLUMINATED.
The remedy: THE FLEET CUSTOMER WAS NOTIFIED AND ALL VEHICLES HAVE BEEN REPAIRED. THE RECALL BEGAN ON APRIL 28, 2006.
FORD MOTOR COMPANYManufacturer number 06C13View on NHTSA.gov

VISIBILITY:WINDSHIELD WIPER/WASHER:MOTOR

Nov 9, 2005
199,942 units potentially affected
The defect: ON CERTAIN TRUCKS, PASSENGER CARS AND SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES, THE WINDSHIELD WIPER MOTOR MAY HAVE BEEN PRODUCED WITHOUT GREASE BEING APPLIED TO THE OUTPUT SHAFT GEAR.
The risk: AFTER A PERIOD OF CONTINUOUS USE ON THE HIGH SPEED SETTING, LACK OF GREASE ON THE OUTPUT SHAFT GEAR MAY CAUSE THE GEAR TO DISTORT OR FRACTURE DURING OPERATION RESULTING IN A LOSS OF WIPER FUNCTION. INOPERATIVE WIPERS UNDER INCLEMENT WEATHER CONDITIONS COULD CAUSE A CRASH DUE TO IMPAIRED VISIBILITY.
The remedy: DEALERS WILL INSPECT THE WIPER MOTOR FOR THE PRESENCE OF GREASE AND GREASE THE WIPER MOTOR GEARS IF NECESSARY. THE RECALL BEGAN ON NOVEMBER 22, 2005. OWNERS MAY CONTACT FORD AT 1-800-392-3673 OR LINCOLN/MERCURY AT 1-800-521-4140.
FORD MOTOR COMPANYManufacturer number 05S40View on NHTSA.gov

Safety investigations

NHTSA inquiries naming this vehicle. An investigation is not a finding of a defect.

PE12005ClosedPreliminary Evaluation

Stuck throttle

Opened Mar 7, 2012
Closed Oct 22, 2012

Preliminary Evaluation (PE)12-005 was opened to investigate allegations of speed control cables detaching from the throttle body and subsequently interfering with the throttle closing fully to the idle position in model year (MY) 2005 and 2006 Ford Taurus vehicles.The speed control cable, throttle body attachment arm (?nail head?) for the speed control cable, cable mounting bracket and cable routing for the MY 2005 and 2006 Ford Taurus are common to all MY 2004 through 2006 Ford Taurus and Mercury Sable vehicles equipped with either the 155 HP 3.0L 2-valve Vulcan engine or the 200 HP 3.0L 4-valve Duratec engine (the ?subject vehicles?). Figures 1 and 2 show the throttle body cam and speed control cable installed and a cable interference condition caused by contact between a detached cable and the ?nail head.?Ford?s assessment of the condition in incident vehicles noted that the interference conditions produced tended to be short in duration as the cable end tended to dislodge itself from the throttle body due to vibration, road loads or engine roll in addition to tapping the acceleration pedal.Ford inspected three incident vehicles and measured maximum throttle openings of 5.8% to 14.9%, resulting in engine speeds ranging from 1600 to 2200 rpm with the transmission selector in Drive.A Ford stack-up analysis of the speed control cable length from the attachment bracket to the throttle body indicated a maximum theoretical throttle opening of 16.4% that could result from the alleged defect. Engineers at the NHTSA Vehicle Research and Test Center (VRTC) inspected an incident vehicle to evaluate throttle positions and engine speeds that could result from the alleged defect and performed brake testing of a vehicle with the throttle stuck at the worst case throttle opening that could result from the condition.The VRTC vehicle inspection noted that, depending on the orientation of the detached cable end, the amount of throttle opening that could result from interference by a detached speed control cable end varied from 4.8% to 11.3%.VRTC brake testing of a MY 2006 Taurus with a Vulcan engine and the throttle held open at 16% found that, even with multiple brake applications, sufficient vacuum was available for the brake booster assist and the brake pedal efforts required to stop the vehicle did not increase significantly from normal operating conditions. ODI?s analysis of 100 complaints related to the alleged defect found that drivers were generally able to free the interference condition or safely brake to a stop without incident.Approximately one-third (32) reported that the stuck throttle condition was corrected with no action or by tapping the accelerator pedal while the vehicle was still moving, another third (34) reported braking to a stop with the vehicle in Drive prior to correcting the condition, and the remaining third (34) reported that the driver responded to the incident by shifting to Neutral before stopping the vehicle.One complaint alleged that stuck-throttle type symptoms caused the vehicle to pass partially through a traffic light and into an intersection before stopping, however,ODI was unable to contact the owner to verify the cause or relationship to the alleged defect condition.ODI has not identified any crashes related to the alleged defect. Tables 1 and 2 provide a breakdown of complaints and warranty claims related to the alleged defect by engine and model year.A safety-related defect has not been identified at this time and further use of agency resources does not appear to be warranted.Accordingly, this investigation is closed.The closing of this investigation do

VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL:CABLES

Recent owner complaints

Reports submitted to NHTSA, shown in the owner's own words

Fuel system
Filed Sep 11, 2024

Intermittent accelerator sticking. After lifting foot from accelerator to prepare for braking/stopping the car continues to accelerate. Safety is at risk in traffic and intersections. There is online documentation related to previous NHTSA investigations. Ford and the local dealership has stated that there is not a defined recall. Although there may not be a “recall” this is certainly a safety problem!!

NHTSA ID
11613965
Incident
Sep 10, 2024
BrakesPowertrain (other)
Filed Jun 14, 2023

The contact owns a 2006 Ford Taurus. The contact stated that while his daughter was driving at an undisclosed speed and attempting to make a left turn, the vehicle inadvertently lost motive power before stalling. The vehicle continued to roll forward before the driver was able to bring the vehicle to a complete stop. Upon restarting the vehicle, the vehicle returned to normal functionality; however, the contact stated that failure reoccurred three additional times. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, who diagnosed a failure with the braking system. The vehicle was not repaired. After investigating the failure, the contact related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 22V413000 (Power Train). The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 165,000.

NHTSA ID
11527038
Incident
Jun 8, 2023
Mileage
165,000 mi
ElectricalPowertrain (other)
Filed Jan 11, 2023

Vehicle is now on 2nd transmission the original transmission failed around 60000 miles Ford originally put a brand new transmission in it for previous owner documentation was provided when we purchased the vehicle since move unknown where it's at now but this transmission has only 67000 miles on it experiencing same problems sometimes it will slip between 2nd and 3rd year other times it will slip between 1st and 2nd year sometimes they won't let it go over drive other times he gets stuck In overdrive no rhyme no reason for why it does what it does it just seems to do what it wants when it was but it really sucks when you're on the highway driving 75 mile an hour and decided to come out of overdrive and get stuck in 2nd gear so you have to slow down in front of everybody and it kind of forces you to do so that could easily get someone killed Going from 75 mile an hour to stuck in 2nd year limited speed very quickly with no brake lights Original transmission apparently has something to do with the torque converter or non hearted metals I'm not exactly sure because we were not in possession of owning the vehicle when it was replaced

NHTSA ID
11501186
Incident
Oct 10, 2022
Driver assistance
Filed Jul 12, 2022

Throttle stuck and vehicle accelerated out of control. Had to brake hard and turn off engine to prevent crash. Speed Control Cable disconnected from cruise control. It has been repaired since the incident. Yes, was reproduced by the tow truck driver as well as at a service center. No warnings, only high engine revving noise as it happened, high RPMs and high speed noticeable on dashboard as my car's acceleration stuck. Case #FCAS37586176 reported to Ford company.

NHTSA ID
11473623
Incident
Jul 5, 2022
Powertrain (other)
Filed Jul 1, 2022

Splines on Torque converter stripped out causing vehicle to just rev up and slow down to a stop. Car never moved again, had I been going up a large hill or something this could have been VERY VERY bad, because it wasn't until I was stopped that I realized it was the transmission having problems. After a bit of research and $500 in parts. I did the work myself. I find that the material inside of the torque converter is way softer than that on the input shaft causing the torque converter to strip out? How do they not have to fix that? This has been going on for over a decade! Why does someone have to die before they are responsible for something they know has a problem!

NHTSA ID
11471939
Incident
Mar 29, 2022
Driver assistanceEngine
Filed Jun 27, 2022

Car engine accelerate on own. Tac meter shows over 3,000 RPM when I put it in neutral. I have to tap the accelerator and it goes back to normal. This happens about once a week now. I was slowing down for a stoplight and it happened. Brakes were not enough. Almost hit a car. Only by throwing into neutral allowed me to gain control and stop. My mechanic couldn’t find anything. I cannot allow anyone else to drive this as I am the only one familiar to handle it. I’ll probably sell it on a trade. I’ve read dozens of reports of this but no recall. I am surprised. If I get into an accident I have a lawyer handle it Here are others https://www.carproblemzoo.com/ford/taurus/cruise-control-problems.php

NHTSA ID
11471204
Incident
Jun 25, 2022
Driver assistance
Filed Jun 27, 2022

The contact owns a 2006 Ford Taurus. The contact stated while driving approximately 55 MPH, the vehicle failed to slow down as needed while depressing the brake to make a left turn. The contact stopped the vehicle and shifted the gear shifter to park; however, while parked the RPM rose to 5,000 RPM. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 169,530.

NHTSA ID
11471132
Incident
Jun 24, 2022
Mileage
169,530 mi
Filed Feb 27, 2022
Crash reported1 death reported

Fatal accident involving the Death of a loved one

NHTSA ID
11454346
Incident
Feb 16, 2022

Manufacturer communications

A bulletin sent by a manufacturer to its dealers. Not a recall, and repairs are not necessarily free.

TSB 20-2233

STRUCTURE

This article supersedes TSB 19-2026 to update the vehicle model years affected. Some 2000 and newer Ford/Lincoln/Mercury vehicles equipped with aluminum body panels may exhibit corrosion concerns appearing as bubbled and/or peeling paint with or without accompanying white dust. Panel replacement is recommended.

TSB 19-2026

EQUIPMENT; STRUCTURE

Some 2000 and newer Ford, Lincoln and Mercury vehicles equipped with aluminum body panels may exhibit corrosion concerns appearing as bubbled and/or peeling paint with or without accompanying white dust. Panel replacement is recommended. Follow the Service Procedure steps to correct the condition

TSB 19-2026

STRUCTURE

Some 2000 and newer Ford, Lincoln and Mercury vehicles equipped with aluminum body panels may exhibit corrosion concerns appearing as bubbled and/or peeling paint with or without accompanying white dust. Panel replacement is recommended. Follow the Service Procedure steps to correct the condition

SSM 46085

ENGINE; ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING; ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:COOLING SYSTEM; ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:COOLING SYSTEM:FAN; ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:COOLING SYSTEM:HOSES/LINES/PIPING/FITTINGS; ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:COOLING SYSTEM:RADIATOR ASSEMBLY; ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE; ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:DIESEL; ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE; ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE:BELTS AND ASSOCIATED PULLEYS; ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE:TURBO/SUPERCHARGER; ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:OTHER FUEL TYPES:TURBO/SUPERCHARGER; ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:EXHAUST SYSTEM; ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:EXHAUST SYSTEM:EMISSION CONTROL; ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:EXHAUST SYSTEM:EMISSION CONTROL:CATALYTIC CONVERTOR; ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:EXHAUST SYSTEM:EMISSION CONTROL:CRANKCASE (PCV); ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:EXHAUST SYSTEM:EMISSION CONTROL:GAS RECIRCULATION VALVE (EGR VALVE); ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:EXHAUST SYSTEM:MANIFOLD/HEADER/MUFFLER/TAIL PIPE

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 to historical DTCs and the PC/ED, Section 3 No DTCs Present Index chart for further information.

0607

POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION:CONTROL MODULE (TCM/PCM/TECM)

EXTENDED WARRANTY COVERAGE FOR VEHICLES WITH HARD START WHEN OPERATING ON E85 FUEL, POWERTRAIN CONTROL MODULE (PCM) CALIBRATION. WARRANTY EXTENDED FOR 10 YEARS OR 100,000 MILES WHICH EVER COMES FIRST. SAMPLE CONSUMER LETTER ATTACHED. *KB

0655

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:STARTER ASSEMBLY

FLEX FUEL - LONG CRANK/HARD START. *TT

Manufacturers file copies of the bulletins they send to dealers with NHTSA. These often describe diagnostic or repair procedures for a known condition. They are not recalls: repairs described in a bulletin are usually only free if the vehicle is still under warranty or the manufacturer has extended coverage.

Compare model years

Complaint and recall counts across every year of this model

Ford Taurus by model year
YearComplaintsRecallsInvestigationsIssue Index
2019122059.5
2018464063.7
2017444058.8
2016794062.6
20152626062.6
20142285053.9
20135819053.4
2012785046.8
20111874055.4
20102043053.0
2009640041.4
20081751150.1
20071491142.6
2006Viewing3183153.4
20057741248.1
20043752258.0
20031,2234457.0
20021,4264460.8
20011,03710865.9
20001,1958964.6
19998747259.8
19985454055.2
19977705053.9
19968258053.7
19951,2056462.3
19949235461.2
19931,55781361.8
199268161464.9
199164951463.5
199038181566.2
198956271767.9
198833362367.9
198725592670.1
198610192261.1
1985201
1984400
1983100
1981201
1977200

Higher-selling and older vehicles accumulate more reports. Counts are not failure rates and are not directly comparable between vehicles that sold in very different numbers. Older model years have had longer for reports to accumulate.