2006 Ford Five Hundred Problems, Recalls & Reliability
628 owner complaints sit in the federal file for the 2006 Ford Five Hundred, alongside 1 recall campaign and 1 defect investigation. It scores 76/100 on the trouble index — a below-average year for this model. Speed control leads the reports, typically around 77,118 miles.
Below average
Where 2006 sits among all Five Hundred years
What owners report
“The wrench light came on and i lost all power, now it doesn't accelerate and the more also is a loud noise coming from the engine, it sounds like it's goung to blow up”— owner report to NHTSA, 2006 Five Hundred
“Hard knocking in transmission during normal operation. Interior lights come on while using vehicle and won't go off”— owner report to NHTSA, 2006 Five Hundred
“Cause unknown- battery light is coming on more while vehicle is running in all modes, local auto store determined it is an electrical problem. They tested the battery, alternator & starter. Also noticed that there is a musty smell & many ( if not all) of my metal parts are rusted.”— owner report to NHTSA, 2006 Five Hundred
“Engine died at 83,000 miles and the doors fill with water when it rains hard or for more than 1 day.”— owner report to NHTSA, 2006 Five Hundred
“There many issues motor just blew up today sitting in drive way i just bought it and started it and it blew up power steering wiring cadillac converters it has a lot of problems”— owner report to NHTSA, 2006 Five Hundred
“While stoping at red light car stalls buckles dose not go over 50 mph as it hits 50 mph rpms go to6000 speed stays on 50 mph and i can't go on a high way cause i can't keep up with traffic noise coming from moter car got hot going up hills in 80 degree weather and it just all around runs like…”— owner report to NHTSA, 2006 Five Hundred
Mileage when trouble shows up
Among the 551 reports that include an odometer reading, problems most often appear around 78,512 miles. Half of those reports fall between 51,050 and 110,000 miles — a useful range to weigh against the mileage of the exact car you're looking at.
Recalls (1)
CERTAIN AFTERMARKET FUEL FILTERS SOLD UNDER THE PUROLATOR BRAND NAME, P/N F65277, SHIPPED FROM JANUARY 16 THROUGH JUNE 2, 2006, FOR USE ON THE ABOVE LISTED PASSENGER VEHICLES. DUE TO INCORRECT DESIGN, THE QUICK CONNECTORS MAY NOT FULLY SEAT WITH THE TUBE…
Fix: UFI WILL NOTIFY OWNERS AND REPLACE THE FILTERS FREE OF CHARGE. THE RECALL BEGAN ON AUGUST 4, 2006. OWNERS MAY CONTACT UFI FILTERS USA AT 800-230-5876.
Federal defect investigations
Technical service bulletins
26 manufacturer communications — service bulletins, the biggest share on engine and electrical — are on file for the 2006 Ford Five Hundred. A TSB is factory repair guidance, not a recall — the repair is not automatically free.
See the 2006 Five Hundred TSB list →
Complaint history for this model year
When owners filed their reports — a long tail means problems kept surfacing for years.
Questions buyers ask
Is the 2006 Ford Five Hundred reliable?
The 2006 Ford Five Hundred drew 628 complaints in federal safety records — a below-average year for this model. Its trouble index is 76/100, scored against the model's worst year (2005).
What are the most common 2006 Ford Five Hundred problems?
The top reported problems for the 2006 Ford Five Hundred are speed control (142 complaints), transmission & drivetrain (126), and electrical (85).
At what mileage do 2006 Ford Five Hundred problems show up?
Owners most often report 2006 Ford Five Hundred problems around 78,512 miles. Half of all reports that include an odometer reading fall between 51,050 and 110,000 miles.
Does the 2006 Ford Five Hundred have recalls?
1 recall campaign applies to the 2006 Ford Five Hundred. Recall repairs are free at any franchised dealer.
Every number on this page is a count of records in the federal complaint, recall, and investigation files published by NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation. Check any specific vehicle's open recalls by VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.