2006 Ford Taurus Problems, Recalls & Reliability
415 owner complaints sit in the federal file for the 2006 Ford Taurus, alongside 3 recall campaigns and 1 defect investigation. It scores 19/100 on the trouble index — one of this model's quieter years. Speed control leads the reports, typically around 91,000 miles.
One of the quieter years. Relative to its siblings, the 2006 Ford Taurus has drawn well-below-average complaint volume with at least four years on the road.
Better year
Where 2006 sits among all Taurus years
What owners report
“While driving over 45mph the accelerator sticks. This has happened several times . It accelerated on its own while i was trying to park at work.”— owner report to NHTSA, 2006 Taurus
“So now when i try to reverse my car doesn't move and if i hit the gas the engine just rams up and makes a loud noise.i have got stuck so many times to the point where i can't move...also my headlights and high beams look the same there is no difference and you don't even know when the high beams…”— owner report to NHTSA, 2006 Taurus
“Vehicle was driving normally without any indication of an issue prior. After a stop at a light, car proceeded to disengage transmission and would not accelerate. Engine revs but zero movement. Had to have it towed to dealer.”— owner report to NHTSA, 2006 Taurus
“Periodically the passenger side airbag off light comes on. Also, passenger side door ajar on dashboard on all the time which makes dome light stay on and drain battery.”— owner report to NHTSA, 2006 Taurus
“I was driving eastbound, on a city street, approaching the intersection with a stop sign. When i pressed on the brakes, it didn't slow down. In fact, the car was going faster. So i put the car in park, hoping to slow it down, but it didn't work. Then i jumped the curb, hoping that would slow the…”— owner report to NHTSA, 2006 Taurus
Mileage when trouble shows up
Among the 352 reports that include an odometer reading, problems most often appear around 87,000 miles. Half of those reports fall between 68,000 and 122,000 miles — a useful range to weigh against the mileage of the exact car you're looking at.
Recalls (3)
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…
Fix: 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.
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…
Fix: THE FLEET CUSTOMER WAS NOTIFIED AND ALL VEHICLES HAVE BEEN REPAIRED. THE RECALL BEGAN ON APRIL 28, 2006.
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.
Fix: 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…
Federal defect investigations
Technical service bulletins
13 manufacturer communications — service bulletins, the biggest share on engine and body & structure — are on file for the 2006 Ford Taurus. A TSB is factory repair guidance, not a recall — the repair is not automatically free.
See the 2006 Taurus 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 Taurus reliable?
The 2006 Ford Taurus drew 415 complaints in federal safety records — one of this model's quieter years. Its trouble index is 19/100, scored against the model's worst year (1993).
What are the most common 2006 Ford Taurus problems?
The top reported problems for the 2006 Ford Taurus are speed control (181 complaints), engine (43), and transmission & drivetrain (33).
At what mileage do 2006 Ford Taurus problems show up?
Owners most often report 2006 Ford Taurus problems around 87,000 miles. Half of all reports that include an odometer reading fall between 68,000 and 122,000 miles.
Does the 2006 Ford Taurus have recalls?
3 recall campaigns apply to the 2006 Ford Taurus. 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.