2006 Ford F-150 recalls and problems

The 2006 Ford F-150 has 4 recalls and 585 owner complaints on file with NHTSA; the most reported problem area is engine.

Pictured: a 2005 model; the 2006 may differ in details. Photo: 2005 Ford F-150 by SsmIntrigue, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

How the 2006 compares

Low

Fewest complaintsMost complaints

Low complaint count among 27 F-150 model years — 19th most.

4recalls

585complaints

58crashes

18fires

42injuries

61,000median miles

Owner complaints filed with NHTSA, not verified and not adjusted for sales. Ranking compares this model's own years only.

Does your car have an open recall?
Recalls apply to specific vehicles. Only a VIN lookup on NHTSA's official site shows whether yours is affected and still unrepaired.

Check your VIN →

4 recalls

Air Bags

Feb 23, 2011 · NHTSA campaign 11V107000 · 1,325,000 vehicles

Problem: Ford is recalling certain model year 2004-2006 f-150 pick up trucks as well as certain model year 2006 Lincoln mark lt vehicles. If the clockspring jumper wire comes in contact with the driver side frontal air bag lower horn plate, the wire insulation May become chafed, creating a potential for a short circuit. If this occurs the air bag warning lamp May illuminate indicating that service is required.

Original NHTSA wording

FORD IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2004-2006 F-150 PICK UP TRUCKS AS WELL AS CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2006 LINCOLN MARK LT VEHICLES. IF THE CLOCKSPRING JUMPER WIRE COMES IN CONTACT WITH THE DRIVER SIDE FRONTAL AIR BAG LOWER HORN PLATE, THE WIRE INSULATION MAY BECOME CHAFED, CREATING A POTENTIAL FOR A SHORT CIRCUIT. IF THIS OCCURS THE AIR BAG WARNING LAMP MAY ILLUMINATE INDICATING THAT SERVICE IS REQUIRED.

Risk: The driver side frontal air bag could inadvertently deploy increasing the risk of injury or loss of vehicle control if occurring while in motion.

Original NHTSA wording

THE DRIVER SIDE FRONTAL AIR BAG COULD INADVERTENTLY DEPLOY INCREASING THE RISK OF INJURY OR LOSS OF VEHICLE CONTROL IF OCCURRING WHILE IN MOTION.

Remedy & notes

Ford will notify owners and instruct them to take their vehicles to a Ford or Lincoln/Mercury dealer to have a new clockspring jumper wire installed that incorporates a protective mesh cover. Repairs will be performed free of charge. This safety recall began on some vehicles in March 2011. The recall campaign on the expanded population is expected to begin on or about May 9, 2011. Owners May contact the Ford motor company customer relationship center at 1-866-436-7332.

Ford's recall campaign number is 11S18.owners May also contact the national highway traffic safety administration's vehicle safety hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (tty 1-800-424-9153), or go to <a href=http://www.safercar.gov>http://www.safercar.gov</a> .

Service Brakes

May 7, 2008 · NHTSA campaign 08V208000 · 605,684 vehicles

Problem: Ford is recalling 605,684 my 2005-2006 f-150 and Lincoln mark lt vehicles equipped with 5.4L 3-VALVE engines. The brake booster vacuum supply hose attached to the intake manifold fitting May swell over time and lose retention force. This condition could allow the hose to become detached from the fitting during an intake manifold backfire. Should the hose detach from the intake manifold, several brake applications with power assist will be available before the vacuum reserve is depleted.

Original NHTSA wording

FORD IS RECALLING 605,684 MY 2005-2006 F-150 AND LINCOLN MARK LT VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH 5.4L 3-VALVE ENGINES. THE BRAKE BOOSTER VACUUM SUPPLY HOSE ATTACHED TO THE INTAKE MANIFOLD FITTING MAY SWELL OVER TIME AND LOSE RETENTION FORCE. THIS CONDITION COULD ALLOW THE HOSE TO BECOME DETACHED FROM THE FITTING DURING AN INTAKE MANIFOLD BACKFIRE. SHOULD THE HOSE DETACH FROM THE INTAKE MANIFOLD, SEVERAL BRAKE APPLICATIONS WITH POWER ASSIST WILL BE AVAILABLE BEFORE THE VACUUM RESERVE IS DEPLETED.

Risk: Once the brake booster vacuum reserve is depleted, the driver will have foundation brake function, but with increased brake pedal effort. Reduced vehicle braking could lead to a crash.

Original NHTSA wording

ONCE THE BRAKE BOOSTER VACUUM RESERVE IS DEPLETED, THE DRIVER WILL HAVE FOUNDATION BRAKE FUNCTION, BUT WITH INCREASED BRAKE PEDAL EFFORT. REDUCED VEHICLE BRAKING COULD LEAD TO A CRASH.

Remedy & notes

Dealers will replace a rubber hose on the brake booster vacuum supply tube assembly. The recall began on June 27, 2008. Owners May contact Ford at 1-800-392-3673.

Ford recall no. 08S05.customers May also contact the national highway traffic safety administration's vehicle safety hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (tty 1-800-424-9153), or go to http://www.safercar.gov.

Interior Lighting

Feb 6, 2006 · NHTSA campaign 06V033000 · 211,432 vehicles

Problem: Certain pickup trucks fail to comply with either the requirements of federal motor vehicle safety standard (FMVSS) no. 105, 'hydraulic and electric brake systems' or FMVSS no. 135, 'passenger car brake systems.' these vehicles were built with a software error in the instrument cluster.

Original NHTSA wording

CERTAIN PICKUP TRUCKS FAIL TO COMPLY WITH EITHER THE REQUIREMENTS OF FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD (FMVSS) NO. 105, 'HYDRAULIC AND ELECTRIC BRAKE SYSTEMS' OR FMVSS NO. 135, 'PASSENGER CAR BRAKE SYSTEMS.' THESE VEHICLES WERE BUILT WITH A SOFTWARE ERROR IN THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER.

Risk: This error could prevent the antilock brake system (ABS) warning light from illuminating if the ABS module ever became inoperative.

Original NHTSA wording

THIS ERROR COULD PREVENT THE ANTILOCK BRAKE SYSTEM (ABS) WARNING LIGHT FROM ILLUMINATING IF THE ABS MODULE EVER BECAME INOPERATIVE.

Remedy & notes

Dealers will recalibrate the instrument cluster in these vehicles. The recall began on February 27, 2006. Owners May contact Ford at 1-800-392-3673.

Ford recall no.06C11. Customers May also contact the national highway traffic safety administration's vehicle safety hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (tty 1-800-424-9153), or go to http://www.safercar.gov.

Visibility

Nov 9, 2005 · NHTSA campaign 05V520000 · 199,942 vehicles

Problem: 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.

Original NHTSA wording

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.

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.

Original NHTSA wording

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.

Remedy & notes

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 recall no. 05S40. Customers May also contact the national highway traffic safety administration's vehicle safety hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (tty 1-800-424-9153), or go to http://www.safercar.gov.

Recall text as published by NHTSA and the manufacturer.

What owners complain about

Engine151

Vehicle Speed Control31

Tires27

Owner complaints filed with NHTSA; one complaint can name several areas. Not verified by NHTSA.

Complaints by year filed

NHTSA investigations

Inadvertent airbag deployment

EA10001 · opened Jan 13, 2010 · closed Apr 25, 2011 · led to recall 11V107000

Summary

ODI opened this investigation based on reports of inadvertent airbag deployment.Data provided by Ford indicated that the airbag clockspring jumper wire, which is situated inside the steering wheel assembly, was installed in a manner that would allow it to rub (abrade) against a sharp metal edge on the nearby horn plate.Because the horn plate is electrically grounded the abrasion of an airbag wire on the sharp edge could cause a short circuit condition.As a result the airbag light may illuminate and/or the airbag may inadvertently deploy.Inadvertent deployments are most likely to occur during the airbag system's self-diagnostic test that initiates when the ignition switch is turned on.Ford modified the vehicle design in late January 2006 adding a protective tape over the sharp metal edge of the horn plate.Ford made additional design changes on MY 2007 vehicles to the horn plate, the clockspring jumper, and the connector layouts to further address this issue.ODI identified 318 deployment incidents with 121 alleged injury reports from subject vehicles.All but one of the incident and injury reports occurred in vehicles built before the January 2006 modification.In addition, there was one incident and alleged injury reported in the MY 2006 Mark LT vehicles that share the same design. In letters dated February 21 and April 11, 2011, Ford announced a recall of all of the approximately 1.3 million MY 2004-2006 F-150 vehicles built prior to January 24, 2006, the date the initial vehic…

LOSS OF BRAKE POWER-ASSIST

PE08001 · opened Jan 8, 2008 · closed May 9, 2008 · led to recall 08V208000

Summary

BY LETTER DATED MAY 5, 2008, FORD MOTOR COMPANY (FORD) NOTIFIED THE AGENCY THAT IT WILL CONDUCT A SAFETY RECALL (NHTSA RECALL NUMBER 08V-208) TO ADDRESS A MANUFACTURING DEFECT IN APPROXIMATELY 605,684 MODEL YEAR (MY) 2005 AND 2006 FORD F-150 AND LINCOLN MARK LT VEHICLES ORIGINALLY EQUIPPED WITH THE 5.4L DISPLACEMENT, 3-VALVE PER CYLINDER, V-8 ENGINE.THE RECALLED VEHICLES WERE BUILT FROM JULY 18, 2004 THROUGH MAY 31, 2006 AT THE DEARBORN TRUCK PLANT; FROM MAY 4, 2004 THROUGH MAY 31, 2006 AT THE KANSAS CITY ASSEMBLY PLANT; AND FROM APRIL 19, 2004 THROUGH MAY 31, 2006 AT THE NORFOLK TRUCK PLANT.THE VEHICLES WERE MANUFACTURED WITH THE SAME DEFECTIVE BRAKE BOOSTER VACUUM SUPPLY HOSE ASSEMBLY UNIQUE TO THE 5.4L V-8 ENGINE.FORD F-150 VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH OPTIONALLY AVAILABLE 4.2L V6 AND 4.6L V-8 ENGINES ARE NOT INCLUDED IN THIS RECALL ACTION BECAUSE THEY UTILIZE A DIFFERENT, ONE-PIECE BRAKE BOOSTER VACUUM SUPPLY HOSE ASSEMBLY THAT DOES NOT EXHIBIT AN APPARENT DEFECT TREND. THE RECALLED VEHICLES UTILIZE A TWO-PIECE BRAKE BOOSTER VACUUM SUPPLY HOSE ASSEMBLY COMPRISED OF A STANDPIPE ASSEMBLY AND VACUUM HOSE.THE STANDPIPE ASSEMBLY ATTACHES TO A FITTING ON THE ENGINE AIR INTAKE MANIFOLD UTILIZING A FLEXIBLE RUBBER HOSE AND PLASTIC ELBOW.THE VACUUM HOSE ATTACHES TO THE OPPOSITE END OF THE STANDPIPE ASSEMBLY AND CONNECTS TO A CHECK VALVE FITTING AT THE BRAKE BOOSTER ASSEMBLY.ACCORDING TO FORD, THE PORTION OF THE BRAKE BOOSTER VACUUM SUPPLY HOSE ASSEMBLY ATTACHED TO THE INTAKE MANIFOLD MA…

2006 vs. other Ford F-150 years

Owner complaints by model year; the darker bar is the 2006. Click a bar to switch year.

Questions

Does the 2006 Ford F-150 have recalls?

Yes — NHTSA lists 4 recall campaigns covering the 2006 Ford F-150, the latest from Feb 23, 2011 (air bags). A recall applies to specific vehicles: enter your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls to see whether yours is affected and still open.

What are the most common problems with the 2006 Ford F-150?

Owner complaints filed with NHTSA most often mention engine (151), service brakes (93), electrical system (60). Complaints are consumer reports and are not verified by NHTSA.