2006 Ford Taurus recalls and problems

The 2006 Ford Taurus has 2 recalls and 318 owner complaints on file with NHTSA; the most reported problem area is vehicle speed control.

How the 2006 compares

High

Fewest complaintsMost complaints

High complaint count among 20 Taurus model years — 8th most.

2recalls

318complaints

19crashes

4fires

12injuries

86,000median 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 →

2 recalls

Electrical System

Apr 10, 2006 · NHTSA campaign 06V119000 · 19 vehicles

Problem: 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.'

Original NHTSA wording

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.'

Risk: The padi lamp will fail to illuminate and the air bag warning lamp in the cluster will stay illuminated.

Original NHTSA wording

THE PADI LAMP WILL FAIL TO ILLUMINATE AND THE AIR BAG WARNING LAMP IN THE CLUSTER WILL STAY ILLUMINATED.

Remedy & notes

The fleet customer was notified and all vehicles have been repaired. The recall began on April 28, 2006.

Ford recall no. 06C13.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

Vehicle Speed Control176

Engine43

Unknown or other11

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

Complaints by year filed

NHTSA investigations

Stuck throttle

PE12005 · opened Mar 7, 2012 · closed Oct 22, 2012

Summary

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 all…

2006 vs. other Ford Taurus years

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

Questions

Does the 2006 Ford Taurus have recalls?

Yes — NHTSA lists 2 recall campaigns covering the 2006 Ford Taurus, the latest from Apr 10, 2006 (electrical system). 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 Taurus?

Owner complaints filed with NHTSA most often mention vehicle speed control (176), engine (43), power train (32). Complaints are consumer reports and are not verified by NHTSA.