IllustrationGOT INTO AN ACCIDENT AND RIGHT MIRROR WAS FULLY BROKEN. RIGHT SIDE OF THE BODY WAS ALSO SMASHED IN. LEFT BRAKE LIGHTS STOPPED WORKING AND ENGINE MAKES WEIRD SOUNDS.
2006 Ford Five Hundred
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
Limited comparison data
There is not enough comparable history to draw a useful model-year comparison.
About this comparison →How this year compares
Owner complaints by model year
Compare all Five Hundred years →Counts vary with age, sales and reporting. They are not failure rates.
What owners reported most
All reported categories
Tap a category to read its complaints. One report may name several components.
When problems were reported
Mileage at the reported incident
440–25K
5225–50K
7950–75K
6775–100K
62100–150K
25150K+
329 reports with mileage · 35 unknown
NHTSA’s mileage field refers to the reported incident, not necessarily the filing date. This shows report counts, not the likelihood of a failure.
What to inspect
Issues worth paying extra attention to based on owner reports.
- Vehicle Speed Control. Review the 118 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Power Train. Review the 104 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Electrical System. Review the 51 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
20 crash reports6 fire reports4 injury reports
Steering complaints
7 reportsINSTRUMENT PANEL SHUTS OFF INTERMITTENTLY. DAYS LIGHTS FLICKER.
AS MY WIFE AND I WERE DRIVING THE CAR ON SEPARATE OCCASIONS WE NOTICED INCONSISTENCY IN THE RESPONSIVENESS OF THE STEERING WHEEL. SOMETIMES IT WAS DIFFICULT TO TURN, OTHER TIMES IT TURNED FREELY. THIS COULD HAVE CAUSED MAJOR PROBLEMS WHILE DRIVING. NOW THE STEERING WHEEL HAS BECOME NEARLY IMPOSSIBLE TO TURN AT ALL TIMES. WE TOOK…
Read full complaint
AS MY WIFE AND I WERE DRIVING THE CAR ON SEPARATE OCCASIONS WE NOTICED INCONSISTENCY IN THE RESPONSIVENESS OF THE STEERING WHEEL. SOMETIMES IT WAS DIFFICULT TO TURN, OTHER TIMES IT TURNED FREELY. THIS COULD HAVE CAUSED MAJOR PROBLEMS WHILE DRIVING. NOW THE STEERING WHEEL HAS BECOME NEARLY IMPOSSIBLE TO TURN AT ALL TIMES. WE TOOK IT TO A MECHANIC WHO SAID IT WAS THE LOWER STEERING SHAFT COUPLING AND IT WAS NEARLY LOCKED UP. HE INFORMED US THAT THIS IS A VERY COMMON PROBLEM WITH FORD PRODUCTS. IF THIS IS A PROBLEM WITH MANY FORD PRODUCTS, WHY ISN'T IT BEING RECALLED? THIS IS A POINT OF FAILURE THAT COULD COST AN ENTIRE FAMILY THEIR LIVES. FORD REALLY NEEDS TO STEP UP AND TAKE CARE OF THIS MATTER BEFORE LIVES ARE LOST DUE TO POOR DESIGN AND INCOMPETENCE. *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 FORD FIVE HUNDRED. WHILE DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE VEHICLE SWERVED INTO THE NEXT LANE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 88,000.
STEERING BINDS WHILE TURNING FORCING DRIVER TO "MUSCLE" THE STEERING WHEEL THROUGH THE REST OF THE TURN; ALSO STEERING WHEEL DOES NOT RETURN BACK TO STRAIGHT POSITION WITHOUT DRIVER ASSISTANCE. *TR
FRONT END HAS NO LUBRICATION POINTS AND TENDS TO BIND AND GETS TO A POINT THAT YOU CANNOT TURN THE STEERING WHEEL. *TR
IN JUNE 2007, MY WIFE TOOK OUR 2006 FORD FIVE HUNDRED (SEL) TO THE LOCAL DEALER FOR AN OIL CHANGE. SHE WAS INFORMED AT THE TIME THAT SHE NEEDED TO HAVE THE REAR BRAKE PADS REPLACED. THE CAR HAD ONLY 26,800 MILES ON IT. I WAS IN DISBELIEF AND TOLD HER NOT TO ALLOW THE WORK. I TOOK THE CAR TO AN AUTO SERVICE CENTER THAT I TRUSTED …
Read full complaint
IN JUNE 2007, MY WIFE TOOK OUR 2006 FORD FIVE HUNDRED (SEL) TO THE LOCAL DEALER FOR AN OIL CHANGE. SHE WAS INFORMED AT THE TIME THAT SHE NEEDED TO HAVE THE REAR BRAKE PADS REPLACED. THE CAR HAD ONLY 26,800 MILES ON IT. I WAS IN DISBELIEF AND TOLD HER NOT TO ALLOW THE WORK. I TOOK THE CAR TO AN AUTO SERVICE CENTER THAT I TRUSTED THE NEXT DAY. SURE ENOUGH, THE PADS NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. I HAD THEM DO THE WORK. I THEN COMPLAINED TO THE LOCAL DEALER THAT THIS WEAR RATE WAS UNACCEPTABLE AND CARS NORMALLY GO SIGNIFICANTLY LONGER BEFORE NEEDING REAR PAD REPLACEMENT. I RECEIVED A LETTER FROM THEM STATING THAT THE "BRAKE WEAR ON YOUR VEHICLE IS CONSIDERED TO BE WITHIN NORMAL PARAMETERS" . I KNEW THIS WAS NOT TRUE. IN JULY, I RECEIVED A LETTER FROM FORD MOTOR CO. STATING THAT THEY WERE EXTENDING THE WARRANTY ON THE REAR PADS TO 36,000. I RECEIVED A REFUND FROM THE DEALER. JUST RECENTLY AT 68,584 MILES, WE HAD TO HAVE THE PADS REPLACED ONCE AGAIN. I DON'T THINK THIS IS ACCEPTABLE WEAR FOR THESE PADS. IT COST US $227.01 TO HAVE THEM REPLACED. MY WIFE USES THIS CAR FOR BUSINESS, SO IT LOOKS LIKE WE'LL NEED TO PLAN ON REPLACING THESE PADS EVERY YEAR. INTERESTINGLY, THE FRONT PADS HAVE NOT WORN OUT YET. THE SECOND PROBLEM WE HAVE HAD IS WITH THE TIE ROD END LINKS WHICH NEEDED TO BE REPLACED AT 53,671 MILES. I HAVE NEVER HAD TO PERFORM THIS REPLACEMENT ON ANY OTHER VEHICLE I'VE OWNED, MANY HAVE GONE WELL OVER 100,000 MILES. I BELIEVE THERE IS A DESIGN PROBLEM WITH THE CAR IN THIS RESPECT. *TR
Official recalls
0No recalls in this snapshot.
Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗
NHTSA investigations
1PE11018 · Idle Instability
Opened May 11, 2011 · Closed Feb 7, 2013
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Vehicle Speed Control
On November 29, 2012, Ford Motor Company (Ford) initiated Customer Satisfaction Program 12N03 to extend warranty coverage terms for repair of engine idle RPM surge caused by throttle body deposits in all model year (MY) 2005 through 2007 Ford Freestyle, Five Hundred and Mercury Montego vehicles.The program extends the coverage for up to 10 years of service or 150,000 miles from the warranty start date of the vehicle (all vehicles are eligible for the program through May 31, 2013, regardless of mileage).Dealers will repair vehicles exhibiting the condition by removing and cleaning the throttle body and reprogramming the PCM with software containing an updated idle speed control strategy.According to Ford, some of the affected vehicles may experience momentary, intermittent engine idle RPM surge (idle flare) when stopped or during low speed driving maneuvers such as in a parking lot or driveway.Unstable idle speed control (dips and flares) around the target engine speed (700 rpm) can occur in vehicles with deposit build-up in the throttle body when the system adjusts engine speed in response to changes in engine load, typically from power steering application or air-conditioner compressor cycling.Idle speed control logic is only active at vehicle speeds below 3.5 mph and when the accelerator pedal is not applied.Ford testing of a vehicle with a worst case throttle body measured a maximum idle flare of 1360 RPM lasting approximately 1 second, which Ford indicated was consistent with system design to limit vehicle speed and acceleration in idle control mode.Ford indicated that the test vehicle was held in place with normal brake effort and that vehicle speed remained under 4 mph without the brake pedal applied.In addition to throttle body deposit accumulation, symptoms associated with the condition may include Check Engine lamp illumination and diagnostic trouble codes (DTCs) P0505, P0506 or P061B.Ford attributed the surge condition to changes in idle air flow resulting from the progressive buildup of deposits in the throttle body from normal Positive Crankcase Ventilation (PCV) system operation.This condition was not adequately compensated for in the original Powertrain Control Module (PCM) calibration.Ford issued a technical service bulletin on August 15, 2011 (TSB 11-8-5), releasing an updated powertrain control calibration for vehicles with CVT transmissions.On October 19, 2011, Ford issued a second bulletin (TSB 11-10-21) superseding TSB 11-8-5 and including updated powertrain control calibration for vehicles with 6-speed transmissions.Prior to Ford issuing the TSB?s, owner?s experiencing the alleged defect either received no repairs, if dealers could not duplicate the condition, or had the throttle body cleaned or replaced, which only provided temporary correction until the throttle deposit build-up returned.Ford?s revised powertrain calibrations appear to be effective remedies for the idle instability caused by build-up of throttle body deposits.However, even after the TSB?s were released, many owners experiencing the condition continued to have difficulty with proper diagnosis and repair as dealers were often either unable to duplicate the condition or were unfamiliar with the new repair procedures.Ford's new program addresses those concerns.NHTSA's testing and complaint analysis indicate that the idle speed control issue in the subject vehicles can only occur at very low speeds, are very brief events, are easily controlled by moderate brake pedal forces and result in minor increases in vehicle speed even with no braking.This investigation is closed.The closing of this in