U.S. public vehicle records

2006 Ford 500 problems and owner complaints

Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.

Key facts

68 owner complaints analyzed

0 distinct recall campaigns

100,000 mi median reported failure mileage

Scope: 2006 model year. Data snapshot: 2026-09-12 (September 12, 2026). 64 complaints include usable failure mileage.

Owner-reported patterns

Most common problems

Vehicle Speed Control is the most frequently named component, appearing in 24 of 68 complaints (35.3%). A complaint can name multiple components.

Recurring terms in complaint narratives
Topic	Matching reports	Share of complaints
Engine operation	16	23.5%
Transmission and shifting	13	19.1%
Braking behavior	8	11.8%
Electrical and battery issues	3	4.4%
Steering behavior	3	4.4%
Fuel system concerns	1	1.5%

Topic matches use published keyword rules. They describe mentions, including negations or comparisons, and do not confirm a diagnosis. Read the matching rules.

Component breakdown

Number of unique complaints naming each component. Top eight shown.

Vehicle Speed Control

Power Train

Engine

Electrical System

Fuel/Propulsion System

Unknown Or Other

Exterior Lighting

Air Bags

Vehicle Speed Control: 24; Power Train: 20; Engine: 17; Electrical System: 14; Fuel/Propulsion System: 7; Unknown Or Other: 6; Exterior Lighting: 5; Air Bags: 3

Reported problems by failure mileage

Complaint counts in mileage bands. These are not failure rates per vehicle or mile.

Under 25,000

25,000 to 49,999

50,000 to 74,999

75,000 to 99,999

100,000 to 149,999

150,000 and above

Under 25,000: 0; 25,000 to 49,999: 2; 50,000 to 74,999: 10; 75,000 to 99,999: 18; 100,000 to 149,999: 24; 150,000 and above: 10

100,000 to 149,999 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (24). 4 complaints have missing, zero or invalid mileage.

Complaints over time

Year the complaint was filed, not the vehicle model year or incident year. The snapshot year is partial.

2012

2013

2014

2015

2016

2017

2018

2012: 3; 2013: 16; 2014: 14; 2015: 17; 2016: 9; 2017: 6; 2018: 3

Pattern summary

Vehicle Speed Control leads the component reports. Engine operation appears in 16 complaint narratives. Transmission and shifting appears in 13 complaint narratives. Braking behavior appears in 8 complaint narratives. Use these patterns to inspect individual reports and prepare questions for a mechanic.

Calculated from recorded counts. An AI narrative has not been published for this selection.

Complaint evidence

Examples provide context, not a representative sample or a verified diagnosis.

Owner report 10489259 · 2012-12-19 (December 19, 2012)

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 FORD 500. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE STALLED WHILE DRIVING 35 MPH. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHO CLEANED THE THROTTLE BODY AND REPROGRAMMED THE PCM HOWEVER, THE VEHICLE CONTINUED TO STALL. THE CHECK ENGINE AND THE WRENCH WARNING LIGHTS ILLUMINATED PRIOR TO THE VEHICLE FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED AND ADVISED THE CONTACT THAT THE THROTTLE BODY CLEANING WOULD BE AT THEIR EXPENSE ONE TIME ONLY. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 129,000.

Owner-reported narrative. 129,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10489259 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10499812 · 2013-02-23 (February 23, 2013)

YOU CAN BE DRIVING 15 MPH TO 70MPH AND THE VEHICLE WILL STALL IT'S STILL RUNNING BUT WON'T GO YOU CAN TURN THE KEY OFF AND RESTART THE VEHICLE AND IT GOES. BUT IT MAY GO 2 FEET OR 20 MILES I'M A AUTO TECH I CLEANED THE THROTTLE BODY LIKE FORD SAID AND FORD REPROGRAMMED THE PCM AND THAT DID NOT HELP. THE VEHICLE STILL STALLS GOING DOWN THE ROAD AND YOU HAVE TO PULL OVER AND KILL IT AND RESTART THE VEHICLE. FORD JUST PUT A LOT OF BAD PARTS ON THESE FIVE HUNDREDS MAINLY THE THROTTLE BODY. *TR

Owner-reported narrative. 148,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10499812 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10485282 · 2012-11-20 (November 20, 2012)

ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT GO OR EXTREMELY LATE RESPONSE THEN LUNGE FORWARD WHEN COMMANDED BY PRESSING THE ACCELERATOR. OFTEN TIMES WHEN YOU ARE TURNING IN FRONT OF OTHER TRAFFIC. I HAVE HAD SEVERAL NEAR MISSES WITH BEING STUCK IN AN INTERSECTION OR A VERY DELAYED THROTTLE RESPONSE LUNGING ME INTO ON COMING TRAFFIC. THE CAR GOES INTO LIMP MODE OR THE TRANSMISSION SEEMS TO ACT UP AFTER THIS HAPPENS. I GET A CHECK ENGINE LIGHT AND A WRENCH LIGHT ON THE DASH. ALSO THE CAR HAS HAD UNCOMMANDED ENGINE SPEEDS AT A STOP SIGN OR REDLIGHT…

Owner-reported narrative. 77,235 miles reported. Look up ODI 10485282 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10491605 · 2013-01-06 (January 6, 2013)

IN SEPT 2012 THE TRANSMISSION COMPLETELY QUIT ON ME. WAS TOLD BY THE LOCAL DEALER THAT I NEEDED A COMPLETELY NEW TRANSMISSION ($6,000). OK'D THE REPAIR ONLY TO FIND OUT NO PARTS ARE AVAILABLE THROUGHOUT THE ENTIRE COUNTRY. AFTER WAITING 12 WEEKS FOR REPAIR TO BE COMPLETED STILL NO PARTS, NO REPAIR. CALLED FORD MOTOR CO. CONSUMER AFFAIRS DEPT. WHICH OFFERED NO HELP, NO SATISFACTION. THIS CVT TRANSMISSION IS A TOTAL FAILURE AND FORD ACCEPTS NO RESPONSIBILITY. HAD TO TAKE THE TOTAL FALLOUT (BROUGHT A REPLACEMENT VEHICLE) ON A BAD PRODUCT WI…

Owner-reported narrative. 99,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10491605 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10523318 · 2013-07-05 (July 5, 2013)

THE FIRST INCIDENT WAS WHEN I WAS DRIVING IN TOWN. I WAS STOPPING FOR A LIGHT AND THE CAR SURGED. LATER, AS I WAS APPLYING THE BRAKE, THE CAR, JERKED AND SURGED. I HAD A RECALL NOTICE OF AN RPM SURGE, SO WE TOOK IT INTO THE DEALERSHIP AND THEY SUPPOSEDLY REPAIRED THE PROBLEM WITH A COMPUTER ADJUSTMENT. ABOUT 2 WEEKS LATER, ON THE HIGHWAY AT ABOUT 65-70 MPH MY HUSBAND STARTED TO PASS AN 18-WHEELER AND WHEN HE ACCELERATED, THERE WAS A HESITANCY AND THEN, THE TRANSMISSION "CAUGHT" AND WE WERE ABLE TO PASS. PERIODICALLY, SINCE THAT TIME, I HAVE N…

Owner-reported narrative. 137,403 miles reported. Look up ODI 10523318 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10576303 · 2014-04-01 (April 1, 2014)

I HAVE HAD THIS FORD 500 SINCE 2008. MY CONCERN IS HAVING TO HAVE REAR BRAKES REPLACED SO OFTEN. I HAVE BEEN TOLD THAT THIS HAS BEEN A PROBLEM WITH THE FORD 500. I HAVE DRIVEN FORDS ALL OF MY LIFE, I WILL SOON BE 73, BUT RIGHT NOW I AM READY TO LOOK AT OTHER CAR DEALERS. *TR

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10576303 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10548100 · 2013-10-16 (October 16, 2013)

WHEN YOU SLOW THE CAR WILL QUIT AND WHEN YOU DRIVE IT ON THE OPEN ROAD YOU LOSE POWER NO INDICATION THAT ANYTHING IS GOING TO HAPPEN. NO TOOL LIGHT COMES ON TO INDICATE THE PROBLEM. TWO YEARS AGO IT STARTED QUITTING ON ME AND WHEN YOU RESTART IT STARTS RIGHT BACK UP. ON ONE OCCASION I TRIED TO START IT AND IT BEGAN TO SMOKE AND WOULDN'T START. HAD TO HAVE IT TOWED TO A FORD DEALERSHIP WHERE THEY REPLACED A MODULAR IN THE TRANSMISSION AND IT STILL WOULDN'T START CHARGED $1500.00 HAD IT TOWED TO ANOTHER MECHANIC WHERE THEY REPLACED THE CLIMATE…

Owner-reported narrative. 95,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10548100 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10809278 · 2015-12-09 (December 9, 2015)

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 FORD 500. WHILE DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE VEHICLE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE TECHNICIAN DIAGNOSED THAT THE ELECTRICAL THROTTLE BODY NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 195,685.

Owner-reported narrative. 195,685 miles reported. Look up ODI 10809278 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10676366 · 2015-01-19 (January 19, 2015)

FIRST OFF I COULDN'T GET THE DATE TO POPULATE THE CORRECT DATE THIS PROBLEM HAS BEEN HAPPENING FOR YEARS BUT THE YEAR ON THE DATE SECTION WOULDN'T CHANGE FOR ME. SO WHENEVER IAM PULLING INTO A PARKING SPACE LIKE AT THE GROCERY STORE ITS LIKE THE CAR GIVES GAS AND LUNGES FORWARD WHILE AS IAM ONLY DOING MAYBE 3 MPH I HAVE TO HIT THE BRAKE HARDER BECAUSE MY FOOT IS ALREADY ON THE BRAKE FROM PULLING INTO A PARKING SPACE WITH A CAR ON LEFT AND RIGHT OF ME IN ORDER TO NOT HIT THE CAR THAT IS PARKED IN FRONT. WHEN PUTTING THE CAR INTO GEAR FROM PARK…

Owner-reported narrative. 60,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10676366 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10991730 · 2017-05-25 (May 25, 2017)

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-reported narrative. 150,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10991730 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10823444 · 2016-02-01 (February 1, 2016)

FUEL TANKS MAY NOT HAVE CONSISTENT WELDS BETWEEN THE FUEL TANK AND THE FUEL FILLER NECK, AFFECTING THE STRENGTH OF THE JOINT. IN THE EVENT OF A SEVERE REAR IMPACT, AN IMPROPER WELD CAN RESULT IN A CRACK IN THE JOINT. THIS COULD ILLUMINATE THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT, CAUSE A FUEL ODOR, OR ALLOW FUEL TO LEAK OUT. ANY FUEL LEAK INCREASES THE RISK OF A FIRE. DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE AFFECTED FUEL TANKS TO CORRECT THIS CONCERN

Owner-reported narrative. 134,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10823444 at NHTSA ↗