2006 Mercury MILAN problems and owner complaints
Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.
Key facts
214 owner complaints analyzed
4 distinct recall campaigns
84,000 mi median reported failure mileage
Scope: 2006 model year. Data snapshot: . 97 complaints include usable failure mileage.
Most common problems
Air Bags is the most frequently named component, appearing in 128 of 214 complaints (59.8%). A complaint can name multiple components.
| Topic | Matching reports | Share of complaints |
|---|---|---|
| Braking behavior | 18 | 8.4% |
| Transmission and shifting | 13 | 6.1% |
| Engine operation | 5 | 2.3% |
| Electrical and battery issues | 4 | 1.9% |
| Steering behavior | 4 | 1.9% |
| Fuel system concerns | 1 | 0.5% |
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.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Air Bags | 128 |
| Power Train | 20 |
| Structure:Body | 14 |
| Service Brakes | 13 |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 10 |
| Structure:Body:Door | 9 |
| Engine | 8 |
| Latches/Locks/Linkages | 8 |
Air Bags: 128; Power Train: 20; Structure:Body: 14; Service Brakes: 13; Vehicle Speed Control: 10; Structure:Body:Door: 9; Engine: 8; Latches/Locks/Linkages: 8
Reported problems by failure mileage
Complaint counts in mileage bands. These are not failure rates per vehicle or mile.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Under 25,000 | 4 |
| 25,000 to 49,999 | 21 |
| 50,000 to 74,999 | 17 |
| 75,000 to 99,999 | 22 |
| 100,000 to 149,999 | 22 |
| 150,000 and above | 11 |
Under 25,000: 4; 25,000 to 49,999: 21; 50,000 to 74,999: 17; 75,000 to 99,999: 22; 100,000 to 149,999: 22; 150,000 and above: 11
75,000 to 99,999 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (22). 117 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.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| 2006 | 2 |
| 2007 | 2 |
| 2008 | 1 |
| 2009 | 1 |
| 2010 | 10 |
| 2011 | 6 |
| 2012 | 9 |
| 2013 | 9 |
| 2014 | 11 |
| 2015 | 7 |
| 2016 | 14 |
| 2017 | 71 |
| 2018 | 53 |
| 2019 | 6 |
| 2020 | 5 |
| 2021 | 3 |
| 2022 | 1 |
| 2023 | 1 |
| 2025 | 1 |
| 2026 | 1 |
2006: 2; 2007: 2; 2008: 1; 2009: 1; 2010: 10; 2011: 6; 2012: 9; 2013: 9; 2014: 11; 2015: 7; 2016: 14; 2017: 71; 2018: 53; 2019: 6; 2020: 5; 2021: 3; 2022: 1; 2023: 1; 2025: 1; 2026: 1
Pattern summary
Air Bags leads the component reports. Braking behavior appears in 18 complaint narratives. Transmission and shifting appears in 13 complaint narratives. Engine operation appears in 5 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 10322625 · 2010-03-29 (March 29, 2010)
THE VEHICLE IS A 2006 4DR MERCURY MILAN. WHILE I ACCELERATE THERE IS A THUMPING SOUND WHICH MAKES THE VEHICLE JUMP. WHILE APPLYING THE BRAKES AT TIMES THERE IS A THUMP/JERK OF THE VEHICLE WHILE APPLYING THE BRAKES.
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10322625 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10448897 · 2012-02-22 (February 22, 2012)
I HAD TO REPLACE THE BRAKE BOOSTER,CV BOOTS, MASTER CYLINDER ROTORS AND BRAKES. ALL TO THE TUNE OF 2,000. I HAD NO WARNING. NO LIGHTS IN THE DASH CAME ON OR ANYTHING. I WAS GOING DOWN A HILL AND ALL OF A SUDDEN THERE WERE NO BRAKES. I HAVE HAD CARS AND DROVE THEM FOR OVER 200,000 MILES AND I HAVE NEVER HAD TO REPLACE ALL THIS STUFF ON A CAR. THIS MERCURY HAS COST ME SO MUCH MONEY. ITS NOT LIKE ITS A MERCEDES OR BMW. NOTHING ON THIS CAR IS CHEAP TO GET FIXED. I HAVE REPLACED THE BRAKES OVER 20 TIMES AND THE CAR IS ONLY 6 YEARS OLD. I SEE WHY THE…
Owner-reported narrative. 120,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10448897 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10312430 · 2010-02-20 (February 20, 2010)
THE KEY TO MY MERCURY MILAN WILL NOT COME OUT OF THE IGNITION. I TAKE VERY GOOD CARE OF MY CARS, AND ONE DAY I WAS SIMPLY UNABLE TO GET THE KEY OUT AFTER PARKING. I CALLED MY HUSBAND, AND UPON HIS SUGGESTION I TRIED TURNING THE KEY ON AND OFF (GENTLY), SHIFTING IN AND OUT OF PARK, AND TURNING THE STEERING WHEEL, ETC., BUT TO NO SUCCESS. AS THE LOCKING MECHANISM (FOB) IS ACTUALLY ON THE KEY, I HAD NO WAY OF LOCKING THE VEHICLE WHICH IS A BIG SAFETY ISSUE ON A UNIVERSITY CAMPUS AT NIGHT. THE DEALERSHIP IS NOT OPEN YET, BUT I WILL TAKE IT IN …
Owner-reported narrative. 59,260 miles reported. Look up ODI 10312430 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10457525 · 2012-05-04 (May 4, 2012)
WHEN SWITCHING LANES ON A HIGHWAY AT 45 MPH, ATTEMPTED TO ACCELERATE BUT CAR WHICH IS AN AUTOMATIC WOULD NOT SHIFT. HAD TO GET TO SHOULDER TO GET CAR SLOWED DOWN AND GET IT TO SHIFT INTO GEAR. AFTER THAT INCIDENT IT WOULD ONLY DRIVE IN THE LOWER DRIVE GEAR NOT IN THE NORMAL DRIVE GEAR. AFTER CAR HAD BEEN PARKED FOR 30 MINUTES, THE CAR WOULD WORK IN NORMAL DRIVE GEAR BUT STILL DID A HARD POP TO SHIFT GEARS WITH A HARD ACCELERATION. MECHANIC DETERMINED THAT THE TRANSMISSION WILL GO INTO NEUTRAL AND THAN POP INTO GEAR. FORD IS AWARE OF ISSUE …
Owner-reported narrative. 72,390 miles reported. Look up ODI 10457525 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10632516 · 2014-09-11 (September 11, 2014)
I WAS DRIVING DOWN I75S IN VERY SLOW TRAFFIC. AS I WAS APPROACHING AM ACCIDENT. I NOTICED THE CAR STALLING OR JERKING A LITTLE. THE WRENCH SENSOR CAME ON IN THE CAR. I GOT OVER 2 LANES OF TRAFFIC TO THE SHOULDER & CHECKED THE CAR. I DIDN'T SEE ANY OBVIOUS PROBLEMS SO I TURNED IT OFF WAITED A FEW SECONDS & STARTED IT BACK UP. THE WRENCH LIGHT WENT OFF BUT THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON. I GOT OFF THE EXIT & TURNED AROUND TO COME HOME. THE CAR DID FINE. I TOOK THE CAR TO MY LOCAL FORD DEALER FOR A DIAGNOSTIC TEST & THEY SAID THE THROTTLE BODY WAS…
Owner-reported narrative. 79,500 miles reported. Look up ODI 10632516 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10648449 · 2014-10-17 (October 17, 2014)
WHILE GETTING ON THE HIGHWAY CAR STALLED WOULD NOT PICK UP SPEED NEARLY CAUSING AN ACCIDENT WAS TOLD I NEED A NEW TCM AND PCM AND WILL REQUIRE COIL REPLACEMENT. ACCORDING TO MAINTENANCE SCHEDULE TRANSMISSION FLUSH AND FILL DUE AT 90,000. *TR
Owner-reported narrative. 59,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10648449 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11005459 · 2017-07-15 (July 15, 2017)
CAR WAS PARKED IN MY DRIVEWAY. TRIED TO START VEHICLE, BATTERY FAILED AND UNABLE TO RECHARGE. REMOVED FAILED BATTERY REPLACED WITH NEW BATTERY, STARTED CAR AND WRENCH AND ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON. UNABLE TO ACCELERATE VEHICLE, DRIVES 5 MILES PER HOUR. ONLINE CHATS SPEAK OF FAILED THROTTLE BODY, ONE POST STATES THERE IS A RECALL BUT I DO NOT FIND IN ON THE NHTSA WEBSITE. DID FIND THE AIRBAG RECALL WITH NO SOLUTION YET. PLEASE ADVISE.
Owner-reported narrative. 157,756 miles reported. Look up ODI 11005459 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11058574 · 2018-01-04 (January 4, 2018)
TL* TAKATA RECALL. THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 MERCURY MILAN. THE CONTACT STATED THAT A BUMP WAS ON THE DASHBOARD OVER THE LOCATION OF THE PASSENGER SIDE AIR BAG. THE AIR BAGS AND THE WIRING WERE NOT EXPOSED. THERE WERE NO WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO MORRIE'S MINNETONKA FORD (13400 WAYZATA BLVD, MINNETONKA, MN 55305, [phone removed]), BUT THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE WAS NOT DETERMINED. THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED BY A SERVICE TECHNICIAN THAT THE DASHBOARD REPAIR WOULD COST APPROXIMATELY $3,000. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATI…
Owner-reported narrative. 45,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 11058574 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10468358 · 2012-07-30 (July 30, 2012)
MY POWER STEERING FAILED AS I WAS PULLING OUT OF A PARKING SPACE. I HEARD A FAINT NOISE LIKE A MARBLE DROPPING ONTO A SURFACE AND ROLLING AS I STARTED THE CAR. I QUICKLY REALIZED I WAS NOT ABLE TO STEER THE CAR. I HAD THE CAR TOWED TO MY MECHANIC. HE INFORMED ME THAT THE BOLT ON THE IDLER PULLEY BROKE, AND PART OF THIS BOLT FELL INTO THE ENGINE. WHEN I ASKED HIM HOW THIS COULD HAPPEN, HE INFORMED ME THAT HE BELIEVED IT WAS DUE TO THE FAULTY DESIGN - PLACING TOO MUCH PRESSURE ON THIS BOLT, CAUSING IT TO EVENTUALLY BREAK IN TWO. THEY HAD TO TAKE …
Owner-reported narrative. 86,400 miles reported. Look up ODI 10468358 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10278057 · 2009-07-23 (July 23, 2009)
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 MERCURY MILAN. WHILE DRIVING 65 MPH, THE FUEL PUMP LIGHT ILLUMINATED ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL AND THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO LOSE POWER SIMULTANEOUSLY. THE CONTACT PUSHED THE FUEL RESET BUTTON AND THE VEHICLE WAS ABLE TO RESUME NORMAL OPERATION. THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN DIAGNOSED BY THE DEALER. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 51,000. UPDATED 08/28/09. *LJ IN ORDER TO RESET THE FUEL BUTTON, THE CONSUMER MUST TURN THE VEHICLE OFF, THEN HIT RESET. UPDATED 09/03/09. *JB
Owner-reported narrative. 51,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10278057 at NHTSA ↗