10.0

really awful
Crashes / Fires:
2 / 0
Injuries / Deaths:
0 / 0
Average Mileage:
90,546 miles

About These NHTSA Complaints:

The NHTSA is the US gov't agency tasked with vehicle safety. Complaints can be spread across multiple & redundant categories, & are not organized by problem. See the Back button — blue bar at the very top of the page — to explore more.

Get notified about new defects, investigations, recalls & lawsuits for the 2006 Ford Five Hundred:

Unsubscribe any time. We don't sell/share your email.

« Read the previous 20 complaints

problem #51

Apr 052010

Five Hundred 6-cyl

  • 18,000 miles
From the day I bought the car the A/C has not worked properly. It only cools at highway speeds or when temperature outside is less than 70 degrees, the engine has never idled smoothly and water collects in the doors. The main issue I've been having is that it surges at stop lights and totally shuts down going down the road. Motor, gauges everything shuts down sometimes for 8-10 seconds. This is sporadic and more common when the A/C is in use. I have had the throttle body cleaned and reprogrammed several times with no change what so ever. I just had a new one installed and it shut down on me within 1 mile of dealership. It has been very frustrating to say the least. I've been saying it is something with the A/C since day one but all they wanted to do is replace the throttle body. I am at my wits end and just want it fixed!

- Raleigh, NC, USA

problem #50

Feb 182014

Five Hundred

  • 126,000 miles
The contact owns a 2006 Ford Five hundred. The contact stated that while driving approximately 60 mph, the vehicle became unresponsive to acceleration attempts as the wrench icon and the traction control warning light illuminated. The vehicle was towed to a dealer where it was diagnosed that the shaft was broken and the transmission would need to be rebuilt. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The vehicle was repaired but did not rectify the failure. The approximate failure and current mileage was 126,000.

- Mercer, MO, USA

problem #49

Jan 012014

Five Hundred 6-cyl

  • 162,299 miles
When I am in park or neutral my motor makes a ticking noise. When in drive it hoes away. Weird.

- Indianola, IA, USA

problem #48

Jan 152014

Five Hundred

  • 124,586 miles
While driving down street after a cold start, car started to drive slow, made a noise from left side of engine compartment, and wrench lite came on along with the engine lite. I scanned for the obdii code and it presented code P0942. I erased the code to see what would happen. Left it alone until the next day. Now, when started, there is a faulty bearing noise which is present until transmission is engaged in either reverse or drive. I would pull car forward ten feet and back in reverse to park. When I do this, noise goes away. After doing this five (5) days in a row, I drive car around a city block. I could only hear noise faintly. No wrench lite or engine lite came back during this small drive. I have not driven car since research of code P0942 pointed to the transmission. I only start car now because of the cold Wisconsin weather. My concern now is if there is a recall for this cvt transmission?

- Milwaukee, , WI, USA

problem #47

Oct 142013

Five Hundred

  • 67,000 miles
The contact owns a 2006 Ford Five hundred. The contact stated that while stopped, the vehicle would not respond upon acceleration attempts as the wrench warning icon illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer for diagnosis. The technician stated that the transmission would need to be replaced. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The approximate failure mileage was 67,000.

- Milwakee, WI, USA

problem #46

Sep 042013

Five Hundred 6-cyl

  • 103,682 miles
At times when placing car into reverse or drive it will lurch forward. When going up any hill and the 6 speed transmission needs to down shift, it seems that it pops into neutral and then pops into lower gear causing the car to jerk very hard.. the jerking can be so hard that I am scared that its going to break the motor mounts or the drive axles. This happens every time I am going up a hill or trying to pass someone on the interstate on flat land. Had to replace the low beam headlight sockets due to them overheating and melting the socket and causing the bulbs to stop working. The driver side window, when trying to bring it up it will stop and go back down. Sometimes it will do it a couple times before I can get the window all the way up. This is my first Ford I have ever owned and I am love with the car but not with the problems I am having with the car. Also, when the car hit 100,000 miles it started to burn 1 quart of oil between oil changes. I cannot find any leaks. I have see a lot of people having the same issues I am having with the lurching and jerking of the transmission. Wish Ford would do a real call for these problems because I just love this car!

- Asheville, NC, USA

problem #45

Jul 182013

Five Hundred

  • 95,000 miles
The contact owns a 2006 Ford Five hundred. The contact stated that while driving 50 mph, she attempted to accelerate to pass a vehicle but the vehicle jerked and would not accelerate. The vehicle was taken to the dealer for inspection where they stated that the transmission needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified. The failure mileage was 95,000.

- Hebron, KY, USA

problem #44

Jun 122013

Five Hundred 6-cyl

  • 158,555 miles
Had car set on cruise and all the sudden it just started jerking bad, like it was jamming in and out of gear.

- Tyler, TX, USA

problem #43

May 272013

Five Hundred 6-cyl

  • 110,000 miles
The contact owns a 2006 Ford Five hundred. The contact stated that while driving approximately 35 mph, the wrench warning icon illuminated and the vehicle would not accelerate. The vehicle was taken to the dealer for diagnosis. The technician stated that the transmission would have to be replaced. Additionally, the vehicle would lunge forward when shifting from park to drive. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The approximate failure mileage was 110,000.

- Royal Oak, MI, USA

problem #42

Apr 012013

Five Hundred

  • 137,000 miles
The contact owns a 2006 Ford Five hundred. The contact stated while traveling approximately 60-70 mph, the check engine light illuminated and the vehicle stalled. The contact was able to restart the vehicle by shifting into neutral gear. The vehicle began to function normally. The vehicle was taken to the dealer who confirmed the power train control module needed to be replaced. The contact also mentioned that the vehicle was repaired previously under a safety campaign for the power train. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 137,000.

- San Luis Obisto, CA, USA

problem #41

Feb 022013

Five Hundred 6-cyl

  • 45,000 miles
Vehicle surges for no particular reason and shows. A check engine light on (wrench). Control of acceleration is mixed and vehicle either lurches or feels as though transmission is in neutral and RPM's increase without acceleration by driver. Have a scheduled service call with Ford and have been issued a notice from Ford that this issue will be covered.

- Mogadore, OH, USA

problem #40

Jan 022013

Five Hundred

  • 78,445 miles
When driving the car and slowing down the cvt transmission surges ahead and the car goes into safe mode only allowing it to go 20 mph when driving in traffic. Many near misses on accidents. Have had car into dealer 3 times and still unable to diagnose problem. Maintenance service was completed on transmission at 60,000 miles per recommendations. Ford Motor Company stated in a phone conversation there are known transmission problems with this car. Dealer states it is the computer causing this unsure who is right. A transmission sensor is being replaced to the tune of $2000. Please help if this is a known problem. Just had a part in the transmission replaced because there was a recall on it.

- Ankeny, IA, USA

problem #39

Aug 012012

Five Hundred 6-cyl

  • 63,222 miles
In multiple incidents, on hot summer days, the car has suddenly accelerated (with no foot on the accelerator) when backing out of parking spaces and sometimes when put into drive right after the sudden acceleration in reverse. It has required rapid, firm braking to prevent the car from hitting other vehicles. About a week after the problem started with this car, it started to happen occasionally with my other Ford Five hundred (a 2005 model with a little less mileage). A separate complaint has been filed on that vehicle. Research online has revealed that hundreds of Ford Five hundred owners have reported this issue and that the throttle body is the likely culprit.

- Diamond Springs, CA, USA

problem #38

Jul 012012

Five Hundred 6-cyl

  • 87,400 miles
The contact owns a 2006 Ford Five hundred. While driving approximately 45 mph, the vehicle hesitated to accelerate. The engine and transmission warning lights illuminated on the instrument panel as the failure occurred. The vehicle was taken to the dealer for diagnostics where the technician stated that the transmission pump would have to be replaced. After the repair, the failure continued. The vehicle was not further repaired. The approximate failure mileage was 87,400. Updated 09/19/12 the consumer stated has replaced an O ring and four (4) throttle bodies which only turned off the traction control light. None of the repairs resolved the issue. 09/20/2012

- East Peoria, IL, USA

problem #37

Aug 062009

Five Hundred 6-cyl

  • Automatic transmission
  • 137,000 miles
The contact owns a 2006 Ford Five hundred. The contact stated that when the transmission was shifted into drive, the vehicle would lunge forward. The contact did not take the vehicle to a dealer or local mechanic. The failure mileage was 137,000. Updated 09/26/12 the consumer stated the vehicle would lunge when reversing and going foward at low speeds. The failure was intermittent. This was an issue for the last two years. Updated 09/26/2012

- Beacon Falls, CT, USA

problem #36

Mar 152012

Five Hundred

  • 99,300 miles
My car has done this for a while however has continued to get worse. It will jerk when it changes gears. It is so bad at times it feels like something is going to fall out. Along with the jerk it will completely go out of gear and the accelerator only Ram it up. I have been passing cars on the interstate and it go out of gear, I have been on side roads and it go out of gear and all I can do when that happens is role until I can get the car pulled over. Eventually the car will jerk and it will go back into gear. I have not had a wreck but have come very close just because people behind me and the car stalling all of a sudden. God has just been with us each time this has happened. I know other people have this same problem with this car. It is very expensive to get fixed and mine is parked as we speak because I cant afford the part nor the labor. The Ford dealer says it is the valve body. If I drive it much more it will cost double to get the transmission itself fixed. I am very upset due to the fact that I do really love this car. It seems that everyone who has this vehicle is having the same problem. There is a forum that is on the web that people have shared their experiences and we all are alike. It is a shame that we would have to wait until so many wrecks before a recall on the transmission is made. Do we have to wait until someone is killed or hurt really bad to prove that this is a true problem. If this many people have the same transmission troubles can they not see something is wrong. They didn't make this car for very long. I don't know if it is because of that and Ford doesn't want to fix something that was only made for 3 years. My request is sincere and I just hope that Ford will see that yes it is a great car that they made, however it is very dangerous and waiting for someone to sue before fixing it after everyone telling them about, it is not good.

- Mt. Vernon, KY, USA

problem #35

May 302012

Five Hundred 6-cyl

  • 64,247 miles
At a reduced speed in drive and reverse transmission becomes erratic and unpredictable.

- Reedsville, PA, USA

problem #34

Jan 012010

Five Hundred

  • 65,000 miles
The contact owns a 2006 Ford Five hundred. The contact stated that the vehicle accelerated abnormally after shifted into gear. The contact also confirmed that on a separate occasion, the vehicle failed to accelerate properly after the accelerator pedal was depressed. The vehicle was taken to the dealer who confirmed that the transmission needed to be replaced. The manufacturer was not contacted. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was 65,000 and the current mileage was 100,000.

- Yukon, OK, USA

problem #33

Jul 222012

Five Hundred

  • 85,235 miles
The contact owns a 2006 Ford Five hundred. The contact stated that while attempting to drive out into an intersection, the vehicle would not move forward. The vehicle rolled backward and stalled it. The vehicle was not taken to the dealer. The manufacturer was not contacted. The failure and current mileages were 85,235.

- Florissant , MO, USA

problem #32

Jun 012012

Five Hundred 6-cyl

  • 150,000 miles
Car lunges forward in reverse and drive and while at a stop position. Mainly when the air conditioner is running. I'm always afraid of hitting the car in front of me while parking or going in reverse. God forbid a person is walking across a crosswalk. I see many complaints here but no one chooses to do anything about it. Took it to dealer and they said never heard of the problem and nothing to worry about. Well Ford will have a lawsuit if something terrible happens that causes injury or a accident to a parked vehicle and or person. I don't understand why this website is here if nothing is being done about it!!! I can see with other complaints its the dealers problem. We aren't all crazy about what's going on with our vehicles seeing how there similar stories here!!!

- Cleveland, OH, USA

Read the next 20 complaints »