Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (doors, hood, frame, rust, paint and trim).
Mileage when the problem started
Owner reports
Selected complaints filed with NHTSA by 2006 Ford F-150 owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
The contact owns a 2006 Ford F-150. The contact stated while driving 55 MPH, she heard an abnormal sound coming from the truck bed. The contact became aware that the front of the truck bed was tilted downwards and that both sides of the bed nearby the leaf springs were rusted. The dealer was not contacted. The manufacturer was contacted and informed the contact that there were no recalls related to the failure. The failure mileage was 140,000.
The contact owns a 2006 Ford F-150. The contact stated that the vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic to replace the starter, the mechanic observed corrosion on the frame near both rear doors. Additionally, the mechanic noticed that the sub frame was bent near the rear doors. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 124,000.
The contact owns a 2006 Ford F-150. The contact stated while the vehicle was parked, the contact became aware that the middle sub frame structure was severely rusted. The local dealer was not contacted, and the vehicle was not inspected or repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 138,000.
The contact owns a 2006 Ford F-150. The contact stated while inspecting the vehicle, he noticed that the subframe was corroded. The contact called the local dealer and made them aware of the failure. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer had been informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 232,000.
The contact owns a 2006 Ford F-150. The contact stated that the subframe was rusted and the rear driver's and passenger's side doors. Additionally, the wheel well was rusted. The local dealer was not contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not contacted. The approximate failure mileage was 165,000.
My truck was sounding like it was going to fall apart, I brought it to my sons attention and u can see the truck sagging between front and bed of truck. We looked under vehicle and the frame is split in two all the way across. [redacted].
Rotted and bent frame realized after purchase on February 22 at nj car and driver (Cadillacs Plus) for $3500.00 Continues to stall and feels like it's going to crack in two. Stalled a few times while driving and had to put it in neutral to start back up
I was driving down the interstate on the way to work around 8 pm. When the car in front of my slammed on their brakes. I reacted in accordance and hit my brakes pretty hard. When I did my truck pulled to the left and took me into the median. When I tried to correct my vehicle the back end started sliding out as I tried to get back on the road. When my truck finally caught traction it shot me to the other side of the road where it did the same thing. Sliding the back end out. This time I was sliding perpendicular to the highway and when my truck found something solid to stop the slide it started to roll. During the crash I was thrown through the windshield after the first roll and knocked unconscious. After I was released from the hospital I went to collect the things from my truck that had been picked up. …
My truck caught on fire yesterday. Due to a heat shield missing over passenger side catalytic converter caused the plastic grommets that hold the sound barrier material on the floorboard to drop and hang on top of the catalytic converter until the material caught on fire. My insurance company is still investigating how the catalytic converter heat shield was missing. Less than a month after I bought the truck and it was used, they had to do service work on it because I purchased the truck with a broken front coil spring and the transmission dipstick tube had rotted. Even though the truck was missing a heat shield, I believe there should be any kind of flammable material near the catalytic converter just in case a heat shield happens to rot and fall off or for any reason the heat shield is missing .the fire traveled through the material almost to the top of my engine. …
We bought our 2006 f150 in 2015, thinking we'd have it for years to come. By 2017, two separate mechanics had told us that there was 'catastrophic corrosion' to the frame. Both recommended that we have a new frame fabricated. One of them found out that earlier f150s were recalled because of a bad frame coating that caused irreparable rust. He believes the '06 should be included as well. This car was always garage kept till we got it, and had never been flooded. There are numerous other complaints about this issue, but Ford refuses to act. We ended up with a $12000 yard ornament, and can't even sell it because no one else wants to deal with refabricating the frame. We were told not to drive the truck, as the frame could basically buckle at any time. Ridiculous that this hasn't been investigated. …
Body complaints in other F-150 years
Frequently asked questions
How common are body problems on the 2006 Ford F-150?
NHTSA has 44 complaints about the body & structure of the 2006 Ford F-150, 8% of the model year's 585 complaints. The component named most often is body (28 mentions).
Is there a recall for 2006 Ford F-150 body problems?
No. NHTSA lists no body & structure recall for the 2006 Ford F-150, though it has 4 recalls for other components. If the problem is widespread, a repair may still be covered by an extended warranty or a manufacturer service bulletin — ask a dealer.
At what mileage do 2006 Ford F-150 body problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 84,000 miles, and 24% before 25,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 3 crashes, 1 fire and 7 injuries to body & structure problems on this model year. If you notice symptoms, have the car checked before driving further.
Source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) — owner complaints through October 20, 2026, recalls and defect investigations; fuel economy from the EPA. Complaints are unverified reports and are not proof of a defect. How we rate model years.