Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (front, side and curtain air bags, sensors and inflators).
Mileage when the problem started
Owner reports
Selected complaints filed with NHTSA by 2006 Ford Taurus owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
Tl* the contact owns a 2006 Ford Taurus. The contact stated that while driving approximately 5 MPH up a hill, another vehicle in the opposite direction slid down the hill and crashed head on into the front of the contact's vehicle. The air bags did not deploy. A police report was filed. The driver sustained head injuries and chest pains from the steering wheel. The air bags failed to deploy. The front passenger sustained several injuries. Both required medical attention. The vehicle was towed to an impound lot. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The VIN was not available. The approximate failure mileage was 124,000. Updated 12/30/15
I was in an accident on Nov12,2021 and the air bag did not deploy. My front end was completely damaged.
Tl* the contact owned a 2006 Ford Taurus. The contact stated that while driving approximately 5 MPH, the brake pedal was engaged without any response. The vehicle unexpectedly increased acceleration up to 40 MPH. The vehicle then crashed into a cement wall. The air bags failed to deploy. The contact sustained two broken legs, thirteen broken ribs and also suffered from other internal injuries. A police report was filed. The vehicle was destroyed and towed to a storage facility. There was currently an open investigation associated with NHTSA action number pe12005 (vehicle speed control: cables). The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 75,000. Updated 07/05/12 updated 07/10/12
Tl contact owns a 2006 Ford Taurus. The contact had to swerve to avoid a crash after being cut off and lose control of the vehicle at 35 MPH; the vehicle crashed into a guard rail with great force. The vehicle slide across and hit another guard rail. The seat belts did not lock and the air bags did not deploy. The contact's head hit the windshield and their chest hit the steering wheel as a result. The vehicle was towed to the dealer who stated that the relay May have been the cause of the non-deployment but could not explain the seat belt failure. The vehicle was destroyed. The current and failure mileages were approximately 113,000.
Air bag light on drivers side has been activated for about a year has been checked by a ase garage. They couldn't find a fault code. Cars is surging at different speeds during normal operation. I have had to put car in neutral to kick it down to normal speed then back in to drive mode while moving in traffic.some times it slams the transmission. The cruise control has not worked for over a year. Ase tech says the connection is worn and faulty. Ase tech says he could not get any fault codes for the surging in speed after letting it run for over 45 min.and test driving the car. Ase tech believes the problem is in the PCM.
Tl*- the contact owns a 2006 Ford Taurus that was involved in a crash, and the frontal air bags didn't deploy. The contact was driving on the highway at a speed of 65 MPH. At the time of the incident it was raining and the vehicle slid into the rear end of another vehicle and a second vehicle rear ended the contact's vehicle. The contact stated that prior to incident there weren't any warning lights indicating that the airbags were malfunctioning. Three people were injured as a result of the crash.
Tl* the contact owns a 2006 Ford Taurus. The contact stated that the air bag warning light illuminated. In addition, the contact mentioned that there was a short circuit within the radio, which caused the speedometer and the windshield wipers to fail. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic. The mechanic was unable to diagnose the failure for the air bag however, the mechanic replaced the windshield wipers and radio. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was 95,000.
Tl* the contact owns a 2006 Ford Taurus. The contact stated that while driving approximately 60 MPH, he became unconscious and crashed into a chain linked fence. The air bags failed to deploy. The contact sustained a compression fracture and spine injuries which required medical attention. A police report was filed of the incident. The vehicle was destroyed. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The VIN was not available. The approximate failure mileage was 160,000.
Tl* the contact owns a 2006 Ford Taurus. The contact stated that while attempting to depress the brake pedal, the vehicle accelerated independently. As a result, the contact's vehicle crashed into another vehicle. The air bags failed to deploy. A police report was filed and there were no injuries reported. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 78,800.
Tl* the contact owns a 2006 Ford Taurus. While driving 45 MPH the contact 's vehicle crashed into an embankment, the vehicle rolled over several times, and the air bags did not deploy. There were no passengers in the vehicle when the crash occurred. The contact had photos and a police report. The vehicle was destroyed. The vehicle was purchased in paris, tn. The current and failure mileage was 2000.
Airbag complaints in other Taurus years
Frequently asked questions
How common are airbag problems on the 2006 Ford Taurus?
NHTSA has 21 complaints about the air bags of the 2006 Ford Taurus, 7% of the model year's 318 complaints. The component named most often is frontal (2 mentions).
Is there a recall for 2006 Ford Taurus airbag problems?
No. NHTSA lists no air bags recall for the 2006 Ford Taurus, though it has 2 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 Taurus airbag problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 72,000 miles, and 11% before 25,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 9 crashes, 0 fires and 8 injuries to air bags 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.