Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (automatic and manual transmissions, CVT, axles, driveshaft, 4WD/AWD).
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).
The contact owns a 2006 Ford Taurus. The contact stated that while his daughter was driving at an undisclosed speed and attempting to make a left turn, the vehicle inadvertently lost motive power before stalling. The vehicle continued to roll forward before the driver was able to bring the vehicle to a complete stop. Upon restarting the vehicle, the vehicle returned to normal functionality; however, the contact stated that failure reoccurred three additional times. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, who diagnosed a failure with the braking system. The vehicle was not repaired. After investigating the failure, the contact related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 22V413000 (Power Train). The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 165,000.
Vehicle is now on 2nd transmission the original transmission failed around 60000 miles Ford originally put a brand new transmission in it for previous owner documentation was provided when we purchased the vehicle since move unknown where it's at now but this transmission has only 67000 miles on it experiencing same problems sometimes it will slip between 2nd and 3rd year other times it will slip between 1st and 2nd year sometimes they won't let it go over drive other times he gets stuck In overdrive no rhyme no reason for why it does what it does it just seems to do what it wants when it was but it really sucks when you're on the highway driving 75 mile an hour and decided to come out of overdrive and get stuck in 2nd gear so you have to slow down in front of everybody and it kind of forces you to do so that could easily get someone killed Going from 75 mile an hour to stuck in 2nd …
Splines on Torque converter stripped out causing vehicle to just rev up and slow down to a stop. Car never moved again, had I been going up a large hill or something this could have been VERY VERY bad, because it wasn't until I was stopped that I realized it was the transmission having problems. After a bit of research and $500 in parts. I did the work myself. I find that the material inside of the torque converter is way softer than that on the input shaft causing the torque converter to strip out? How do they not have to fix that? This has been going on for over a decade! Why does someone have to die before they are responsible for something they know has a problem!
Tl* the contact owns a 2006 Ford Taurus. While driving approximately 25 MPH, the vehicle accelerated to 40 MPH on its own and while the brake pedal was applied. When the contact placed the gear shifter into the neutral position, the rpms increased from 200,000 to 300,000. The ignition was shut off and the gear shifter was placed into park. When the vehicle was restarted, the rpms increased to 300,000. The ignition was shut off a third time and restarted, and the rpms increased to 100,000. The failure recurred numerous times. The manufacturer was not notified. The vehicle was not repaired. The approximate failure mileage was 118,320.
Around 6 pm I was driving down a residential street (25 miles speed), in motion, all of a sudden the car just turned off. Luckily I was able to steer to the shoulder. I noticed all dashboard lights on, my gas pedal was not working, but the A/C was still working and the radio. So I know it wasnt my 1 year old battery. I waited for 30 seconds and turned the key and it restarted again. My fiance, our 4 children and I were in the car at the time. 70% of my driving is freeway..this is our only car and im deathly afraid of this happening while im on freeway. I believe the engine is faulty on this year/model/make.
After complaint to dealer prior to their inspection, and after, tie rod bolt and rod broke causing loss of steering control. No formal date of service was made except inspection the day of purchase. Three times driven and this then happened.
Vehicle was driving normally without any indication of an issue prior. After a stop at a light, car proceeded to disengage transmission and would not accelerate. Engine revs but zero movement. Had to have it towed to dealer.
I purchased a 2006 Ford Taurus on June 24th, 2012. The Taurus was in excellent condition and it ran wonderfully, for the first seven months of ownership. However, in November of 2012, the car began randomly shutting off, sometimes while I was driving. It would happen sporadically and I thought it was a problem that could be fixed. However, after taking it to a Ford dealership on two different occasions, no mechanic is able to figure out the problem. The reason being that since it happens sporadically, no one can duplicate it nor is there any saved censor abnormalities. I have replaced the fuel pump, hoping that would fix the problem. However, it has not. Sometimes it will happen up to six times in one day while I'm going as fast as 50 m.p.h. I refuse to drive on the highway because I fear for my life since the car shuts off without warning. …
My husband was driving down the road in our 2006 Ford Taurus and it suddenly without warning came to a complete stop on the highway and had to be manually pushed off the highway. This was very dangerous. We had the vehicle towed to a garage nearby and the owner said "the transmission is completely shot". We had the vehicle towed again to precision transmission in whiteville, nc. They notified us that the torque converter in this Taurus is defective. The shop owner also told me that there were 3 other tauruses on the lot to be repaired at the same time. The shop owner knew exactly what was wrong with our car before they even looked at it because she said that the metal used in the torque converters in several years of Taurus making was defective. We own 2 Ford tauruses, the other one is a 2007. …
I own a 2006 Ford Taurus sel 12v, I was driving when all of the sudden, all of the lights on the dashboard (like ABS, brake light,) lighted up like a christmas tree and then I lost all power to the engine. I hit the gas pedal several times with no response but in about 5-8 seconds later, the car started up by itself with an abrupt and violent jerk forward. It was almost as if I turned the key in the ignition to the off position and then quickly back on .. While I was sitting at a red light, I noticed a whole lot of weird stuff going on. …
Transmission complaints in other Taurus years
Frequently asked questions
How common are transmission problems on the 2006 Ford Taurus?
NHTSA has 32 complaints about the transmission & drivetrain of the 2006 Ford Taurus, 10% of the model year's 318 complaints. The component named most often is automatic transmission (11 mentions).
Is there a recall for 2006 Ford Taurus transmission problems?
No. NHTSA lists no transmission & drivetrain 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 transmission problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 88,000 miles, and 7% before 25,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 1 crash, 0 fires and 0 injuries to transmission & drivetrain 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.