2006 Ford Expedition: what breaks, and at what mileage
What breaks on the 2006 Ford Expedition
On the 2006 Ford Expedition, the failure owners report most often is other engine problem, and the reports cluster around 86,000 miles. The earliest to appear is other body or interior problem, reported by a median of 50,000 miles. Overall it scores 75 out of 100, severe risk for a 2006.
Severe risk for a 2006 — 41st riskiest of the 343 2006 vehicles we can rate. 395 owner reports; fleet size estimated from this year's own recall paperwork.
What breaks on the 2006 Ford Expedition
Owners have reported 52 named failure modes on the 2006 Ford Expedition, and the three most-reported carry 39% of everything filed.
Other engine problem leads with 112 reports, about 7.8 per 1,000 vehicles and with the middle half of reports between 63k to 115,000 miles.
Other speed control problem follows with 23 reports, usually reported between 80k to 115,000 miles.
Other electrical problem follows with 19 reports, usually reported between 77k to 135,000 miles.
By system, the reports fall mostly into engine (151), electrical (32) and adas (30).
When these failures get reported
346 of the reports on the 2006 Ford Expedition came with an odometer reading, and half of those were filed before 83,000 miles.
Cumulatively, 21% by 50,000 miles, 66% by 100,000 miles and 92% by 150,000 miles of the dated reports had been filed, with 6 filed above the top of the chart.
The busiest stretch is between 80,000 and 90,000 miles, which alone holds 13% of the dated reports.
12% of the dated reports were filed below 36,000 miles.
In the order they tend to show up: other body or interior problem around 50k, other wheel or tire problem around 60k, stalling while driving around 80k and engine sensor failure around 82k.
Tick median reported mileage Solid middle half of reports Faint 10th to 90th percentile Colour how bad the failure is when it happens
Showing the 12 most-reported failure modes of 52. The full list is in the table below.
How reports accumulate
Every report with an odometer reading, cumulative, from 0 to 200,000 miles. A further 6 reports came in above that, which is why the line stops short of the top. A curve that climbs early is a car with early problems, whatever its total.
- Line share of reports filed by that mileage
- Dashed the median reported mileage
What happens when these parts fail
Across the named modes, 25 mention a crash, 5 a fire, 26 an injury and 2 a fatality. Those are the words owners used in their own complaints, and NHTSA does not verify them, but they are the closest thing in this data to a measure of what a failure actually did.
The average severity weight across every report on this year is 5.18, where a stalled engine or a failed airbag weighs many times more than a rattling trim panel, and a figure this high means the reports are dominated by failures with safety consequences rather than annoyances. The weighting is set out in full on the methodology page.
What the top failures cost to put right, as editorial estimates for an independent US shop rather than figures from NHTSA: other engine problem at $300–$4,000, other speed control problem at $250–$2,000, other electrical problem at $250–$2,000 and airbag failed to deploy in a crash at $1,000–$5,000. Dealer labour, a seized bolt or a part that is no longer made can push any of these past the top of its range.
45% of the reports on this year sit in the engine, transmission, drivetrain or cooling systems — the four where a repair bill is usually four figures.
Every reported failure mode
| Failure mode | System | Reports | With reading | 25th | Median | 75th | Per 1,000 | Typical repair | Severity |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Other engine problem | engine | 112 | 103 | 63k | 86k | 115k | 7.8 | $300–$4,000 | High |
| Other speed control problem | adas | 23 | 22 | 80k | 90k | 114k | 1.6 | $250–$2,000 | Critical |
| Other electrical problem | electrical | 19 | 14 | 77k | 99k | 135k | 1.3 | $250–$2,000 | Moderate |
| Airbag failed to deploy in a crash | airbag | 17 | 15 | 21k | 160k | 163k | 1.2 | $1,000–$5,000 | Critical |
| Other fuel system problem | fuel | 16 | 14 | 72k | 83k | 106k | 1.1 | $300–$2,200 | High |
| Other wheel or tire problem | wheels | 15 | 15 | 44k | 60k | 87k | 1.1 | $200–$1,500 | High |
| Stalling while driving | engine | 14 | 13 | 62k | 80k | 90k | 1.0 | $300–$2,500 | Critical |
| Misfire or rough idle | engine | 14 | 12 | 87k | 104k | 128k | 1.0 | $250–$1,600 | Moderate |
| Other body or interior problem | body | 14 | 9 | 31k | 50k | 85k | 1.0 | $200–$2,000 | Moderate |
| Other powertrain problem | transmission | 10 | 9 | 76k | 87k | 130k | 0.7 | $400–$4,500 | High |
| Other steering problem | steering | 10 | 9 | 90k | 130k | 133k | 0.7 | $350–$2,400 | High |
| Engine sensor failure | electrical | 8 | 8 | 60k | 82k | 100k | 0.6 | $180–$900 | Moderate |
| Other brake problem | brakes | 8 | 7 | — | 62k | — | 0.6 | $300–$1,800 | High |
| Radiator or coolant leak | cooling | 7 | 7 | — | 11k | — | 0.5 | $350–$1,900 | High |
| Fuel pump failure | fuel | 7 | 7 | — | 116k | — | 0.5 | $600–$2,600 | High |
| Timing chain, belt or tensioner failure | engine | 6 | 3 | — | 100k | — | 0.4 | $1,200–$4,500 | Critical |
| Loss of braking | brakes | 6 | 6 | — | 87k | — | 0.4 | $400–$3,000 | Critical |
| No-start or intermittent start failure | engine | 4 | 4 | — | 58k | — | 0.3 | $200–$1,800 | Moderate |
| Complete transmission failure | transmission | 4 | 4 | — | 117k | — | 0.3 | $2,800–$8,000 | Critical |
| Rust or structural corrosion | body | 4 | 3 | — | 80k | — | 0.3 | $500–$6,000 | High |
| Air conditioning failure | hvac | 4 | 3 | — | 35k | — | 0.3 | $400–$2,800 | Moderate |
| Other driver assistance problem | adas | 4 | 4 | — | 46k | — | 0.3 | $250–$1,800 | High |
| ABS module or sensor failure | brakes | 3 | 3 | — | 15k | — | 0.2 | $500–$2,400 | High |
| Cruise control failure | adas | 3 | 3 | — | 59k | — | 0.2 | $200–$1,400 | High |
| Loss of power steering | steering | 3 | 3 | — | 54k | — | 0.2 | $600–$2,800 | Critical |
| Other visibility problem | glass | 3 | 1 | — | 178k | — | 0.2 | $150–$1,400 | Moderate |
| Overheating | cooling | 2 | 2 | — | 94k | — | 0.1 | $400–$3,500 | High |
| Fuel injector failure | fuel | 2 | 2 | — | 98k | — | 0.1 | $450–$2,800 | Moderate |
| Wiring harness or short circuit | electrical | 2 | 2 | — | 86k | — | 0.1 | $400–$3,500 | High |
| Ignition switch, key fob or immobilizer failure | electrical | 2 | 0 | — | — | — | 0.1 | $250–$1,500 | High |
| Premature brake pad or rotor wear | brakes | 2 | 2 | — | 46k | — | 0.1 | $300–$1,400 | Moderate |
| Airbag warning light or occupant sensor fault | airbag | 2 | 2 | — | 135k | — | 0.1 | $300–$1,600 | High |
| Seat belt or retractor failure | airbag | 2 | 2 | — | 66k | — | 0.1 | $200–$900 | High |
| Steering rack, gear or tie rod failure | steering | 2 | 2 | — | 5k | — | 0.1 | $700–$2,600 | High |
| Tire blowout or tread separation | wheels | 2 | 2 | — | 60k | — | 0.1 | $200–$1,500 | Critical |
| Paint peeling or clear coat failure | body | 2 | 2 | — | 100k | — | 0.1 | $600–$6,000 | Low |
| Liftgate, tailgate or trunk failure | body | 2 | 1 | — | 60k | — | 0.1 | $250–$1,500 | Moderate |
| Catalytic converter failure | emissions | 2 | 1 | — | 80k | — | 0.1 | $900–$3,500 | Moderate |
| Wiper or washer failure | glass | 2 | 2 | — | 144k | — | 0.1 | $120–$800 | Moderate |
| Excessive oil consumption | engine | 1 | 1 | — | 66k | — | 0.1 | $900–$6,500 | High |
| Torque converter failure | transmission | 1 | 1 | — | 11k | — | 0.1 | $1,100–$3,200 | High |
| Shifter, linkage or stuck-in-park failure | transmission | 1 | 1 | — | 44k | — | 0.1 | $250–$1,400 | High |
| Differential or transfer case failure | drivetrain | 1 | 1 | — | 15k | — | 0.1 | $900–$4,200 | High |
| Fuel tank, filler or EVAP failure | fuel | 1 | 1 | — | 111k | — | 0.1 | $250–$1,800 | Moderate |
| Alternator or charging system failure | electrical | 1 | 1 | — | 70k | — | 0.1 | $450–$1,600 | High |
| Master cylinder or brake booster failure | brakes | 1 | 1 | — | 37k | — | 0.1 | $450–$2,200 | Critical |
| Parking brake failure | brakes | 1 | 1 | — | 60k | — | 0.1 | $250–$1,300 | Moderate |
| Airbag inflator rupture | airbag | 1 | 1 | — | 124k | — | 0.1 | $0–$0 | Critical |
| Wheel, stud or lug nut failure | wheels | 1 | 1 | — | 120k | — | 0.1 | $150–$1,500 | Critical |
| Tail light, brake light or signal failure | lighting | 1 | 1 | — | 40k | — | 0.1 | $100–$900 | Moderate |
| Windshield cracking | glass | 1 | 1 | — | 17k | — | 0.1 | $300–$1,600 | Moderate |
| Other suspension problem | suspension | 1 | 0 | — | — | — | 0.1 | $350–$2,000 | Moderate |
| Unclassified problem | other | 18 | 11 | 70k | 84k | 118k | 1.3 | — | Moderate |
Rate per 1,000 uses a fleet-size estimate derived from recall paperwork for this exact model year. It is a lower bound. Repair costs are typical independent-shop ranges for the failure, not figures from these reports.
How often, against how many were built
Scaled by an estimate of how many of these cars exist, the 2006 Ford Expedition draws about 28 per 1,000 vehicles, which puts it in the 94th percentile of complaint rates among 2006 vehicles we can rate.
That denominator is the weakest number on the page and it is fair to say so plainly. Rate per 1,000 uses a fleet-size estimate derived from recall paperwork for this exact model year. It is a lower bound.
The working figure is 14,281 vehicles. If the true number is twice that, every rate on this page is half what it says; the ranking against other 2006 vehicles, which is what the risk score uses, is far more robust than the rate itself.
What owners wrote
Verbatim from NHTSA complaint narratives, trimmed for length. The odometer reading is the one the owner gave.
Other engine problem
Loud grinding noise on initial start up on 2006 ford expedition, ford motor claims it is from A/C compressor, yet, cannot give me a written guarantee that the vehicle will not catch on fire, blow up or stall. Vehicle sitting on dealer lot because I am afraid to drive it. *jb
2006 ford expedition that cuts out while driving, started at approx 18k and has been to same ford dealer 5 times. Problem has not recurred since last visit to dealer but could come back and is serious safety factor as a total loss of power without warning. Last repair noted a adjustment or repair to throttlebody. *tr
Other speed control problem
Tl*the contact owns a 2006 ford expedition which was purchased brand new. While stepping on the accelerator pedal at any speed including approximately 25 MPH, the pedal became stuck in the open throttle position. The vehicle was taken to the dealer; however, the failure could not be duplicated. The failure was also reported to the manufacturer. There were no recalls. No repairs were made to date. The failure mileage was 10,000 and the current mileage was 45,000.
Driving to work via freeway, had just reached the bottom of a freeway off-ramp, at a stoplight. Light turned green, had just started to go and the "fail safe engine mode" light on my 2006 ford expedition came on the dashboard, within 5 seconds the car turned off on its own, like taking the key out of the ignition. Had it towed to a ford dealership, they ran diagnostics, said the throttle body assembly needed replacing. I looked on the internet, googling "fail safe engine mode" and "ford" and found this to be a common problem. Asked why it's not a recall item or has a technical bulletin with so many cases of it, plus it's very dangerous. Many in their internet postings said the problem comes back. Dealership said to contact ford corporate, opened a cudl case for me to request reimbursement. Wrote a letter to ford corporate, included internet links to all the postings of other people having the same problem, asked for $480.35 reimbursement, also asked what they are doing about this dangerous situation with the throttle body assembly. Ford corporate send me a letter back, simply said I'm past warranty and unable to provide…
Other electrical problem
Tl*the contact owns a 2006 ford expedition. While driving approximately 70 MPH, the vehicle completely shut off without warning. The vehicle had to be maneuvered across four lanes of traffic, but was restarted on the first attempt. The current and failure mileages were 30,000. Updated 09/10/08. *lj updated 09/11/08.*jb
Engine shuts off while running. Last time on the freeway. My mechanic says the systems reads ok on computer diagnostic, but the fail-safe system definitely shut the engine down due to a possible glitch in the system. Dealers "see" good readings for throttle system and will not replace a "good" part. When this happens, car has no power with no warning. It has happened twice and we don't know when it will happen again. *tr
Recalls on the 2006 model year
NHTSA has issued 6 recall campaigns covering the 2006 Ford Expedition, affecting an estimated 22,629 vehicles. A recall is a different kind of evidence from a complaint: it is the regulator and the manufacturer agreeing that something has to be fixed, and the fix is free for as long as the car exists.
The campaigns cover exterior lighting, fuel system, gasoline and exterior lighting:headlights. Whether the work was actually done on the car in front of you is a question only the VIN can answer, and the manufacturer or NHTSA will answer it free.
Recalls also distort complaint counts. Publicity about a campaign reminds owners that complaining is possible, so reports for a recalled component often spike after the recall rather than before it.
EXTERIOR LIGHTING
16,270 vehicles 2009-04-07- Defect
- Sabersport is recalling 16,270 combination corner and bumper lamp assemblies of various part numbers sold for use as aftermarket equipment for various passenger vehicles. These headlamps fail to conform to the requirements of federal motor vehicle safety standard no. 108, "lamps, reflective devices, and associated equipment." these lamps do not contain the required amber side reflectors.
- Consequence
- Decreased lighting visibility may result in a vehicle crash.
- Remedy
- Sabersport will notify owners and offer a full refund for the noncompliant combination lamps. The safety recall began on may 11, 2009. Owners may contact sabersport at 1-909-598-7589.
EXTERIOR LIGHTING
4,029 vehicles 2006-07-17- Defect
- Certain tradesonic combination lamps sold as replacement lamps for use on the above listed passenger vehicles. Combination lamps not equipped with amber side reflectors fail to conform with the requirements of federal motor vehicle safety standard no. 108, lamps, reflective devices, and associated equipment.
- Consequence
- Lack of amber side reflectors in the lamps will decrease lighting visibility to other drivers and may possibly result in a vehicle crash.
- Remedy
- Tradesonic will notify owners and replace the lamps free of charge. The recall is expected to begin during july 2006. Owners may contact tradesonic at 626-934-8884.
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE
58,640 vehicles 2006-06-13- Defect
- Certain aftermarket fuel filters sold under the purolator brand name, p/n f65277, shipped from january 16 through june 2, 2006, for use on the above listed passenger vehicles. Due to incorrect design, the quick connectors may not fully seat with the tube interface, even though the person making the connection may believe that the quick connector is fully attached.
- Consequence
- Failure of this connection could lead to fuel spillage and, in the presence of an ignition source, a fire could occur.
- Remedy
- Ufi will notify owners and replace the filters free of charge. The recall began on august 4, 2006. Owners may contact ufi filters usa at 800-230-5876.
EXTERIOR LIGHTING:HEADLIGHTS
292,000 vehicles 2006-03-13- Defect
- Certain anzo combination headlamp assemblies sold as replacement lamps for use on certain passenger vehicles. Some combination lamps are not equipped with amber side reflectors which fail to conform to federal motor vehicle safety standard no. 108, "lamps, reflective devices, and associated equipment."
- Consequence
- Without the amber reflectors, the vehicle will be poorly illuminated, possibly resulting in a vehicle crash.
- Remedy
- Anzo will notify owners and replace the headlamps free of charge. The recall began may 9, 2006. Owners may contact anzo usa at 909-468-3688.
VISIBILITY:WINDSHIELD WIPER/WASHER:MOTOR
199,942 vehicles 2005-11-09- Defect
- On certain trucks, passenger cars and sport utility vehicles, the windshield wiper motor may have been produced without grease being applied to the output shaft gear.
- Consequence
- After a period of continuous use on the high speed setting, lack of grease on the output shaft gear may cause the gear to distort or fracture during operation resulting in a loss of wiper function. Inoperative wipers under inclement weather conditions could cause a crash due to impaired visibility.
- Remedy
- Dealers will inspect the wiper motor for the presence of grease and grease the wiper motor gears if necessary. The recall began on november 22, 2005. Owners may contact ford at 1-800-392-3673 or lincoln/mercury at 1-800-521-4140.
TIRES:TREAD/BELT
10,061 vehicles 2005-07-06- Defect
- On certain sport utility vehicles, the front and rear tires on the driver's side of affected vehicles may have been damaged at the center tread during production.
- Consequence
- Over time, the damage may be sufficient to allow belt corrosion ultimately leading to a tread separation, which could result in a crash.
- Remedy
- Dealers will inspect all four tires (to ensure inspection of the left hand side tires that may have been rotated to the other side of the vehicle) for tire tread damage and, if necessary, replace the damaged tire. The recall began on july 13, 2005. Owners may contact ford at 1-800-392-3673.
Recall work is free at a franchised dealer regardless of the car's age. Check the VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls before assuming it was done.
How it ranks in the 2006 field
The score at the top of the page, placed among its peers. The zones are the same thresholds the scorer applies, read out of the scorer itself, so the picture and the band word cannot disagree.
Scores are ranked within the model year, never across years, because an older car has had longer to accumulate reports.
- Left fewer and less serious reports
- Right more, or worse
- Marker this vehicle
How 2006 compares with the other years
Severe risk for a 2006 — 41st riskiest of the 343 2006 vehicles we can rate. Because the ranking is against the same model year only, age cancels out of it.
Across the 30 model years of this car that carry enough reports to score, 2026 comes out best at 58 and 2003 worst at 78, with 2006 itself at 75.
If the model year is negotiable, 2026, 2014, 2013, 2000, 2002, 2001, 1999, 2010, 2025, 2011, 1998, 1997, 2007, 2008, 2015, 2016, 2022, 2023, 2017, 2009, 2012 and 2024 score lower than 2006 by a margin worth acting on. Same body, same engines, different luck — usually a supplier change or a mid-cycle fix, which the complaint data can show but never explain.
Within the 2003–2008 generation specifically, 2007 is the strongest year at 68 and 2003 the weakest at 78.
Scores compare each year against other cars of the same model year, so a low number on an older car is a real result and not an artefact of age.
Shorter is better. Years with too few reports to score are shown without a bar rather than as a zero, because no data is not good news.
Within the 2003-2008 generation, 2007 Ford Expedition scores best at 68 and 2003 Ford Expedition worst at 78.
Where to spend the inspection money
The mileages below are where the first quarter of reports for each mode had already been filed, which makes them the point at which a fault is worth looking for rather than the point at which it happens: airbag failed to deploy in a crash from about 21k, other body or interior problem from about 31k, other wheel or tire problem from about 44k and engine sensor failure from about 60k.
On a 2006 Ford Expedition with more miles than that on it, the useful question to put to a seller or a mechanic is whether airbag failed to deploy in a crash has been dealt with, and if so with what parts and at whose expense. A car that has already had the repair is in a different position from one that has not.
None of this is a diagnosis. It is a list of what other owners of the same model year reported, ordered by when they reported it, which is a good place to point an inspection and a poor place to stop.
Where these figures stop being useful
395 owner reports; fleet size estimated from this year's own recall paperwork. Every count on this page is therefore a floor: it is the number of owners who went to the trouble of filing with a federal agency, which is a small and self-selected fraction of the owners who had the fault.
Of those 395 reports, 346 carried an odometer reading, so the mileages here describe 88% of the sample rather than all of it. Owners also round: readings pile up on multiples of ten thousand, which is why this site publishes "about 90,000 miles" and not "91,438".
Named failure modes come from matching phrases in the complaint text, so a badly worded complaint can land in the wrong bucket. The effect washes out across hundreds of reports and does not wash out across five.
And nothing here predicts what one car will do. These are other people's complaints, filed years apart, on cars maintained by strangers. Read the page as a map of where this model year has previously gone wrong, then have the specific car in front of you inspected.
Questions this page answers
What are the most common problems with the 2006 Ford Expedition?
The most-reported failures are other engine problem (112 reports, median 86,000 miles), other speed control problem (23 reports, median 90,000 miles) and other electrical problem (19 reports, median 100,000 miles). Counts come from owner complaints filed with NHTSA, which are voluntary, so they show what owners bothered to report rather than every fault that occurred.
At what mileage do 2006 Ford Expedition problems start?
Other body or interior problem is the earliest failure mode to show up, with a median reported mileage of 50,000 miles and a quarter of reports before 30,000 miles. Across all failure modes on this year, the median report sits at 83,000 miles.
Is the 2006 Ford Expedition reliable?
It scores 75 out of 100 on our risk index, which is severe — 41st riskiest of the 343 2006 vehicles we can rate. The score is a comparison against other 2006 vehicles, not a prediction about any individual car, and it is built from complaint rates, severity and how early failures appear.
Which year of the Ford Expedition is best?
Within the 2003–2008 generation, 2007 scores best at 68 out of 100 and 2003 worst at 78. Same body, same engines, different luck.
Where this comes from. Every figure above is computed from NHTSA owner complaints and recall records for this exact make, model and year. Complaints are voluntary and self-selected, so treat counts as a floor. The methodology page writes out each formula, and the same numbers are available as JSON.
What breaks at my mileage Compare with another car
Source Owner complaints and recall records published by the US National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, model years 1996–2027 Figures rebuilt Published by AtWhatMileage How every figure is computed