2006 Ford Crown Victoria: common problems

Owners of the 2006 Ford Crown Victoria filed 53 complaints with NHTSA, most often about steering and vehicle speed control. Details by component below, with sources.

Key figures

Owner complaints: 53
involving a crash: 10

What fails most often

1 Steering 51% of all complaints
2 Vehicle speed control 17% of all complaints
3 Air bags 13% of all complaints
4 Electrical system 8% of all complaints
5 Service brakes 8% of all complaints
6 Suspension 8% of all complaints
7 Powertrain 6% of all complaints
8 Structure 6% of all complaints

Circle size and colour show each component’s share of NHTSA complaints. Schematic only, not a drawing of the exact model.

Steering: 27 complaints (51% of all), 5 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
Vehicle speed control: 9 complaints (17% of all), 3 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
Air bags: 7 complaints (13% of all), 4 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
Electrical system: 4 complaints (8% of all).
Service brakes: 4 complaints (8% of all), 2 of them with a crash reported by the owner.

Engines and transmissions

US-market versions per EPA. On the right: how many NHTSA complaints name this engine or transmission type.

4.6 L · petrol · 8 cyl
automatic, 4-speed

Drive: RWD

Symptoms owners describe

How many of the 53 NHTSA complaints mention each symptom (automatic count from complaint text; one complaint can mention several).

steering or power steering problems5 · 9%
airbag warning light4 · 8%
warning lights, check engine4 · 8%
windows, sunroof4 · 8%
airbags did not deploy2 · 4%
headlights and tail lights2 · 4%
smoke, burning smell, fire2 · 4%
unintended acceleration2 · 4%
brake failure1 · 2%
A/C or heater1 · 2%

Components owners complain about

Component	Owner complaints	involving a crash
Steering	27	5
Vehicle speed control	9	3
Air bags	7	4
Electrical system	4	0
Service brakes	4	2
Suspension	4	1
Powertrain	3	1
Structure	3	0
Engine	2	1
Exterior lighting	2	0
Engine and cooling	1	0
Visibility	1	1

What owners report

Short excerpts of NHTSA complaints in the original wording. These are owner statements not verified by NHTSA; personal data removed.

No warning light was illuminated. No injuries were reported. No Police report was filed. The vehicle was towed to the residence. The vehicle was then driven to AAMCO Transmissions, where the failure was confirmed, but the cause of the failure was not determined upon inspection.
Steering · crash · 2026-07-17 · NHTSA complaint #11751128
We paid for the car at 2700 and the electric and the radiator are bad and also the ac unit is bad they don't have no anti-theft system and much more we just don't have the money to fix it no more you already put 5,000 plus $2,700
Air bags · crash · 2020-11-30 · NHTSA complaint #11377044
The air bags did not deploy. A police report was filed. There were no injuries. The vehicle was driven from the scene to park ridge auto body of park ridge, illinois and repaired.
Steering · crash · 2017-07-27 · NHTSA complaint #11011122
I was informed that the air bags never deployed he was in a head on collision through a fence and then wrapped around a metal sign pole. Cause severe damage to this vehicle. All windows busted out radiator came through the front of the vehicle. Tires were not noted to be defected but I due question a tie rod.
Steering · crash · 2016-07-01 · NHTSA complaint #10882004
The contact stated that while driving at 30 mph and depressing the brake pedal, the vehicle hesitated to stop. After the vehicle came to a stop, and while contact slightly removed their foot from the brake pedal. The vehicle then accelerated and crashed into the preceding vehicle.
Vehicle speed control · crash · 2013-06-03 · NHTSA complaint #10514870
The second problem was a minor window malfunction. The latest problem we have is today my wife and grandson were in a accident. Someone pulled out in front of us, we were traveling about 25-30 mph. We hit the other car on the passenger side head on. Our airbags did not inflate.
Air bags · crash · 2007-05-04 · NHTSA complaint #10189832
Tl* the contact owns a 2006 ford crown victoria. The contact stated while driving, the instrument cluster became inoperable. Additionally, the speedometer was also inoperable. The vehicle was not taken to the dealer. The vehicle was not diagnosed nor repaired. The manufacturer was informed of failure.
Electrical system · 2021-02-11 · NHTSA complaint #11395718
While driving, the air bag warning indicator illuminated. The vehicle had not been diagnosed at a dealer or independent mechanic. The manufacturer was not notified. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was 155,000.
Air bags · 2019-09-23 · NHTSA complaint #11257473

When owners complained

NHTSA complaints by filing year. The peak shows at what age the problems show up most.

20063
20074
20091
20103
201212
20136
20143
20152
20164
20173
20182
20194
20202
20211
20232
20261

Comparison

By complaint count this model year ranks 5,181 of 36,656 model years in the NHTSA data (top 14% most complained about).

On average one model year of the Crown Victoria has 94 complaints (33 years in the data). This year has 53, below average.

What to check before buying

Steering. Steering play, power assist, rack and tie rods after a wheel impact.
Vehicle speed control. Accelerator pedal, cruise control, throttle codes.
Air bags. Check the SRS light, stored codes and airbag/curtain status after any impact.
Electrical system. Scan all modules, test the battery and alternator, inspect connectors near the impact zone.

Other years of this model

Questions and answers

What are the most common problems with the 2006 Ford Crown Victoria?

Owner complaints to NHTSA most often mention: steering, vehicle speed control, air bags. Total complaints: 53. The most frequent symptoms in complaint texts: steering or power steering problems (9%), airbag warning light (8%), warning lights, check engine (8%).

How many service bulletins (TSB) were issued for the 2006 Ford Crown Victoria?

NHTSA lists 0 manufacturer service bulletins for this year. A bulletin tells dealers how to diagnose or fix a known issue; it is not a recall.

Should I buy a 2006 Ford Crown Victoria from a US auction?

Owner complaints describe defects, not crash damage. Before bidding, check the components listed above and review the lot photos: VinWind builds a report of visible and hidden damage by VIN.

Other 2006 models

Read also

Sources: public NHTSA data (USA): service bulletins and owner complaints; YouTube: links to videos credited to their authors. Complaints are owner statements not verified by NHTSA, and describe defects rather than crash damage. Data updated 2026-11-05.