Is the 2006 Ford Escape a bad year?
464 owner complaints to NHTSA. Engine and transmission complaints are in line with other Escape years.
Keep it. You picked a good year.
Engine and transmission complaints for the 2006 Ford Escape are in line with other Escape years. Speed control, brakes, suspension and 1 more stand out for this year: see below.
2th quietest of 19 Escape years by owner complaints (years with 7+ years on the road).
The verdict moves with mileage: the same car reads differently at 30,000 and at 150,000 miles.
What 2006 Escape owners report, by mileage
Each system owners named in five or more complaints, with the mileage range where the middle half of those complaints were filed. Read at 72,000 miles.
| SYSTEM | COMPLAINTS | MIDDLE HALF FILED AT | TYPICAL US REPAIR BILLS |
|---|---|---|---|
| Speed controlSTANDS OUT | 99 (21%) | 46k–109k miles · around this mileage | — |
| BrakesSTANDS OUT | 67 (14%) | 46k–114k miles · around this mileage | Brake pad replacement (one axle) $115–$390 · Brake pads and rotors replacement (one axle) $200–$1,084 |
| SuspensionSTANDS OUT | 65 (14%) | 81k–131k miles · ahead | Ball joint replacement (one joint) $200–$500 · Control arm replacement (one arm) $200–$900 |
| Body structureSTANDS OUT | 63 (14%) | 97k–159k miles · ahead | — |
| Transmission and drivetrain | 80 (17%) | 64k–108k miles · around this mileage | CV axle / CV joint replacement (one side) $300–$1,500 · Automatic transmission replacement $2,500–$7,000 |
| Engine | 68 (15%) | 52k–127k miles · around this mileage | Valve cover gasket replacement $110–$500 · Timing chain replacement $1,000–$4,000 |
| Fuel system | 36 (8%) | 60k–127k miles · around this mileage | Fuel pump replacement $220–$1,500 · Fuel injector replacement (one injector) $300–$1,200 |
| Electrical system | 34 (7%) | 60k–131k miles · around this mileage | 12-volt battery replacement $100–$400 · Starter motor replacement $350–$1,200 |
| Visibility and wipers | 21 (5%) | 47k–101k miles · around this mileage | — |
| Steering | 20 (4%) | 57k–135k miles · around this mileage | Steering rack and pinion replacement $700–$2,100 |
| Air bags | 17 (4%) | 29k–98k miles · around this mileage | — |
| Wheels | 15 (3%) | 94k–150k miles · ahead | Wheel bearing / hub assembly replacement (one wheel) $230–$750 |
Bills are typical US ranges from the sources named in the tool (J.D. Power, Kelley Blue Book, CarParts.com and others), printed only for systems that stand out or sit at or ahead of 72,000 miles. Not a quote.
What owners reported alongside their complaints
Of 464 complaints: 16 mention a crash · 9 mention a fire · 18 report an injury · 11 say the car was towed.
1 complaint was filed in the last 12 months, the newest in Apr 2026.
Counts of what owners wrote in their complaints, not verified by anyone.
In owners' own words
The torque converter has failed due to driving my car on numerous long trips. TSB 07-5-6 describes the exact problem and fix.
Have a 2006 Ford escape with 80,000 miles. Driving to work one morning and took off from stopped position and heard a noise under vehicle.
Without warning transmission completely fails. No indication of problems, just dropped the transmission on the way to work.
Unedited excerpts from complaints filed with NHTSA, chosen by mileage (nearest 72,000 miles), not by content. Unverified.
Recalls for the 2006 Ford Escape: 5
The affected vehicles are equipped with either a 2.3L or 3.0L engine and have had their CD4E transmission replaced with remanufactured one that was rebuilt between June 11, 2015 through July 15, 2015. These service repair part transmissions have a shift lever bolt that may not be properly tightened. If the shift lever disengages from the transmission, a driver may be unable to shift gear positions and the indicated shift position may not represent the gear position the vehicle is in.
The affected wheel bearings have incorrect dimensions of a 42mm bore, 76mm outer dimension, and 39mm width, instead of a 42mm bore, 78mm outer dimension and a 45mm width. Use of an incorrectly sized wheel bearing can adversely affect the braking and steering of the vehicle, increasing the risk of a crash.
The coolant pump for the hybrid system may fail resulting in the hybrid electronics overheating. If the hybrid electronics system overheats, it may shut down the powertrain, resulting in a stall-like condition, increasing the risk of a crash.
These seat covers are made of heavier thread and are not compatible with seats containing side airbags. The heavier seat cover could interfere with full deployment of the airbag in the event of a crash. An improperly deployed airbag could result in serious injury.
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. 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.
A recall may cover only some cars of a model year; the campaign size counts every model and year it lists. Enter your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls: dealers fix open recalls free.
Service bulletins from Ford: 3
Repair instructions Ford sent its dealers for symptoms seen in the shop on the 2006 Ford Escape. Ask a dealer or mechanic for a bulletin by its number.
Ford/mercury: MIL on with DTC P0351-P0356; multiple coil primary circuit
NHTSA defect investigations: 1
Electronic Throttle Body Malfunction
Neighbouring years
2005 Escape: 1,394 complaints, keep it, but watch the engine · 2007 Escape: 254 complaints, keep it.
Every Ford Escape year
2000 · 2001 · 2002 · 2003 · 2004 · 2005 · 2006 · 2007 · 2008 · 2009 · 2010 · 2011 · 2012 · 2013 · 2014 · 2015 · 2016 · 2017 · 2018 · 2019 · 2020 · 2021 · 2022 · 2023 · 2024 · 2025 · 2026 · All Escape years side by side
Other Ford models: Ford 500 · Ford Bronco · Ford Bronco Sport · Ford C-Max · Ford Contour · Ford Crown Victoria · Ford E-150 · Ford E-250 · Ford E-350 · Ford E-450 · Ford EcoSport · Ford Edge · Ford Escape Hybrid · Ford Escort · Ford Excursion · Ford Expedition · Ford Explorer · Ford Explorer Sport · Ford Explorer Sport Trac · Ford F SD · Ford F-150 · Ford F-150 Hybrid · Ford F-150 Lightning BEV · Ford F-250 SD · Ford F-350 SD · Ford F-450 SD · Ford F-550 SD · Ford Fiesta · Ford Five Hundred · Ford Flex · Ford Focus · Ford Focus Electric · Ford Ford · Ford Freestar · Ford Freestyle · Ford Fusion · Ford Fusion Energi · Ford Fusion Hybrid · Ford Maverick · Ford Maverick Hybrid · Ford Mustang · Ford Mustang GT · Ford Mustang Mach-E · Ford Ranger · Ford Taurus · Ford Taurus X · Ford Thunderbird · Ford Transit · Ford Transit Connect · Ford Windstar. All makes and models.
Questions
Is the 2006 Ford Escape a bad year?
464 owner complaints to NHTSA. Engine and transmission complaints are in line with other Escape years. At 72,000 miles the tool says: Keep it.
What are the most common problems with the 2006 Ford Escape?
By owner complaints to NHTSA: speed control (99), brakes (67), suspension (65), body structure (63), transmission and drivetrain (80).
How many recalls does the 2006 Ford Escape have?
5 recall campaigns list this model year: Transmission and drivetrain (NHTSA 15V-606), Suspension (NHTSA 15E045000), Hybrid system (NHTSA 14V-526), Equipment (NHTSA 10E043000) and more. A recall may cover only some cars; check by VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
Method: counts of unverified owner complaints filed with NHTSA, compared only with other years of the same model (sales volumes are unknown, so no failure rate is computed). A system stands out at 40+ complaints and at least twice the model's quiet (lower-quartile) year, or twice the share across every vehicle of that model year. The mileage range is the 25th to 75th percentile of the mileages owners reported. Data received by NHTSA through November 5, 2026. Repair prices are typical US ranges from named sources, not quotes. Not a diagnosis and not financial advice. PulsCar is not affiliated with NHTSA. Check this car at your own mileage.