Reliability, what owners report, and what it costs to keep.
AVOIR's read: the numbers are mixed and the complaint record is worth reading before you commit.
Owners have filed 730 complaints with NHTSA about the 2006 Ford Fusion, and it carries 5 recalls. These are owner allegations rather than confirmed defects, but the pattern of what people complain about is the most useful signal a used buyer has.
| Area | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Air bags | 285 | 39% |
| Power train | 115 | 16% |
| Structure | 37 | 5% |
| Electrical system | 33 | 5% |
| Latches/locks/linkages | 20 | 3% |
| Service brakes | 16 | 2% |
| Engine | 14 | 2% |
| Unknown or other | 14 | 2% |
| Structure | 12 | 2% |
| Electrical system | 10 | 1% |
Verbatim from NHTSA complaint records, trimmed for length.
The contact's wife owned a 2006 Ford Fusion. The owner received notifications of NHTSA Campaign Numbers: 19V001000 (Air Bags) and 21V158000 (Air Bags) and requested to be removed from the recall distribution list. The c
NHTSA complaint: Air bags
Tuve un Choque mi carro no freno y Choque a un carro que iba a dar vuelta a la izquierda, frene y mi carro no lo hizo , el impacto fue el que freno , mi carro se dano todo el frente , el punto es que yo lleve mi carro
NHTSA complaint: Suspension
The contact owns a 2006 Ford Fusion. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the brake had to be depressed to the floorboard to stop the vehicle. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic. T
NHTSA complaint: Service brakes
The contact owns a 2006 Ford Fusion. The contact became aware of an oil leak on the ground underneath the vehicle. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic who stated that oil was leaking from the engine. The mec
NHTSA complaint: Engine
The contact owns a 2006 Ford Fusion. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, there was an abnormal creaking sound coming from the front end of the vehicle. There was no warning light illuminated. The con
NHTSA complaint: Engine
The contact's daughter owned a 2006 Ford Fusion. The contact stated that while her daughter was driving at an undisclosed speed, she noticed that the steering wheel was locked, making it difficult to control the vehicle.
NHTSA complaint: Air bags
Takata recall. The contact owns a 2006 Ford Fusion. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 21V158000 (Air Bags) however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The local dealer was c
NHTSA complaint: Air bags
Recall received for this vehicle. Dealership not willing to repair.was told by service department head that the part would have to be ordered and they would give me a call once it came in. Been over 3 weeks and no one h
NHTSA complaint: Air bags
NHTSA lists 5 recall campaigns for the 2006 Ford Fusion. Recalls are free to have fixed at a franchised dealer regardless of who owns the car now, but only if they were never done, so check the VIN of the specific car rather than trusting the model.
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2007-2011 Ranger, 2006-2012 Fusion, Lincoln Zephyr, Lincoln MKZ, 2006-2011 Mercury Milan, 2007-2010 Ford Edge, and Lincoln MKX vehicles. The driver's side air bag inflator may explode due to propellant degradation occurring after long-term exposure to
Risk: An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants, resulting in serious injury or death.
Fix: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will replace the driver-side airbag inflator or module with an alternate one, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed on April 9, 2021 for the pass
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2006-2010 Ford Fusion, Mercury Milan, Lincoln Zephyr and MKZ vehicles. The valves within the ABS Hydraulic Control Units (HCU) may react with brake fluids containing specific corrosion preventative additives. This reaction may cause the valves to not
Risk: If the valves do not properly close, additional brake pedal travel may be required to stop the vehicle, increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will flush the brake system with DOT 4 fluid and install a new brake fluid reservoir cap. In addition, the HCU will be tested to detect a possible stuck valve con
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2012 Ford Fusion and Mustang and Lincoln Zephyr and MKZ vehicles originally sold, or ever registered, in Alabama, California, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Louisiana, Mississippi, South Carolina, Texas, Puerto Rico, American Samoa, Guam, the Northern Marian
Risk: An inflator rupture may result in metal fragments striking the vehicle occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
Fix: Owners are advised not to drive their vehicles until the repair has been performed. Ford will notify owners, and dealers will replace the passenger frontal air bag inflator, free of charge. Interim
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain model year 2007-2011 Ford Ranger vehicles, 2006-2011 Ford Fusion, Mercury Milan and Lincoln Zephyr/MKZ vehicles, 2007-2010 Ford Edge, Lincoln MKX vehicles, 2005-2006 Ford GT vehicles, and 2005-2011 Ford Mustang vehicles originally sold, or ever register
Risk: An inflator rupture may result in metal fragments striking the vehicle occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
Fix: Owners are advised not to drive their vehicles until the repair has been performed. Ford will notify owners, and dealers will replace the passenger frontal air bag inflator, free of charge. Ford mai
| Reliability raw | 51 | average |
|---|---|---|
| Longevity est. | 65 | good |
| Maintenance | 78 | good |
| Depreciation | 100 | excellent |
| Performance | 48 | below average |
| Efficiency | 45 | below average |
Percentile ranks against other midsize & large cars in the catalog.
What stands behind each score for this car:
Owners have filed 730 complaints with NHTSA for this model-year, and air bags is the most reported area with 285 of them (39%). There are 5 recalls on record. Check any specific car against its VIN before buying.
AVOIR scores its reliability 51/100 (average) from NHTSA recall campaigns and complaint density. That figure is a raw complaint count, not yet adjusted for sales volume, so a high-volume model scores worse than it deserves.
AVOIR scores its longevity 65/100, but that figure is an estimate built from the powertrain and the brand's record, not a measurement. A 2006 car has no 200,000-mile population to observe yet, so treat it as a prior rather than evidence.
AVOIR's read: be careful, because the numbers are mixed and the complaint record is worth reading before you commit. Its overall ownership score is 66/100. Condition, mileage and service history still matter more than any score, so get a pre-purchase inspection on the specific car.
Sources: NHTSA recalls and complaints, EPA fuel economy, IIHS awards, and live market listings. A score describes a model-year, not the individual car in front of you. Get a pre-purchase inspection.