Tl* the contact owns a 2006 Ford expedition. The contact stated that while attempting to stop at a traffic stop, the vehicle stalled without warning. The vehicle was taken to the dealer. The technician diagnosed that the throttle body was defective and needed to be replaced. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure but did not offer any assistance since the vehicle was not included in any…
2006 Ford Expedition cruise control problems
severe 19 complaints filed with NHTSA · avg repair $600 · see cruise control across all vehicles →
Failure mileage
Complaints
19
Recalls
0
Avg fix
$600
1crash
When does it fail?
Of the 19 cruise control complaints filed for the 2006 Ford Expedition, here's the actual mileage breakdown — failures cluster heaviest at 0-25,000 mi.
0-25k
25-50k
50-75k
75-100k
100-125k
125-150k
150k+
Each bar shows the share of total complaints filed at that mileage range. Peak failure window highlighted. Some owners report problems earlier; some make it well past 150,000 miles symptom-free. Maintenance habits and driving conditions shift the curve as much as mileage alone.
What stands out
Among the 15 model years of Ford Expedition in our records for cruise control problems, this one ranks #2 by owner-complaint volume.
No new NHTSA cruise control complaint has been filed on this vehicle in over 13 years — the issue may be aging out of the active population.
The failure pattern owners describe
The most common complaint is engine stalling without warning at speeds ranging from 5 to 70 mph. The vehicle enters fail-safe mode (with warning light illumination in several cases), loses power, and cannot accelerate. Power steering and power brakes fail simultaneously in some instances. The vehicle typically restarts and runs normally after shutdown, but the failure recurs intermittently.
Dealers and mechanics consistently identify throttle body defects or throttle actuator sensor failure as the cause. One owner reported no further issues roughly one year after throttle body replacement; others were not repaired despite diagnosis.
A second pattern involves unintended acceleration: the vehicle accelerates to 90 mph without warning, or accelerates when brakes are applied, even with firm pedal pressure. In one case the vehicle accelerated in reverse and hit another car. Brakes reportedly fail to slow the vehicle during these events.
A third failure mode is the accelerator pedal sticking in the open throttle position. One owner reported this occurring from 10,000 miles onward; a dealer could not duplicate it.
Electrical symptoms (dimming lights, radio shutoff, stalling) preceded throttle body diagnosis in one case. Another owner reported simultaneous brake and accelerator pedal failure at low speed; the dealer found no fault.
Owners contacted the manufacturer in multiple cases and were consistently told no recalls applied and no assistance would be provided.
Same Ford Expedition cruise control reports on nearby years: 2005 · 2008
Failure modes owners describe
Engine stall / fail-safe mode activation
Vehicle enters fail-safe mode or stalls without warning at various speeds; engine loses power and cannot accelerate. Loss of power steering and power brakes may occur simultaneously. Vehicle typically restarts and operates normally after shutdown and restart.
When: Between 20,000 and 196,997 miles; most commonly reported between 50,000–150,000 miles
Symptoms owners cite: Engine stalls without warning at various speeds (5 mph to 70 mph); Fail-safe mode warning light illuminates on dashboard; Vehicle loses power and cannot accelerate further; Loss of power steering; Loss of power brakes; Check engine light may illuminate; Vehicle restarts and resumes normal operation after shutdown
Codes mentioned: Throttle body defect, Throttle actuator sensor failure
Repairs/costs cited: Throttle body replacement or cleaning; motor assembly repair mentioned in one case. Owner (#18) reports no issues for approximately 1 year after throttle body replacement.
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: No recalls issued; manufacturer offered no assistance in most cases where contacted
Unintended acceleration
Vehicle accelerates without driver input when brakes are applied or in reverse. Brakes fail to slow vehicle. Occurs at various speeds and vehicle speeds can increase unexpectedly.
When: Reported at approximately 49,000 miles and 192,000 miles
Symptoms owners cite: Vehicle accelerates to 90 mph from 72 mph without warning; Brake pedal depressed but fails to slow vehicle; Vehicle accelerates when brakes applied at low speed (under 20 mph); Engine RPMs increase abnormally when brakes applied; Vehicle accelerates in reverse from parking space; Vehicle continues to accelerate despite forceful brake application
Repairs/costs cited: One owner informed brake pads and rotors needed replacement but was not repaired. Most unintended acceleration cases were not diagnosed or repaired.
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Manufacturer notified but offered no assistance; no recalls
Stuck accelerator pedal
Accelerator pedal becomes stuck in the open throttle position at any speed; failure could not be replicated at dealer.
When: Reported between 10,000 and 45,000 miles
Symptoms owners cite: Accelerator pedal becomes stuck in open throttle position; Occurs when stepping on accelerator pedal at any speed
Repairs/costs cited: Failure could not be duplicated at dealer; no repairs made
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Manufacturer notified; no recalls; no assistance offered
Electrical system failure and stalling
Interior and exterior lights dim; radio shuts off; vehicle stalls at highway speed. Alternator and starter were replaced in sequence; throttle body was subsequently identified as root cause.
When: Initial failure at 70,000 miles; recurrence at 87,000 miles
Symptoms owners cite: All interior and exterior lights dim; Radio shuts off; Vehicle stalls at 70 mph; Failure recurs intermittently; Check engine light illuminates during recurrence
Repairs/costs cited: Alternator replaced at first occurrence; starter replaced at second occurrence; throttle body identified as root cause but vehicle not repaired
Vehicle deceleration and low-speed loss of acceleration
Vehicle decelerates unexpectedly and loses ability to accelerate further; may be related to fail-safe mode activation or braking system failure at very low speeds.
When: Reported between 55 mph and 60 mph; one case at 5 mph
Symptoms owners cite: Vehicle decelerates from 60 mph to 20 mph without driver input; Vehicle stalls without warning; Vehicle does not accelerate after deceleration; Brakes and accelerator pedal fail simultaneously at low speed
Repairs/costs cited: Most cases not diagnosed or repaired; one dealer unable to locate failure
Synthesized from 19 NHTSA owner complaints — unverified consumer allegations, summarized for patterns. The verbatim filings appear below.
What owners are reporting 2 most recent
Tl* the contact owns a 2006 Ford expedition. The contact stated that while driving 70 MPH the vehicle went into engine fail safe mode and stalled with warning. The vehicle was left with brakes, but the vehicle would no longer accelerate and loss power steering. The vehicle was taken to the dealer and it was determined that the throttle actuator sensor failed on the vehicle. The VIN was not…
Had cruise control trouble with your 2006 Ford Expedition?
File a complaint with NHTSA → It's free, official, and how every report above got here — owner filings are the federal safety record this page is built on.
Common questions
How serious is the cruise control problem on the 2006 Ford Expedition?
It's a meaningful issue. 19 complaints have been filed and the failure mode causes operational problems for owners. Repairs average $600.
At what mileage does the cruise control typically fail?
Across the 19 complaints that reported odometer mileage, most cruise control failures cluster between 50,500 and 103,000 miles, with the median around 80,000. A quarter of owners report trouble before 50,500; a quarter make it past 103,000. Maintenance history matters more than the odometer alone — this is the reported failure window, not a guarantee.
What does it cost to fix?
Independent shops typically charge around $600 for cruise control repairs on this vehicle. Dealer pricing tends to run 20-40% higher. The exact figure depends on the specific failure mode, parts availability, and your local labor rates. If you're outside factory warranty, an extended service contract often covers this category.
Are there any recalls related to cruise control?
No active recalls currently cover cruise control issues on this vehicle. The complaints filed represent owner-reported failures that haven't risen to the level of a manufacturer-issued recall — but they're still worth knowing about before you buy or budget for repairs.
Related
Complaint and recall data sourced from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA)
public records database. Verify the raw federal record at
nhtsa.gov/vehicle/2006/Ford/Expedition.
Severity ratings are derived from reported crashes, fires, injuries, and fatalities. Repair cost estimates are
independent-shop national averages and may differ in your area. Some links on this page are affiliate links.