MIL ON WITH DTC P0191 - FUEL RAIL PRESSURE SENSOR CIRCUIT PERFORMANCE.
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗2006 Ford Five Hundred fuel system problems
moderate 21 complaints filed with NHTSA · avg repair $1,200 · see fuel system across all vehicles →
Failure mileage
Complaints
21
Recalls
0
Avg fix
$1,200
When does it fail?
Of the 21 fuel system complaints filed for the 2006 Ford Five Hundred, here's the actual mileage breakdown — failures cluster heaviest at 75,000-100,000 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
No new NHTSA fuel system complaint has been filed on this vehicle in over 15 years — the issue may be aging out of the active population.
Is there a fix? Manufacturer service bulletins
The manufacturer has issued service bulletins covering fuel system on this vehicle — documented repair instructions, service campaigns, or warranty extensions sent to dealers. A TSB isn't a recall (it's not a free safety remedy), but it's the manufacturer acknowledging the issue and how to fix it.
Source: NHTSA manufacturer communications. Bring the bulletin number to your dealer or shop.
The failure pattern owners describe
The 2006 Ford Five Hundred has a cluster of fuel-system and engine control problems. Most common is unintended surging when shifting from Park into Drive or Reverse—the car lunges forward or backward without the driver touching the accelerator. Owners describe this as especially dangerous in parking lots, school zones, and with pedestrians nearby. The problem can be triggered by turning the steering wheel at low speed or using the heating/cooling fan. Multiple owners report taking their cars to dealerships where technicians found the throttle body "gummed up" or out of parameters, requiring replacement. Dealers initially attempt cleaning, but owners cite a 65% recurrence rate, forcing customers to pay $800–$900 for full replacement.
A second pattern involves fuel pump failure after extended highway driving. Owners report the pump overheats, causing severe bucking and hesitation around 40 mph even with full throttle, followed by poor acceleration at city speeds. One fuel pump replacement cost $800 and included injector flushing.
Less common but serious: fuel line separation from the gas filter, causing gasoline spillage and fire hazard; one fuel tank perforation from road debris; and engine stalling without warning during highway driving.
Owners consistently note Ford's reluctant response—initial denials of any recall, limited repair coverage, and refusal to fully replace the throttle body on second failures even when already repaired once under a customer satisfaction program.
Same Ford Five Hundred fuel system reports on nearby years: 2005 · 2007
Failure modes owners describe
Unintended surge/lunge on gear engagement
Vehicle surges forward or backward when shifting from Park to Drive or Reverse without driver input on accelerator. Often triggered by turning steering wheel at low speed, use of heating/cooling fan, or brake application. Severity ranges from mild lurching to uncontrollable acceleration requiring firm brake pressure to stop. Multiple owners report this occurs intermittently or consistently.
When: At low speeds during gear shifts, parking lot maneuvers, school zones; some owners report worse in warmer weather; one noted worsening after deep snow/cold soak
Symptoms owners cite: Vehicle surges forward or backward when shifted from Park without throttle input; Engine races and RPMs surge at stop with steering wheel turned; Car lurches when coming to stop; Lurches when shifting from Drive to Reverse or vice versa; Engine accelerates during low-speed maneuvers with foot on brake
Codes mentioned: P061B, P2016
Repairs/costs cited: Throttle body cleaning attempted by dealers but owners report 65% return rate; throttle body replacement $800–$900; fuel pump and filter replacement with injector flush $800++; PCM replacement covered under Federal Emissions Warranty (8 yr/80k mi). One owner had throttle body replaced twice; Ford reimbursed once under Customer Satisfaction Program 12N03 but refused second repair.
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Ford aware but initially offers throttle body cleaning rather than replacement; Customer Satisfaction Program 12N03 covered one throttle body replacement but not subsequent issues; Federal Emissions Warranty (8 yr/80k mi) covered PCM replacement in at least one case; dealers report Ford will not replace throttle body even though identified as recall part; some owners report Ford stated no recall exists and nothing could be done.
Engine stalling/shutdown
Engine stalls or shuts down without warning during highway or street driving. Owners report sudden loss of power requiring emergency stop. One owner nearly struck by oncoming traffic when vehicle died on state highway.
When: During highway driving (50+ mph) and on city streets; happened multiple times over extended period before complaint
Symptoms owners cite: Engine dies during freeway driving; Engine dies when turning onto highway; Loss of power requiring emergency stop
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Ford told owner no recall existed and nothing could be done; owner found hundreds online reporting same issue with Five Hundred and Freestyle models
Fuel pump failure with bucking/hesitation
Fuel pump overheats after extended highway driving, causing severe bucking, lurching, and hesitation. Engine revs loudly and speed drops to 40 mph despite full throttle. Loss of acceleration follows at city speeds. Dealer indicated pump failure after thermal cycling.
When: After approximately 2 hours at speeds over 60 mph (interstate); recurring after highway exit at city speeds
Symptoms owners cite: Severe bucking and lurching after 2 hrs at highway speed; Engine revs loudly; Speed drops to 40 mph despite foot to floor on accelerator; Little to no acceleration at city speeds; Loss of power
Repairs/costs cited: Fuel pump replaced; fuel filter replaced; injectors flushed; total $800++; dealer advised car unsafe to drive
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Federal Emissions Warranty (8 yr/80k mi) covered repair at 79,008 miles; dealer provided car rental
Fuel line separation at filter
Fuel line separated from gas filter connection, causing gasoline to spill. Fire department called due to fire hazard. One case involved fractured line clip at filter housing.
When: Occurred at 38,399 miles in one case
Symptoms owners cite: Gasoline spillage; Fuel odor and hazard; Visual fuel leak at filter area
Repairs/costs cited: Fuel line clip replaced at fuel filter; fuel line reconnected
Fuel tank perforation from debris
Sharp object kicked up by front tire perforated fuel tank, requiring full tank replacement. Issue relates to inadequate tank protection on undercarriage.
When: Mileage not specified
Symptoms owners cite: Fuel leakage from tank; Perforation in tank wall
Repairs/costs cited: Fuel tank replacement required
Instrument cluster blackout
All dashboard lights go out while driving; speedometer and tachometer drop to zero. Occurred in same vehicle experiencing surging; owner suspects related to throttle body issue.
When: Intermittent during driving
Symptoms owners cite: All dashboard lights extinguish; Speedometer reads zero; Tachometer reads zero
Engine rough running/stalling after service
After dealer oil change and brake service, engine runs rough and stalls when decelerating; spontaneous lurching and engine racing in Park. Dealer identified throttle body out of parameters.
When: Started after dealership service visit
Symptoms owners cite: Rough engine running; Stalling on deceleration; Spontaneous lunging forward; Engine racing in Park
Repairs/costs cited: Throttle body replacement needed per dealer assessment
Limp mode activation with jerking/acceleration
Vehicle enters limp mode and exhibits jerking with abrupt acceleration.
When: Not specified in narrative
Symptoms owners cite: Limp mode activation; Engine jerking; Abrupt acceleration
Synthesized from 21 NHTSA owner complaints — unverified consumer allegations, summarized for patterns. The verbatim filings appear below.
What owners are reporting 1 most recent
Car surges forward/backward when engaged in gear from dead stop and brake is released without having even touched the accelerator. Seems to be worse when heating/cooling fan is on, especially on recirculate, and rpms will surge/race at dead stop with brake firmly applied when the steering wheel is turned to either side. Problem is especially noticeable in parking lots or anywhere in low speed…
Had fuel system trouble with your 2006 Ford Five Hundred?
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 fuel system problem on the 2006 Ford Five Hundred?
It's a documented issue but not catastrophic. 21 complaints have been filed. Repairs average $1,200 and most owners catch it before it causes a breakdown.
At what mileage does the fuel system typically fail?
Across the 20 complaints that reported odometer mileage, most fuel system failures cluster between 52,000 and 83,000 miles, with the median around 78,512. A quarter of owners report trouble before 52,000; a quarter make it past 83,000. 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 $1,200 for fuel system 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 fuel system?
No active recalls currently cover fuel system 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/Five Hundred.
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.