Recently while I was driving my cruise control completely stopped working. Two days after that I was slowing for a red light and I noticed that my car was revving up in gears as I was slowing down. I was barely able to get my car to stop and I shut it down to prevent accident. After the red light was over I started up my car and shifted into drive. That is when I noticed my car accelerating on…
2006 Ford Taurus cruise control problems
moderate 153 complaints filed with NHTSA · avg repair $600 · see cruise control across all vehicles →
Failure mileage
Complaints
153
Recalls
0
Avg fix
$600
3crashes
1fire
1injury
When does it fail?
Of the 153 cruise control complaints filed for the 2006 Ford Taurus, here's the actual mileage breakdown — failures cluster heaviest at 50,000-75,000 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
Cruise control accounts for 48% of every owner complaint on file for this vehicle — the dominant problem area across 12 categories tracked.
Owners have filed 153 cruise control complaints with NHTSA against this vehicle, but no formal recall covers the issue — the federal record reflects what manufacturers have admitted, not everything owners are reporting.
The failure pattern owners describe
The 2006 Taurus exhibits a recurring unintended acceleration problem tied to a cruise control cable that detaches or binds around the throttle body. When this happens, the accelerator stays partially or fully open even when the driver's foot is completely off the pedal. The car accelerates despite hard braking, engine RPMs spike to 3000–6000 even in Park, and brakes overheat from constant fighting.
Owners report the problem strikes unpredictably—sometimes after highway driving, sometimes over bumps or railroad crossings. Braking alone rarely stops the car; many had to shift to Neutral, pump the accelerator rapidly, or shut the engine off to regain control. One owner nearly hit a pedestrian in a crosswalk; another crashed into a ditch. Multiple owners report the cruise control stops working shortly before or alongside the acceleration events.
The cable fix is temporary. Mechanics reattach or clip the cable back, but it slips again within days or weeks. Some owners fabricated their own wire ties as a DIY solution. Ford dealers acknowledge the problem is "common to the 2006 model" but claim no recalls exist and charge diagnostic fees ($107–$116). Out-of-warranty owners get no manufacturer assistance. A TSB mentions throttle body replacement at the owner's expense, and some dealers disconnected the cruise control entirely—not a fix, a workaround.
Same Ford Taurus cruise control reports on nearby years: 2005 · 2007 · 2008
Failure modes owners describe
Cruise control cable detachment/binding on throttle
The cruise control cable becomes loose, detaches, or binds around the throttle body linkage, trapping the accelerator in a partially or fully open position. This physically prevents the throttle from closing when the driver releases the gas pedal.
When: Intermittent; often occurs after extended driving, over bumps/road imperfections, or during deceleration attempts. Multiple incidents cited at various mileages from 28K to 150K+ miles.
Symptoms owners cite: Vehicle accelerates without driver pressing gas pedal; Throttle remains open when foot is off accelerator; Car continues accelerating during braking or decelerating; RPMs spike to 3000–6000 even in Park or Neutral; Engine races and won't idle down without intervention; Brakes overheat and lose effectiveness due to constant fighting against acceleration; Cruise control stops working or activates erratically
Repairs/costs cited: Owners report mechanics reattaching/clipping the cable back into position (temporary fix), replacing the cruise control cable and/or throttle body, disconnecting cruise control entirely, or cleaning throttle body. Temporary fixes (wire, securing the connection) worked for some owners but cable would slip again.
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Ford issued TSB recommending throttle body replacement at customer expense. Some dealers denied recalls and charged diagnostic fees ($107–$116). Ford Customer Satisfaction Campaign mentioned in one complaint but reportedly refused to honor repairs on out-of-warranty vehicles. Dealers stated no recalls exist.
Unintended acceleration triggered by road conditions
Engine accelerates unexpectedly when the vehicle encounters bumps, depressions, railroad crossings, or during sharp deceleration/braking. The underlying cause is the cruise control cable binding, but activation is tied to mechanical motion.
When: Triggered by specific driving conditions (bumps, road imperfections, sudden braking). Owners report recurring incidents over years (2008–2012 timeframe cited in one complaint).
Symptoms owners cite: Unintended acceleration over bumps or railroad tracks; Engine revving during hard braking; Brake pedal pressure only slows car briefly; acceleration resumes when pressure is released; Tapping the accelerator pedal or pumping it dislodges the binding temporarily
Repairs/costs cited: Mechanics unable to diagnose unless failure occurs during inspection. Owners report self-remedies: pumping the gas pedal rapidly, tapping the accelerator, or shifting to Neutral to regain control.
Cruise control malfunction / inoperability
Cruise control fails to engage, activates erratically, or stops working entirely. Often precedes or coincides with throttle-binding incidents. Some owners report cruise control light illuminates but won't set; others report it activates independently.
When: Cruise control failure often occurs before or concurrent with unintended acceleration incidents. One owner reported failure in June 2011, acceleration incidents starting immediately after.
Symptoms owners cite: Cruise control won't engage or set; Cruise control light comes on but function doesn't activate; Cruise control activates and deactivates intermittently; Cruise control activates independently without driver input; Cruise control continues to hold speed or accelerate even when driver attempts to slow vehicle
Repairs/costs cited: Cruise control cable replacement or disconnection reported. One owner replaced entire cruise control assembly.
Throttle cable fracture or mechanical seizure
Throttle cable breaks internally or becomes seized/stuck at the throttle body. This is distinct from cruise control cable binding but may result from the same assembly design flaw.
When: Occurs at various mileages; one owner cited 126,981 miles.
Symptoms owners cite: Accelerator pedal sticks or becomes sluggish; Throttle body becomes stuck open; Accelerator pedal may 'pop' or hit driver's foot
Repairs/costs cited: Throttle body cleaning, cable lubrication, or replacement. One owner replaced throttle cable and body assembly together.
High idle / elevated RPM at startup
Engine idles at abnormally high RPMs (3000–5000) on cold start or during normal operation, making it difficult to keep the car stationary without heavy brake pressure.
When: Most common on cold starts; some owners report it persists during operation.
Symptoms owners cite: Engine revs to 3000–5000 RPM at startup without user input; Car pulls forward or resists stopping while in Drive at idle; Loud, vibrating engine noise at high idle; Engine continues revving even after shifting to Park
Repairs/costs cited: Owners report replacement of idle air control valve (Firestone and Ford dealers performed this multiple times with mixed results), fuel system cleaning. One owner replaced air control valve three times before issue partly resolved.
Synthesized from 153 NHTSA owner complaints — unverified consumer allegations, summarized for patterns. The verbatim filings appear below.
What owners are reporting 5 most recent
I was driving approx 45 MPH and went to decelerate. I noticed the car not slowing down and the tac was at 1800 RPM. I hit the brakes harder and was ready to put the car in neutral but did not. I could hear the brakes working harder. The rpms still at 1800 as I turned into work. I heard a pop and the motor rpms dropped to just under 1000 rpms. On my way back home the cruise control seemed to work…
I was driving home on the highway when my accelerator became stuck halfway down. It would not stick if I tapped it, but re-stick again. I took it to the dealer they said that the cruise control cable had become bound around the accelerator causing it to stick. First incident was october 2007, now in december 2009 again. I was charged roughly 100 to detach the cruise control cabling. Ford…
Tl* the contact owns a 2006 Ford taurus. While driving 10 MPH, the vehicle accelerated without warning. The failure recurred on numerous occasions. Once the engine was restarted, the vehicle operated normally. The contact stated that a substance was sprayed on the throttle, which stopped the acceleration for two years. When the failure recurred, the vehicle vibrated violently as it accelerated.…
Tl* the contact owns a 2006 Ford taurus. While driving 55 MPH the vehicle began to accelerate without intention. She had to turn off the engine to stop the vehicle. She contacted the dealer, and a technician speculated that the throttle became stuck. She was then advised to bring the vehicle to the dealer for diagnostic testing. The vehicle has not been inspected. The failure mileage was…
Had cruise control trouble with your 2006 Ford Taurus?
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 Taurus?
It's a documented issue but not catastrophic. 153 complaints have been filed. Repairs average $600 and most owners catch it before it causes a breakdown.
At what mileage does the cruise control typically fail?
Across the 137 complaints that reported odometer mileage, most cruise control failures cluster between 73,000 and 124,000 miles, with the median around 91,000. A quarter of owners report trouble before 73,000; a quarter make it past 124,000. 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/Taurus.
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.