FordFive Hundred2006Overview/ford/five-hundred/2006/base/

2006 Ford Five Hundred

Factory specifications, fluid capacities, torque values, EPA fuel economy and the federal safety record for the 2006 Five Hundred.

Body PASSENGER CARTransmission Automatic (variable gear ratios)

The 2006 Ford Five Hundred is a passenger car equipped with an automatic transmission featuring variable gear ratios and an engine that takes 6.0 quarts of 5W-20 API oil, delivering EPA-rated fuel economy of 17/23/19 mpg. In the context of the model's 2004–2007 production run, the 2006 model year recorded 364 owner complaints — well below the 2005 peak of 510 but far above the 2004 low of just 1 — with vehicle speed control emerging as the top complaint area and a single recall issued. This places the 2006 Five Hundred in the middle of the model's reliability spectrum, suggesting a notable improvement over the troubled 2005 but not a return to the near-complaint-free debut year.

Model year200720062005

Quick specs

Fluid capacities, tune-up values and fuel economy at a glance.

Engine oil capacity6.0 qtOEM · verified
Engine oil type5W-20 APIOEM · verified
Lug nut torque100 ft-lbsOEM · verified
EPA fuel economy17/23/19 mpgEPA · verified

Fitment & sizes

Replacement part sizes and factory part numbers — battery, bulbs, filters and belts.

From the factory this vehicle uses a BCI 36R · 540 CCA battery. Each part links to every other vehicle that shares it, so a part you already stock may fit more of your fleet than you'd expect.

Battery groupBCI 36R · 540 CCAOEM · verified
High beam bulb2OEM · verified
Tire size215-60R17OEM · verified
Wheel / rimN/A inOEM · verified

Full specifications

Engine, drivetrain, dimensions and economy.

Engine & drivetrain NHTSA vPIC

TransmissionAutomatic (variable gear ratios)

Dimensions & weight NHTSA vPIC

Overall length200.8 in
Overall width73.6 in
Overall height60.2 in
Wheelbase112.6 in
Track (front / rear)64.2 / 64.2 in
Weight distribution (front / rear)60/40

Ratings & economy EPA / vPIC

EPA city / highway / combined17 / 23 / 19 mpg
Drivetrain4-Wheel or All-Wheel Drive
Passenger volume108 cu ft
Cargo volume21 cu ft
Recommended fuelRegular Gasoline

Service quick specs OEM factory data

Capacities, torques and tune-up values from the factory service manual.

This engine holds 6.0 qt of 5W-20 API engine oil, DOT 3 brake fluid. Torque lug nuts to 100 ft-lbs, the oil drain plug to 18.0 ft-lbs. The firing order is 1-4-2-5-3-6. Note the cylinder-head bolts finish on a torque angle (torque-to-yield) — they stretch permanently and should be replaced, not reused, during any head service.

Lubricants & capacities

Automatic Transmission Fluid Capacity10.1
Brake FluidDOT 3
Engine Oil5W-20 · API
Engine Oil Capacity6.0 qt
Power Steering FluidATF
Transfer Case Fluid75W-90 · GL-5
Transfer Case Fluid Capacity1.9 pints

Engine torques

Intake Manifold to Engine Bolts7.4 ft-lbs
Exhaust Manifold to Cylinder Head Bolts15 ft-lbs
Engine Oil Pan Drain Plug18.0 ft-lbs

Chassis torques

Lug Nuts100 ft-lbs
Transfer Case Fill PlugPTU: 36 ft-lbs
Front Wheel Hub259 ft-lbs
Rear Wheel Hub148 ft-lbs
Front Wheel Hub259 ft-lbs

Ignition

Cylinder Firing Order1-4-2-5-3-6
Spark Plug ManufacturerMotorcraft
Spark Plug Gap0.042-0.046 in
Spark Plug Torque11.0 ft-lbs

Battery & A/C

RefrigerantR134a
Refrigerant CapacityLess auxiliary climate control, 1.81. With auxiliary climate control, 2.38. lbs
Oil GroupPAG
Oil Type46
Oil CapacityLess auxiliary climate control, 7.00. With auxiliary climate control, 9.00. oz
Standard BCI Group Number36R
Standard BCI Cranking Performance540 cca
Optional BCI Group Number36R

Service checks

Pressure Test18-20 psi
Thermostat Opening Temperature180-207 °F
Key ON Engine OFF (KOEO)39.7
Injector Primary Resistance11-18 DOHC ohms
Engine Oil Pressure11 psi
Engine Oil Pressure RPM1500 rpm
Intake Valve LashHydraulic in
Exhaust Valve LashHydraulic in

Brakes

Torque Caliper to Bracket44 ft-lbs / 23 ft-lbs
Torque to Knuckle74 ft-lbs / 81 ft-lbs
Minimum Pad ThicknessFront: 0.118; Rear: 0.118 in
Rotor Max Parallel Variation0.0004 in
Rotor Runout Limit0.003 in
Rotor Minimum Machining1.067 in / 0.417 in
Rotor Discard at or Under1.043 in / 0.394 in

Multi-step torque procedures OEM · verified

Cylinder Head — tightening sequence 6 stages
130 ft. lbs.30 ft. lbs
290 degrees90 degrees
3Loosen one full turn
430 ft. lbs.30 ft. lbs
590 degrees90 degrees
690

Factory maintenance schedule OEM · verified

Normal service, condensed from the factory interval matrix.

Under the factory schedule, replace the engine oil and filter every 5,000 mi; spark plugs every 100,000 mi; coolant every 50,000 mi. The big-interval services (every 50,000 mi for coolant, and the transmission fluid) are the ones owners most often skip — on a lower-mileage example, assume the original fluids are still in it and check them first.

Every 5,000 miEngine Oil (drain & refill) · Engine Oil Filter (replace) · Tire & Wheel Assembly (rotate)
Every 15,000 miBrake System (inspect) · Cabin Air Filter (replace) · Engine Coolant System (leak inspection) · Engine Coolant System Hoses (inspect) · Steering System (inspect) · Suspension System (inspect)
Every 30,000 miEngine Air Filter Element (replace) · Exhaust System (Complete) (inspect) · Fuel Filter (replace) · Temperature Controlled Seat Air Filter (replace)
Every 50,000 miEngine Coolant System (drain, flush & refill)
Every 60,000 miTransmission Fluid & Filter (replace)
At 100,000 miEngine Coolant System (drain, flush & refill)
Every 100,000 miAccessory Drive Belt (inspect) · PCV Valve (replace) · Spark Plugs (replace)
At 150,000 miDrive Belt (replace)

Reliability & federal safety record

Owner-reported issues, recalls, investigations and service bulletins on record with NHTSA — an unfiltered look at what owners actually experience.

The 2006 Ford Five Hundred falls within a generation that saw a significant spike in reported issues in 2005, followed by a steady decline through 2007. With 364 complaints and 25 technical service bulletins (TSBs), the 2006 model shows a reduction in issues compared to the 510 complaints and 50 TSBs recorded for 2005. The primary complaint areas for 2006 were Vehicle Speed Control (71) and Power Train (65), though the data does not specify the root causes for these problems. This model year also recorded one recall, one investigation, 20 crash complaints, and 6 fire complaints. Because the 2006 model year represents a downward trend in federal complaints and TSBs relative to the previous year, it is a better purchase than the 2005 model, though the 2007 remains the most stable in the record.

1
Open recalls
NHTSA campaigns
25
Service bulletins
Manufacturer communications
1
ODI investigations
Office of Defects Investigation
364
Owner complaints
20 involved a crash · 6 a fire
NHTSA crash-test rating federal NCAP · out of 5 stars
Rollover★★★★
Owner complaints by model year NHTSA · this generation & adjacent

Owner complaints filed with NHTSA, by component

All 364 complaints on record, top 8 components.

Vehicle Speed Control71
Power Train65
Service Brakes, Hydraulic24
Electrical System19
Unknown Or Other12
Structure11
Power Train,Vehicle Speed Control10
Engine & Engine Cooling10

Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint database.

Recalls NHTSA · verified

Showing 1 of 1 campaigns on record for this vehicle.

06E056000Fuel System, GasolineReported 13/06/2006

CERTAIN AFTERMARKET FUEL FILTERS SOLD UNDER THE PUROLATOR BRAND NAME, P/N F65277, SHIPPED FROM JANUARY 16 THROUGH JUNE 2, 2006, FOR USE ON THE ABOVE LISTED PASSENGER VEHICLES. DUE TO INCORRECT DESIGN, THE QUICK… Remedy: UFI WILL NOTIFY OWNERS AND REPLACE THE FILTERS FREE OF CHARGE. THE RECALL BEGAN ON AUGUST 4, 2006. OWNERS MAY CONTACT UFI FILTERS USA AT 800-230-5876.

Technical service bulletins NHTSA · verified

Showing 5 of 25 bulletins on record with NHTSA.

BulletinDateComponentSummary
SSM 525672024-05-24Power TrainMotorcraft® Continuously Variable Chain-Type Transmission Fluid (XT-7-QCFT in…
SSM 522432024-02-08Engine And Engine CoolingWhen performing any transmission fluid change or topoff involving Motorcraft® Premium…
SSM 460852016-09-21Engine And Engine CoolingThe Powertrain Control/Emissions Diagnosis (PC/ED) manual has been revised for diagnosing…
08-4-112008-03-01Service Brakes, HydraulicTRACTION CONTROL LAMP ON--NO DTC'S PRESENT, OR DTC P1889 IN DIFFERENTIAL ELECTRONIC…
07102007-11-28Service Brakes, AirFORD\MERCURY SERVICE CAMPAIGN: SEE DOCUMENT SEARCH BUTTON FOR OWNER LETTER. CERTAIN 2005…

Common OBD-II trouble codes

The most common OBD-II codes for this vehicle's emissions system. These are standardized SAE J2012 definitions, not vehicle-specific fault reports.

P0420
Catalyst system efficiency below threshold — Bank 1
P0300
Random / multiple cylinder misfire detected
P0171
System too lean — Bank 1
P0455
Evaporative emission system leak detected — large leak
P0128
Coolant thermostat below regulating temperature
P0442
Evaporative emission system leak detected — small leak

VIN tools

Decode factory build data for a specific vehicle by VIN.

VIN
Decode a VIN to confirm the transmission and build data for a specific Five Hundred. OEM
Build data
Plant, GVWR class, engine and body data for any 17-character VIN.
Recalls
Check open recall campaigns against a specific vehicle by VIN.

Vehicles with shared specs

Find every vehicle that shares this one's battery, bulbs, oil capacity, platform or parts.

Reference guides

Cross-vehicle references for the kinds of data on this page.

Frequently asked

How much oil does the 2006 Five Hundred take?

6.0 qt of 5W-20 API MEETING FORD SPECIFICATION WSS-M2C945-A, per the factory manual.

Does the 2006 Five Hundred have open recalls?

NHTSA lists 1 recall campaign(s) for this model year. Check your specific vehicle by VIN.

What gas mileage does the Five Hundred get?

EPA figures are 17 city / 23 highway / 19 combined mpg.