THE CAR ACCELERATES AND LOSES SPEED ON SIDE STREET AND HIGHWAYS. THIS IS VERY DANGEROUS BECAUSE OF LOSS OF SPEED CONTROL.
2006 Lincoln Zephyr
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
Limited comparison data
There is not enough comparable history to draw a useful model-year comparison.
About this comparison →How this year compares
Owner complaints by model year
Compare all Zephyr years →Counts vary with age, sales and reporting. They are not failure rates.
What owners reported most
All reported categories
Tap a category to read its complaints. One report may name several components.
When problems were reported
Mileage at the reported incident
91 reports with mileage · 138 unknown
NHTSA’s mileage field refers to the reported incident, not necessarily the filing date. This shows report counts, not the likelihood of a failure.
What to inspect
Issues worth paying extra attention to based on owner reports.
- Air Bags. Review the 142 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Wheels. Review the 26 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Structure. Review the 13 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
Power Train complaints
11 reportsTHE PCM/ECM MODULE WENT OUT ON THIS VEHICLE WITHOUT ANY WARNING. THERE WERE SEVERAL TSB'S ISSUED BY FORD REGARDING THIS ISSUE DATING BACK TO AT LEAST 2013 WITH ABSOLUTELY NO NOTIFICATION TO OWNERS WHOSE LIVES ARE AT RISK (SEE LIST BELOW). THIS MODULE IS THE MAIN COMPUTER, SO ALL POWER WAS LOST AFTER THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT BEGUN …
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THE PCM/ECM MODULE WENT OUT ON THIS VEHICLE WITHOUT ANY WARNING. THERE WERE SEVERAL TSB'S ISSUED BY FORD REGARDING THIS ISSUE DATING BACK TO AT LEAST 2013 WITH ABSOLUTELY NO NOTIFICATION TO OWNERS WHOSE LIVES ARE AT RISK (SEE LIST BELOW). THIS MODULE IS THE MAIN COMPUTER, SO ALL POWER WAS LOST AFTER THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT BEGUN RAPIDLY FLASHING NON-STOP AND THE VEHICLE WAS SHAKING AGGRESSIVELY ON THE HIGHWAY WHILE DRIVING. TO ADD INSULT TO INJURY THE REPAIR IS ESTIMATED AT NEARLY $4000 BECAUSE ALL SPARKS PLUGS, ALL IGNITION COILS MUST BE REPLACED ALONG WITH THE THROTTLE BODY. (TSB NUMBERS RELATED TO THIS ISSUE ARE AS FOLLOWS: NHTSA ID #10052190, NHTSA ID #10109070, NHTSA ID #10048099)
CAR SPEEDS AND SLOWS DOWN ON ITS OWN ON HIGHWAYS AND SIDE STREETS IT IS VERY DANGEROUS
CAR CONSTANTLY SPEEDS UP AND SLOWS DOWN DURING SHIFTING PROCESS. IT IS UNSAFE BECAUSE IT HAPPENS ON HIGHWAYS AND STREETS IT ALMOST CAUSED MULTIPLE ACCIDENTS. I HAVE BEEN TERRIFIED TO EVEN DRIVE THIS CAR. THIS HAPPENS EVERY TIME THE CAR IS DRIVEN
I WAS LEAVING MY DOCTORS ON FEBRUARY 21,2019 I WALKED OUT TO PARKING LOT TO START AND IT MADE A NOISE THAT I DIDN'T RECOGNIZE SO IT FINALLY STARTED AFTER 3 ATTEMPTS SO WHEN I GOT GOING IT HAD ROUGH IT WAS FINE WHEN I LEFT THE HOUSE WITH IT BUT ON MY WAY THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON SO I DECIDED TO STOP AND HAVE IT CHECKED THE …
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I WAS LEAVING MY DOCTORS ON FEBRUARY 21,2019 I WALKED OUT TO PARKING LOT TO START AND IT MADE A NOISE THAT I DIDN'T RECOGNIZE SO IT FINALLY STARTED AFTER 3 ATTEMPTS SO WHEN I GOT GOING IT HAD ROUGH IT WAS FINE WHEN I LEFT THE HOUSE WITH IT BUT ON MY WAY THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON SO I DECIDED TO STOP AND HAVE IT CHECKED THE SCAN SHOWED 3 CYLINDERS 4 /5/6 MISFIRING SO I REPLACED THE COILS AND SPARK PLUGS BUT WHAT CAUSED THE PROBLEM WAS IT THAT THE TIMING CHAIN HAD JUMPED TIME CAUSING THE CYLINDERS TO MISFIRE AND ALSO LOOSE POWER IT DIED IN TRAFFIC TWICE ON MY WAY HOME CAUSING A SERIOUS ACCIDENT.I WAS ON A PUBLIC STREET WITH LOTS OF TRAFFIC.
WHEN ACCELERATING THE VEHICLE HESITATES ,MAKES A LOUD CLUNKING NOISE AND WHINES LIKE THE GEAR IS STUCK SHIFTS VERY HARD WHICH CAUSES THE THE VEHICLE TO LOSE POWER CAUSING SPEED TO GO TO A CRAWL, WHICH IS VERY VERY DANGEROUS IN ANY TRAFFIC ESPECIALLY, WHEN I M ON THE HIGHWAY AND IN INTERSTATE TRAFFIC. THIS HAPPENS VERY FREQUENTL…
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WHEN ACCELERATING THE VEHICLE HESITATES ,MAKES A LOUD CLUNKING NOISE AND WHINES LIKE THE GEAR IS STUCK SHIFTS VERY HARD WHICH CAUSES THE THE VEHICLE TO LOSE POWER CAUSING SPEED TO GO TO A CRAWL, WHICH IS VERY VERY DANGEROUS IN ANY TRAFFIC ESPECIALLY, WHEN I M ON THE HIGHWAY AND IN INTERSTATE TRAFFIC. THIS HAPPENS VERY FREQUENTLY.
WHILE DRIVING ON A TOLLWAY AT APPROXIMATELY 65-70 MPH, WE SUDDENLY LOST ALL ENGINE POWER, AND WERE UNABLE TO SPEED UP TO OUR EXIT. ENOUGH POWER WAS GENERATED TO ALLOW US TO EXIT THE TOLLWAY. WE WERE EXTREMELY LUCKY THAT NO CARS WERE FOLLOWING US, AND THANKS TO GOD NO TRUCKS WERE ON EITHER SIDE OF OUR CAR WHEN THIS OCCURRED. WE…
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WHILE DRIVING ON A TOLLWAY AT APPROXIMATELY 65-70 MPH, WE SUDDENLY LOST ALL ENGINE POWER, AND WERE UNABLE TO SPEED UP TO OUR EXIT. ENOUGH POWER WAS GENERATED TO ALLOW US TO EXIT THE TOLLWAY. WE WERE EXTREMELY LUCKY THAT NO CARS WERE FOLLOWING US, AND THANKS TO GOD NO TRUCKS WERE ON EITHER SIDE OF OUR CAR WHEN THIS OCCURRED. WE WERE ABLE TO SLOWLY REACH OUR DESTINATION. THE CAR IS NOW AT A REPAIR SHOP AWAITING INFORMATION FROM THE NEAREST LINCOLN DEALER. HIS COMPUTER TESTING SO FAR DOES NOT INDICATE ANY PROBLEMS.
THIS CAR HAS A ENGINE AND TRANSMISSION FROM A FORD FUSION, ITS SHIFTING VIOLENTLY AND IS NOT SAFE. THE TRANSMISSION BUILT FOR THIS VEHICLE IS VERY POOR CRAFTSMANSHIP AND NO RECALL WAS MADE. SEVERAL VEHICLES HAVE BEEN AFFECTED BY THE LACK OF QUALITY CONTROL AT FORD. *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 LINCOLN ZEPHYR. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 55 MPH, ALL OF THE INSTRUMENT PANEL WARNING INDICATORS BEGAN TO ILLUMINATE CONTINUOUSLY UNTIL THE ENGINE WAS TURNED OFF. IN ADDITION, THE GEAR LEVER FAILED TO SHIFT INTO REVERSE UNTIL AFTER SEVERAL ATTEMPTS WERE MADE BY THE CONTACT. T…
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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 LINCOLN ZEPHYR. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 55 MPH, ALL OF THE INSTRUMENT PANEL WARNING INDICATORS BEGAN TO ILLUMINATE CONTINUOUSLY UNTIL THE ENGINE WAS TURNED OFF. IN ADDITION, THE GEAR LEVER FAILED TO SHIFT INTO REVERSE UNTIL AFTER SEVERAL ATTEMPTS WERE MADE BY THE CONTACT. THE FAILURE RECURRED THREE TIMES. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE PROBLEM. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 124,000.
2006 LINCOLN ZEPHYR: TRANSMISSION BEGAN FAILING AT 35,000 MILES. EXTREMELY HARSH SHIFTING FROM SECOND TO THIRD GEAR. NO ACCELERATION WHEN DRIVING UPHILL CAUSES SAFETY HAZARD AS SPEED CANNOT BE MAINTAINED. EXTREMELY HARSH SHIFTING AND SOMETIMES UNABLE TO SHIFT GEARS AT ALL. FOUND A TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN PINPOINTING THE …
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2006 LINCOLN ZEPHYR: TRANSMISSION BEGAN FAILING AT 35,000 MILES. EXTREMELY HARSH SHIFTING FROM SECOND TO THIRD GEAR. NO ACCELERATION WHEN DRIVING UPHILL CAUSES SAFETY HAZARD AS SPEED CANNOT BE MAINTAINED. EXTREMELY HARSH SHIFTING AND SOMETIMES UNABLE TO SHIFT GEARS AT ALL. FOUND A TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN PINPOINTING THE PROBLEM TO A MAIN VALVE BODY DEFECT. FORD/LINCOLN DEALER IS REQUESTING A TOTAL TRANSMISSION REPLACEMENT WHICH COSTS OVER $4,000. *TR
Official recalls
421V158000 · Air Bags:frontal:driver Side:inflator Module
Mar 10, 2021
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 high absolute humidity, high temperatures, and high temperature cycling.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants, resulting in serious injury or death.
Remedy: 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 passenger side, and November 14, 2022 for the driver side. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 21S12.
19V904000 · Service Brakes, Hydraulic:antilock/traction Control/electronic Limited Slip:control Unit/module
Dec 18, 2019
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 close properly.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: If the valves do not properly close, additional brake pedal travel may be required to stop the vehicle, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy: 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 condition, replacing the HCU as necessary. All services will be performed free of charge. The recall began April 1, 2021. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 19S54.
17V024000 · Air Bags:frontal:passenger Side:inflator Module
Jan 10, 2017
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 Mariana Islands (Saipan), and the U.S. Virgin Islands, or "Zone A." Additionally, unless included in "Zone A" above, Ford is recalling certain 2009 Ford Ranger, Edge, Fusion and Mustang, Lincoln MKX, MKZ and Zephyr and Mercury Milan vehicles originally sold, or ever registered, in Arizona, Arkansas, Delaware, District of Columbia, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Maryland, Missouri, Nebraska, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Virginia and West Virginia, or "Zone B." Additionally, unless included in "Zone A" or "Zone B" above, Ford is recalling certain 2007-2008 Ford Ranger, Edge and Lincoln MKX, 2006-2008 Ford Fusion, Mercury Milan, Lincoln Zephyr and MKZ, 2005-2008 Ford Mustang and 2005-2006 Ford GT vehicles originally sold, or ever registered, in the states of Alaska, Colorado, Connecticut, Idaho, Iowa, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Montana, New Hampshire, New York, North Dakota, Oregon, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Utah, Vermont, Washington, Wisconsin and Wyoming. These vehicles are equipped with certain air bag inflators assembled as part of the passenger frontal air bag modules used as original equipment or replacement equipment. In the event of a crash necessitating deployment of the passenger frontal air bag, these inflators may rupture due to propellant degradation occurring after long-term exposure to absolute humidity and temperature cycling.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: An inflator rupture may result in metal fragments striking the vehicle occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
Remedy: 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 letters informing owners of the recall and that parts are not yet available began mailing March 1, 2017. Owners will receive a second notice when remedy parts become available. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 19S01.
16V384000 · Air Bags:frontal:passenger Side:inflator Module
May 31, 2016
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 registered, in Alabama, California, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Louisiana, Mississippi, South Carolina, Texas, Puerto Rico, American Samoa, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands (Saipan), and the U.S. Virgin Islands, or "Zone A." Additionally, unless included in "Zone A" above, Ford is recalling certain model year 2007-2008 Ford Ranger, Edge and Lincoln MKX vehicles, 2006-2008 Ford Fusion, Mercury Milan and Lincoln Zephyr/MKZ vehicles, 2005-2006 Ford GT vehicles and 2005-2008 Ford Mustang vehicles originally sold, or ever registered, in Arizona, Arkansas, Delaware, District of Columbia, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Maryland, Missouri, Nebraska, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Virginia, and West Virginia, or "Zone B." Any vehicle not included in "Zone A", or "Zone B" is not included in the safety recall. These vehicles are equipped with certain air bag inflators assembled as part of the passenger frontal air bag modules, and used as original equipment or replacement equipment. In the event of a crash necessitating deployment of the front air bags, these inflators may rupture due to propellant degradation occurring after long-term exposure to absolute humidity and temperature cycling.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: An inflator rupture may result in metal fragments striking the vehicle occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
Remedy: 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 mailed interim letters informing owners that parts are not yet available on July 15, 2016. Owners will receive a second notice when remedy parts become available. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 19S01.
Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗
NHTSA investigations
0No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.
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