FordExpedition2006Overview/ford/expedition/2006/base/

2006 Ford Expedition

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

Body SUVTransmission Automatic 4-spd

The 2006 Ford Expedition is a full‑size SUV that runs on a 7.0‑quart engine oil regimen using 5W‑20 API‑rated oil, paired with an automatic 4‑speed transmission and delivering EPA ratings of 12/17/14 mpg city/highway/combined. In this model year the vehicle recorded 299 owner complaints, the most frequent concern being engine and engine‑cooling issues, and it was subject to six recalls. Within the broader 1991‑2027 Expedition lineage, 2006 sits well below the peak complaint year of 1999 (1,007 complaints) and above the inaugural 1991 model’s single complaint, indicating a moderate reliability profile that reflects the platform’s gradual improvement over time.

Model year202520242023202120202019201820172006

Quick specs

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

Engine oil capacity7.0 qtOEM · verified
Engine oil type5W-20 APIOEM · verified
EPA fuel economy12/17/14 mpgEPA · verified

Fitment & sizes

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

From the factory this vehicle uses a BCI 65 · 650 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 65 · 650 CCAOEM · verified
Tire size265-70R17OEM · verified

Full specifications

Engine, drivetrain, dimensions and economy.

Engine & drivetrain NHTSA vPIC

TransmissionAutomatic 4-spd

Dimensions & weight NHTSA vPIC

Overall length203.9 in
Overall width78.7 in
Overall height77.6 in
Wheelbase117.7 in
Curb weight5564 lb
Track (front / rear)66.9 / 66.9 in
Weight distribution (front / rear)50/50

Ratings & economy EPA / vPIC

EPA city / highway / combined12 / 17 / 14 mpg
DrivetrainRear-Wheel Drive
Recommended fuelRegular Gasoline

Performance & power Independent road tests

0–60 mph, quarter-mile, horsepower and torque from independent road tests.

Independent road tests for the Expedition of this era, listed by trim and engine — this page spans more than one engine, so no single horsepower figure is shown.

9.4 sec0–60 mph (tested)quickest 9.40 sec — 2006 King Ranch
YearTrim / engine0–60¼ mileHPDrivetrain
2006King Ranch 5.4L V89.40 sec16.90 sec300 hp4x4
2004XLT 5.4L V88.60 sec16.50 sec260 hp4x4
2004XLT NBX 5.4L V89.60 sec16.91 sec260 hp4x4

Service quick specs OEM factory data

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

This engine holds 7.0 qt of 5W-20 API engine oil, SYNTHETIC · 75W-140 · GL-5 in the differential, DOT 3 brake fluid. Torque the oil drain plug to 10.0 ft-lbs. The firing order is 1-3-7-2-6-5-4-8. 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 FluidATF
Automatic Transmission Fluid Capacity5
Brake FluidDOT 4
Brake FluidDOT 3
Differential Gear OilSYNTHETIC · 75W-140 · GL-5
Differential Gear Oil Capacity4.2 Pints, Rear
Engine Oil5W-20 · API
Engine Oil Capacity7.0 qt

Engine torques

Camshaft Bearing/Carrier Cap Bolts or Studs7.4 ft-lbs
Exhaust Manifold to Cylinder Head Bolts18 ft-lbs
Engine Oil Pan Drain Plug10.0 ft-lbs
Oil Pump to Cylinder BLock Bolts/Studs7 ft-lbs

Chassis torques

Transfer Case Fill Plug11.0 ft-lbs
Transfer Case Drain Plug11.0 ft-lbs
Rear Wheel Hub258 ft-lbs
Front Wheel Hub20 ft-lbs
Rear Wheel Hub254 ft-lbs

Ignition

Cylinder Firing Order1-3-7-2-6-5-4-8
Ignition Timing10

Battery & A/C

RefrigerantR134a
Refrigerant CapacityLess auxiliary A/C, 2.50. With auxiliary A/C, 3.62. lbs
Oil GroupPAG
Oil Type46
Oil CapacityLess auxiliary A/C, 9.00. With auxiliary A/C, 14.00. oz
Standard BCI Group Number65
Standard BCI Cranking Performance650 cca

Service checks

Pressure Test18-20 psi
Thermostat Opening Temperature180-207 °F
Key ON Engine OFF (KOEO)35-45
RPM28-45 @ Idle rpm
Injector Primary Resistance11-18 na ohms
Engine Oil Pressure40-125 psi
Engine Oil Pressure RPM2500 rpm
Intake Valve LashHydraulic in

Brakes

Torque Caliper to Bracket26 ft-lbs / 41 ft-lbs
Torque to Knuckle140 ft-lbs / 148 ft-lbs
Rotor Max Parallel Variation0.0003 in / 0.0004 in
Rotor Runout Limit0.002 in
Rotor Minimum Machining1.087 in / 0.77 in
Rotor Discard at or Under1.063 in / 0.748 in

Multi-step torque procedures OEM · verified

Connecting Rod (Large End) Bearings — tightening sequence 1 stages
132 ft. lbs., Step 2: 10532 ft. lbs
Cylinder Head — tightening sequence 3 stages
130 ft. lbs.30 ft. lbs
290 degrees90 degrees
390
Engine Flywheel Bolts — tightening sequence 1 stages
115 ft. lbs., Step 2: 5915 ft. lbs
Intake Manifold to Engine Bolts — tightening sequence 1 stages
13.6 ft. lbs., step 2: 7.43.6 ft. lbs

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) · Driveshaft U-Joint (inspect) · Engine Coolant System Hoses (inspect) · Steering Linkage (inspect) · Suspension Ball Joint (inspect)
Every 30,000 miEngine Air Filter Element (replace) · Exhaust System (Complete) (inspect) · Fuel Filter (replace)
Every 50,000 miEngine Coolant System (drain, flush & refill)
Every 60,000 miWheel Bearing (repack)
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 Axle Assembly (drain & refill) · Drive Belt (replace) · Transfer Case Assembly (drain & refill) · Transmission Fluid & Filter (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 model year represents a stabilization point in the Expedition’s federal record, sitting at the tail end of a steep decline from the high-volume complaint era of 1997-2001 and following the 2003 spike of 655 complaints. With 299 complaints, six recalls, and 33 TSBs, 2006 shows modest improvement over 2005’s 315 complaints and five recalls, while technical service bulletins dropped sharply from 67 to 33, and 2007 continued the downward trend to 215 complaints and just two recalls. Engine-related categories dominate the 2006 dataset, accounting for 115 of the 299 total complaints split between “Engine & Engine Cooling” (58) and “Engine” (57), with structure and vehicle speed control each contributing 14, though the data does not specify root causes. The year recorded 19 crash-related and six fire-related complaints, placing it within the lower-risk spectrum of this generation. Given its position on the downslope of complaint volume and recall activity relative to the problematic early years, 2006 emerges as a relatively mature and statistically safer choice within this production run, making it a recommendable year for a used purchase provided engine cooling systems are thoroughly inspected.

6
Open recalls
NHTSA campaigns
33
Service bulletins
Manufacturer communications
1
ODI investigations
Office of Defects Investigation
299
Owner complaints
19 involved a crash · 6 a fire
NHTSA crash-test rating federal NCAP · out of 5 stars
Rollover★★★★

Owner complaints filed with NHTSA, by component

All 299 complaints on record, top 8 components.

Engine & Engine Cooling58
Engine57
Structure14
Vehicle Speed Control14
Unknown Or Other11
Air Bags10
Power Train10
Electrical System10

Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint database.

Recalls NHTSA · verified

Showing 2 of 6 campaigns on record for this vehicle.

06E064000Exterior LightingReported 17/07/2006

CERTAIN TRADESONIC COMBINATION LAMPS SOLD AS REPLACEMENT LAMPS FOR USE ON THE ABOVE LISTED PASSENGER VEHICLES. COMBINATION LAMPS NOT EQUIPPED WITH AMBER SIDE REFLECTORS FAIL TO CONFORM WITH THE REQUIREMENTS OF FEDERAL… Remedy: TRADESONIC WILL NOTIFY OWNERS AND REPLACE THE LAMPS FREE OF CHARGE. THE RECALL IS EXPECTED TO BEGIN DURING JULY 2006. OWNERS MAY CONTACT TRADESONIC AT 626-934-8884.

09E012000Exterior LightingReported 07/04/2009

SABERSPORT IS RECALLING 16,270 COMBINATION CORNER AND BUMPER LAMP ASSEMBLIES OF VARIOUS PART NUMBERS SOLD FOR USE AS AFTERMARKET EQUIPMENT FOR VARIOUS PASSENGER VEHICLES. THESE HEADLAMPS FAIL TO CONFORM TO THE… Remedy: SABERSPORT WILL NOTIFY OWNERS AND OFFER A FULL REFUND FOR THE NONCOMPLIANT COMBINATION LAMPS. THE SAFETY RECALL BEGAN ON MAY 11, 2009. OWNERS MAY CONTACT SABERSPORT AT…

Technical service bulletins NHTSA · verified

Showing 5 of 33 bulletins on record with NHTSA.

BulletinDateComponentSummary
TSB 24-21882024-07-24WheelsThis article supersedes TSB 22-2219 to update the Parts List and Service Procedure to…
SSM 515362023-04-04StructureFor 2000-2024 Ford and Lincoln vehicles, swapping a module from a vehicle for diagnosis…
TSB 22-22192022-06-21Power TrainSome 2003-2020 Expedition/Navigator and 2006-2020 F-150 (non-Raptor) vehicles equipped…
TSB 20-23072020-10-16Electrical SystemSome 2003-2020 Expedition/Navigator and 2006-2020 F-150 vehicles equipped with TOD…
TSB 20-22332020-07-13StructureThis article supersedes TSB 19-2026 to update the vehicle model years affected. Some 2000…

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 Expedition. 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 Expedition take?

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

Does the 2006 Expedition have open recalls?

NHTSA lists 6 recall campaign(s) for this model year. Check your specific vehicle by VIN.

What gas mileage does the Expedition get?

EPA figures are 12 city / 17 highway / 14 combined mpg.