2006 Lincoln Zephyr problems & reliability
229 owner complaints filed with NHTSA for the 2006 Lincoln Zephyr, alongside 4 safety recall campaigns. Last verified Aug 7, 2026. Complaints are unverified reports submitted by owners to the federal Office of Defects Investigation.
Each complaint is counted once (by NHTSA case number), even when it names several vehicles.
8 complaints report injuries (12 injured).
Federal crash records (FARS 2020–2023): 2006 Lincoln Zephyr vehicles were involved in 21 fatal crashes with 14 occupant deaths. Involvement counts are not adjusted for how many are on the road and do not imply fault or a vehicle defect.
Most reported problems
| Component | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Air Bags | 142 | 62% |
| Wheels | 26 | 11% |
| Structure | 13 | 6% |
| Electrical System | 11 | 5% |
| Power Train | 11 | 5% |
| Service Brakes | 10 | 4% |
| Unknown OR Other | 10 | 4% |
| Engine | 9 | 4% |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 9 | 4% |
| Tires | 6 | 3% |
Component groups as classified by NHTSA. A complaint can name more than one component, so shares may sum to more than 100%.
Common symptoms owners describe
Keyword analysis of complaint narratives; one complaint can describe several symptoms.
Mileage when problems occurred
Half of the failures with a reported odometer reading occurred by 82,000 miles (middle 50% between 58,250 and 112,250 miles), based on 90 complaints that included mileage.
Complaints by incident year
What owners report
“I tool my car in for a recall, they said they could not fix the recall cux it was too rusted. They said the wouldn't even put it on a lift cuz of the rust, however it was just on a lift a week ago at an auto shop. Also when I dropped off my car the air conditioner blower worked, I go to pick it up and turn it on and…”
Service Brakes · filed Aug 20, 2024
“The airbag sensor light is indicating a sensor needs replacement. I have replaced airbags on both the driver and passenger side due to recall. Diagnostics state it is the sensor, passenger side. I have attempted to have repaired, and after 5 weeks and 4 mechanics, no one can seem to get the new sensor to connect to…”
Air Bags · filed Mar 8, 2023
“The contact owns a 2006 Lincoln Zephyr. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 19V904000 (Service Brakes, Hydraulic) however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The dealer…”
Service Brakes, Hydraulic · filed Nov 7, 2022
Verbatim excerpts from complaints filed with NHTSA. Reports are not independently verified.
Technical service bulletins
18 manufacturer communications (TSBs, service campaigns, warranty extensions) are on file with NHTSA for the 2006 Lincoln Zephyr. The 10 most recent:
Certain 2005-2014 Mustang, 2005-2006 GT, 2004-2011 Ranger, 2006-2012 Fusion and MKZ/Zephyr, 2006-2011 Milan, and 2007-2010 Edge & MKX Vehicles Driver & Passenger Airbag Module Quality Control Inspection REASON FOR THIS…
22B05 S1 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Jul 27, 2023
Certain 2005-2014 Mustang, 2005-2006 GT, 2004-2011 Ranger, 2006-2012 Fusion & MKZ/Zephyr, 2006-2011 Milan, and 2007-2010 Edge & MKX Vehicles Driver & Passenger Airbag Module Quality Control Inspection: Ford Motor…
22B05 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Mar 28, 2022
Certain 2006-2010 Model Year Fusion/Milan/MKZ/Zephyr Vehicles Equipped with Anti-Lock Brake Systems DOT 3 Brake Fluid and Anti-Lock Brake System Function In some of the affected vehicles, customers may return to the…
21N11-S3 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Dec 7, 2021
Certain 2006-2008 Model Year Fusion and Milan, 2006 Zephyr, 2007-2008 MKZ and 2007-2008 Edge, MKX and Ranger Vehicles - Driver Airbag Inflator Replacement
17B23-S1 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Jan 8, 2018
Certain 2006-2008 Model Year Fusion and Milan, 2006 Zephyr, 2007-2008 MKZ and 2007-2008 Edge, MKX and Ranger Vehicles - Driver Airbag Inflator Replacement
17B23-S1 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Jan 8, 2018
Certain 2006-2008 Model Year Fusion and Milan, 2006 Zephyr, 2007-2008 MKZ and 2007-2008 Edge, MKX and Ranger Vehicles - Driver Airbag Inflator Replacement
17B23 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Oct 11, 2017
The Powertrain Control/Emissions Diagnosis (PC/ED) manual has been revised for diagnosing electronic throttle bodies (ETBs). The ETC_ACT and ETC_DSD PIDs should not used to diagnose possible ETB concerns. The IDS has a…
SSM 46085 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Sep 21, 2016
Ford/lincoln/mercury: some vehicles, with diagnostic codes (dtcs) p0351, p0352, p0353, p0354, p0355, may experience a malfunction indicator lamp in the powertrain control module (pcm) and one or more coil on plug(s)…
TSB-13-4-17 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Apr 24, 2013
Ford/lincoln/mercury: may have sludge buildup in throttle body leading to less airflow or engine idling rpm fluctuation and hard starts or battery disconnect or dead battery after keep alive memory (kam) clear. Models…
TSB-12-8-1 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Aug 1, 2012
Power steering fluid leaks from steering rack and pump attachment joints. *kb updated 2/27/08. *nj
0713 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Dec 1, 2007
TSBs are repair guidance manufacturers send to dealers — they are not recalls and repairs are not automatically free. Full documents are available on NHTSA’s site.
Safety recalls
The 2006 Lincoln Zephyr has 4 NHTSA recall campaigns — recall repairs are free at franchised dealers regardless of the vehicle’s age.
Check whether your specific vehicle is affected
Recall campaigns often cover only certain VIN ranges. Enter your VIN on the official NHTSA site to confirm whether your vehicle is included and whether the repair is still open.
Check VIN on NHTSA →Buying a used 2006 Lincoln Zephyr?
- · Decode the seller’s VIN with our free VIN decoder to confirm the exact year, engine and trim.
- · Check for unrepaired recalls by VIN on NHTSA’s official lookup — recall repairs are free.
- · Owners most often reported problems around 82,000 miles — budget accordingly if the car is approaching that mileage.