DecodedCars2006 Mercury Milan
Trims, performance, features, fuel economy, safety and known problems — with the pros and cons against similar 2006 models.
- Class
- Midsize Cars
- Engines
- 2.3L 4-cyl, 3.0L 6-cyl
- Drivetrain
- Front-Wheel Drive
- Fuel
- Regular Gasoline
- MPG (best)
- 24 combined · 21 city / 29 hwy
- Length
- –
- Curb weight
- –
- NHTSA rating
- Not rated
- Recalls
- 4 campaigns
Pros & cons
What's good
- Excellent fuel economyUp to 24 MPG combined — 17% better than the average 2006 midsize car (20.5 MPG).
Watch out for
- Many owner complaints163 complaints filed with NHTSA versus about 44 for similar models — most often about the air bags.
- "Do not drive" recallCheck that the recall repair was done before buying or driving.
Calculated from EPA, NHTSA and vPIC data against 20 similar 2006 models — not a review. How we calculate this →
Overview
The 2006 Mercury Milan is a midsize car offered with 2 engines (2.3L 4-cyl and 3.0L 6-cyl) and front-wheel drive.
EPA rates its most efficient version at 24 MPG combined (21 city / 29 highway), 17% better than the 2006 midsize car average of 20.5 MPG, for an estimated $2,800 a year in fuel.
It has 4 recall campaigns on file and owners have filed 163 complaints with NHTSA since 2015, most often about the air bags.
Engines, MPG & running costs
| Version | Engine | Transmission | Drive | City / Hwy / Comb | vs. class | Fuel / yr | CO₂ g/mi |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Milan | 2.3L 4-cyl | Automatic 5-spd | Front-Wheel Drive | 21 / 29 / 24 | +17% | $2,800 | 370 |
| Milan | 2.3L 4-cyl | Manual 5-spd | Front-Wheel Drive | 20 / 28 / 23 | +12% | $2,900 | 386 |
| Milan | 3.0L 6-cyl | Automatic 6-spd | Front-Wheel Drive | 18 / 27 / 21 | +2% | $3,200 | 423 |
Spend $2,000Fuel over 5 years vs. average new car
20.5 MPG2006 Midsize Cars average
EPA estimates; "vs. class" is combined MPG against the 2006 EPA class average. How we calculate this →
Safety ratings & technology
NHTSA has not published 5-Star ratings for the 2006 Mercury Milan under the current (2011+) test program.
Similar 2006 midsize cars
| Model | Best MPG / range | NHTSA overall | Recalls |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006 Mercury Milan (this car) | 24 MPG | Not rated | 4 |
| 2006 Honda Accord | 26 MPG | Not rated | 9 |
| 2006 Toyota Camry | 25 MPG | Not rated | 4 |
| 2006 Toyota Prius | 46 MPG | Not rated | 3 |
| 2006 Hyundai Elantra | 26 MPG | Not rated | 0 |
| 2006 Chevrolet Malibu | 24 MPG | Not rated | 4 |
| 2006 Volkswagen Passat | 24 MPG | Not rated | 4 |
Recalls (4)
Safety advisory: 2 recalls for this model year carry a "Do Not Drive" or "Park Outside" warning. Check your VIN now.
Air Bags › Frontal › Driver Side › Inflator Module · Mar 10, 2021
NHTSA campaign 21V158000 · 2,602,668 vehicles
- Problem
- 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.
- Risk
- An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants, resulting in serious injury or death.
- Fix
- 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.
Service Brakes, Hydraulic › Antilock/Traction Control/Electronic Limited Slip › Control Unit/Module · Dec 18, 2019
NHTSA campaign 19V904000 · 600,166 vehicles
- Problem
- 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.
- Risk
- If the valves do not properly close, additional brake pedal travel may be required to stop the vehicle, increasing the risk of a crash.
- Fix
- 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.
Air Bags › Frontal › Passenger Side › Inflator Module · Jan 10, 2017 Do not drive
NHTSA campaign 17V024000 · 654,695 vehicles
- Problem
- 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.
- Risk
- An inflator rupture may result in metal fragments striking the vehicle occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
- Fix
- 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.
Air Bags › Frontal › Passenger Side › Inflator Module · May 31, 2016 Do not drive
NHTSA campaign 16V384000 · 1,892,343 vehicles
- Problem
- 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.
- Risk
- An inflator rupture may result in metal fragments striking the vehicle occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
- Fix
- 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.
Not every 2006 Mercury Milan is affected — only a VIN check confirms your car.
Owner-reported problems
163Complaints to NHTSA since 2015
6Involved a crash
0Involved a fire
4Injuries reported
89,000 miTypical mileage at failure
Unverified owner reports; best-sellers collect more.
Used 2006 Mercury Milan buyer's checklist
- Run the VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls. 4 recalls this year — ask for proof of repairs.
- Safety-critical recall. At least one recall carries a "Do Not Drive" or "Park Outside" warning. Do not buy until the VIN shows it was repaired.
- Air Bags — 128 owner reports. Confirm the airbag warning light turns off after start-up and any airbag recall was completed.
- Service Brakes — 13 owner reports. Brake firmly from speed; check for pulling, pulsing pedal or ABS warning light.
- Power Train — 10 owner reports. Test-drive through all gears, including reverse; note slipping, harsh or delayed shifts.
- Mileage to watch. Owners typically reported problems around 89,000 miles; ask what was repaired near that point.
- Before you pay: service records, a history report and an independent inspection.
Generated by DecodedCars from NHTSA recalls and owner complaints for the 2006 Mercury Milan. Not a substitute for a professional inspection.
Other Milan years
Compare all years →| Year | MPG (best) | Length | Overall | Recalls | Complaints |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2011 Milan | 38 | – | Not rated | 7 | 111 |
| 2010 Milan | 39 | – | Not rated | 11 | 598 |
| 2009 Milan | 23 | – | Not rated | 6 | 201 |
| 2008 Milan | 23 | – | Not rated | 4 | 404 |
| 2007 Milan | 23 | – | Not rated | 4 | 367 |
Sources: EPA, NHTSA, Transport Canada, Wikimedia Commons. Not affiliated with NHTSA, the EPA or Mercury. How we calculate this →