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2005 Mercury MontereyProblems, recalls & complaints

NHTSA has logged 119 owner complaints about the 2005 Mercury Monterey, most often about the power train. It is covered by 3 safety recalls.

2005 Mercury Monterey
50
CarFlaw IndexSolid year1.0× the Monterey median · #2 of 3 years by complaints
Safety recalls3Free fix at dealersOwner complaints1196 with a crash, fire or injuryTypical failure mileage70kPower train, median miles

Source: NHTSA complaints, recalls, investigations and manufacturer recall reports, through August 30, 2022. Updated daily. Photo: Cutlass, CC0.

Complaints by system

Where the 2005 Mercury Monterey has problems

119 complaints grouped by the system owners reported.

Box size = number of complaints naming that system. Darker = larger share. One complaint can name more than one system.
Complaints by system
SystemComplaintsCrash, fire or injury
Power train970
Structure81
Electrical system60
Engine50
Air bags33
Seats30
Service brakes, hydraulic20
Engine and engine cooling20
Suspension10
4 other systems40

Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation. Complaints are submitted by the public and are not verified by NHTSA.

3 recalls

2005 Mercury Monterey recalls and how many were fixed

Each ring shows the share of affected cars repaired, from the manufacturer’s latest quarterly report to NHTSA. Recall repairs are free at authorized dealers.

–no report yet

Seats

Recall 13V-081 · Mar 7, 2013 · 196,667 vehicles

Risk. In the event that the vehicle is crashed into from the rear, an unlatched seat may increase the risk of personal injury.

Problem, fix and repair progress →

–no report yet

Power train: automatic transmission

Recall 12V-006 · Jan 9, 2012 · 206,452 vehicles

Risk. THIS CONDITION RESULTS IN A SUDDEN LOSS OF MOTIVE POWER WITH NO WARNING, INCREASING THE RISK OF A CRASH.

Problem, fix and repair progress →

–no report yet

Body: hatchback/liftgate

Recall 06V-069 · Mar 9, 2006 · 12,728 vehicles

Risk. IN THE EVENT OF A LIFTGATE STRUT MALFUNCTION, THE LIFTGATE CAN FALL FREELY WITH NO PRIOR WARNING.

Problem, fix and repair progress →

Recalls apply to specific cars. To see whether a recall is still open on yours, enter the 17-character VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls or with Mercury.

Mileage at failure

When do power train problems start?

70kmiles, median

Based on the odometer reading in 87 power train complaints. 83% were reported before 100,000 miles.

median0k50k100k150k200k+
4under 30k miles72under 100k miles15100k miles or more
Owner-reported costs

What owners say repairs cost

Dollar amounts owners wrote in their complaints when describing a repair or a quote. These are not price estimates; a system is shown only when at least 8 owners mentioned a cost.

Power train

11 owners mentioned a cost

$1,829median

Middle half: $1,800 – $2,089

If a problem is covered by a recall, the dealer fixes it for free. Some manufacturers also reimburse owners who paid for a repair before a recall was announced.

Best & worst years

2005 vs. every other Monterey year

Bars show complaints per model year. Colors show the CarFlaw verdict: complaints weighted for crashes, fires and injuries, adjusted for years on the road and compared with the Monterey median. How we score

'72'73'74'04'05'06'07
  • Avoid
  • Caution
  • Solid
  • Best
  • Not rated
NHTSA crash tests

2005 Mercury Monterey safety ratings

2005 Mercury Monterey in NHTSA's New Car Assessment Program. Photos are from NHTSA's crash tests.

  • Stability control: Optional
  • Forward collision warning: No
  • Lane departure warning: No
6 investigations

NHTSA defect investigations

Federal investigations that included the 2005 Mercury Monterey, and the recalls they led to.

  1. Transmission Torque Converter FailureEA09016 · closed Feb 2, 2012
    Led to recall 12V-006
  2. Corrosion of Third-Row Seat AttachmentEA12003 · closed May 2, 2013
    Led to recall 13V-081
  3. Stabilus Rear Liftgate Struts FailingEQ12010 · closed Dec 31, 2012
    No recall
  4. TORQUE CONVERTER OUTPUT SHAFT FAILUREPE09033 · closed Nov 17, 2009
    No recall
  5. Engine StallingPE10033 · closed Jul 15, 2011
    No recall
  6. Service Jack FailurePE11033 · closed Dec 7, 2012
    No recall
In owners' words

What Monterey owners report

Recent power train complaints filed with NHTSA, shortened. Personal details are removed.

The contact's fiancée owns a 2005 Mercury Monterey. The contact stated while his fiancée was driving at an undisclosed speed, the accelerator pedal was depressed and the vehicle failed to respond and inadvertently stopped. The contact’s fiancée pushed the vehicle over the third of a mile by herself…
Complaint 11482079 · Aug 30, 2022 · 95,357 miles
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 MERCURY MONTEREY. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE SLOWING DOWN THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT ACCELERATE WHEN PRESSING THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL AND WHILE SWITCHING GEARS THE VEHICLE WOULD LUNGE FORWARD. THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE WAS NOT DETERMINED. THE MANUFACTURER AND THE LOCAL DEALER…
Complaint 11307746 · Feb 7, 2020 · 124,000 miles
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 MERCURY MONTEREY. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE SERVICE ENGINE WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED WHILE SHIFTING FROM PARK INTO REVERSE. IN ADDITION, THE VEHICLE LOST POWER WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS UNABLE TO BE DRIVEN. RIVERTOWN FORD (1680 WHITTLESEY RD, COLUMBUS, GA…
Complaint 11155166 · Nov 30, 2018

Own a 2005 Monterey?

Decode your VIN to see the recalls for your exact car, then confirm open recalls with NHTSA.