Mercury Montego Reliability by YearBest & worst years, problems & recalls — NHTSA data
Comparing used Mercury Montego options? We analyzed 3 model years (2005–2007) using real NHTSA complaint and recall data so you can spot stronger years, avoid riskier ones, and know what to inspect before buying.
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Model-year trends show patterns — they can't tell you whether this car was crashed, flooded, or rolled back. A VIN check can.
- Accident & damage history
- Odometer rollback records
- Open recalls & title brands
Based on NHTSA complaint data, the Mercury Montego has 256 owner complaints and 3 safety recalls across model years 2005–2007. The most reported issue area is POWER TRAIN. 2005 drew the most complaints; 2007 drew the fewest.
- Make
- Mercury
- Model
- Montego
- Model years analyzed
- 2005–2007 (3 years)
- Total NHTSA complaints
- 256
- Safety recall campaigns
- 3
- Crash-related complaints
- 16
- Fire-related complaints
- 3
- Worst model year (by complaints)
- 2005 (135 complaints)
- Best model year (fewest complaints)
- 2007 (36 complaints)
- Top reported issue area
- POWER TRAIN
- Reliability signal
- Poor
By model year
Mercury Montego: which years to avoid & which to buy
Based on total NHTSA owner complaints per model year. Higher complaint counts indicate a riskier year to buy used — lower counts suggest a cleaner reliability record.
These years have the most owner complaints. Inspect carefully and always run a VIN check.
These years have the fewest owner complaints on record — lower risk starting points.
Crash test ratings
NHTSA NCAP crash test ratings
New Car Assessment ProgramNCAP crash tests measure how well a vehicle protects occupants in controlled frontal crash, side crash, and rollover scenarios. Stars are awarded per category (5 = safest). These laboratory results are independent of owner complaints and are performed by NHTSA engineers on new production vehicles.
Source: nhtsa.gov/ratings
What the complaint data suggests
PoorThe MERCURY MONTEGO has 256 NHTSA complaints and 3 recalls on record. 16 complaints involve crash-related incidents. This data reflects owner-reported issues submitted to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
- 256 total complaints filed with NHTSA
- 3 federal recall campaigns
- 16 crash-related complaints on record
- Review NHTSA complaint history for the most-reported components
- Check recall completion status at nhtsa.gov/recalls
- Verify service records for frequently complained components
Consult the by-year breakdown to identify model years with elevated complaint rates.
Consult the by-year breakdown to identify model years with fewer reported issues.
- Run a VIN check on the specific vehicle you are considering
- Verify all open recalls are completed at nhtsa.gov/recalls
- Request service records for the most-reported complaint components
- Have a certified mechanic inspect the vehicle before purchase
Problems by model year (best vs. worst)
Source: NHTSA public complaints database. Updated: Sep 2026
Safety recalls
NHTSA safety recalls
3 recalls foundSafety recalls are mandatory repair campaigns ordered by NHTSA when a vehicle defect poses an unreasonable risk to safety. Manufacturers are required to fix recalled vehicles free of charge. Always verify open recalls before buying a used car.
LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES:DOORS:LATCH
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:STORAGE:TANK ASSEMBLY:MOUNTING
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:STORAGE:TANK ASSEMBLY:FILLER PIPE AND CAP
Source: NHTSA Recalls Database. Data covers model years 2005–2007. Always run a VIN-specific check below for the most up-to-date open recall status.
Common problems
What goes wrong most often
The vehicle systems owners complain about most, ranked from all 256 NHTSA complaints — these are the areas to inspect first on a used car.
Owner complaints
NHTSA complaint reports
256 totalThese are consumer-submitted safety complaints filed directly with NHTSA. Each complaint describes a real owner's experience. Complaints flagged as crash-related or fire-related are highlighted.
The throttle body on the 2006 Mercury Montego SHOULD HAVE been recalled just like the 2007 Mercury Montego that I owned previously was recalled. It has the SAME EXACT problem! The throttle is VERY DANGEROUS as it dumps fuel without me touching the gas pedal. I have already almost killed a pedestrian! Please help! I cannot afford to fix the car and I don't want to hurt anyone. Thank You , [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
The contact owns a 2006 Mercury Montego. The contact stated that while parallel parking, the vehicle independently accelerated and lunged forward. There were no warning lights illuminated. The contact stated that the failure was due to the throttle body. The local dealer was not contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not contacted. The failure mileage was approximately 80,000.
The contact owns a 2006 Mercury Montego. The contact stated that while driving at slow speeds and attempting to depress the accelerator pedal, the vehicle was jerking and shuddering. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired by an independent mechanic or local dealer. A local dealer was contacted and confirmed that the VIN was not under recall. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and referred contact to the NHTSA Hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was approximately 184,000.
Drivers side rear toe bracket broke off the rear subframe. Rear subframe totally rusted through.
The throttle control transmission has failed me several times when I’m on the road. Thankfully it’s only left me stranded on the side of the freeway once but has made me stop during oncoming traffic several times. The wrench light comes on when the vehicle decelerates and I’m unable to accelerate. Once the steering wheel even locked. This happens at random times but because the code is pending mechanics can’t seem to find the issue. This has happened dozens of time where it just stops suddenly while driving. I am concerned for the safety of me and my family when driving this vehicle. Please get this issue resolved!
MY CAR GOES INTO LIMP MODE WHEN THE CRUISE IS SET AND IT APPROACHES ANY INCLINE.
Read 14 more owner reports
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 MERCURY MONTEGO. THE CONTACT STATED THAT IT TOOK MULTIPLE ATTEMPTS TO START THE VEHICLE. WHILE DRIVING 34 MPH, THE VEHICLE STALLED. WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS RESTARTED, THE ENTIRE INSTRUMENT PANEL ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO DETERMINED THAT THE VEHICLE'S WIRING WAS NOT INSTALLED CORRECTLY. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO A DEALER FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING OR REPAIRS. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VIN AND FAILURE MILEAGE WERE UNKNOWN.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 MERCURY MONTEGO. WHILE DRIVING WITH THE CRUISE CONTROL ACTIVATED, THE CONTACT DEPRESSED THE BRAKE PEDAL TO SLOW DOWN, BUT THE VEHICLE FAILED TO STOP. THE BRAKE PEDAL TRAVELED TO THE FLOORBOARD WHEN IT WAS DEPRESSED AND THE VEHICLE FELT AS IF THE VEHICLE WERE ACCELERATING. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS OUT OF CONTROL. THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO PULL THE VEHICLE OVER AT 60-65 MPH AND QUICKLY POWERED OFF THE ENGINE. WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS IN NEUTRAL, THE CONTACT RESTARTED THE VEHICLE AND IT OPERATED NORMALLY. THERE WERE NO WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO A DEALER OR INDEPENDENT MECHANIC FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING OR REPAIRS. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 82,300.
WHILE TRAVELING DOWN THE ROAD THE LIGHTS WENT OUT IN THE CAR QUIT RUNNING AT 60 MILES PER HOUR WAS ALMOST REAR-ENDED KNOCKED UP STEERING WHEEL ENDED UP IN THE DITCH. HAD A NEW ALTERNATOR PUT ON TWICE A BRAND NEW BATTERY HAD ALL THE FUSES CHECKED EVERYTHING REDONE 4 WEEKS LATER SAME THING ALL OVER AGAIN ELECTRICAL PROBLEM WITH YOUR CAR, THIS TIME BEING MORE ALERT OF IT I WAS ABLE TO PULL OVER AND SAVE MYSELF FROM ANOTHER BAD CAR ACCIDENT THERE'S A PROBLEM WITH YOUR ELECTRICAL IN THIS CAR IT'S GOING TO KILL SOMEBODY IT HAS COST ME OVER $3,000 AND NOW IT'S DOING IT AGAIN, HUH COMPLAINTS ABOUT THIS I AM REPORTING IT SOMETHING NEEDS TO BE DONE
... WE OWN A MERCURY MONTEGO 2006 TWO WHEEL DRIVE V6, FIRST TIME WE. BOUGHT IT FROM A USED CAR DEALERSHIP I TOOK IT HOME IT DROVE FINE AT THE TIME IT HAD 80000 MILES ON IT WENT TO MY DAUGHTER'S AT NIGHT WAS COMING HOME ALL THE BELLS AND WHISTLES OF THE CAR WENT OFF ACTED LIKE IT WAS POSSESSED SCARED ME TO DEATH I PULLED OVER SHUT THE CAR OFF BACK ON AND WENT DOWN THE ROAD FINE, WHEN I GOT HOME AND PARK THE CAR THE CAR STARTED TO ACCELERATE HEADED RIGHT TO OUR HOUSE, I PUT BOTH MY FEET ON THE BRAKE TO STOP CAR FROM MOVING FORWARD THREW IT INTO PARK, THERE IS DEFINITELY A PROBLEM WITH THIS CAR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNED A 2006 MERCURY MONTEGO. WHILE DRIVING 35 MPH, THE VEHICLE IN FRONT SUDDENLY STOPPED AND CAUSED IT TO BE REAR ENDED BY THE CONTACT'S VEHICLE. THE AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY. THERE WERE NO WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED PRIOR TO THE COLLISION. THE CONTACT SUSTAINED CHEST PAINS, BUT NO MEDICAL ATTENTION WAS REQUIRED. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A TOW LOT AND DEEMED A TOTAL LOSS. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INSPECTED BY AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC OR DEALER FOR AIR BAG FAILURE DETERMINATION. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN.
I HAVE OWNED THIS CAR FOR 4 YEARS. I STILL OWE MORE THAN ITS WORTH. MY 3RD TRANSMISSION JUST WENT OUT THIS MORNING! CVT TRANSMISSIONS ARE GARBAGE. I WAS QUOTED 6000 FOR ANOTHER USED TRANSMISSION. 4 TRANSMISSIONS IN 4 YEARS IS INSANE!
ELECTRONIC THROTTLE SHOULD BE A RECALL VS A CUSTOMER CARE ITEM. THIS IS BS AND FORD KNOWS THAT IT SHOULD BE. I HAVEN'T HAD MY CAR 3 YRS YET, PURCHASED PRE OWNED AND IT JUST HIT 10 YRS AND IS 186,000 MILES AND NEEDED TO BE UNDER 150,000 FOR THEM TO FIX. IT JUST STARTED DOING THIS AND I REPLACED ALTERNATOR 3 TIMES THINK THIS WAS THE ISSUE. FORD NEED TO STOP THINKING OF THEIR BOTTOM LINE AND TAKE CARE OF THEIR CUSTOMERS. I PURCHASED THIS CARE AFTER I WAS IN A AWFUL CAR ACCIDENT (NO FAULT OF MY OWN) THAT LEFT ME WITH A MESSED UP SCIATIC NERVE FOR REST OF MY LIFE. I PURCHASED THIS CAR AS I WAS TOLD NO ISSUE OR RECALLS AND IT SERVED MY NEEDS. BOY WAS I LIED TO. I WAS ALMOST KILLED YESTERDAY DRIVING THIS CAR DUE TO THE POWER LOSS IN MIDDLE OF DRIVING. I NEED THIS REPAIRED ASAP AS THIS IS MY ONLY TRANSPORTATION AND A KNOWN ISSUE.
MY CAR HAS A ISSUE WITH ELECTRONIC THROTTLE, I CALLED AND WAS TOLD SORRY YOUR 189,000 IS OVER 150,000 LIMIT TO BE REPAIRED. I HAVEN'T HAD THE CAR FOR 3 YEARS YET. THIS SHOULD BE A RECALL VS A CUSTOMER CARE ISSUE. I DROVE TO MY SON'S ON MONDAY AND CAR LOSS POWER A TOTAL OF 14 TIMES IN A 2 HR DRIVE. I WAS IN HEAVY TRAFFIC. SEEMS TO ME FORD CARES MORE ABOUT THEIR BOTTOM LINE THEN THEIR CUSTOMERS LIVES. I WAS ALMOST HIT SEVERAL TIMES. I HAVE HAD IT IN THE SHOP AND THE ALTERNATOR REPLACED 3 TIMES, WITH THEM THINKING THIS IS THE ISSUE ONE BEING REPLACED YESTERDAY AFTER THE ONE BEFORE HAND ONLY BEEN ON THEIR A LITTLE OVER A MONTH. COME TO FIND OUT FORD KNOWS ABOUT THE ISSUE WITH THEIR ELECTRONIC THROTTLES ON VEHICLES FROM 2002 AND UP TO DATE. THIS IS VERY BAD BUSINESS AND I HAD PURCHASED THIS CAR DUE TO A ACCIDENT I WAS IN (NO FAULT TO MY OWN) AND I HAVE A PERMANENT DISABILITY OF A MESSED UP SCIATIC NERVE. I WAS TOLD NO ISSUE, BOY WAS I LIED TO. THIS NEEDS TO BE FIXED AND ASAP AFTER I HAVE SPENT SO MUCH IN REPAIRS ALREADY TO FIND OUT THAT WASN'T EVEN THE ISSUE. FORD NEEDS TO STEP UP BEFORE SOMEONE DIES OVER THE NEGLIGENT OF THE ELECTRONIC THROTTLE. I WOULD LIKE TO HEAR FROM FORD ON WHAT THEY ARE GOING TO DO ABOUT MY VEHICLE. ALSO THE WRENCH LIGHT COMES ON THE ENGINE LIGHT WHEN IT GOES INTO LOSS OF POWER. WHEN IN TRAFFIC, IT'S HARD TO GET OFF THE ROAD STATELY WHEN YOUR CAR LOOSES POWER.
TRANSMISSION FAILED WITH 50900 MILES ON THE ODOMETER. COMPLETE REBUILD WAS NECESSARY FOR CAR TO FUNCTION PROPERLY. NEW TORQUE CONVERTER, VALVE BODY, TWO COMPUTER MODULES. SHOP OWNER SAID HE HAS SEEN MANY OF THESE TRANSMISSIONS FAIL AND FORD SHOULD ISSUE A RECALL/CAMPAIGN.
WRENCH LIGHT COMES ON, CAR SPITS AND SPUTTERS AND DIES. AFTER RESTARTITBE CAR, LIGHT IS OFF. HAPPENS MULTIPLE TIMES A WEEK. CAR WILL NOT DRIVE WITHOUT RESTART.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 MERCURY MONTEGO. WHILE DRIVING 50 MPH UP AN INCLINE, THE VEHICLE JERKED. AS THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED, THE VEHICLE FAILED TO ACCELERATE AND THE CHECK ENGINE WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE FAILURE RECURRED ON NUMEROUS OCCASIONS. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER WHO DIAGNOSED THAT THE VALVE BODY NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 120,000.
WHEN ACCELERATING SUDDENLY THE VEHICLE WOULD JUST SHIFT OUT OF GEAR, MAKE A LOUD CLUNKING NOISE AND VIOLENTLY THRUST FORWARD AND THEN BACK. IT HAPPENS A LOT WHEN TRYING TO ACCELERATE ONTO A HIGHWAY. IT IS VERY SCARY FEELING. IT IS A SUDDEN JOLT. WHEN WE TOOK THE CAR TO THE DEALERSHIP THE REPAIRMAN SAID HAS SEEN A LOT OF THE HARSH SHIFTING FAILURE WITH THE TRANSMISSION WITH THE MONTEGO.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 MERCURY MONTEGO. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 35 MPH, THE TRANSMISSION FAILED WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 12V006000 (POWER TRAIN). THE MANUFACTURER WA NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 80,000.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 MERCURY MONTEGO. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 50 MPH, THE ENGINE SUDDENLY MALFUNCTIONED AND SHUT OFF. DURING THE INCIDENT, THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ILLUMINATED AND THE ENGINE FAILURE MESSAGE WAS DISPLAYED. AFTER RESTARTING THE ENGINE, THE VEHICLE OPERATED AS NORMAL. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHO DIAGNOSED THAT THE THROTTLE BODY WAS FAULTY AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 85,600.
Showing 20 of 256 total NHTSA complaints. Source: NHTSA Complaints Database
Check the exact car
Before you buy, check the exact Mercury Montego
These pages show model-year patterns across 3 years. Enter a VIN to verify the exact vehicle's accident history, title brands, odometer records, and open recall status before purchase.
The basics
How to read this data
Complaints, recalls, investigations — here’s what each number actually tells you about a used Mercury Montego, in plain English.
What is an NHTSA Complaint?
An NHTSA safety complaint is a report filed directly by a vehicle owner or driver describing a safety-related issue. Anyone can submit a complaint at NHTSA.gov. The number of complaints is a signal of how common a problem is — but complaints per model-year matter more than raw totals, since popular vehicles naturally receive more reports. The Mercury Montego has 256 complaints on record across 3 model years.
What is a Safety Recall?
A safety recall is a mandatory campaign issued by NHTSA when a vehicle component poses an unreasonable risk to safety or does not comply with federal motor vehicle safety standards. Unlike complaints (which are owner-reported), recalls are formally investigated and confirmed by regulators. Manufacturers must fix recalled vehicles free of charge. The Mercury Montego has 3 recall campaigns in the NHTSA database.
What Are Crash Complaints?
Crash complaints are NHTSA filings where the owner indicates a crash occurred as part of the incident. 16 of the Mercury Montego's 256 complaints involved a crash. This metric is particularly important because it indicates how often defects resulted in actual collisions — a key safety signal beyond general reliability.
How Is the Reliability Verdict Calculated?
The reliability verdict (Poor) is generated by analyzing the vehicle's total complaints, recall history, crash complaint ratio, fire complaint ratio, and top component failures relative to class averages. This verdict gives buyers a quick interpretation before they review year-level details and VIN-level history. It should be treated as one decision input, not a substitute for a VIN-specific report.
Why Do Newer Years Have Fewer Complaints?
Newer model years appear to have fewer complaints because there has been less time for owners to file them. Complaints accumulate over years of ownership. A 2020 model year vehicle will typically show fewer complaints than a 2015 model year even if it is less reliable — simply because fewer owners have had time to report issues. Focus on complaints per year of market presence when comparing across model years.
Fleet Data vs. Individual VIN
Everything on this page reflects aggregated data across all Mercury Montego vehicles on the road — not any specific car. Two Mercury Montego vehicles of the same year can have very different histories: one may have been in three accidents and have an open recall; another may be clean. A VIN check gives you the individual car's history: accidents, title brands, odometer records, service history, and real-time recall status.
What Are NHTSA Investigations?
When NHTSA receives a pattern of related safety complaints, it opens a formal investigation. A Preliminary Evaluation (PE) is the first stage — NHTSA determines if a safety defect may exist. If evidence is strong, it escalates to an Engineering Analysis (EA), which can result in a mandatory recall. The Mercury Montego has 0 investigations on record (0 active). Investigations listed above may have already led to the recalls shown on this page.
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How does the Mercury Montego stack up? Compare complaint history with similar vehicles.
By state
Check a Mercury Montego by state
Title-branding rules, flood-damage exposure, and salvage laws vary by state. Run a free VIN check or explore state-specific vehicle history guidance before buying a used Mercury Montego.
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Keep researching before you buy
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Mercury Montego reliability — frequently asked questions
Is the Mercury Montego reliable?
Poor. The Mercury Montego has 256 NHTSA owner complaints and 3 recall campaigns across model years. A commonly reported issue area is POWER TRAIN. Use year-level data as a pattern guide, then verify the exact car with a VIN check before purchase.
Which Mercury Montego years to avoid?
Years with the most NHTSA complaints: 2005 (135 complaints), 2006 (85 complaints), 2007 (36 complaints). Use these years as a shortlist for deeper inspection, and always run a VIN check on the exact vehicle before purchase.
What are the most common Mercury Montego problems?
Top reported issues: POWER TRAIN (86 complaints); VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL (50 complaints); ELECTRICAL SYSTEM (40 complaints).
Does the Mercury Montego have recalls?
Yes — 3 NHTSA recall campaigns have been issued for the Mercury Montego. Check nhtsa.gov/recalls or run a VIN check to see if your specific vehicle has open recalls.