AI Damage2006 Mercury Montego: common problems
Owners of the 2006 Mercury Montego filed 85 complaints with NHTSA, most often about powertrain and engine. Details by component below, with sources.
Key figures
- Owner complaints
- 85
- involving a crash
- 5
What fails most often
- 1 Powertrain 33% of all complaints
- 2 Engine 21% of all complaints
- 3 Vehicle speed control 16% of all complaints
- 4 Electrical system 8% of all complaints
- 5 Engine and cooling 7% of all complaints
- 6 Service brakes 7% of all complaints
- 7 Fuel system 6% of all complaints
- 8 Structure 6% of all complaints
- Powertrain: 28 complaints (33% of all), 2 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
- Engine: 18 complaints (21% of all), 1 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
- Vehicle speed control: 14 complaints (16% of all), 1 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
- Electrical system: 7 complaints (8% of all).
- Engine and cooling: 6 complaints (7% of all).
Engines and transmissions
US-market versions per EPA. On the right: how many NHTSA complaints name this engine or transmission type.
- 3 L · petrol · 6 cyl
- automatic, 6-speed
- CVTnamed in 4 complaints
Drive: FWD, AWD
Symptoms owners describe
How many of the 85 NHTSA complaints mention each symptom (automatic count from complaint text; one complaint can mention several).
Components owners complain about
| Component | Owner complaints | involving a crash | Technical service bulletins (TSB) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Powertrain | 28 | 2 | 0 |
| Engine | 18 | 1 | 0 |
| Vehicle speed control | 14 | 1 | 0 |
| Electrical system | 7 | 0 | 0 |
| Engine and cooling | 6 | 0 | 0 |
| Service brakes | 6 | 0 | 0 |
| Fuel system | 5 | 1 | 0 |
| Structure | 5 | 1 | 0 |
| Suspension | 5 | 0 | 0 |
| Air bags | 4 | 2 | 0 |
| Exterior lighting | 4 | 1 | 0 |
| Fuel/propulsion system | 4 | 0 | 0 |
| Seat belts | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| Tires | 3 | 0 | 0 |
What owners report
Short excerpts of NHTSA complaints in the original wording. These are owner statements not verified by NHTSA; personal data removed.
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.
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.
As I backed out of a parking space, the car surged & I hit another parked car behind me. Even though I had my foot on the brake, the car accelerated for a few seconds. I then placed the other foot on top of the right foot & put the gear into park & the car stopped.
Tl* the contact owns a 2006 mercury montego. The contact stated that the another vehicle crashed into him on the driver's side and none of the air bags deployed. The location of impact was the fender and doors on the driver's side. The doors on the driver's side were caved in as a result.
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!
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 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.
Drivers side rear toe bracket broke off the rear subframe. Rear subframe totally rusted through.
When owners complained
NHTSA complaints by filing year. The peak shows at what age the problems show up most.
Comparison
By complaint count this model year ranks 3,931 of 36,656 model years in the NHTSA data (top 11% most complained about).
On average one model year of the Montego has 52 complaints (5 years in the data). This year has 85, above average.
What to check before buying
- Powertrain. Shift quality under load, harsh shifts, transmission codes, CV joints.
- Engine. Cold start, unusual noises, oil leaks and engine codes.
- Vehicle speed control. Accelerator pedal, cruise control, throttle codes.
- Electrical system. Scan all modules, test the battery and alternator, inspect connectors near the impact zone.
Other years of this model
Questions and answers
What are the most common problems with the 2006 Mercury Montego?
Owner complaints to NHTSA most often mention: powertrain, engine, vehicle speed control. Total complaints: 85. The most frequent symptoms in complaint texts: jerking, harsh shifts (16%), warning lights, check engine (13%), stalls while driving (7%).
How many service bulletins (TSB) were issued for the 2006 Mercury Montego?
NHTSA lists 0 manufacturer service bulletins for this year. A bulletin tells dealers how to diagnose or fix a known issue; it is not a recall.
Should I buy a 2006 Mercury Montego from a US auction?
Owner complaints describe defects, not crash damage. Before bidding, check the components listed above and review the lot photos: VinWind builds a report of visible and hidden damage by VIN.
Other 2006 models
Read also
Sources: public NHTSA data (USA): service bulletins and owner complaints; YouTube: links to videos credited to their authors. Complaints are owner statements not verified by NHTSA, and describe defects rather than crash damage. Data updated 2026-11-05.