AI Damage2004 Mercury Monterey: common problems
Owners of the 2004 Mercury Monterey filed 283 complaints with NHTSA, most often about powertrain and structure. Details by component below, with sources.
Key figures
- Owner complaints
- 283
- involving a crash
- 2
What fails most often
- 1 Powertrain 72% of all complaints
- 2 Structure 7% of all complaints
- 3 Seats 6% of all complaints
- 4 Electrical system 4% of all complaints
- 5 Vehicle speed control 4% of all complaints
- 6 Service brakes 3% of all complaints
- 7 Steering 3% of all complaints
- 8 Engine 2% of all complaints
- Powertrain: 203 complaints (72% of all), 1 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
- Structure: 19 complaints (7% of all).
- Seats: 16 complaints (6% of all).
- Electrical system: 11 complaints (4% of all).
- Vehicle speed control: 11 complaints (4% of all), 1 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
Engines and transmissions
US-market versions per EPA. On the right: how many NHTSA complaints name this engine or transmission type.
- 4.2 L · petrol · 6 cylnamed in 3 complaints
- automatic, 4-speed
Drive: FWD
Symptoms owners describe
How many of the 283 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 | 203 | 1 | 0 |
| Structure | 19 | 0 | 0 |
| Seats | 16 | 0 | 0 |
| Electrical system | 11 | 0 | 0 |
| Vehicle speed control | 11 | 1 | 0 |
| Service brakes | 8 | 0 | 0 |
| Steering | 8 | 0 | 0 |
| Engine | 7 | 0 | 0 |
| Engine and cooling | 7 | 0 | 0 |
| Wheels | 7 | 0 | 0 |
| Fuel/propulsion system | 6 | 0 | 0 |
| Suspension | 6 | 0 | 0 |
| Fuel system | 4 | 0 | 0 |
| Electronic stability control | 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.
The contact stated that when the gear shifter was placed into the reverse position and backing out of a parking space, the vehicle accelerated on its own and crashed into a fence. The failure recurred and the vehicle was towed to a body shop. There were no injuries and a police report was not filed.
The automatic transmission warning light illuminated. The vehicle was towed to the residence. A dealer was contacted back in 2012 who confirmed that the VIN was included in NHTSA Campaign Number: 12V006000 (Power Train); however, parts were not available.
The driver manually shifted gears to slow the vehicle. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer and the contact was informed that the return spring part was no longer being produced. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure.
The contact stated that while her husband was driving 45 mph, the vehicle stalled upon depressing the accelerator pedal. The check engine light was illuminated on the instrument panel prior to the failure.
Well I didnt know how to go about this but around august 2020 my grandson just got out of knee surgery we was driving up to limestone new york when all of a sudden my vehicle started smoking and it stopped moving so I costed off the road we was on the highway when it happened so we sat there and there was alot of…
Lower control bolt that mounted to subframe rusted threw frame . If not caught on time the tire would seperate I took the vechicle to a wedler for temperary repair. But unfortanley the design on the subframe has holes so it allows water to enter and cause frame to rust!
In addition, the steering wheel squealed when turning left or right. The vehicle was taken to be repaired at stivers ford lincoln in waukee, iowa. The diagnosis was not confirmed. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and stated that the vehicle was not included in nhtsa campaign number: 03v457000 (steering).
Steering in van became very hard to steer.had to replace power steering pump and rack and pinion and new belt..still difficult to steer.sitting still or going around turns.
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 1,434 of 36,656 model years in the NHTSA data (top 4% most complained about).
On average one model year of the Monterey has 91 complaints (5 years in the data). This year has 283, above average.
What to check before buying
- Powertrain. Shift quality under load, harsh shifts, transmission codes, CV joints.
- Structure. Rails, pillars, panel gaps, signs of pulling or welding.
- Seats. Occupant sensor, power adjustment, seat mounts.
- 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 2004 Mercury Monterey?
Owner complaints to NHTSA most often mention: powertrain, structure, seats. Total complaints: 283. The most frequent symptoms in complaint texts: transmission slipping (13%), loss of power / limp mode (10%), warning lights, check engine (9%).
How many service bulletins (TSB) were issued for the 2004 Mercury Monterey?
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 2004 Mercury Monterey 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 2004 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.