AI Damage2005 Mercury Monterey: common problems
Owners of the 2005 Mercury Monterey filed 119 complaints with NHTSA, most often about powertrain and structure. Details by component below, with sources.
Key figures
- Owner complaints
- 119
- involving a crash
- 2
What fails most often
- 1 Powertrain 82% of all complaints
- 2 Structure 7% of all complaints
- 3 Electrical system 5% of all complaints
- 4 Engine 4% of all complaints
- 5 Air bags 3% of all complaints
- 6 Seats 3% of all complaints
- 7 Service brakes 3% of all complaints
- 8 Engine and cooling 2% of all complaints
- Powertrain: 97 complaints (82% of all).
- Structure: 8 complaints (7% of all).
- Electrical system: 6 complaints (5% of all).
- Engine: 5 complaints (4% of all).
- Air bags: 3 complaints (3% of all), 2 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 1 complaints
- automatic, 4-speed
Drive: FWD
Symptoms owners describe
How many of the 119 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 | 97 | 0 | 0 |
| Structure | 8 | 0 | 0 |
| Electrical system | 6 | 0 | 0 |
| Engine | 5 | 0 | 0 |
| Air bags | 3 | 2 | 0 |
| Seats | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| Service brakes | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| Engine and cooling | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Equipment | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Fuel system | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Suspension | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Vehicle speed control | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Other | 2 | 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.
Front windshield came out back window came out. Roof of vehicle was crushed. Passenger side was crushed after the rollover. None of the airbags deployed.
The air bags did not deploy. The driver sustained lacerations and bruises to the torso while the front passenger sustained bruises to the right arm. Medical attention was required. A police report was filed. The vehicle was destroyed and towed to an undisclosed location. The cause of the failure was not determined.
I purchased my 2005 mercury monterey in feb/march 2018, in july of 2018 I go out to start my van to leave and nothing happens wont start, so we look under the hood every thing seems fine, I call the tow truck to have it towed to the shop, oil spills out all over my driveway, there is a huge hole in the engine, so we…
Also, the third row seat latch was so corroded that the contact could see the ground. The contact called westland ford dealer [phone] (located at [address], ogden, [ZIP]) and was informed that the vin and state were not included in nhtsa campaign number: 13v081000 (seats).
In addition, the vehicle lost power without warning. The vehicle was unable to be driven. Rivertown ford ([address], columbus, [ZIP], [phone]) indicated that the power train control module needed to be replaced and that the part would need to be ordered.
Vehicle had sudden loss of motive power while driving straight and accelerating to 60mph highway speeds, almost causing multi-car accident. After coasting to shoulder, the transmission would not engage in any forward or reverse gear.
This is the second catastrophic transmission failure on this vehicle. Transmission failed in july 2012 at 109k miles. Car was repaired according to ford specifications. Second failure on 11-8-2016 at 170k miles. Without warning the transmission disengages and the car does not move forward.
While the vehicle was being serviced by an independent mechanic, it was discovered that the third row seat did not latch due to severe corrosion on the rear driver side wheel well. The vehicle was not repaired.
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 3,153 of 36,656 model years in the NHTSA data (top 9% most complained about).
On average one model year of the Monterey has 91 complaints (5 years in the data). This year has 119, 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.
- Electrical system. Scan all modules, test the battery and alternator, inspect connectors near the impact zone.
- Engine. Cold start, unusual noises, oil leaks and engine codes.
Other years of this model
Questions and answers
What are the most common problems with the 2005 Mercury Monterey?
Owner complaints to NHTSA most often mention: powertrain, structure, electrical system. Total complaints: 119. The most frequent symptoms in complaint texts: loss of power / limp mode (14%), transmission slipping (13%), stalls while driving (8%).
How many service bulletins (TSB) were issued for the 2005 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 2005 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 2005 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.