YearToAvoid

2005 Mercury Monterey Problems, Recalls & Reliability

Verdict

No verdict

Complaint Index

100/100

#1 most-complained of 3 Monterey years

Based on NHTSA complaints per model-year, not a reliability rating. Methodology

The 2005 Mercury Monterey has 119 owner complaints and 3 safety recalls on file with NHTSA. Its Complaint Index is 100 out of 100 — the highest of 3 Monterey model years. The most reported problem area is transmission & powertrain (97 complaints, 82% of the total). Complaints report 2 crashes and 7 injuries.

Complaints
119
Recalls
3
Crashes / fires
2 / 0
Injuries / deaths
7 / 0
NHTSA overall rating
Not rated
EPA combined MPG
18
16 city / 21 hwy

Top 2005 Mercury Monterey problems

NHTSA owner complaints by component group. Groups with 15+ complaints have their own page.

  1. Transmission & Powertrain97 (82%)
  2. Structure & Body10 (8%)
  3. Engine8 (7%)
  4. Electrical System6 (5%)
  5. Airbags3 (3%)
  6. Brakes3 (3%)
  7. Other3 (3%)
  8. Fuel System1 (1%)
  9. Suspension, Wheels & Tires1 (1%)
2005 Mercury Monterey complaints: complaints filed per quarter112005 Q32008 Q42010 Q12011 Q22012 Q32014 Q42017 Q32019 Q3
132 complaints filed with NHTSA from 2005 Q3 to 2022 Q3; peak 2011 Q2 (11).

2005 Mercury Monterey recalls

3 NHTSA recall campaigns list this model year.

  1. NHTSA 13V081000Mar 7, 2013Structure & Body196,667 vehicles

    Seats

    Ford is recalling certain model year 2004-2007 Freestar and Mercury Monterey vehicles manufactured from March 24, 2003, through November 7, 2006, equipped with a third row seat and originally sold in, or currently registered in, Connecticut, Delaware, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, West Virginia, Wisconsin and the District of Columbia. The third row stowable seat can experience corrosion and structural degradation at the seat anchor mechanism mounted to the rear wheel wells. As a result of the corrosion, the third row seat may not fully latch into its seating position.

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

    Remedy: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will install new third row seat latch striker mounting brackets, free of charge. The recall began on March 28, 2013. Owners may contact Ford Motor Company Customer Relationship Center at 1-866-436-7332.

  2. NHTSA 12V006000Jan 9, 2012Transmission & Powertrain206,452 vehicles

    Power train:automatic transmission:torque converter

    Ford is recalling certain model year 2004 and 2005 ford freestar and mercury monterey vehicles. The torque converter output shaft may fail.

    Risk: This condition results in a sudden loss of motive power with no warning, increasing the risk of a crash.

    Remedy: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will replace the torque converter free of charge. The safety recall began on august 9, 2012. Owners may contact the ford motor company customer relationship center at 1-866-436-7332.

  3. NHTSA 06V069000Mar 9, 2006Structure & Body12,728 vehicles

    Structure:body:hatchback/liftgate

    On certain vans equipped with the power liftgate option, the power liftgate motor automatically disengages after the liftgate is powered open.

    Risk: In the event of a liftgate strut malfunction, the liftgate can fall freely with no prior warning. Anyone standing beneath the liftgate may be injured if the liftgate falls.

    Remedy: Dealers will reprogram the power liftgate module to reduce the likelihood that the liftgate could fall free of charge. The recall began on march 15, 2006. Owners may contact ford at 1-800-392-3673.

2005 Mercury Monterey fuel economy and fuel cost

City
16 MPG
Highway
21 MPG
Combined
18 MPG
Annual fuel cost (EPA)
$3,600
15,000 mi/yr
Fuel
Regular
Current regular gas
$4.32/gal
national avg.

EPA figures; median across configurations of this model year. Estimate your own cost with the fuel cost calculator.

2005 compared with other Monterey years

Complaint Index by model year (0 = fewest issues, 100 = most)0255075100200520062007
Complaint Index: 0 = fewest issues, 100 = most, relative to other years of this model. Avoid Caution Good Best
YearVerdictIndexComplaintsRecallsMPG
2005No verdict100119318
2006No verdict5044217
2007No verdict07117

All Mercury Monterey years: best and worst →

Frequently asked questions

Is the 2005 Mercury Monterey a reliable year?
Judged by NHTSA owner complaints and recalls, the 2005 Mercury Monterey ranks worst among Monterey model years (Complaint Index 100/100). It has 119 complaints and 3 recalls on file. This reflects reported safety-related problems, not an overall reliability rating.
What are the most common problems with the 2005 Mercury Monterey?
The most reported problem areas are transmission & powertrain (97 complaints), structure & body (10 complaints), and engine (8 complaints). The median mileage at the time of failure in complaints that report it is 72,813 miles.
Does the 2005 Mercury Monterey have any recalls?
Yes — NHTSA lists 3 recall campaigns for the 2005 Mercury Monterey, most recently reported 2013, covering structure & body and transmission & powertrain.
What is the fuel economy of the 2005 Mercury Monterey?
EPA rates the 2005 Mercury Monterey at 18 MPG combined (16 city / 21 highway), with an estimated annual fuel cost of $3,600. Where several configurations exist, the median is shown.

Sources: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint and recall databases; U.S. EPA fuel economy data; NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings. Complaints are unverified owner reports.

Data updated Sep 24, 2026. Read the methodology and data sources. The Complaint Index is based on NHTSA owner complaints and recalls; it is not a reliability rating.