RoadVitals

2005 Mercury Montego Body & structure Problems

Owner-reported complaints naming the body or structure system, filed with NHTSA

Data refreshed

Body & structure reportsComplaints are reports submitted to NHTSA by owners and drivers. NHTSA does not verify most reports before publishing them, and a complaint does not establish that a defect exists. Volume is influenced by how many of a vehicle were sold, how long it has been on the road, and how much attention an issue has received.
10
Latest Jan 20, 2025
Share of all reportsThis category as a share of every owner report on file for this model year. One report can name more than one component, so the categories overlap.
7%
of 135 total
Crash or fire reportedReports in this category whose submitter recorded that a crash or a fire occurred. The reporter's own answer on the NHTSA form, not a verified finding.
1
Injuries or deaths reportedTotals the submitters entered on their own reports in this category. Not verified by NHTSA and not a casualty statistic.
1

What this page shows

Reports naming the vehicle structure, frame, body panels, doors, hood and trim. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 2005 Mercury Montego submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 10 reports on file name it.

Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.

Owner reports naming body or structure

Shown in the owner’s own words, exactly as filed

Body & structure
Filed Jan 20, 2025

This vehicle had a recall performed on it. In the recall, it states that the door does not latch properly in colder weather. Vehicle has been brought to the dealership. They have stated that they have performed the recall service. But when the car is driven, the door still does not latch which causes a safety issue because it will open randomly. This has been brought to Ford’s attention and they have not been able to help with a solution.

NHTSA ID
11637100
Incident
Dec 2, 2024
Body & structure
Filed Jan 18, 2018

LATCHES/LOCKS RECALL RECALL #06V383000 FORD REFERENCE #06S45 THE LATCH ON MY DRIVER SIDE DOOR KEEPS FREEZING, KEEPING THE DOOR FROM STAYING CLOSED. IT HAS ALREADY BOUNCED OPEN ONCE WHILE I WAS IN MOTION ON NY STATE ROUTE 434. I ALSO HAVE SPENT A GREAT AMOUNT OF TIME TRYING TO SHUT MY DOOR FOR THE PAST 4 DAYS BEFORE AND AFTER EVERY TRIP ONCE I AM PARKED. EVEN SO, I HAVE BEEN UNABLE TO SHUT MY DOOR FOR THE PAST DAY. WHEN I FOUND THIS RECALL AND CALLED MY LOCAL FORD DEALER, THEY STATED THAT I WAS NOT COVERED UNDER THIS RECALL AND THAT IT DOESN'T EVEN SHOW UP IN THE SYSTEM. I'M NOT HERE TO COMPLAIN, I JUST WANT TO BE ABLE TO SHUT MY CARD DOOR SO I CAN DRIVE IT SAFELY. I'M TO THE POINT WHERE I HAVE TO KEEP THE DRIVER SIDE WINDOWS DOWN ABOUT AN INCH AND WRAP A BUNGEE CORD AROUND THE DOORS TO KEEP MY DRIVER DOOR SHUT.

NHTSA ID
11063432
Incident
Jan 17, 2018
Mileage
113,707 mi
Body & structure
Filed Apr 13, 2017

MY SIDE DOOR LATCHES FREEZE IN COLD WEATHER DUE TO WATER INTRUSION. AS A RESULT, THE DOOR DOES NOT LATCH WHEN CLOSED, AND COULD OPEN WHILE THE VEHICLE IS MOVING. THIS WAS A WELL KNOW SAFETY ISSUE BY FORD. MY VIN NUMBER DOES NOT SHOW UP IN THE RECALL DATA BASE SO THE REPAIR COST IS BEING PUSHED TO ME. THE CAR CERTAINLY HAS ALL THE SYMPTOMS OF THE RECALL FOR THAT MODEL AND YEAR... I SMELL A RAT... DO YOU? THE RECALL WAS MADE TO BE STATE SENSITIVE TO STATES THAT EXPERIENCE FREEZING WEATHER. WHAT HAPPENS WHEN A 2005 MERCURY MONTEGO IS REGISTERED IN SOUTHERN FLORIDA SO AS TO NOT BE INCLUDED IN THE RECALL AND THEN ENDS UP IN NORTHERN MAINE? I'LL TELL YOU WHAT HAPPENS... A LITTLE CHILD IN NORTHERN MAINE ASLEEP AGAINST THE DOOR SUDDENLY FALLS OUT OF THE CAR AT 55 MILES AN HOUR AND GETS RUN OVER BY ONCOMING TRAFFIC! THESE CARS ARE VERY HARDY AND I SUSPECT THERE ARE MANY OF THEM STILL ON THE ROAD WITH THIS ISSUE. SOMEONE REALLY MISSED THE BOAT ON THIS ONE.

NHTSA ID
10972303
Incident
Mar 13, 2017
Mileage
69,179 mi
Body & structure
Filed Jan 28, 2017

FRONT DOOR LATCH FREEZES OPEN ALL THE TIME IN COLD WEATHER. I'M AFRAID IT OPENS WHILE DRIVING

NHTSA ID
10948087
Incident
Nov 28, 2016
Mileage
63,000 mi
Body & structure
Filed Dec 18, 2016

IN FREEZING WEATHER, DOOR LATCHES WILL NOT LATCH AND THE DOOR REMAINS OPEN. THIS ONLY HAPPENS WHEN THE CAR IS LEFT OUTSIDE AND IS NOT "FIXED" UNTIL THE DOOR MECHANISMS WARM UP FROM BEING IN THE SUN. DUE TO THIS ISSUE WE ARE UNABLE TO DRIVE THE VEHICLE UNTIL THE DOORS LATCH AGAIN. I'VE BEEN TOLD MY CAR WAS NOT AFFECTED BY THE RECALL (#06S45), BUT I FEEL THAT I HAVE THE EXACT PROBLEM DESCRIBED AND WOULD LIKE TO GET THE ISSUE FIXED SO I DON'T HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT IT THE REST OF WINTER.

NHTSA ID
10936037
Incident
Dec 18, 2016
Mileage
140,000 mi
Body & structure
Filed Jan 5, 2015

FORD HAS A RECALL FOR THE VEHICLE- 06S45 WHICH ARE THE EXACT SYMPTOMS I AM CURRENTLY HAVING. THE DRIVER, PASSENGER OR BOTH DOORS WILL NOT LATCH/LOCK WHEN IN BELOW FREEZING TEMPERATURES. THIS IS A DIRECT SAFETY CONCERN SINCE THE DOOR CAN STAY OPEN WHILE DRIVING. THE LOCK HAS TO BE WARMED UP AND THEN WILL LOCK PROPERLY WHICH WOULD LEAD ME TO BELIEVE IT CAN ONLY BE MOISTURE RELATED. I AM AN ASE CERTIFIED MECHANIC AND THIS SHOULD BE A CONSIDERED A SAFETY RECALL AND ANY VEHICLE WITH THE SAME DIAGNOSIS. THIS IS A ENGINEERING/DESIGN FLAW OF FORD BECAUSE MANY FORD MAKES, MODELS AND YEARS EXPERIENCE THE EXACT SAME PROBLEM. *TR

NHTSA ID
10670119
Incident
Jan 5, 2015
Mileage
59,419 mi
Body & structure
Filed Dec 18, 2013

I BOUGHT A 2005 MERCURY MONTEGO USED IN 2012. STARTING LAST YEAR DURING EXTREME COLD WEATHER THE DRIVERS SIDE DOOR WILL OPEN BUT WHEN YOU GO TO CLOSE IT THE DOOR WILL NOT LATCH. IT WILL LATCH ONCE THE WEATHER HAS WARMED UP OR THE CAR ITSELF HAS WARMED UP ENOUGH INSIDE. THE CONDITION GOES AWAY IN ANY OTHER WEATHER. THIS YEAR 2013 THE SAME THING IS HAPPENING. IVE LOOKED ONLINE AND I SEE A FORD RECALL NUMBER OF 06S45 THAT TALKS ABOUT THIS CONDITION...DOOR LOCKS FREEZING IN COLD WEATHER. I HAVE CALLED THE DEALER WHERE I BOUGHT THE CAR AND FORD MOTOR COMPANY THEMSELVES AND THEY ARE ALL SAYING THAT THE RECALL IS VIN SPECIFIC AND THAT MY VIN IS NOT PART OF IT. WHEN ASKED WHY IT IS NOT NO ONE CALL TELL ME. MY CAR HAS THE EXACT SAME CONDITION THAT IS IN THE RECALL BUT FOR SOME REASON IT IS NOT PART OF IT. I CAN NOT GET AN ANSWER FROM ANYONE WHY THE RECALL SAYS CERTAIN 2005 MERCURY MONTEGOS BUT NO ONE FROM FORD OR ANYWHERE CAN TELL ME WHY THE CERTAIN PART OF THE RECALL EXCLUDES MY VEHICLE. *TR

NHTSA ID
10556548
Incident
Dec 1, 2012
Mileage
80,000 mi
Body & structure
Filed Jan 4, 2013

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 MERCURY MONTEGO. THE CONTACT ATTEMPTED TO CLOSE THE FRONT DRIVER'S SIDE DOOR HOWEVER, THE LATCH WOULD NOT FUNCTION. THE CONTACT REFERENCED NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 06V383000 (LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES:DOORS:LATCH) BUT WAS ADVISED THAT THE VIN WAS INELIGIBLE FOR REPAIRS UNDER THE RECALL CAMPAIGN. THE VEHICLE WAS SCHEDULED FOR REPAIRS WITH AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE PROBLEM. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 79,000.

NHTSA ID
10490986
Incident
Dec 23, 2012
Mileage
79,000 mi
Body & structure
Filed Oct 6, 2010

I HAVE A 2005 MERCURY MONTEGO. I WAS DRIVING AT 55 MPH IN A FREEWAY AND SUDDENLY THE ARM THAT GOES FROM THE CHASSIS TO SUPPORT THE LEFT REAR WHEEL BROKE RIGHT IN THE MIDDLE, OR THE JOINT PART, LEAVING THE WHEEL COMPLETELY WITHOUT SUPPORT WHICH ALMOST MADE ME LOSE CONTROL OF THE CAR. AT FIRST I THOUGHT A TIRE BLEW UP, BUT ONCE I STOPPED I SAW THE BAR BROKE IN THE CENTER HANGING FROM THE CHASSIS AND THE OTHER PART HANGING FROM THE WHEEL. GOING AT 55 MPH AND HAVING NO CONTROL OVER THE BACK WHEEL IT WAS A MIRACLE I DID NOT END UP HAVING A SERIOUS ACCIDENT. THERE IS NO PART AVAILABLE, IN ORDER FOR A REPAIR TO BE PERFORMED YOU HAVE TO PURCHASE A CHASSIS OF THE SAME MODEL, OR GO TO A MACHINE SHOP AND SEE IF IT CAN BE MANUFACTURED. THERE WAS NO SIGN BEFORE IT HAPPEN, AT THE MOMENT IT HAPPEN IT SOUNDED LIKE A TIRE BEING BLOWN UP AND IT MAY FEELS LIKE SUCH. *TR

NHTSA ID
10359391
Incident
Sep 27, 2010
Mileage
60,000 mi
Body & structure
Filed Jun 11, 2008
Crash reported1 injury reported

MY HUSBAND WAS DRIVING A 2005 MERCURY MONTEGO ON A HIGHWAY AT 55MPH WHEN A JEEP LIBERTY CROSSED THE MEDIAN AND IMPACTED HIS CAR. IT WAS A SHEARING IMPACT, NOT A SIDE IMPACT. OUR REAR DRIVER'S SIDE DOOR AND THAT QUARTER OF THE VEHICLE WAS RIPPED COMPLETELY OFF. THE REAR DRIVER'S SIDE DOOR WAS BENT OVER DOUBLE WITH THE LIBERTY'S LICENSE PLATE WEDGED IN THE MIDDLE. OUR ONE MONTH OLD SON'S CAR SEAT BASE WAS LOCATED IN THE MIDDLE OF THE REAR SEAT AND THERE WERE TIRE TRACKS WHERE HIS HEAD WOULD HAVE BEEN HAD HE BEEN IN THE CAR. THE ONLY PASSENGER WAS MY HUSBAND IN THE DRIVER'S POSITION. HE HAS MUSCULOSKELETAL INJURIES AND A BROKEN FINGER, BUT ANYONE IN THE BACK SEAT WOULD HAVE BEEN MASSACRED AND KILLED. WE WERE STUNNED BECAUSE WE THOUGHT THE MONTEGO WAS A RELATIVELY SAFE VEHICLE. *TR

NHTSA ID
10230754
Incident
Jun 9, 2008
Mileage
70,000 mi

Higher-selling and older vehicles accumulate more reports. Counts are not failure rates and are not directly comparable between vehicles that sold in very different numbers.

Other components reported on this vehicle

Categories with enough reports to have a page of their own

Elsewhere on this vehicle

Data sources

Data on this page last refreshed .