2005 Mercury Montego Engine Problems

ENGINE SAFE MODE

NHTSA ID

11343871

Incident

Aug 6, 2020

Mileage

87,000 mi

CAR RUNS GREAT FOR ABOUT 20 MINUTES THEN I GET A SURGE IN THE ENGINE, DASH CLUSTER GOES DEAD, CAR JERKS AND I LOSE POWER RANDOMLY. EVERYTHING COMES BACK ON BUT WILL GO OUT MULTIPLE TIMES GETTING WORSE EVERYTIME. I HAVE LOST POWER TO TRANSMISSION ONCE, NO FORWARD OR REVERSE. REPLACED THE DASH CLUSTER AND CAR RAN GREAT FOR 2 DAYS THEN STARTED ALL AGAIN. THIS HAPPENS MAINLY WHILE IN THE CITY, HASN'T HAPPENED ON HIGHWAY YET THANK GOODNESS. CAR JUST SITS IN DRIVEWAY, AFRAID TO DRIVE IT. I SEE COUNTLESS PEOPLE WITH THIS ISSUE ALL THE WAY BACK TO WHEN CAR WAS RELEASED AND STILL NO SOLUTION.

NHTSA ID

10882183

Incident

Jun 21, 2016

Mileage

147,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 MERCURY MONTEGO. WHILE DRIVING 15 MPH AROUND A CORNER, THE VEHICLE JERKED AND THE CHECK ENGINE AND FAIL SAFE MODE WARNING LIGHTS ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE THROTTLE BODY CONTROL UNIT FAILED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED; HOWEVER, THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 150,000.

NHTSA ID

10853512

Incident

Apr 5, 2012

Mileage

150,000 mi

I JUST PULLED MY CAR OFF THE LOT NOT EVEN 10 MINUTES LATER THERE WAS JERKING THEN MY CAR STOPPED DEAD IN THE MIDDLE OF A BUSY STREET.THIS HAS HAPPENED NUMEROUS TIMES WITH THE WORST BEING ON A ONE WAY AND MY NIECES NO MORE THAN 10 YEARS OLD IN THE CAR MY CAR MADE A KIND OF A LOUD HUMMING NOISE,JERKED THEN STOPPED IN THE STREET.AT TIMES I CAN'T EVEN REVERSE OR GO UP STEEP HILLS. *TR

NHTSA ID

10713200

Incident

Nov 18, 2013

Mileage

104,000 mi

UPON ENTERING TRAFFIC FLOW ON I-94 WESTBOUND NEAR NEW BUFFALO MICHIGAN THE ACCELERATION OF ENGINE QUIT INSTANTANEOUSLY AND THE ENGINE WARNING LIGHT LIT UP READING SOMETHING ABOUT A FAIL SAFE MODE. AFTER COASTING BACK ACROSS TWO TRAFFIC LANES TO THE SIDE OF ROAD I SHUT THE ENGINE DOWN. TO KEEP FROM GETTING STRANDED ALONG THE HIGHWAY AND SINCE THE ENGINE INFO LIGHT READ ALL SYSTEMS WERE OK AFTER WAITING A FEW MINUTES I RESTARTED THE MOTOR AND IT RAN OK. I STAYED IN THE SLOW LANE SO I COULD PULL OFF THE ROAD IF IT HAPPENED AGAIN WHICH IT DIDN'T . THE NEXT DAY ON COUNTY ROAD 500N IN INDIANA IT DID IT AGAIN. *TR

NHTSA ID

10594690

Incident

May 25, 2014

Mileage

126,600 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 MERCURY MONTEGO. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE TRAVELING AT UNKNOWN SPEEDS, THE VEHICLE JERKED VIOLENTLY AND ERRONEOUSLY ACCELERATED. THE CONTACT MENTIONED THAT THE FAILURE OCCURRED INTERMITTENTLY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER WHO STATED THAT THE VALVE BODY KIT NEEDED TO BE REPAIRED. THE VEHICLE WAS TO BE REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 100,000.

NHTSA ID

10588177

Incident

Sep 5, 2013

Mileage

100,000 mi

AS I WAS ENTERING ONTO THE HIGHWAY INSTEAD OF ACCELERATING THE CAR DECELERATED AND WAS LOSING POWER AND RPM'S WENT WAY TOO HIGH THEN IT SHOULD OF. THE TRANSMISSION IS NOT ACTING PROPERLY.THE CAR HAS A CLUNKING SOUND WHEN HITTING BUMPS. *TR

NHTSA ID

10562267

Incident

Jan 25, 2014

Mileage

80,310 mi

I WAS IN THE MEDDLE LANE OF A FOUR LANE HIGHWAY WHEN I LOST ALL MY ACCELERATION. THE MOTOR WAS STILL RUNNING BUT I COULD NOT GO ANYWHERE. WHEN I GOT OFF THE HIGHWAY I RESTARTED THE CAR BUT EVERY FEW MILES IT WOULD DO THE SAME THING. AM TOLD THAT IT IS A BAD THROTTLE BODY AND FORD HAS KNOWN ABOUT IT FOR YEARS BUT IS NOT DOING ANYTHING ABOUT IT. IT IS GOING TO GET PEOPLE KILLED ! MY PART COST OVER 600.00 SO IT SETS IN THE DRIVE. *TR

NHTSA ID

10544569

Incident

Sep 6, 2013

Mileage

133,000 mi

I JUST BOUGHT THIS CAR FROM A USED CAR DEALER WITH 108K, GOT WAY OVERCHARGED BECAUSE I DON'T HAVE ANY CREDIT. THE SECOND DAY THAT I HAD THE CAR I WAS TAKING MY BABY TO DAY CARE. THE CAR SHUT OFF IN THE MIDDLE OF THE HIGHWAY AND WE ALMOST GOT HIT. THE ENGINE FAIL SAFE MODE CAME ON. THE CAR DID THIS AGAIN ON THE WAY HOME. TOOK IT BACK TO THE DEALER AND THEY HAD THE THROTTLE BODY REPLACED. I JUST GOT THE CAR BACK TODAY AND IT DID IT AGAIN! I'M ABOUT TO LOOSE IT! *TR

NHTSA ID

10474170

Incident

Aug 28, 2012

Mileage

108,485 mi

THE INSTRUMENT GAUGE ON MY 2005 MERCURY MONTEGO JUST WENT "DEAD". NOTHING REGISTERED, SO THERE WAS NO READING ON MY SPEED, ENGINE HEAT GAUGE, FUEL LEVEL, OR TACHOMETER. THIS HAPPENED ONCE IN EARLY SPRING OF THIS YEAR (2012), BUT DID NOT REPEAT UNTIL RECENTLY. IT IS NOW JUNE AND THE SAME THING HAS RE-OCCURRED ABOUT 10 TIMES IN THE PAST TWO WEEKS. AFTER TURNING THE CAR OFF AND RESTARTING, THIS SOMETIMES (BUT NOT ALWAYS), "FIXES" THE PROBLEM. MOST RECENTLY, IF THE GAUGES DO WORK, THE "CHECK ENGINE" LIGHT TURNS ON. THE AIRBAG LIGHT STAYS ON, AND THE AWD MALFUNCTION MESSAGE DISPLAYS IN THE INFORMATION PANEL UNTIL I HIT THE RESET BUTTON. FROM A SAFETY PERSPECTIVE, IS THIS A SHORT IN THE SYSTEM OR IS MY AIRBAG REALLY MALFUNCTIONING? AND HOW DO I KNOW MY SPEED OTHER THAN TO GUESS? *JS

NHTSA ID

10460882

Incident

Jun 6, 2012

Mileage

89,000 mi

HAVE A 2005 MERCURY MONTEGO,ON MANY OCCASIONS THE ENGINE SUDDENLY SURGES AND THE RPM INCREASE. THIS IS DANGEROUS AND I QUICKLY HAVE TO STOMP ON THE BRAKES. HAPPENS IN BOTH. DRIVE AND REVERSE. AFRAID I WILL HIT SOMEONE OR SOMETHING WHEN I PULL OUT OF A PARKING SPACE. HAVE BROUGHT CAR TO DEALER 3 TIMES AND THEY SAY THEY CANNOT REPLICATE AND CHECKED COMPUTER CODES AND FOUND NOTHING WRONG THIS IS AN ACCIDENT WAITING TO HAPPEN. *TR

NHTSA ID

10411477

Incident

Jul 7, 2011

Mileage

80,000 mi

ENGINE REVS UP, AND CAR LURCHES, TYPICALLY WHEN: - SHIFTING INTO DRIVE OR REVERSE AND/OR MOVING AWAY FROM IDLE; - ALMOST ALWAYS WHEN THE WHEELS ARE CRANKED ALL THE WAY TO THE LEFT OR RIGHT AND THE CAR IS MOVING AWAY FROM IDLE. THE LURCHING IS SUDDEN AND "VIOLENT" ENOUGH THAT IT CAN CATCH A DRIVER UNPREPARED - MY WIFE AND I ARE USED TO IT AND ABLE TO COMPENSATE, BUT WE AREN'T LETTING OUR 17 YEAR-OLD DRIVE THE CAR FOR NOW UNLESS ONE OF US IS WITH HER. ONGOING PROBLEM SINCE CAR WAS PURCHASED NEW. THIS HAS BEEN AN OCCASIONAL PROBLEM FOR YEARS - COMPLAINT WAS EVEN MADE WHILE CAR WAS STILL UNDER ITS 3 YEAR/36,000 MILE WARRANTY (NOTHING FOUND). PROBLEM HAS BEEN GETTING MORE FREQUENT OVER THE PAST YEAR OR SO.

NHTSA ID

10411292

Incident

Jun 1, 2011

MY 2005 MERCURY MONTEGO (79,000MI.) HAS UNEXPECTEDLY LURCHED ON TWO OCCASIONS. THE FIRST TIME I WAS DRIVING SLOWLY IN A PARKING LOT, AND THE CAR SUDDENLY ACCELERATED AND LUNGED FORWARD. BRAKING HELPED, BUT THE LUNGING OCCURRED AGAIN EACH TIME I TRIED TO DRIVE FORWARD. I WAS ABLE TO MOVE INTO A PARKING SPACE AND TURN THE CAR OFF WHICH STOPPED THE LURCHING MOVEMENT. I SAT FOR SEVERAL MINUTES, RESTARTED THE CAR AND DROVE AWAY WITHOUT INCIDENT. THIS DIDN'T HAPPEN AGAIN FOR SEVERAL MONTHS UNTIL A SIMILAR OCCURRENCE YESTERDAY. THIS TIME I WAS READY TO BACK OUT AF A PARKING SPACE, PUT THE CAR IN REVERSE AND IT SURGED BACKWARD. I DEPRESSED THE BRAKE, PUT THE CAR IN PARK, AND SHUT IT OFF. ONCE AGAIN I WAITED SEVERAL MINUTES AND DROVE AWAY WITHOUT INCIDENT. THIS IS A VERY DANGEROUS SITUATION AS PEOPLE COULD HAVE BEEN CLOSE TO THE CAR WHEN IT LUNGED, OR I COULD HAVE BEEN IN TRAFFIC. I CONSIDER THIS TO BE A SERIOUS SAFETY ISSUE. WITH BOTH OF THESE OCCURRENCES THE " FAIL SAFE MODE" MESSAGE APPEARED. *TR

NHTSA ID

10357637

Incident

Sep 23, 2010

Mileage

79,000 mi

CAR SHOWED "FAILSAFE ENGINE MODE" ON THE DISPLAY PANEL AND DID NOT RESPOND WHEN I HIT THE GAS ALMOST CAUSING AN ACCIDENT AS I ATTEMPTED TO CHANGE LANES. ENGINE RESPONSE WAS INTERMITTENT AFTER THIS AND THEN THE "WRENCH" SYMBOL SHOWED UP. I PULLED INTO A GAS STATION AND TURNED OFF THE CAR TO TRY AND LOOK AT THE OWNER'S MANUAL TO SEE WHAT THIS MEANT. COULD NOT FIND DETAILS. TURNED THE CAR BACK ON AND THE "WRENCH" WAS GONE AND THE "FAILSAFE ENGINE MODE" DISPLAY WAS NO LONGER SHOWING. WORRIED THIS MAY HAPPEN AGAIN... *TR

NHTSA ID

10310769

Incident

Feb 16, 2010

Mileage

55,000 mi

WHILE IDLING WHEN STOPPED OR WHEN MOVING SLOWLY, THE ENGINE SPEED SUDDENLY ACCELERATES TO ABOVE 3500 RPM CAUSING THE CAR TO LURCH FORWARD UNLESS THE BRAKE IS FIRMLY APPLIED. THE SUDDEN ACCELERATION LASTS 3 TO 5 SECONDS. PLACING THE GEAR INTO NEUTRAL HAS NO EFFECT ON THE ENGINE SPEED. THIS HAPPENS SPORADICALLY. IN THE LAST 3 MONTHS IT HAS HAPPENED APPROXIMATELY 7 TIMES. DEALER SAYS THE CAR'S COMPUTER SYSTEM REPORTS NOTHING UNUSUAL. *TR

NHTSA ID

10310294

Incident

Jan 3, 2010

Mileage

27,000 mi

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 MERCURY MONTEGO. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE'S CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CONTINUES TO ILLUMINATE. HE HAS TAKEN HIS VEHICLE TO THE DEALER FOURTEEN TIMES AND HAVE BEEN UNABLE TO PERMANENTLY REPAIR THE FAILURE. THE DEALER CURRENTLY HAS THE VEHICLE AND HAVE HAD IT SINCE MAY 2, 2007. THE VIN, PURCHASE DATE, AND ENGINE SIZE WERE UNKNOWN. THE CURRENT MILEAGE IS 19,000 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 5,000.

NHTSA ID

10190946

Incident

May 2, 2007

Mileage

5,000 mi

PURCHASED VEHICLE IN JAN.05 SEAT BELT REPLACED IN JAN TRANSMISSION REPLACED IN FEB. 05 AND A VALVE REPLACED DUE TO CHECK ENGINE WARNING FUEL PUMP REPLACED IN AUG.05, NOW HAVE TROUBLE STARTING CAR

NHTSA ID

10133582

Incident

Jan 31, 2005

Mileage

423 mi