Power Train. Review the 49 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
Electrical System. Review the 27 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
Vehicle Speed Control. Review the 24 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

10 crash reports2 fire reports5 injury reports

Vehicle Speed Control complaints

24 reports

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178,000 miles · Aug 4, 2010

Vehicle Speed Control

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 MERCURY MONTEGO. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING AT APPROXIMATELY 65 MPH, THE VEHICLE INDEPENDENTLY SHIFTED INTO FAILSAFE ENGINE MODE. THERE WAS ALSO AN UNUSUAL INCREASE IN ENGINE RPMS. THE CONTACT SHUT OFF THE VEHICLE AND WHEN RESTARTING, THE WARNING LIGHT WAS NO LONGER ILLUMINATED AND THE VEHICLE RESUMED NORMAL OPERATION. THE DEALER ADVISED THAT THE FAILURE WAS POTENTIALLY CAUSED BY DEBRIS AND SHOULD HAVE CORRECTED ITSELF. THE CONTACT WAS ADVISED NOT TO BRING THE VEHICLE IN. THE FAILURE RECURRED WITHIN THREE DAYS. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A LOCAL REPAIR FACILITY WHERE THE CONTACT WAS ADVISED THAT THE THROTTLE BODY WAS DEFECTIVE AND RECOMMENDED A FUEL INJECTION SERVICE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE REPAIRS WERE MADE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 178,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 179,000.

NHTSA ODI #10347255

51,000 miles · Apr 20, 2010

Service Brakes, HydraulicVehicle Speed Control

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TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 MERCURY MONTEGO. THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING AT SPEEDS OF 20 MPH. WHEN THEY ATTEMPTED TO PASS ANOTHER VEHICLE, SHE DEPRESSED THE ACCELERATOR AND THE VEHICLE WAS HESITANT TO INCREASE SPEED SIMILAR TO DRIVING WHILE IN NEUTRAL. IN ADDITION, WHEN DEPRESSING THE BRAKE PEDAL, THE VEHICLE WOULD JERK ABNORMALLY. THE DEALER RESET THE VEHICLE COMPUTER SYSTEM AND THE VEHICLE RETURNED TO NORMAL OPERATION FOR A SHORT PERIOD; HOWEVER, THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE CONTACT HAD NOT TAKEN THE VEHICLE BACK TO THE DEALER. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 51,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 64,000.

NHTSA ODI #10326674

27,000 miles · Feb 14, 2010

Engine And Engine CoolingVehicle Speed Control

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 …

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NHTSA ODI #10310294

57,000 miles · Sep 16, 2009

Vehicle Speed Control

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TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 MERCURY MONTEGO. SHE STATED THAT THE THROTTLE BODY FAILED WHICH MADE THE VEHICLE SHUT OFF IN THE MIDDLE OF THE HIGHWAY. SHE PULLED OVER AND TURNED THE ENGINE OFF AND BACK ON THEN IT SHUT OFF ON ITS OWN. THE FOLLOWING DAY THE FAILURE RECURRED AND THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ILLUMINATED ON THE INSTRUMENTAL PANEL. THE DEALER STATED THAT THEY WOULD REPAIR THE VEHICLE AT THE OWNERS EXPENSE WHEN THE PART WERE AVAILABLE. THEY LATER STATED THAT THE PART WAS AVAILABLE AND THAT THEY HAVE EXHAUSTED ALL OPTIONS TO REPAIR THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED; HOWEVER, IT REMAINED IN THE DEALERS POSSESSION. THE SERVICE MANAGER STATED THAT THEY WOULD NOT REPAIR THE VEHICLE AND THE CONTACT SHOULD RETRIEVE IT. THE VEHICLE IDENTIFICATION NUMBER WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WERE 57000.

NHTSA ODI #10284223

Official recalls

06V383000 · Latches/locks/linkages:doors:latch

Oct 5, 2006

ON CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES CURRENTLY REGISTERED IN THE FOLLOWING STATES: ALASKA, COLORADO, CONNECTICUT, DELAWARE, IDAHO, ILLINOIS, INDIANA, IOWA, KANSAS, KENTUCKY, MAINE, MARYLAND, MASSACHUSETTS, MICHIGAN, MINNESOTA, MISSOURI, MONTANA, NEBRASKA, NEW HAMPSHIRE, NEW JERSEY, NEW YORK, NORTH DAKOTA, OHIO, PENNSYLVANIA, RHODE ISLAND, SOUTH DAKOTA, UTAH, VERMONT, WEST VIRGINIA, WISCONSIN, AND WYOMING. THE SIDE DOOR LATCH MECHANISMS MAY EXPERIENCE WATER INTRUSION ALLOWING THE LATCH MECHANISM TO FREEZE IN COLD WEATHER.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: AS A RESULT, THE DOOR LATCH PAWL MAY NOT RETURN TO THE LATCH POSITION WHEN THE DOOR IS CLOSED, AND THE DOOR COULD OPEN WHILE THE VEHICLE IS MOVING.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSTALL A SHIELD OVER THE FRONT LATCHES; SEAL A DRAIN HOLE IN THE REAR WINDOW TRIM MOLDING ON THE FREESTYLE REAR SIDE DOORS; AND APPLY GREASE TO ALL FRONT AND REAR SIDE-DOOR LATCH MECHANISMS FREE OF CHARGE. THE RECALL BEGAN ON NOVEMBER 8, 2006. OWNERS MAY CONTACT FORD AT 1-800-392-3673.

05V515000 · Fuel System, Gasoline:storage:tank Assembly:mounting

Nov 9, 2005

ON CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES, THE STRAPS THAT SECURE THE FUEL TANK TO THE VEHICLE BODY MAY BREAK, CAUSING THE FUEL TANK AND FUEL TANK HEAT SHIELD TO DROP ON THE DRIVESHAFT (ALL WHEEL DRIVE VEHICLES) OR EXHAUST SYSTEM (FRONT WHEEL DRIVE VEHICLES).

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: IF THIS HAPPENS, DRIVERS MAY NOTICE A NOISE OR A FUEL LEAK. A FUEL LEAK IN THE PRESENCE OF AN IGNITION SOURCE COULD RESULT IN A FIRE.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL REPLACE BOTH FUEL TANK STRAPS. THE RECALL BEGAN ON DECEMBER 1, 2005. OWNERS MAY CONTACT FORD AT 1-800-392-3673.

Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗

NHTSA investigations

PE11018 · Idle Instability

Opened May 11, 2011 · Closed Feb 7, 2013

Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Vehicle Speed Control

On November 29, 2012, Ford Motor Company (Ford) initiated Customer Satisfaction Program 12N03 to extend warranty coverage terms for repair of engine idle RPM surge caused by throttle body deposits in all model year (MY) 2005 through 2007 Ford Freestyle, Five Hundred and Mercury Montego vehicles.The program extends the coverage for up to 10 years of service or 150,000 miles from the warranty start date of the vehicle (all vehicles are eligible for the program through May 31, 2013, regardless of mileage).Dealers will repair vehicles exhibiting the condition by removing and cleaning the throttle body and reprogramming the PCM with software containing an updated idle speed control strategy.According to Ford, some of the affected vehicles may experience momentary, intermittent engine idle RPM surge (idle flare) when stopped or during low speed driving maneuvers such as in a parking lot or driveway.Unstable idle speed control (dips and flares) around the target engine speed (700 rpm) can occur in vehicles with deposit build-up in the throttle body when the system adjusts engine speed in response to changes in engine load, typically from power steering application or air-conditioner compressor cycling.Idle speed control logic is only active at vehicle speeds below 3.5 mph and when the accelerator pedal is not applied.Ford testing of a vehicle with a worst case throttle body measured a maximum idle flare of 1360 RPM lasting approximately 1 second, which Ford indicated was consistent with system design to limit vehicle speed and acceleration in idle control mode.Ford indicated that the test vehicle was held in place with normal brake effort and that vehicle speed remained under 4 mph without the brake pedal applied.In addition to throttle body deposit accumulation, symptoms associated with the condition may include Check Engine lamp illumination and diagnostic trouble codes (DTCs) P0505, P0506 or P061B.Ford attributed the surge condition to changes in idle air flow resulting from the progressive buildup of deposits in the throttle body from normal Positive Crankcase Ventilation (PCV) system operation.This condition was not adequately compensated for in the original Powertrain Control Module (PCM) calibration.Ford issued a technical service bulletin on August 15, 2011 (TSB 11-8-5), releasing an updated powertrain control calibration for vehicles with CVT transmissions.On October 19, 2011, Ford issued a second bulletin (TSB 11-10-21) superseding TSB 11-8-5 and including updated powertrain control calibration for vehicles with 6-speed transmissions.Prior to Ford issuing the TSB?s, owner?s experiencing the alleged defect either received no repairs, if dealers could not duplicate the condition, or had the throttle body cleaned or replaced, which only provided temporary correction until the throttle deposit build-up returned.Ford?s revised powertrain calibrations appear to be effective remedies for the idle instability caused by build-up of throttle body deposits.However, even after the TSB?s were released, many owners experiencing the condition continued to have difficulty with proper diagnosis and repair as dealers were often either unable to duplicate the condition or were unfamiliar with the new repair procedures.Ford's new program addresses those concerns.NHTSA's testing and complaint analysis indicate that the idle speed control issue in the subject vehicles can only occur at very low speeds, are very brief events, are easily controlled by moderate brake pedal forces and result in minor increases in vehicle speed even with no braking.This investigation is closed.The closing of this in