IllustrationDRIVING DOWN ROAD CAR JUST STOPPED IN THE MIDDLE ROAD WAS RUNNING JUST WOULD NOT GO.TRANSMISSION TROUBLE I GUESS FORD NEW ABOUT THIS I STILL OWE 3000 ON THIS CAR. LOTS OF PEUPLE WITH IS TROUBLE. *TR
2006 Mercury Montego
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
Limited comparison data
There is not enough comparable history to draw a useful model-year comparison.
About this comparison →How this year compares
Owner complaints by model year
Compare all Montego years →Counts vary with age, sales and reporting. They are not failure rates.
What owners reported most
All reported categories
Tap a category to read its complaints. One report may name several components.
When problems were reported
Mileage at the reported incident
100–25K
1425–50K
1450–75K
1575–100K
12100–150K
4150K+
69 reports with mileage · 16 unknown
NHTSA’s mileage field refers to the reported incident, not necessarily the filing date. This shows report counts, not the likelihood of a failure.
What to inspect
Issues worth paying extra attention to based on owner reports.
- Power Train. Review the 28 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Engine. Review the 18 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Vehicle Speed Control. Review the 14 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
5 crash reports1 fire reports3 injury reports
What owners actually said
85 reportsAFTER THE ENGINE WARMS UP, UPON ACCELERATION AND THE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION IS SHIFTING GEARS FROM 1 TO 2, 2 TO 3 AND 3 TO 4 THERE IS A STUTTERING AND OFTEN A JERKING WHEN THE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION IS SHIFTING. THIS JERKING ALSO OCCURS UPON SLOW BRAKING WHEN THE TRANSMISSION IS DOWN-SHIFTING FROM GEARS 4 TO 3 TO 2 TO 1. I…
Read full complaint
AFTER THE ENGINE WARMS UP, UPON ACCELERATION AND THE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION IS SHIFTING GEARS FROM 1 TO 2, 2 TO 3 AND 3 TO 4 THERE IS A STUTTERING AND OFTEN A JERKING WHEN THE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION IS SHIFTING. THIS JERKING ALSO OCCURS UPON SLOW BRAKING WHEN THE TRANSMISSION IS DOWN-SHIFTING FROM GEARS 4 TO 3 TO 2 TO 1. IT'S GETTING WORSE!! *TR
WHEN SHIFTING OUT OF PARK OR NEUTRAL, OR FROM DRIVE TO REVERSE (OR REVERSE TO DRIVE), THE CAR LURCHES FORWARD OR BACK WITH NO WARNING. THIS CAN BE A HAZARD, IF NEAR PEDESTRIANS OR IF PARKED IN A TIGHT SPACE. ADDITIONALLY, IF THIS OCCURS SEVERAL TIMES,(EG:PARKING) THE CAR WILL STALL & THE REPAIR "WRENCH" ON THE DASHBOARD LIGHTS U…
Read full complaint
WHEN SHIFTING OUT OF PARK OR NEUTRAL, OR FROM DRIVE TO REVERSE (OR REVERSE TO DRIVE), THE CAR LURCHES FORWARD OR BACK WITH NO WARNING. THIS CAN BE A HAZARD, IF NEAR PEDESTRIANS OR IF PARKED IN A TIGHT SPACE. ADDITIONALLY, IF THIS OCCURS SEVERAL TIMES,(EG:PARKING) THE CAR WILL STALL & THE REPAIR "WRENCH" ON THE DASHBOARD LIGHTS UP. THE CAR MUST BE TURNED OFF FOR ABOUT 1 MINUTE & RE-STARTED TO GET BACK TO NORMAL. THIS UNFORTUNATELY IS TOO COMMON OCCURRENCE. IS FORD WAITING FOR A FATALITY BEFORE TAKING STEPS FOR CORRECTIVE ACTION. *TR
CAR WAS COMPLETLY STOPPED AT A RED LIGHT. THEN ALL OF A SUDDEN THE CAR LURCHED FORWARD 5 FEET WITH FOOT ON THE BRAKE. THIS MAKES THE 3RD OR 4TH TIME IN THE PAST YEAR IT HAS HAPPENED. LUCKY NO ONE WAS IN FRONT OF ME. *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 MERCURY MONTEGO. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 10 MPH, THE CONTACT DEPRESSED THE BRAKE PEDAL UPON APPROACHING A TRAFFIC STOP SIGNAL. THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY LUNGED FORWARD WITHOUT WARNING. THE FAILURE RECURRED WHENEVER THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS ENGAGED DURING A COMPLETE STOP. THE FAILURE BECAME PROGRESSIVELY WO…
Read full complaint
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 MERCURY MONTEGO. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 10 MPH, THE CONTACT DEPRESSED THE BRAKE PEDAL UPON APPROACHING A TRAFFIC STOP SIGNAL. THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY LUNGED FORWARD WITHOUT WARNING. THE FAILURE RECURRED WHENEVER THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS ENGAGED DURING A COMPLETE STOP. THE FAILURE BECAME PROGRESSIVELY WORSE. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE PROBLEM. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 80,000. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE.
I EXPERIENCE A SUDDEN ACCELERATION WHEN I AM PULLING INTO OR BACKING OUT OF A PARKING SPACE AND PULLING INTO MY DRIVEWAY. I PURCHASED THIS CAR USED TWO YEARS AGO, SO IT MIGHT NOT BE THE FIRST OCCURRENCE. *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 MERCURY MONTEGO. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE BEGAN EXHIBITING AN ABNORMAL NOISE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR DIAGNOSIS AND THE CONTACT WAS TOLD THAT THE REAR DIFFERENTIAL FAILED AND RECOMMENDED A COMPLETE OVERHAUL. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED AND OFFERED NO ASSISTANCE. THE VEHICL…
Read full complaint
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 MERCURY MONTEGO. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE BEGAN EXHIBITING AN ABNORMAL NOISE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR DIAGNOSIS AND THE CONTACT WAS TOLD THAT THE REAR DIFFERENTIAL FAILED AND RECOMMENDED A COMPLETE OVERHAUL. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED AND OFFERED NO ASSISTANCE. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 98,000.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 MERCURY MONTEGO. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE ANOTHER VEHICLE CRASHED INTO HIM ON THE DRIVER'S SIDE AND NONE OF THE AIR BAGS DEPLOYED. THE LOCATION OF IMPACT WAS THE FENDER AND DOORS ON THE DRIVER'S SIDE. THE DOORS ON THE DRIVER'S SIDE WERE CAVED IN AS A RESULT. THE DRIVER SUFFERED MINOR INJURIES DURIN…
Read full complaint
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 MERCURY MONTEGO. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE ANOTHER VEHICLE CRASHED INTO HIM ON THE DRIVER'S SIDE AND NONE OF THE AIR BAGS DEPLOYED. THE LOCATION OF IMPACT WAS THE FENDER AND DOORS ON THE DRIVER'S SIDE. THE DOORS ON THE DRIVER'S SIDE WERE CAVED IN AS A RESULT. THE DRIVER SUFFERED MINOR INJURIES DURING THE CRASH. THE POLICE STATED THAT THE AIR BAGS SHOULD HAVE DEPLOYED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED AND REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 39,449 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 68,000. UPDATED 04/10/12*LJ UPDATED 04/16/12 UPDATED 05/02/12. *JB
PURCHASED MY 2006 MERCURY MONTEGO IN 2007. CAR HAS ALWAYS SEEMED TO IDLE TOO FAST. CAR WILL SUDDENLY LURCH FORWARD OR BACKWARD, SEEMINGLY WITHOUT PROVOCATION. I AM FEARFUL OF MY SAFETY, SAFETY OF OTHERS OR OF DAMAGE TO SURROUNDING VEHICLES/PROPERTY. MECHANICS I HAVE CONTACTED HAVE RESET THE COMPUTER, BUT THE CAR ALWAYS RETU…
Read full complaint
PURCHASED MY 2006 MERCURY MONTEGO IN 2007. CAR HAS ALWAYS SEEMED TO IDLE TOO FAST. CAR WILL SUDDENLY LURCH FORWARD OR BACKWARD, SEEMINGLY WITHOUT PROVOCATION. I AM FEARFUL OF MY SAFETY, SAFETY OF OTHERS OR OF DAMAGE TO SURROUNDING VEHICLES/PROPERTY. MECHANICS I HAVE CONTACTED HAVE RESET THE COMPUTER, BUT THE CAR ALWAYS RETURNS TO THE SAME ISSUE AFTER A DAY OR SO. MECHANICS ARE BAFFLED OVER THIS ISSUE. IT IS ALMOST AS IF THE CAR HAS A MIND OF ITS OWN. *TR
2006 MERCURY MONTEGO LURCHED AN LUNGES ALSO EVEN WITH FOOT ON BRAKE WILL STOP IN THE MIDDLE OF HIGHWAY WILL NOT TAKE GAS TRANSMISSION JERKS. *TR
Official recalls
0No recalls in this snapshot.
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
1PE11018 · 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