1.5

hardly worth mentioning
Crashes / Fires:
0 / 0
Injuries / Deaths:
0 / 0
Average Mileage:
109,995 miles

About These NHTSA Complaints:

The NHTSA is the US gov't agency tasked with vehicle safety. Complaints can be spread across multiple & redundant categories, & are not organized by problem. See the Back button — blue bar at the very top of the page — to explore more.

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problem #14

Aug 092018

Monterey

  • 126,000 miles
Lower control bolt that mounted to subframe rusted threw frame. If not caught on time the tire would seperate I took the vechicle to a wedler for temperary repair. But unfortanley the design on the subframe has holes so it allows water to enter and cause frame to rust! alert when braking you may experience clunking that is the lower control arm bolt broken. Very dangerous. I have vechicle with physical proof of rusted frame if needed I can take pictures when the time comes.

- Waukesha, WI, USA

problem #13

Sep 082017

Monterey

  • 185,000 miles
Both inter and outer side panel is rusted out, that can caused tire to blow out

- Jeffersonville, IN, USA

problem #12

Jun 232016

Monterey

  • 249,950 miles
Corrosion of third row seat attachment. On 23 June 2016, removed interior panel to service auxiliary A/C unit and discovered severely rusted area around the third-row seat attachment. Both left and right sides of the vehicle are rusted; the left side is much worse than the right side at this time. Contacted local dealer and their representative body shop; both refused to repair the problem due to potential liability issues. Was referred to Ford customer relationship service. They noted there are no active recalls for my vehicle - and since I am not in a "high corrosion" state, recall 13S01 does not apply (NHTSA campaign number 13V081000). Have attached pictures of the affected areas. Am trying to determine what resources are available to repair this problem if the dealer and their representative body shop refuse to approach it.

- Rineyville, KY, USA

problem #11

Feb 012015

Monterey

  • miles
The contact owns a 2004 Mercury Monterey. While driving 35 mph, the contact heard a loud noise coming from the rear of the vehicle. Upon further inspection, the contact noticed that both rear seat latches fractured and corroded. As a result, there were two large holes in the area of the corrosion causing water damage to the carpets. In addition, the contact mentioned that both rear wheel wells were corroded. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The vehicle was included in NHTSA campaign number: 13V081000 (seats). The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was unknown.

- Ravenna, OH, USA

problem #10

Aug 012014

Monterey

  • 157,000 miles
The contact owns 2004 Mercury Monterey. The contact stated while driving at various speeds, the rear driver side door opened independently and a light illuminated on the instrument panel indicating the rear door opened. The vehicle was not taken to a dealer. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer has not been notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 157,000.

- Camden, NY, USA

problem #9

Mar 252013

Monterey

  • 121,000 miles
The contact owns a 2004 Mercury Monterey. The contact stated that while having the vehicle repaired for un unrelated issue, he was informed tht the sub frame engine cradle was suffering from massive rust and would need to be replaced. The manufacturer was notified but offered no assistance. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure and current mileage was 121,000.

- Wyandotte, MI, USA

problem #8

Jan 212013

Monterey

  • 127,000 miles
The contact owns a 2004 Mercury Monterey. The contact stated that while driving approximately 40 mph, she heard a loud bang. The vehicle was taken to the dealer for diagnostic testing. The technician stated that the safety anchor plate that held the third row seat securely in place had rusted and detached from the frame. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The approximate failure mileage 127,000.

- Quincy, MI, USA

problem #7

Feb 132013

Monterey

  • 38,000 miles
The contact owns 2004 Mercury Monterey. The contact stated that the frame of the third row seat was corroded and fractured into several pieces. In addition, the under carriage frame was also corroded. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure and current mileage was 38,000.

- Wicklisse, OH, USA

problem #6

Jan 012013

Monterey

  • 125,000 miles
The contact owns a 2004 Mercury Monterey. The contact stated that the rear floorboard was rusted and causing the rear seat to become dislodged. The dealer was contacted and the vehicle was scheduled for diagnosis. The manufacturer was not notified. The VIN was unavailable. The failure and current mileage was 125,000.

- Ottawa, OH, USA

problem #5

Aug 102012

Monterey 6-cyl

  • 115,170 miles
When my 10 year old son was getting in the car today he noticed that the 3rd row seat was wobbly and moving around. We saw that the latch that holds the seat in place was no longer there! in its place was a hole to the outside of the car. I looked in the drivers-side rear wheel well and saw that the entire latch anchor plate had rusted completely off! thankfully I noticed this before we got on the road because the anchor plate was laying lodged between the wheel and the body of the car - who knows what type of accident or further damage could have occurred to our own vehicle or to others who could have been in the path of the falling, detached plate. I have 3 children and can no longer drive my van since the rear seat is not fully attached to the vehicle and my children are too young to ride in the front seat - not to mention the large, gaping hole in my car. It appears that the passenger-side plate is rusting through as well. This is a 2004 and should not be having such severe rust issues that entire pieces of the body are falling off.

- Etters, PA, USA

problem #4

Nov 062010

Monterey

  • 138,306 miles
The contact owns a 2004 Mercury Monterey. The contact stated that while driving 25 mph the vehicle stalled. The vehicle was towed to the contact's personal mechanic and the transmission was replaced. Several months later while driving 25 mph, a child passenger noticed that they could see the roadway from the third row seat. Upon investigation, the contact noticed that the vehicle had rust along the driver and passenger sides of the frame where the third row seat was connected. Two months later the vehicle would not start and was towed to the contact's personal mechanic but the failure had not been diagnosed. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was 138,306 and the current mileage was 173,476.

- Marysville, OH, USA

problem #3

Jan 032006

Monterey

  • 8,000 miles
Powertrain: Front wheel bearings went out (squeeling sound) in 2006 with 8K miles on vehicle. A tsb was out for that issue and the wheel bearings(2) were replaced. The front bearings went out again in 2009 at about 27K miles. The vehicle was covered by a Ford esp. The dealer said that they couldn't hear the noise - the noise would come and go - so no repair was done at that time. I have the repair order stating "no problem found". now at 35K miles the bearing noise has become much worse and much more frequent but now the warranty is over and it will cost about $700 to repair. What kind of poorly made bearings are these? body: In 2009 I noticed rust at the left rear wheel well area and it is now coming through the left quarter panel. There is also rust at the right rear wheel well area although it has not gone through the right quarter panel. Left and right front doors also rusting at the bottom facing the passenger compartment.

- Hickory Hills, IL, USA

problem #2

Apr 192012

Monterey

  • 126,500 miles
Large section of driver side rear wheel well/underbody, broke off from vehicle including an anchor for the third row seat. This left the third row seat unsafe to use and the interior of the vehicle exposed to the elements. Piece was clearly rotted through. We are told it will cost $1200 to repair, parts are scarce and difficult to obtain. Unable to safely utilize third row seat until repaired. Water is trapped in the underbody and could be damaging to the electrical system. Pictures available upon request.

- Canton, MI, USA

problem #1

Oct 142009

Monterey 6-cyl

  • 23,000 miles
After a rainstorm I opened the tailgate of my vehicle and was surprised to find that the rear wheel well was wet. I vacuumed the water out and brought it to the dealer almost 2 months later after finding moisture several other times. The dealer had a service tech try to recreate how the water got in and "determined" that I had cracked a panel. The only crack visible to me was in a trim piece around the license plate. They told me it would cost over $600 to repair. I told them nevermind. That much water could not come from that crack. Fast forward to a time near the present. Most recently, the "pull", a plastic and nylon piece on the back of the seat failed. Soon there after, one of the nylon straps used to retract the seat failed. I cannot get my seat back in to the "stowed" position. After removing the trim from the back of the seat I found all sorts of rust and corrosion to the seat base. I wouldn't feel comfortable driving with a passenger in my 3rd row seating anymore. I understand there may also be a recall on this car for some sort of leak in the wheel wells. I've been driving around with dampness in the back of my van for two plus years now and I feel like Ford Motor Co. Is passing the buck on to the consumer to save some money. I have no faith in american made vehicles between this and a separate transmission incident. I don't even want to get on the stereo.

- Wall, NJ, USA