2004 Mercury Monterey Problems

What owners report

Owners of this model year most often describe a sudden loss of drive power — the engine keeps running and revs, but the van stops moving — usually traced by shops to the automatic transmission or torque converter. Reports cluster in the 40,000–120,000 mile range and typically arrive with no warning light or symptom beforehand. Rust in the rear structure and third-row seat mounting, plus parking-brake/cruise-related speed-control complaints, appear less often in the sample.

1. 1
   Transmission and drivetrain

   Sudden loss of drive power / transmission failure

   • 201 complaints (71%)
   • median 77,650 mi at 6.8 yrs old (197 state mileage)
   • 1 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • owner-quoted repair $2,500 (median of 39 quotes)
   • filed 2008–2024

   Complaints describe the van suddenly acting as if it slipped into neutral while driving, with the engine still running and revving but no power reaching the wheels. Many owners say there was no warning light, noise, or prior shifting problem; vehicles had to be coasted off the road and towed. Shops and dealers reportedly diagnosed failed or destroyed transmissions, worn or sheared torque converter splines, or a failed torque converter, and repairs ranged from a converter replacement to a full transmission rebuild or replacement. Some owners note that a replacement unit later behaved the same way. Reported from roughly 32,000 to 180,000 miles, with many complaints between about 50,000 and 120,000 miles and no warning beforehand.

   Recall 12V0060002 related service bulletins

   What to check: Ask for service records of any transmission or torque converter work, and check the fluid level and condition on the transaxle dipstick. A test drive should include a highway merge and a hill pull, watching for the engine revving without the van accelerating.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “Our family of five was traveling in the middle lane of a three-lane highway with the cruise control set at 60 MPH. We encountered a hill and -'' without warning -'' the vehicle tachometer violently increased RPM and we began to slow down. Fortunately the traffic was light and despite the road construction, there was a shoulder to safely pull onto. …”

   NHTSA complaint #10425864, filed 2011-09, 95,000 miles

   “I have a 2004 Mercury Monterey was driving and all the sudden transmission went out without warning. No warning lights or other shifting problems. Very hazardous. They want 4 to 6000.00 to repair this is definitely a ford problem and should be repaired by them. I could have been killed and my passengers only by the grace of god we weren't.”

   NHTSA complaint #10371169, filed 2010-12, 85,000 miles
2. 2
   Body and structure

   Rear subframe and underbody rust

   Mentioned in 4 of 60 sampled complaints

   Complaints describe heavy corrosion of the subframe/engine cradle and of the sheet metal around the third-row seat mounts, sometimes discovered only during unrelated repairs. One owner reported being told the engine cradle needed replacement due to rust; another noticed rust flakes and movement at the seat latch bracket. Repair costs were quoted to owners, and manufacturer assistance was reportedly not offered in some cases. Usually reported on older, higher-mileage vans, around 100,000 to 160,000 miles.

   Recall 13V0810004 related service bulletins

   What to check: Inspect the underbody, subframe, and the floor area where the third-row seat anchors, especially on vehicles from states that use road salt. Ask whether the third-row seat recall service was completed.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “The vehicle was stopped at the time. My daughter had opened up the 3rd row rear bench seat from the floor. In the process of trying to adjust it, she noticed that it made a racheting sound and the seat back would not stay in position. A week later, after a close examination, I observed that the bracket that the front latch is mounted on at the drivers side is rusted and allows large amounts of vertical movement. After wiggling the bracket up and down, I observed about a tablespoon of rust flakes on the carpet. …”

   NHTSA complaint #10504893, filed 2013-03, 115,500 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. …”

   NHTSA complaint #10449958, filed 2012-03, 23,000 miles
3. 3
   Electrical system

   Electrical and lighting cutouts while driving

   Mentioned in 4 of 60 sampled complaints

   Owners describe dashboard and headlights blinking out for a minute or two at a time, the speedometer dropping to zero and jumping back, and loss of power to windows, interior lights, and door locks. Some reports mention the engine sputtering or stalling alongside these symptoms, and dealers reportedly replaced an alternator without resolving the issue. Other complaints mention airbags deploying without impact or a rear window shattering, which are isolated reports in this sample. Reported from roughly 100,000 to 150,000 miles.

   4 related service bulletins

   What to check: Check that all dash warning lights and exterior lights work, look for a battery/charging service history, and test the power sliding doors and liftgate from the overhead console and remote.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “In early 2012 both brake lights on dash would come on sporadically while driving.then came on more frequently. Soon the battery light started to come on at stops or low idles. 8/2012 dealer could not reproduce the brake lights coming on, but replaced alternator. 11/2012 still problem with brake lights on the dash coming on now plus the check engine light. …”

   NHTSA complaint #10549811, filed 2013-10, 118,000 miles

   “When driving the lights on the dashboard panel, blinks on and off consistently. Stays out for 1-2 minutes.after which the headlights start to go out stays off for 1-2 minutes. Then the car starts to jerk and decline in speed. The speedometer goes to zero then jumps back to actual speed. When the power is out there is complete loss of power to the windows and interior lights and door lock. Took the car in for service he said that he has had many people come in with this type of van with the same problem. …”

   NHTSA complaint #10649909, filed 2014-10, 145,000 miles

Buying note. A pre-purchase inspection should focus on the transmission and on underbody rust, since those are the two areas owners report most. Ask for transmission repair records, confirm the open recalls were performed, and budget for potential drivetrain work on a van of this age.

Summary written with AI from a sample of 60 NHTSA complaints for this model year (picked at random, with complaints that state a mileage and recent ones taken first), then checked automatically against the source records. Where a problem shows a complaint count, every complaint for this model year was matched with fixed keyword rules (written with AI and tested against the sample), and the mileage, age and repair figures are calculated from those complaints; owners' figures are as stated, not verified. Other counts refer to the sample. The excerpts come from NHTSA's public complaint records and are unverified; capitalisation is normalised, NHTSA staff notes are removed, and shortened text ends with “…”. Something wrong? Request a correction.