2004 Mercury Monterey Problems

High Complaint Volume

Real NHTSA owner complaints for the 2004 Mercury Monterey.

< older2005
Complaints
346
Crashes
2
Fires
10
Injuries
2
Fatalities
Recalls
2

Worst 2004 Mercury Monterey Problems

Top 3 most-reported issues with average mileage at failure.

#1130 complaints

Automatic Transmission

Avg mileage:73,558 mi
Crash-related:1
Fires:1
#270 complaints

Transmission / Drivetrain

Avg mileage:98,567 mi
#315 complaints

Seat-Related Issues

Avg mileage:119,752 mi
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All Problems by Category

Every NHTSA complaint category for the 2004 Mercury Monterey.

Automatic Transmission
130
complaints
Crashes
1
Fires
1
Avg Miles
73,558
Transmission / Drivetrain
70
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
98,567
Seat-Related Issues
15
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
119,752
Body Structure
14
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
118,456
Power Train:Automatic Transmission:Torque Converter
12
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
105,441
Unintended Acceleration
10
complaints
Crashes
1
Fires
1
Avg Miles
74,380
Electrical Faults
9
complaints
Crashes
Fires
1
Avg Miles
119,482
Steering Defects
8
complaints
Crashes
Fires
1
Avg Miles
84,071
Engine Problems
7
complaints
Crashes
Fires
2
Avg Miles
103,076
Engine & Cooling
6
complaints
Crashes
Fires
1
Avg Miles
108,296
Fuel System
6
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
111,035
Suspension Failures
5
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
89,662
Gasoline Fuel System
4
complaints
Crashes
Fires
2
Avg Miles
Structural Problems
4
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
Wheel Issues
4
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
Electronic Stability Control
3
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
Brakes
3
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
Hydraulic Brakes
3
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
Wheels:Hub
3
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
Headlight/Taillight Failures
2
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
Manual Transmission
2
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
Seat Belt Issues
2
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
Airbags
1
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
Instrument Cluster
1
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
Electrical System:Instrument Panel:Speedometer/Odometer
1
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
Engine And Engine Cooling:Cooling System
1
complaints
Crashes
Fires
1
Avg Miles
Equipment:Mechanical:Accessory Scissor/Screw/Bottle Jack/Lift
1
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
Latches / Locks
1
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
Latches/Locks/Linkages:Hatchback/Liftgate:Lock
1
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles

Search Owner Complaints

Read what owners actually reported to NHTSA for the 2004 Mercury Monterey. Type a keyword (e.g. “transmission”, “stalling”, “brakes”) to filter.

Recalls for 2004 Mercury Monterey

2 NHTSA recall campaigns affecting ~403,119 vehicles.

13V081000Seats
~196,667 affected

Ford is recalling certain model year 2004-2007 Freestar and Mercury Monterey vehicles manufactured from March 24, 2003, through November 7, 2006, equipped with a third row seat and originally sold in, or currently registered in, Connecticut, Delaware, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, West Virginia, Wisconsin and the District of Columbia. The third row stowable seat can experience corrosion and structural degradation at the seat anchor mechanism mounted to the rear wheel wells. As a result of the corrosion, the third row seat may not fully latch into its seating position.

12V006000Power Train:automatic Transmission:torque Converter · Automatic Transmission
~206,452 affected

FORD IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2004 AND 2005 FORD FREESTAR AND MERCURY MONTEREY VEHICLES. THE TORQUE CONVERTER OUTPUT SHAFT MAY FAIL.

Other Mercury Monterey Years

2004 Mercury Monterey — FAQ

Answers based on real NHTSA complaint and recall data for this specific model year.

Is the 2004 Mercury Monterey reliable?
Verdict: High Complaint Volume. The 2004 Mercury Monterey has 346 NHTSA complaints, 2 crash-related, and 2 recall campaigns. The most common issue is Automatic Transmission with 130 complaints. Source: NHTSA via VinItel.
What are common problems with the 2004 Mercury Monterey?
Top reported problems: Automatic Transmission (130 complaints, avg 73,558 mi); Transmission / Drivetrain (70 complaints, avg 98,567 mi); Seat-Related Issues (15 complaints, avg 119,752 mi). Every complaint is filed by an owner with NHTSA — this is raw reported data, not editorial opinion.
At what mileage do problems start on the 2004 Mercury Monterey?
The weighted average mileage at time of complaint is about 89,588 miles. Some components fail earlier, some later — check the "All Problems by Category" table above for per-issue averages.
How safe is the 2004 Mercury Monterey?
NHTSA complaints for the 2004 Mercury Monterey include 2 crash-related reports, 10 fire reports, 2 injuries, and 0 fatalities. These are owner-reported incidents, not official crash-test ratings — a complaint being filed doesn't confirm a defect, but clusters around specific components are worth investigating.
Does the 2004 Mercury Monterey have any recalls?
Yes — 2 NHTSA recall campaigns affecting an estimated 403,119 vehicles. Recalls are free to fix at the dealer. Always verify by VIN whether the specific car you're looking at has had its recalls addressed.
Should I buy a 2004 Mercury Monterey?
This year has a higher-than-normal complaint volume. It's not an automatic no, but focus inspection on the top reported issue (automatic transmission) and verify open recalls have been addressed.

Source: NHTSA (National Highway Traffic Safety Administration) complaint and recall databases, aggregated by VinItel.

Wider context: See the full Mercury Monterey reliability report with year-by-year comparison and generation analysis.

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