2004 Mercury Monterey complaints

THE VAN IS A 2004 MERCURY MONTEREY. I WAS DRIVING HOME FROM DROPPING A FRIEND OFF TO GET HIS SUV FROM THE SHOP. I WAS DRIVING HOME, AND HAD TO SLOW DOWN TO MAKE A LEFT TURN AT THE LIGHT. I TURNED AND WENT TO STEP ON THE GAS AND THERE WAS NOTHING. I THOUGHT AT FIRST I HAD SOMEHOW BUMPED IT INTO NEUTRAL. WHEN I LOOKED DOWN IT WAS IN DRIVE. I JUST MADE IT OVER THE TRAIN TRACKS WHEN IT CAME TO A STOP. I TRIED EVERYTHING I COULD THINK OF. I TURNED THE VAN OFF THEN ON WENT THROUGH ALL OF THE GEARS, AND NOTHING HAPPENED. MY WIFE CALLED AAA, AND HAD THE VAN TOWED TO A REPAIR SHOP WHERE WE WERE TOLD IT WOULD COST BETWEEN $2,500 TO $3,000 TO REPLACE THE TRANSMISSION BECAUSE THE TORQUE CONVERTER SENT METAL SHAVINGS THROUGH THE TRANSMISSION. THE MOST FRUSTRATING THING IS WE DON'T HAVE THE MONEY TO HAVE IT FIXED, AND WITH A FAMILY OF 5 IT IS REALLY HARD TO GET AROUND. *TR

I OWN A 2004 MERCURY MONTEREY THAT APPARENTLY HAS A TRANSMISSION/TORQUE CONVERTER ISSUE WITH IT. ON THE 5TH OF DECEMBER ME AND MY FAMILY WERE DRIVING HOME FROM THE BASE THAT WE ARE STATIONED AT OVERSEAS WHEN ALL OF A SUDDEN I LOST POWER IN THE VEHICLE. THE RPM'S SHOT UP BUT NEVER ACCELERATED. LUCKILY I WAS ABLE TO PULL OFF THE RD SAFELY. I SHUT OFF THE VEHICLE, RESTARTED IT PUT IT INTO GEAR AND NOTHING... WE HAD IT TOWED TO A LOCAL GARAGE OUT HERE AND THE MECHANIC SAID THAT MY TRANSMISSION IS JUNK... WE HAVE NOT HAD ANY OTHER PROBLEMS WITH THIS VEHICLE EXCEPT FOR THIS... NO WARNING LIGHTS OR ANYTHING CAME ON TO WARN US OF A POSSIBLE PROBLEM WITH THE VEHICLE.. WE DO NOT HAVE THE MONEY TO GET THIS FIXED AND STILL OWE ABOUT $9000.00 ON THIS VEHICLE. WHAT IS FORD GONNA DO ABOUT THIS???? *TR

TRANSMISSION FAILURE - CAUSED BY FAULTY TORQUE CONVERTER. *TR

MY FAMILY AND I WERE TRAVELING DOWN A RURAL ROAD WHEN OUR 2004 MERCURY MONTEREY JUST LOST ITS POWER TO MOVE. THE ENGINE WAS STILL RUNNING BUT WHEN I PUSHED ON THE GAS WE DIDN'T HAVE ANY RESPONSE AND WE COASTED TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD OUT IN THE COUNTRY AWAY FROM EVERYTHING AND EVERYONE. OUR CELL PHONE HAD NO SIGNAL SO I HAD TO WALK THREE MILES TO GET MY SIGNAL ON THE CELL PHONE TO BE ABLE TO CALL FOR HELP WHILE MY WIFE AND GRANDSON WAITED IN THE VAN UNTIL I RETURNED. I HAD TO GET THE VAN PULLED 35 MILES BACK HOME AND IT IS STILL SETTING BECAUSE NO ONE KNOWS WHY IT QUIT MOVING AND WHAT TO DO ABOUT IT. I TRIED ALL GEARS AND NONE OF THEM WORK. *TR

I OWN A 1994 MERCURY MONTEREY MINIVAN AND THE TRANSMISSION WENT OUT WITH NO WARNING WHILE DRIVING ON A NARROW ROAD WITH NO SHOULDER. I HAD NOWHERE TO GO EXCEPT THE DITCH. MY VAN HAS UNDER 73000 MILES ON IT AND THIS IS THE SECOND MAJOR REPAIR TO THE TRANSMISSION IN LESS THAN 5 MONTHS. SOMETHING IS VERY WRONG WITH THE MERCURY MONTEREY TRANSMISSIONS AS EVIDENCED BY THE LARGE NUMBER OF REPORTS OF FAILURE AND THE FACT THAT A CLASS ACTION LAWSUIT WAS APPROVED AGAINST FORD FOR THIS EXACT PROBLEM>

SUDDEN (AND SILENT) AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION FAILURE ON 2004 MERCURY MONTEREY WITH 59876 MILES. STOPPED AT A SIGNAL LIGHT, PROCEEDED ON GREEN LIGHT AND ACCELERATED TO 30 MPH, NO PROBLEMS, NORMAL ACCELERATION. PROCEEDED 500 FEET AND STOPPED AT RAIL ROAD CROSSING. VAN LOST MOTIVE POWER AND STOPPED. THE ENGINE REVVED BUT VAN DID NOT MOVE. NO WARNING, NO LIGHTS,NO SOUND, VAN WILL NOT MOVE. BLOCKED RAILROAD CROSSING, PUSHED VAN TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AND THEN GOT VEHICLE TOWED HOME. ALL MAINTENANCE PERFORMED AT MERCURY RECOMMENDED MILEAGE AND TIME. LOST TWO TRANSMISSIONS ON 2002 CHEVY VENTURE, AND BOUGHT THE VAN BASED ON FORD/MERCURY REPUTATION. *TR

2004 MERCURY MONTEREY 59,700 MILES AND THE TORQUE CONVERTER WENT OUT. THANKFULLY THE VEHICLE BROKE DOWN IN FRONT OF THE HOUSE. AFTER REVIEWING A BUNCH OF WEBSITES, THERE SHOULD BE A RECALL ON THIS VEHICLE FOR THIS PROBLEM. THIS IS A FAMILY VEHICLE SOLD TO THE CONSUMERS AS SAFE. HARDLY, THE CASE! *TR

WITHOUT ANY WARNING OUR 2004 MERCURY MONTEREY HAD DRIVETRAIN ISSUES. WE WERE AT A RED LIGHT AND WHEN WE WENT TO ACCELERATE THE VAN DID NOT MOVE. WE TURNED IT OFF AND WAITED A FEW MINUTES THE STARTED IT BACK UP. WE WERE THEN ABLE TO PARK IT ALONG THE ROAD BEFORE THE TRANSMISSION STARTED TO NOT WORK AGAIN. WE NOW ARE NOT SURE AS WHAT TO DO ABOUT IT. WE CAN NOT AFFORD TO PUT MONEY NOT IT TO HAVE IT REPAIRED. AFTER READING HERE AND ON LINE THIS SEEMS TO BE A ISSUE WITH FORD. WE CALLED FORD AND THEY SAID TO TAKE IT TO A DEALER AND HAVE IT LOOKED AT. I FIRST WENT TO THE DEALERSHIP AND THEY SAID IT WOULD BE $75.00 PER HOUR TO LOOK AT IT WITH A WINDOW OF 1 TO 3 HOUR COST. AND 1 HOUR MINIMUM FEE. *TR

I HAVE A 2004 MERCURY MONTEREY WHICH I PURCHASED FROM A DEALERSHIP IN NOVEMBER OF 2004 WHEN THE VAN HAD APPROXIMATELY 7700 MILES ON IT. I HAVE MAINTAINED THE VAN. LAST NIGHT, MY TEENAGED SON WAS DRIVING AND THE VAN BEGAN PULLING HARD TO THE RIGHT. MY SON WAS NEARLY HOME FROM HIS JOB AND MANAGED TO PULL THE VAN INTO A PARKING SPACE. THE WHEELS ARE LEANING HEAVILY INWARD AND ONE (18 MONTH OLD) TIRE IS BUCKLING. IT APPEARS THE FRONT AXEL IS BREAKING. THE VAN IS UNDRIVABLE. I HAVE NEVER RECEIVED A RECALL NOTICE FOR THIS DEFECT. THE VAN HAS NEVER BEEN INVOLVED IN AN ACCIDENT WHILE I HAVE OWNED IT/NOR TO MY KNOWLEDGE BEFORE THAT. I AM ATTEMPTING TO CONTACT FORD TO SEE IF THE DAMAGE IS RELATED TO A DEFECT INDICATED IN A RECALL NOTICE IN EARLY 2004 PRIOR TO MY OWNERSHIP. *TR

HAD TRANSAXLE REPAIRED IN 2009 FOR $2,500. TRANSAXEL WAS REPLACED. DRIVING HOME FROM NASHVILLE TO KNOXVILLE LAST NIGHT TRANSAXEL WENT OUT AT 70 MPH. HAD TO COAST TO A STOP. WAS SMOKING WHEN PULLED OVER. *TR

ON JUNE 27, 2010 THE VEHICLE LOST POWER TO THE DRIVE WHEELS WITHOUT ANY WARNING NOISES OR OTHER PHYSICAL INDICATORS AND WITHOUT ANY DASHBOARD INDICATOR LIGHTS. APPROXIMATE MILEAGE - 105,000. QUALIFIED MECHANIC ADVISED TO REPLACE TRANSMISSION. A USED TRANSMISSION WAS OBTAINED AND INSTALLED BY QUALIFIED MECHANIC WITH THE SAME RESULTS ON OCTOBER 8, 2010. *TR

DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY IN OUR 2004 MERCURY MONTEREY, THE CAR ACTED LIKE IT WENT INTO NEUTRAL AND HAD TO BE COASTED ONTO THE SHOULDER. THERE WAS NO WARNING LIGHT OR INDICATION OF ANY MECHANICAL PROBLEM BEFOREHAND. AFTER TAKING IT TO THE DEALERSHIP, THEY DECLARED IT WAS A PROBLEM WITH THE TRANSMISSION. ALL REQUIRED MAINTENANCE HAD BEEN DONE ON THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE IS CURRENTLY AT THE DEALERSHIP. *TR

2004 MERCURY MONTEREY WITH 120,000, WOULDN'T MOVE IN THE MIDDLE OF LONG TRIP. TORQUE CONVERTER STRIPPED OUT. STARTED JUMPING IN AND OUT OVERDRIVE WHEN FINALLY DID MOVE, BUT BLEW OUT SEAL. *TR

2004 MERCURY MONTEREY - WIFE DRIVING DOWN THE HIGHWAY (WITH ONE CHILD AS A PASSENGER) AT 65 MPH. VEHICLE LOST ALL ABILITY TO ACCELERATE. NO GEAR. HAD TO COAST TO THE SIDE OF THE HIGHWAY (DURING RUSH HOUR) WHERE THERE WAS LITTLE TO NO ROOM TO EVEN EXIT THE VEHICLE SAFELY. SHE WAS STUCK IN THE VEHICLE WHILE CARS AND TRUCKS SPED BY RAPIDLY OFTEN COMING CLOSE TO HITTING HER. POLICE WERE CALLED AND ALSO A TOW TRUCK. THE VAN HAD NO MOVEMENT IN ANY GEAR. ONLY HAD PARK AND NEUTRAL. VAN WAS TOWED AND THE PROBLEM WAS DETERMINED TO BE A FAILED TORQUE CONVERTER. SPECIFICALLY THE SPLINES INSIDE THE CONVERTER WHERE THE SHAFT COMING OUT OF THE TRANSMISSION ENGAGES. REPAIR COST PLUS TOW IS $2000. LUCKILY NO ONE WAS HURT BUT IT WAS A VERY DANGEROUS SITUATION. AFTER SOME RESEARCH THERE IS APPARENTLY A CLASS ACTION SUIT AGAINST FORD ON THIS ISSUE AND A NHTSA INVESTIGATION UNDERWAY (EA09016). *TR

2004 MERCURY MONTEREY 88K ,COMPLAINED FROM TIME OF PURCHASE THAT THE CRUISE WOULD NOT ALWAYS SET AT FIRST TRY. NOW IT WON'T SET AT ALL. *TR

TRAVELING ALONG RT.270 TOWARDS ST.LOUIS REGIONAL AIRPORT AT 60 MPR LOST GO POWER. LUCKILY ENGINE CONTINUED TO RUN SO WAS ABLE TO MOVE OUT OF TRAFFIC AND PULL OVER ON SHOULDER. HAVING BEING PULLED TO NEAREST MERCURY DEALER THEY FOUND THE TORQUE CONVERTER HAD GONE OUT WORTH OVER $1500. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 MERCURY MONTEREY. THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING 35 MPH WHEN THE TRANSMISSION SLIPPED OUT OF GEAR AND WOULD NOT RETURN TO THE APPROPRIATE GEAR. THE CONTACT WAS UNABLE TO DRIVE THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. NEITHER THE DEALER NOR MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 99,500.

WE BOUGHT A 2004 MERCURY MONTEREY WITH 97K MILES ON IT IN JUNE 24, 2010...EVERYTHING WAS FINE UNTIL AUGUST 11, 2010. I WAS DRIVING AND ALL OF A SUDDEN THE CAR WILL NOT ACCELERATE...SO I DRIFT TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AND TRY TO GET THE VAN TO ACCELERATE BUT NOTHING HAPPENED. I HAD TO GET IT TOWED AND THE TRANSMISSION GUY TOOK IT APART AND SAID THE TORQUE CONVERTER NEEDS REPLACED IT WENT OUT...WE ARE STILL WAITING TO SEE IF OUR EXTENDED WARRANTY COVERS IT IF NOT IT WILL BE 1400-1600 BUCKS TO GET IT FIXED. I MEAN WE HAD NOT EVEN HAD IT FOR TWO MONTHS YET. I STARTED RESEARCHING AND FOUND ALOT OF COMPLAINTS ON IT AND STILL NOTHING HAS BEEN DONE. THANKS GOODNESS NO ONE IN MY FAMILY GOT HURT, WHAT WILL IT TAKE TO GET THEM TO RECALL THIS PROBLEM AND TO KEEP PEOPLE SAFE? *TR

DRIVING HOME FROM WEST SIDE OF STATE TO EAST SIDEOF STATE AND HAD CRUISE CONTROL ON. HAD MY 2 YEAR OLD, 4 YEAR OLD AND 5 YEAR OLD AND WIFE IN CAR. ENGINE WAS AT 2300RPM AND AROUND 65MPH. CRUISE CONTROL WAS ENGAGING POWER TO MAINTAIN 65MPH AND THEN RPM FLARED UP TO 4000RPM AND ALL LOSS OF POWER. I WAS ON FREEWAY AND BARELY WAS ABLE TO PULL OVER. WAS HALF ON SHOULDER AND PART ON WHITE LANE MARKER. COULD NOT GET CAR TO DRIVE OFF LANE. PEOPLE WERE HONKING AND WAS WORRIED THAT WE WOULD GET HIT. COULD NOT GET KIDS OUT OF CAR BECAUSE OF DANGEROUS OBJECTS FROM MOVING CAR TIRES PASSING BY. I HAVE NO POWER IN REVERSE DRIVE, SECOND OR 1ST. ITS LIKE BEING IN NEUTRAL WITH ENGINE REVVING AND NO MOVEMENT. PLEASE ADVISE. *TR

2004 MERCURY MONTEREY LOST POWER WHILE DRIVING 65MPH ON FREEWAY. I WAS ABLE TO COAST TO THE NEXT EXIT RAMP AND CALLED A TOW TRUCK. VAN IS AT MECHANIC, BUT I SUSPECT IT IS A BAD TORQUE CONVERTER. *TR

ON THURSDAY, AUGUST 12, 2010, APPROX. 6;15PM, MY SON AND I WERE PARKED IN A PARKING LOT PREPARING TO ENTER MY SONS TAE KWON DO CLASS. WE ARRIVED A BIT EARLY SO DECIDED TO SIT IN THE VAN FOR APPROX. 5 MINUTES. THE DRIVER AND PASSENGER WINDOWS WERE PARTIALLY ROLLED DOWN AS WE WAITED. WHEN IT WAS TIME TO GO TO CLASS, MY SON APPROACHED THE REAR OF THE VAN TO RETRIEVE HIS DUFFEL BAG, AS HE APPROACHED, THERE WAS A VERY LOUD BOOM AND THE REAR WINDOW JUST BLEW OUT WITH A STRONG FORCE. GLASS SHATTERED FOR SEVERAL FEET OUTWARD. WE WERE SHAKEN BY THE BOOM. WE ACTUALLY THOUGHT THAT SOMEONE SHOT OUT THE BACK WINDOW. THERE WAS ANOTHER PARENT PARKED TWO SPACES AWAY FROM ME ALSO WAITING TO ENTER AND HE JUMPED OUT OF HIS TRUCK WHEN HE HEARD THE BOOM TO SEE IF WE WERE OK. IF MY SON HAD REACHED THE REAR OF THE VAN SECONDS BEFORE THE GLASS EXPLODED, I BELIEVE HE WOULD HAVE BEEN SERIOUSLY HURT. THE SIZE OF THE GLASS WAS IN SHATTERS. I AM SHOCKED THAT NO ONE WAS HURT. THERE ARE USUALLY MANY CHILDREN WALKING PASSED THE PARKED CARS TO GET TO CLASS. THE WAY THIS GLASS EXPLODED AND SHATTERED IS SO UNSAFE. I AM STILL AT A LOSS AS TO WHY IT WOULD EXPLODE WITH SUCH FORCE AND AT THE WAY IT SHATTERED! WE WERE VERY LUCKY...THIS TIME.

2004 MERCURY MONTEREY HAS HAD POWER TRAIN AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION REPLACED TWICE AND ONLY HAS ABOUT 67,000 MILES ON IT. *TR

INCIDENT FIRST OCCURRED ON 6/20/2010, ON I-64. I WAS DRIVING OUR 2004 MERCURY MONTEREY WHEN I REALIZED THAT THE TRANSMISSION HAD SLIPPED FROM D3 TO D2. I STOPPED VAN AND IT WORKED FINE AFTER RESTARTING, BUT WAS AFRAID TO USE IT; ONLY USED SEVERAL TIMES FOR SHORT TRIPS IN THE INTERIM - NO PROBLEMS, HOWEVER, WITH THE TRANSMISSION. TOOK TO DEALER ON 7/30 - 41,779 MILES - EXTENDED WARRANTY (ESP) EXPIRED 2/5/10. DEALER REPLACED TRANSMISSION RANGE SENSOR AND BRAKE PRESSURE SWITCH AT A COST OF $325.22, INCLUDING DIAGNOSTIC CHECK. DEALER ALSO FLUSHED AND FILLED TRANSMISSION - TWICE TO REMOVE WATER - COST: $184.87. I ASKED FOR THE OLD PARTS - DEALER DID NOT RETURN THEM. PICKED UP VEHICLE ON 8/1/10; TRANSMISSION WORKED FINE, BUT THE TRACTION CONTROL SYSTEM (TCS) LIGHT TURNED ON AND STAYED ON. DID NOT DRIVE UNTIL 8/6 WHEN I TOOK IT TIRE SHOP TO HAVE TIRES REPLACED - NO CRUISE CONTROL AND THE TCS LIGHT WAS ON. THE SERVICE MANAGER AT THE TIRE SHOP CHECKED ALLDATAPRO.COM AND FOUND A TSB THAT INDICATED THAT FORD HAD LEARNED THAT SOME 2004-2007 FREESTAR AND MONTEREY TRANSMISSIONS HAD WATER/MOISTURE PROBLEMS CAUSING PROBLEMS WITH THE TCS, AMONG OTHER THINGS. ALSO, IN CHECKING OTHER COMPLAINTS REPORTED TO NHTSA, FOUND ONE WHERE A FORD DEALER NOTED THAT A TRANSMISSION SEAL HAD FAILED ALLOWING WATER TO ENTER COMPUTER (TRANSMISSION RANGE SENSOR?) CAUSING BOTH COMPUTER AND TRANSMISSION TO FAIL. ON 8/7, FOUND THAT DEALER HAD NOT RECONNECTED CRUISE CONTROL, AND NOTICED THAT THE TCS LIGHT TURNED ON A

WHILE ON THE HIGHWAY AND ACCELERATING TO PASS A CAR, ABOUT 65 MPH, TRANSMISSION FAILED, AND HAD TO COAST VEHICLE OVER TO THE SIDE OF ROAD AND STOPPED. IN PARK, REVVED ENGINE AND NO ENGAGEMENT OF TRANSMISSION WAS REALIZED. HAD TO TOW CAR TO FORD_MERCURY DEALER. DEALER REPLACED TRANSMISSION-DO NOT KNOW IF OLD TRANSMISSION IS AVAILABLE. *TR

OUR 2004 MERCURY MONTEREY HAS APPROX.64,000. ON JULY 7,2010 THE TORQUE CONVERTER OUTPUT SHAFT FAILED. THE VEHICLE IS NOW HAVING TO HAVE THE TRANSMISSION REBUILT. APPROXIMATE COST $3,000. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 MERCURY MONTEREY. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING AT AN UNKNOWN SPEED, THE TORQUE CONVERTER FAILED AND CAUSED THE CONTACT TO MOMENTARILY LOSE CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO STOP THE VEHICLE WITHOUT INCIDENT. THE DEALER ADVISED THAT THE TORQUE CONVERTER WOULD NEED TO BE REPLACED AT THE CONTACTS EXPENSE. THERE WAS NOT A RECALL FOR THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 75,000.

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 MERCURY MONTEREY. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 70 MPH THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY STOP ACCELERATING. THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO DRIVE THE VEHICLE ONTO THE EMERGENCY LANE AND CALL A TOW TRUCK. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A LOCAL MECHANIC WHO STATED THAT THE TRANSMISSION WAS DESTROYED. THE MANUFACTURER STATED THAT SINCE THERE WERE NO RECALLS, OR RELATED WARRANTIES THAT THERE WAS NOTHING THAT THEY COULD DO. THE CONTACT WAS CONCERNED ABOUT THE SAFETY RISK AS WELL AS THE POSSIBILITY THAT A CRASH COULD OCCUR. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 40,000.

MY SON WAS RIDING IN HIS BOOSTER SEAT IN THE THIRD ROW OF OUR MINI VAN. HE SOMEHOW MANAGED TO TWIST HIS BODY IN THE SEAT BELT. I PULLED OVER AND UNBUCKLED THE BELT AND FOUND IT TO BE COMPLETELY TWISTED AROUND HIS STOMACH. AS HE MOVED, THE BELT GOT TIGHTER AND TIGHTER. THREE OTHER PEOPLE HELPED ME UNDRESS HIM AND TRY TO PULL HIM UP, DOWN OR SIDEWAYS TO GET HIM OUT OF THE BELT BUT IT WAS GETTING SO TIGHT AROUND HIS STOMACH I WAS WORRIED ABOUT INTERNAL DAMAGE SO WE CUT THE BELT. SEAT BELTS SHOULD NOT CONSTRICT LIKE THAT UNLESS THE BRAKE IS BEING APPLIED. THE VEHICLE WAS IN PARK. *TR

5 DAYS AFTER A WONDERFUL VACATION (IN WHICH I USED MY 2004 MERCURY MONTEREY VAN), I WAS DRIVING TO WORK WHEN I FELT A SHIFTING IN THE FRONT OF THE VEHICLE AS I WAS TURNING A CORNER. I KNEW SOMETHING WAS WRONG RIGHT AWAY AND PULLED (COASTED) INTO A PARKING SPACE. LUCKILY, I WAS ON A SIDE STREET AND NOT A HIGHWAY. I PUT CAR IN PARK AND LISTENED AND WAITED FOR A MOMENT. WHEN I SHIFTED INTO REVERSE TO LEAVE THE PARKING SPACE, NOTHING HAPPENED. I TRIED FORWARD AND REVERSE A FEW MORE TIMES, I TURNED OFF THE AIR CONDITIONING AND MADE SURE THE RADIO WAS STILL WORKING. THE CAR WOULD STILL NOT CHANGE GEARS. HAD THE CAR TOWED ($75) AND NEEDED A NEW (REBUILT) TRANSMISSION - $2,300. WARRANTY EXPIRED A FEW MONTHS AGO, SO IT WAS ALL OUT OF POCKET. IT TOOK A WEEK TO FIX THE VEHICLE, SO I WAS WITHOUT A CAR FOR THAT PERIOD OF TIME. I HAVE 30,000 MI. ON THE CAR. I HAVE NO CONFIDENCE LEFT WHEN I DRIVE THIS VAN NOW AND THERE'S NO WAY I CAN AFFORD A NEW VEHICLE RIGHT NOW. THESE ARE FAMILY VANS AND I WONDER WHEN MERCURY/FORD WILL OWN UP TO THIS PROBLEM?? IT'S QUITE SCARY. *TR

OWN A 2004 MERCURY MONTEREY WITH A REBUILT TRANNY WHEN BOUGHT. 3 YOUNG KIDS UNDER AGE 3. TRANSMISSION JUST WENT WHILE DRIVING WITH ALL 3 KIDS. THANK GOD NO-ONE WAS HURT! THIS IS A KNOWN PROBLEM. WHY IS THERE NO RECALL???? *TR

WITH NO WARNING, OUR VAN WOULD NOT GO INTO ANY GEAR. WE WERE FORTUNATE TO BE JUST PULLING AWAY WHEN TRANSMISSION DISENGAGED AND NOT ON THE HIGHWAY. AFTER INVESTIGATING PROBLEM, SEEMS MECHANIC WILL HAVE TO REPLACE/REBUILD TRANSMISSION. *TR

MY FAMILY OWNS A 2004 MERCURY MONTEREY. WHILE DRIVING THROUGH MOUNTAINOUS HIGHWAY CONDITIONS, OUR TRANSMISSION FAILED. EVEN THOUGH THE DASH HAS WARNING LIGHTS, THERE WAS NO WARNING WHEN WE LOST ALL MOTIVE POWER AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS. WE WERE FORTUNATE TO MAKE IT TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD WITHOUT BEING RUN DOWN BY THE NUMEROUS SEMI TRUCKS THAT WERE CLOSE ON OUR TAIL PIPE GOING UP A HILL. WE WERE MORE THAN 100 MILES FROM HOME, SO DECIDED TO GET THE REPAIRS DONE IN THE NEAREST LARGE CITY. WE WERE TOLD THE TRANSMISSION WAS USELESS AND WE NEEDED TO REPLACE IT OR HAVE IT REBUILT. OUR VEHICLE HAD 105K MILES WHEN THIS BREAK-DOWN OCCURRED. THE MECHANIC FOUND A SUITABLE REPLACEMENT TRANSMISSION FROM A VEHICLE THAT HAD BEEN IN A REAR-END COLLISION, AND IT ONLY HAD 38K MILES. WE CHOSE TO HAVE THE TRANSMISSION REPLACED WITH THE USED PART THAT ONLY HAD 38K MILES. OF COURSE, THE MECHANIC KEPT ALL THE OLD PARTS, AND I WAS NEVER IN A POSITION TO SEE THE WORK IN PROGRESS. I WAS NOT GIVEN ANY SPECIFIC INFORMATION ABOUT THE OTHER VEHICLE'S MAKE AND MODEL OTHER THAN THE FACT THAT IT WAS NOT A MERCURY MONTEREY. AFTER DOING SOME RESEARCH, I NOW HAVE CONCLUDED THAT IT WAS MOST LIKELY A FORD FREESTAR TRANSMISSION WE RECEIVED AS A REPLACEMENT PART. IT HAS BEEN 2-1/2 YEARS AND 22K MORE MILES SINCE THIS INCIDENT (EQUALING 60K TOTAL MILES ON THE REPLACEMENT TRANSMISSION), AND WE ARE NOW TAKING THIS VEHICLE BACK INTO THE SHOP AGAIN BECAUSE OF MORE TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS. IS THERE ANYTHING ANYONE CAN DO? *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 MERCURY MONTEREY. THE CONTACT NOTICED THAT THE FRONT END OF THE VEHICLE WAS MAKING NOISE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A REPAIR SHOP WHERE THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE FRONT WHEEL HUB ASSEMBLY WAS DEFECTIVE. THE VEHICLE WAS THEN TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALERSHIP WHERE THE CONTACT WAS TOLD THAT THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN RECALL 04V446000 (WHEELS: CAP/COVER/HUB). THE DEALER REPLACED THE LEFT FRONT HUB BEARING UNDER THE WARRANTY. THE CONTACT CALLED THE MANUFACTURER AND FILED A COMPLAINT; THE MANUFACTURER STATED THAT THEY WOULD NOT ASSIST WITH THE ADDITIONAL REPAIRS AS THE VEHCIEL WAS NO LONGER UNDER WARRANTY. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 63,000. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 63,057.

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 MERCURY MONTEREY. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT 65 MPH, THE LOWER PRESSURE WARNING LIGHT FOR THE TIRES FLASHED ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. THE CONTACT PULLED OVER TO CHECK THE FRONT DRIVER SIDE TIRE AND ATTEMPTED TO ADD AIR BUT THE AIR WAS RELEASED AS IT WAS ADDED. WHEN THE CONTACT TRIED TO CHANGE THE TIRE WITH THE MANUFACTURER JACK, THE JACK BEGAN TO BEND AND SHIFT TO THE LEFT WHICH CAUSED THE VEHICLE TO FALL OFF THE JACK. HOWEVER, THERE WAS NO DAMAGE TO THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT CALLED THE MANUFACTURER AND WAS TOLD THAT THEY COULD NOT ASSIST HER AS THE VEHICLE WAS NO LONGER UNDER WARRANTY. THE CONTACT BELIEVED THAT THE JACK WAS FAULTY AND NOT DESIGNED TO HOLD THE WEIGHT OF THE VEHICLE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 117,000. UPDATED 11/03/10. *LJ UPDATED 11/19/10.*LJ UPDATED 12/01/10*JB UPDATED 05/26/11 *BF UPDATED 12/30/11 *CN

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 MERCURY MONTEREY. WHILE DRIVING AT 35 MPH, THE TRANS AXLE LIGHT ILLUMINATED WHICH INDICATED THAT THERE WAS A FAILURE WITHIN THE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION. THE TORQUE CONVERTER OUTPUT SHAFT LINES WERE STRIPPING WHICH CAUSED A SUDDEN LOSS OF POWER TO THE DRIVETRAIN. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALERSHIP WHERE THE TORQUE CONVERTER AND TORQUE CONVERTER CLUTCH WAS PARTIALLY REPLACED. THE FAILURE OCCURRED AGAIN; THE DEALER THEN STATED THAT THE ENTIRE TRANSMISSION NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 63,000. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 100,370.

WE HAVE A 2004 MERCURY MONTEREY WITH A LITTLE OVER 50K MILES AND MY HUSBAND WAS TRAVELING OUT OF STATE AND AFTER A FEW HOURS OF DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY THE TRANSMISSION STOPPED WORKING. HE IS NOW STRANDED IN ANOTHER STATE 5 HOURS FROM HOME AND 6 HOURS FROM HIS DESTINATION WITH 3 CHILDREN. SOMETHING HAS TO BE DONE ABOUT THIS. *TR

WHILE DRIVING MY DAUGHTER TO SCHOOL THIS MORNING, I FELT LIKE THE ACCELERATOR SEEMED TO SLIP, I HAD TO STOP FOR A BUS STOP AS THIS HAPPENED. WHEN THE BUS MOVED AND I COULD GO I PUSHED THE GAS AND THE ENGINE REVVED BUT THE CAR WOULDN'T MOVE. THERE WERE NUMEROUS CARS BEHIND ME ON A NARROW TWO LANE ROAD. FORTUNATELY A GENTLEMAN OFFERED TO PUSH ME OFF THE ROAD, I THOUGHT I WAS GOING TO HAVE TO HAVE A TWELVE YEAR OLD BOY GET BEHIND THE WHEEL SO I COULD PUSH THE VAN OFF THE ROAD. I HAD TO HAVE THE VAN TOWED HOME, AND AM CURRENTLY TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WHAT TO DO. I JUST HAD TO HAVE THE COMPRESSOR AND FAN REPLACED ON THIS VEHICLE. THIS IS JUST ONE MORE PROBLEM IN A LONG LINE OF PROBLEMS I HAVE HAD WITH THIS VAN. THIS IS THE WORST CAR I HAVE EVER OWNED. BASED ON THE COMPLAINTS I'VE NOW FOUND ON THIS VAN SAME YEAR AND MODEL I BELIEVE MY NEXT STEP IS TO CONTACT MY SENATOR, THIS RANKS RIGHT UP THERE WITH THE TOYOTA RECALLS. I'M FRANKLY VERY SURPRISED THERE HAVE BEEN NO RECALLS YET FOR THIS LEMON. I THOUGHT I WAS JUST UNLUCKY BUT I SEE I'M FAR FROM THE ONLY ONE SUFFERING FROM THESE PROBLEMS. BY THE WAY THIS VAN HAS APPROXIMATELY 94K MILES. NOT WHAT I WOULD CALL HIGH MILEAGE. *TR

GOING UP A HILL (56 MPH ZONE) ON A CLEAR SUNNY DAY, LIGHT TRAFFIC. ON THE WAY DOWN OUR 2004 MERCURY MONTEREY VAN WAS PLACED INTO CRUISE CONTROL. AFTER A MINUTE RPM SHOT UP AND LOST MOMENTUM, COASTED TO RIGHT SHOULDER, ALL OF THE TRANSMISSION FLUID SPILLED OVER THE ROAD AND INTO OTHER VEHICLES. FIRST OCCURRENCE, NO WARNING, NO ACCIDENT DUE TO LIGHT TRAFFIC. STRANDED ABOUT 40 MILES AWAY FROM HOME VEHICLE TOWED TO A DEALERSHIP. TRANSMISSION REPLACED. *TR

NO PRIOR WARNING, WORKING FINE THEN NOT WORKING AT ALL... WILL NOT GO INTO GEAR (ENGINE WILL REV, YOU CAN SHIFT TO REVERSE, OR DRIVE BUT NOTHING). TRANSMISSION FAILURE ON MY MERCURY MONTEREY 2004. I HAVE NOT CORRECTED THE PROBLEM AS OF YET DEALERSHIP SAYS NEW TRANSMISSION COST IS $3500. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 MERCURY MONTEREY. THE CONTACT APPLIED THE BRAKES AT SPEEDS OF 30 MPH. SHE THEN ATTEMPTED TO REGAIN SPEED BUT THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT ACCELERATE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO HER RESIDENCE AND THEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC. THE MECHANIC STATED THAT THE TRANSMISSION HAD FAILED AND WOULD NEED TO BE REPLACED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE APPROXIMATELY 51,000.

2004 MERCURY MONTEREY HAD TORQUE CONVERTER/TRANSMISSION FAILURE DURING ACCELERATION ON THE HIGHWAY. THERE ARE REPORTS OF OVER 3,000 ON THE NHTSB WEBSITE AND ONLY 32,000 VEHICLES WERE PRODUCED, SO THIS IS OCCURRING IN OVER 10% OF THESE VEHICLES. I DON'T UNDERSTAND WHY THESE VEHICLES ARE STILL ON THE ROAD AND NOT BEING RECALLED BY YOUR AGENCY. *TR

TRANSMISSION IS SLIPPING DURING ACCELERATION IN 2004 MERCURY MONTEREY WITH LESS THAN 80,000 MILES MAKING IT DANGEROUS TO DRIVE. THIS STARTED RECENTLY AND WAS FIRST NOTICED DRIVING UP HILLS, BUT NOW IS OCCURRING ON LEVEL HIGHWAYS. *TR

I HAVE A 2004 MERCURY MONTEREY (WELL MAINTAIN, 65K). LAST FRIDAY (APRIL 2, 2010), I WAS DRIVING IN FLORIDA TURNPIKE WITH HEAVY TRAFFIC AND ALL OF SUDDEN WITHOUT ANY WARNING (ALARM OR LIGHT) LOSS MOTIVE POWER. MY WHOLE FAMILY W/ KIDS WAS IN THE VEHICLE AND I JUST THANK! GOD, THAT WE WERE NOT HURT. I IMMEDIATELY PULLED INTO A ROADSIDE. I TRIED BUT WASN'T ABLE TO PUT TO ANY GEAR, HEARD BIRD CHIRPING SOUND FROM THE ENGINE. AFTER STRANDED IN THE MIDDLE OF FREEWAY DURING HEAVY TRAFFIC FOR MORE THAN 3 HOURS, I HAD IT TOWED TO MY MECHANIC ALMOST 73MILES AND HAD TO PAY $300 TOWING FEE TO BRING THE VEHICLE TO THE MECHANIC. MY MECHANICS INITIAL INVESTIGATION FOUND THAT TRANSMISSION IS GONE AND NEED TO REPLACE IT. AFTER SEARCHING THE WEB, I FOUND VERY SIMILAR ISSUES FOR THE FORD FREESTAR (WHICH IS IDENTICAL TO MONTEREY). FORD /MERCURY SHOULD RECALL THESE VEHICLES TO FIX THIS TRANSMISSION FAILURE PROBLEM AND NOT TO PUT LOYAL FORD CUSTOMER IN A DANGEROUS POSITION IN A HIGHWAY. *TR

VEHICLE SUDDENLY AND UNEXPECTEDLY LOST POWER WHILE WIFE WAS DRIVING ON LEVEL TERRAIN WITH TWO PASSENGERS AT CONSTANT SPEED OF APPROX. 65 MPH IN RIGHT LANE OF AN INTERSTATE. ENGINE RPM INCREASED BUT VEHICLE SPEED DECREASED. POWER LOSS WAS COMPLETE. FORTUNATELY A REST AREA WAS WITHIN COASTING DISTANCE AND VEHICLE WAS ABLE TO COME TO A SAFE STOP THERE. ENGINE WOULD CRANK AND RUN BUT VEHICLE WOULD NOT MOVE IN ANY GEAR, FORWARD OR REVERSE. VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A FORD DEALER, WHO DIAGNOSED TRANSMISSION FAILURE. VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED AT A COST OF APPROX. $3,300 BY REPLACING TRANSMISSION AND TORQUE CONVERTER WITH FORD REMANUFACTURED PARTS. I PERSONALLY REVIEWED THE FAILED TRANSMISSION AND TORQUE CONVERTER WHEN I PICKED UP THE REPAIRED VEHICLE. DUE TO THE SUBSTANTIAL CORE CHARGE (APPROX. $600) I ALLOWED THE DEALER TO KEEP THE PARTS FOR RETURN TO FORD. WHILE REVIEWING THE PARTS, I WAS ABLE TO IDENTIFY AND PHOTOGRAPH WHAT APPEARED TO BE THE ROOT CAUSE OF THE FAILURE. ALL TEETH OF THE PUMP DRIVE SPLINE (A FEMALE SPLINE INSIDE THE TORQUE CONVERTER) WERE SHEARED OFF SO THAT THE SPLINE BORE WAS COMPLETELY SMOOTH. (I ALSO OBSERVED AND PHOTOGRAPHED AN UNDAMAGED CONVERTER FOR COMPARISON.) THERE WAS NO DAMAGE TO THE MATING MALE PUMP DRIVE SPLINE ON THE TRANSMISSION. THE NATURE OF THIS FAILURE CLEARLY POINTS TO A DESIGN OR MANUFACTURING DEFECT. THE FAILED SPLINE TEETH MUST HAVE BEEN SOFT OR THEY WOULD HAVE DAMAGED THE MATING TEETH ON THE MALE SPLINE. THE FAILED SPLINE COMPONENT APPEARED TO BE A S

TRANSMISSION FAILURE OF 2004 MERCURY MONTERY AT HIGHWAY SPEED. VAN SUDDENLY LOST ACCELERATION. TRANSMISSION SPLINE WAS DEFECTIVE AND TRANSMISSION WAS REPLACED.

2004 MERCURY MONTEREY MINIVAN. COMPLETE, SUDDEN, UNEXPLAINED TRANSMISSION FAILURE. VEHICLE WOULD NOT MOVE AND MADE A HIGH-PITCHED WHIRRING NOISE WHEN TURNED OVER, WHICH WAS THE TRANSMISSION TOTALLY GONE OUT. 90000 MILES, BOUGHT 5 YEARS AGO FROM A DEALER WITH 20000 MILES, MAINTAINED EXCELLENTLY SINCE THEN WITH NO OTHER PROBLEMS. OUR MECHANIC SAID HE FIXED 2 OTHER VEHICLES OF SIMILAR MILEAGE WITH SAME PROBLEM IN THE LAST 2 MONTHS, UNUSUAL FOR OUR RURAL AREA. HE EXPLAINED THIS SEEMS TO BE A COMMON DEFECT OF THIS VEHICLE. COST US $3000 TO REPAIR, NOT UNDER WARRANTY. THE DEALER WOULD HAVE CHARGED $4000. FORD/MERCURY MOTOR COMPANY BARELY ACKNOWLEDGED THE COMPLAINT, REPLIED WITH A PAT REPONSE ENCOURAGING ME TO VISIT MY DEALER AND FIND A NEW VEHICLE!, AND THAT WAS THE EXTENT OF THEIR CUSTOMER SERVICE. IN GOOGLING THIS PROBLEM IT SEEMS THERE ARE MANY OTHER PEOPLE EXPERIENCING THE SAME PROBLEM AND I EVEN READ ABOUT A POTENTIAL RECALL BECAUSE OF THESE PROBLEMS. I WISH I'D NEVER BOUGHT THIS CAR.

2004 MERCURY MONTEREY VEHICLE TURNS ON BUT DOES NOT REVERSE OR DRIVE WILL NOT MOVE IN ANY DIRECTION. POSSIBLE DIAGNOSE IS TRANSMISSION TORQUE CONVERTER. VEHICLE WAS DRIVING FINE AND ALL OF A SUDDEN THIS HAPPENED.

I HAVE A 2004 MERCURY MONTEREY THE TRANSMISSION WENT ON IT AT 56,000 MILES I'VE BEEN READING ON THE NET THAT IT'S HAPPENING TO ALOT OF THE SAME VEHICLES AROUND THE SAME MILES. THE VAN WAS DRIVING FINE AND IT JUST QUIT NO NOISE NO WARNINGS NOTHING JUST QUIT. *TR

WE WERE TRAVELING DOWN THE ROAD AT ABOUT 50 MPH WHEN ALL FORWARD MOMENTUM WAS LOST. WE COASTED TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD WHERE WE ATTEMPTED TO PUT THE VEHICLE INTO GEAR. THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT GO INTO ANY GEAR. TRANSMISSION SPECIALIST SUSPECTS TORQUE CONVERTER FAILURE POSSIBLY TRANSMISSION DAMAGE. THIS IS EXTREMELY CONCERNING SINCE THIS VEHICLE IS LOW MILEAGE (59,129) AND HAS A PERFECT MAINTENANCE HISTORY. *TR

WHILE DRIVING OUR 2004 MERCURY MONTEREY THE TRANSMISSION QUIT WORKING RIGHT IN THE MIDDLE OF THE ROAD. I WAS ABLE TO GET TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD WITH OUT INCIDENT. THE VAN ONLY HAS 78,000 MILES ON IT AND WOULD EXPECT MORE THAN THAT ON A MAJOR COMPONENT. I'M STILL MAKING PAYMENTS ON A VAN THAT DOESN'T WORK. TO GET IT FIXED IS BETWEEN $1500 TO 2500. *TR