Most common 2006 Mercury Montego problems
Share of the 85 complaints; one complaint can involve more than one system. "~" is the median mileage when the problem started.
Mercury Montego complaints by model year
Best Montego years: 2007. Years to avoid: 2005. Compare all years →
NHTSA defect investigations
Federal safety investigators have looked into a possible defect involving the 2006 Mercury Montego:
Idle instability
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…
What 2006 Mercury Montego owners say
Transmission & drivetrain all 28 →
The contact owns a 2006 Mercury Montego. The contact stated that while driving at slow speeds and attempting to depress the accelerator pedal, the vehicle was jerking and shuddering. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired by an independent mechanic or local dealer. A local dealer was contacted and confirmed that the VIN was not under recall. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and referred contact to the NHTSA Hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was approximately 184,000.
The throttle control transmission has failed me several times when I'm on the road. Thankfully it's only left me stranded on the side of the freeway once but has made me stop during oncoming traffic several times. The wrench light comes on when the vehicle decelerates and I'm unable to accelerate. Once the steering wheel even locked. This happens at random times but because the code is pending mechanics can't seem to find the issue. This has happened dozens of time where it just stops suddenly while driving. I am concerned for the safety of me and my family when driving this vehicle. Please get this issue resolved!
Engine & cooling all 24 →
Tl* the contact owns a 2006 Mercury Montego. The contact stated that while driving approximately 60 MPH, he smelled a burning odor inside the vehicle. The engine was turned off and upon restarting, there was a complete loss of power steering. The contact inspected under the hood and noticed that the serpentine belt was fractured. The vehicle was towed to an authorized dealer for diagnosis and the air compressor serpentine belt was replaced. The manufacturer was notified of the defect. The approximate failure mileage was 60, 540.
Tl* the contact owns a 2006 Mercury Montego. While driving approximately 50 MPH, the engine suddenly malfunctioned and shut off. During the incident, the check engine light illuminated and the engine failure message was displayed. After restarting the engine, the vehicle operated as normal. The vehicle was taken to the dealer who diagnosed that the throttle body was faulty and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 85,600.
Speed control & acceleration
The contact owns a 2006 Mercury Montego. The contact stated that while parallel parking, the vehicle independently accelerated and lunged forward. There were no warning lights illuminated. The contact stated that the failure was due to the throttle body. The local dealer was not contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not contacted. The failure mileage was approximately 80,000.
The throttle control transmission has failed me several times when I'm on the road. Thankfully it's only left me stranded on the side of the freeway once but has made me stop during oncoming traffic several times. The wrench light comes on when the vehicle decelerates and I'm unable to accelerate. Once the steering wheel even locked. This happens at random times but because the code is pending mechanics can't seem to find the issue. This has happened dozens of time where it just stops suddenly while driving. I am concerned for the safety of me and my family when driving this vehicle. Please get this issue resolved!
2006 Mercury Montego engines & fuel economy
| Engine | Transmission | Drive | MPG city / hwy / combined |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3.0L 6-cyl | 6-speed automatic | FWD | 19 / 26 / 21 |
| 3.0L 6-cyl | CVT | FWD | 18 / 25 / 20 |
| 3.0L 6-cyl | CVT | 4WD/AWD | 17 / 23 / 19 |
EPA ratings. Class: Large car.
Frequently asked questions
Is the 2006 Mercury Montego a good car?
Based on 85 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the 2006 Montego rates average: about as many complaints as a typical year of the Montego at the same age. Complaint counts don't account for sales volume or individual maintenance, so have any used car inspected before buying.
What is the most common problem with the 2006 Mercury Montego?
The transmission & drivetrain — 28 complaints, 33% of all complaints for this model year, most often about automatic transmission. Next are the engine & cooling (24) and speed control & acceleration (14).
How many recalls does the 2006 Mercury Montego have?
NHTSA lists no recalls for the 2006 Mercury Montego. You can still confirm with your VIN using our VIN recall check.
What are the best and worst years of the Mercury Montego?
The best years by complaints, compared at the same age, are 2007. Years to avoid or approach with caution: 2005. See the full Mercury Montego years comparison.
At what mileage do 2006 Mercury Montego problems happen?
The median mileage reported in complaints is about 66,000 miles; 35% of problems with a recorded mileage started before 50,000 miles.
Source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) — owner complaints through October 20, 2026, recalls and defect investigations; fuel economy from the EPA. Complaints are unverified reports and are not proof of a defect. How we rate model years.