Recalls (4)
NHTSA lists 4 recall campaigns for the 2004 Mercury Monterey. Check whether yours was repaired with NHTSA's free VIN lookup ↗
Only NHTSA and your automaker know whether your specific car was repaired. PlainVIN shows every recall campaign listed for a model year, with the official text and how many cars have been fixed so far.
Check on NHTSA ↗Corrosion of Third Row Seat Attachment
- Summary
- 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.
- Consequence
- In the event that the vehicle is crashed into from the rear, an unlatched seat may increase the risk of personal injury.
- Remedy
- Ford will notify owners, and dealers will install new third row seat latch striker mounting brackets, free of charge. The recall began on March 28, 2013. Owners may contact Ford Motor Company Customer Relationship Center at 1-866-436-7332.
TORQUE CONVERTER MALFUNCTIONS
- Summary
- FORD IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2004 AND 2005 FORD FREESTAR AND MERCURY MONTEREY VEHICLES. THE TORQUE CONVERTER OUTPUT SHAFT MAY FAIL.
- Consequence
- THIS CONDITION RESULTS IN A SUDDEN LOSS OF MOTIVE POWER WITH NO WARNING, INCREASING THE RISK OF A CRASH.
- Remedy
- FORD WILL NOTIFY OWNERS, AND DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE TORQUE CONVERTER FREE OF CHARGE. THE SAFETY RECALL BEGAN ON AUGUST 9, 2012. OWNERS MAY CONTACT THE FORD MOTOR COMPANY CUSTOMER RELATIONSHIP CENTER AT 1-866-436-7332.
FORD/HUBS, ROTORS, WHEEL BEARINGS
- Summary
- CERTAIN MINIVANS MAY HAVE BEEN PRODUCED WITH FRONT WHEEL HUB ASSEMBLIES THAT WERE NOT HEAT TREATED CORRECTLY. THIS CONDITION MAY LEAD TO THE DEVELOPMENT OF SMALL CRACKS IN THE HUB.
- Consequence
- IF THE CRACKS WERE TO PROGRESS, THIS COULD EVENTUALLY RESULT IN WHEEL SEPARATION. WHEEL SEPARATION MAY LEAD TO LOSS OF VEHICLE CONTROL, AND POTENTIALLY RESULT IN A VEHICLE CRASH.
- Remedy
- DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE FRONT HUB, ROTORS, AND WHEEL BEARINGS. THE RECALL BEGAN SEPTEMBER 20, 2004. OWNERS SHOULD CONTACT FORD AT 1-800-392-3673.
FORD/POWER STEERING LINE
- Summary
- ON CERTAIN MINIVANS, THE POWER STEERING LOW-PRESSURE LINE MAY NOT BE FULLY SEATED AT THE RACK AND PINION STEERING GEAR.
- Consequence
- IF THIS LINE BECOMES DISCONNECTED, IT MAY CREATE THE POTENTIAL FOR FLUID TO COME INTO CONTACT WITH THE EXHAUST SYSTEM, WHICH COULD RESULT IN SMOKE OR FIRE.
- Remedy
- DEALERS WILL INSPECT THE POWER STEERING LOW-PRESSURE LINE TO ENSURE THAT IT IS SEATED PROPERLY AT THE RACK AND PINION STEERING GEAR. OWNER NOTIFICATION BEGAN NOVEMBER 10, 2003. OWNERS SHOULD CONTACT FORD AT 1-800-392-3673.
PlainVIN shows public government records for education. It isn't a vehicle inspection or legal advice. Check your own VIN with NHTSA or your dealer.
Owner complaints (283)
283 complaints filed with NHTSA (owner reports, not verified findings). The power train is mentioned most often.
As reported by owners in their complaints. These are reports, not NHTSA findings.
Most-reported components
| Component | Complaints | % of 283 |
|---|---|---|
| Power train | 203 | 71.7% |
| Structure | 19 | 6.7% |
| Seats | 16 | 5.7% |
| Electrical system | 11 | 3.9% |
| Vehicle speed control | 11 | 3.9% |
| Service brakes | 8 | 2.8% |
| Steering | 8 | 2.8% |
| Engine | 7 | 2.5% |
| Engine and engine cooling | 7 | 2.5% |
| Wheels | 7 | 2.5% |
How 2004 compares with other Monterey years
Best and worst Monterey years →| Model year | Complaints | Recall campaigns |
|---|---|---|
| 2004 | 283 | 4 |
| 2005 | 119 | 3 |
| 2006 | 44 | 2 |
| 2007 | 7 | 1 |
Counts are owner reports, not failure rates. Higher sales years tend to draw more reports. Owners are still filing reports for recent model years, so these counts will grow. Source: NHTSA ODI, retrieved Oct 6, 2026.
Fuel economy: up to 17 mpg combined
- EPA annual fuel cost
- $3,950
- CO₂ tailpipe
- 523 g/mi
- EPA class
- Minivan -
What it costs you to run
Miles ÷ 17 mpg × $4.354 (EIA US average regular, week of Oct 5, 2026, all taxes included). Source: EPA · EIA.
EPA label estimates from lab tests; your mileage will vary.
Specs by configuration
| Engine · transmission | Drive | City / Hwy / Comb | EPA $/yr | CO₂ g/mi |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4.2 L 6-cyl · 4-speed automatic | Front-Wheel Drive | 15 / 21 / 17 | $3,950 | 523 |
Source: EPA fuel economy data, retrieved Oct 6, 2026. Configurations are listed when EPA and NHTSA records match.
Looking at a 2004 Monterey for sale?
Print a one-page buyer's checklist: each recall campaign with a box to tick when the seller shows proof of repair, the top complaint areas to inspect, crash stars, MPG, and a link back to this page.
Where to next
2004 Mercury Monterey FAQ
How many recalls does the 2004 Mercury Monterey have?
NHTSA lists 4 recall campaigns: 13V081000 (seat), 12V006000 (power train), 04V446000 (wheel), 03V457000 (steering). Use NHTSA's VIN lookup to see whether a specific car was repaired.
What are the most common 2004 Mercury Monterey problems?
Owners filed 283 complaints with NHTSA. Power train (203), Structure (19), Seats (16) are mentioned most. These are owner reports, not verified findings.
What mpg does the 2004 Mercury Monterey get?
EPA rates the 4.2 L 6-cyl · 4-speed automatic version at 15 city, 21 highway and 17 combined mpg.
How does the 2004 Monterey compare with other years?
Among the 2004–2007 Mercury Monterey model years at least five years old, the 2007 drew the fewest complaints (7) and the 2004 the most (283). The 2004 drew 283. Counts are owner reports, not failure rates.
How this page was madeSources, processing, limits, review and changes
Data sources
- NHTSA recalls by vehicle
Retrieved Oct 6, 2026 - US DOT recall completion rates (data.transportation.gov)
Retrieved Oct 6, 2026 - NHTSA ODI owner complaints
Retrieved Oct 6, 2026 - NHTSA NCAP 5-Star Safety Ratings
Retrieved Oct 6, 2026 - EPA fuel economy data (licence confirmation pending)
Retrieved Oct 6, 2026 - EIA weekly retail gasoline prices
Weekly, all taxes included
Processing
- Complaints are counted per component. One complaint can list several, so component totals add up to more than the total.
- Fuel cost = miles per year ÷ EPA combined mpg × EIA weekly price for your region.
Limitations
- Complaint counts are owner reports, not verified findings or failure rates. There is no sales denominator.
- Recall campaigns are listed for the model year. Only NHTSA and the automaker know whether a specific car was repaired.
- Recent model years are still collecting reports.
Review
Data compiled automatically from the official files listed here.
Changelog
- 2026-10-06 Data refreshed from the official files.