Problems · by component

2005 Mercury Montego electrical system problems

27 owner complaints to NHTSA about the 2005 Mercury Montego cite electrical system, 20% of all 135 complaints for this model year.

Complaints
27
20% of all complaints
Crashes
1
Reported by owners
Fires
2
Reported by owners
Injuries
0
Reported by owners
01 —Owner reports

What owners say about the electrical system

Verbatim from NHTSA complaints, newest first
“I OWN A 2005 MERCURY MONTEGO. WHILE DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS, ALL OF THE INSTRUMENT PANEL GAUGES WOULD ILLUMINATE AND DROP TO ZERO AND THE SEAT BELT INDICATORS WOULD ILLUMINATE AND CHIME. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 135,000”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Dec 3, 2020Power train, Electrical system, Exterior lightingODI 11377774
“THE CAR HAS BEEN LURCHING FORWARD AND DECELERATING RANDOMLY. KEEPS GOING INTO "FAILSAFE ENGINE MODE" AND THE WRENCH LIGHT COMES ON BUT ONLY FOR A FEW MOMENTS, THEN RUNS NORMALLY AGAIN AFTER RESTARTING. HAVEN'T BEEN ABLE TO HAVE THE LIGHT ON LONG ENOUGH TO GET DIAGNOSTICS DONE. HAPPENS WHILE DRIVING OR WHEN STARTING OCCASIONALLY.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Apr 12, 2018Electrical system, Vehicle speed control, Fuel/propulsion systemODI 11084766
“ABOUT 6 MONTHS AGO ALL THE DASH INDICATORS TURNED ON. THEY WENT OUT FOR A FEW MINUTES THEN CAME BACK ON AND STAYED ON. I WAS TOLD IT WAS IN THE ELECTRICAL HARNESS. IT WOULD BE A $700.00 PLUS COST TO FIX IT. IT IS A COMMON PROBLEM I WOULD THINK THERE WOULD BE A RECALL ON SUCH A SITUATION. I HAVE TO DRIVE NOT KNOWING IF THERE IS TROUBLE WITH THE LIGHTS ON FULL TIME.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Oct 11, 2016Electrical systemODI 10915332
“CAR RUNS GREAT FOR ABOUT 20 MINUTES THEN I GET A SURGE IN THE ENGINE, DASH CLUSTER GOES DEAD, CAR JERKS AND I LOSE POWER RANDOMLY. EVERYTHING COMES BACK ON BUT WILL GO OUT MULTIPLE TIMES GETTING WORSE EVERYTIME. I HAVE LOST POWER TO TRANSMISSION ONCE, NO FORWARD OR REVERSE. REPLACED THE DASH CLUSTER AND CAR RAN GREAT FOR 2 DAYS THEN STARTED ALL AGAIN. THIS HAPPENS MAINLY WHILE IN THE CITY, HASN'T HAPPENED ON HIGHWAY YET THANK GOODNESS. CAR JUST SITS IN DRIVEWAY, AFRAID TO DRIVE IT. I SEE COUNTLESS PEOPLE WITH THIS ISSUE ALL THE WAY BACK TO WHEN CAR WAS RELEASED AND STILL NO SOLUTION.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jul 1, 2016Electrical system, EngineODI 10882183
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 MERCURY MONTEGO. WHILE ATTEMPTING TO DEPRESS THE BRAKE PEDAL, THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO ACCELERATE AND THE TRACTION CONTROL, CHECK TRANSMISSION, AND FAILED SAFE MODE WARNING LIGHTS ILLUMINATED. DUE TO THE FAILURE, THE CONTACT CRASHED INTO A BUSH WHILE ATTEMPTING TO PARK THE VEHICLE. THERE WERE NO INJURIES AND A POLICE REPORT WAS NOT FILED. THE FAILURE RECURRED RANDOMLY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO SEVERAL INDEPENDENT MECHANICS, BUT THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE COULD NOT BE DETERMINED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 270,000.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jun 27, 2016Electrical system, Vehicle speed controlCrash reportedODI 10876809
“DASH BOARD GAUGES AND CONTROLS. WHEN DRIVING OUR 2005 MONTEGO ALL OF THE DASH INSTRUMENTS AND GAUGES WILL GO OUT, AND YOU LOOSE SOME POWER, THE REAR LIGHTS GO ON. THIS CAN HAPPEN AT ANY MOMENT WHEN THE VEHICLE IS IN MOTION, ON THE INTERSTATE, SLOW SPEEDS. TO REPLACE IS QUITE EXPENSIVE, BUT IN DOING SOME RESEARCH I HAVE COME ACROSS THOUSANDS OF COMPLAINTS ON THE SAME ISSUE, AND IT'S EXTREMELY SCARY AND CONCERNING THAT A SAFETY RECALL HAS NOT BEEN DONE. YOU CAN TURN IT OFF BUT DOESN'T ALWAYS RESET AND WHEN IT DOES THE ENGINE LIGHT STAYS ON. THIS OCCURS WHILE THE CAR IS IN MOTION.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jan 12, 2016Electrical systemODI 10819579

Showing 6 of 27 reports. Read every report on NHTSA.gov.

Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Nov 10, 2026NHTSA vehicle page

Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.

Other 2005 Montego problem areas