2006 Mercury MONTEGO: complaints, problems and recalls

I PURCHASED A NEW MERCURY MONTEGO PREMIER WITH A 6 SPEED ELECTRONIC AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION. IT IS AN EXCELLENT VEHICLE WITH THE EXCEPTION THAT WHILE TRAVELING DOWN STEEP GRADES THERE IS NO WAY TO DOWNSHIFT TO A LOWER GEAR TO SLOW THE VEHICLE DOWN. I HAVE TO RELY ON THE BRAKES ONLY AND THEY OVERHEAT ON LONG MOUNTAINOUS GRADES. SOME ARE 7% TO 9.5% GRADES IN WEATERN N.C. ,NORTHERN GA. , AND EASTERN TN. WITH NO WAY OF GOING TO A LOWER GEAR TO HELP SLOW THE VEHICLE DOWN , THE BRAKES TAKE EXTREME ABUSE AND COULD FAIL FROM OVERHEATING. I CAN ONLY IMAG…

Owner-reported narrative. 200 miles reported. Look up ODI 10145653 at NHTSA ↗

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING THE AIRBAG LIGHT ILLUMINATED. ALTHOUGH THE DEALERSHIP AND MANUFACTURER WERE ALERTED, NO REPAIRS WERE MADE. THE ABS LIGHT ILLUMINATED, THE FRONT SPRING BRACKETS WERE REPLACED. UPDATED 04/06/06.

Owner-reported narrative. 2,579 miles reported. Look up ODI 10150933 at NHTSA ↗

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING 25 MPH THE VEHICLE BECAME STUCK AT 3500 RPM'S. THE CONTACT BELIEVES IT WAS CAUSED BY THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL STICKING. THE ENGINE HAD TO BE TURNED OFF BEFORE THE VEHICLE WOULD STOP. THREE ATTEMPTS WERE MADE AT RESTARTING THE VEHICLE BEFORE IT WOULD IDLE NORMALLY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER BOTH TIMES AND THE PROBLEM COULD NOT BE DUPLICATED. UPDATED 08/25/06. *JB

Owner-reported narrative. 1,911 miles reported. Look up ODI 10163477 at NHTSA ↗

THE RIGHT REAR BRAKE AREA EMITTED UNUSUAL SOUNDS. IT WAS NOTED THAT THE REAR DISC BRAKE WAS GOUGED. THE PART WAS REPAIRED AT THE DEALERSHIP. THE MERCURY MONTEGO AWD HAD APPROXIMATELY 30,500 MILES. *NM

Owner-reported narrative. 35,500 miles reported. Look up ODI 10182156 at NHTSA ↗

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 MERCURY MONTEGO. AT 60 MPH ON A CLEAR DAY THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY CAME TO A COMPLETE STOP. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE ENGINE'S RPMS INCREASED. THE CONTACT MANAGED TO PULL THE VEHICLE OVER AND SHUT IT OFF WITHOUT EVER TOUCHING THE BRAKE PEDAL. THIS FAILURE OCCURRED NUMEROUS TIMES, INCLUDING ONCE WHEN THE MECHANIC WAS IN THE VEHICLE. THE DEALER WAS AWARE OF IT, BUT WAS UNABLE TO DUPLICATE THE FAILURE. WHILE DRIVING AT 70 MPH THE LEFT REAR BRAKE SEIZED, FORCING THE CONTACT'S VEHICLE INTO ANOTHER LANE. THE CONTA…

Owner-reported narrative. 17,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10186491 at NHTSA ↗

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 MERCURY MONTEGO WITH PIRELLI P400 TOURING TIRES. HE NOTICED A BULGE ON THE SIDEWALL OF THE TIRES, WHICH CAUSED THE VEHICLE TO VIBRATE. AS OF AUGUST 7, 2007, THERE HAS BEEN NO RESOLUTION. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 30,000. THE FAILURE MILEAGE, VIN AND DOT NUMBER WAS UNAVAILABLE.

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10198771 at NHTSA ↗

LOUD CLUNKING FROM REAR SUSPENSION, REPLACED REAR SHOCK AND TIGHTENED TORSION BARS ETC. NOISE WAS REDUCED BUT NEVER FULLY CORRECTED. CONSEQUENTLY MY CAR IS OUT OF ALIGNMENT AND RUINED ALL 4 TIRES IN JUST 32,000 MILES. SERVICE CENTER IS REFUSING TO FIX UNDER WARRANTY. THEY HAVE STATED THAT THE TIRES CUPPING ON THE INSIDE HAS BEEN AN ISSUE ON THESE VEHICLES SO IS THERE MORE WRONG HERE THAN THEY ARE SAYING. I HAVE MY CAR SERVICED THERE EVERY 3,000 MILES AND TIRES ROTATED EVERY 6,000 MILES. I PAY THEM TO TAKE CARE OF MY CAR, IF I WOULD NOT HAVE NOT…

Owner-reported narrative. 1,100 miles reported. Look up ODI 10222943 at NHTSA ↗

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 MERCURY MONTEGO. THE CONTACT NOTICED THAT THE PAINT ON THE HOOD OF THE VEHICLE WAS CONSISTENTLY FADING. HE IS IN THE PROCESS OF NOTIFYING THE DEALER IN REFERENCE TO THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 8,500.

Owner-reported narrative. 8,500 miles reported. Look up ODI 10240057 at NHTSA ↗