Selling a junk Mercury Montego

A Montego that won't shift, won't hold speed or won't start can still be sold whole. We buy whole non-running and junk cars, and pickup is free anywhere in the US.

The modern Montego and the old one

Wikipedia lists three Montego generations. The first two, 1968-1976, were intermediate cars built in Atlanta, related to the Ford Fairlane and Torino; the wagon in the photo is from that era. Mercury dropped the name for 1977. It returned for 2005 on a full-size sedan, the car this page's data covers.

That third generation was built from July 2004 to April 2007 at Chicago Assembly on Ford's D3 platform, related to the Ford Five Hundred, Taurus and Freestyle. It had one engine, a 3.0-liter Duratec 30 V6 rated at 203 hp, and two transmissions: an Aisin 6-speed automatic and a ZF Batavia CVT. EPA listings include both a front-wheel drive and an all-wheel drive Montego. The Mercury Sable came before it and after it.

Power train and speed control, year by year

Power train leads the 2005 (39 complaints) and the 2006 (20). NHTSA's component label does not say which of the two transmissions a complaint is about, so the counts cover both. Vehicle speed control appears in the top three on all three model years and leads the 2007 with 8. The electrical system is second on the 2005 with 22.

The 2005 also has 10 crash reports, the most of any year, and 6 complaints that report an injury.

Fuel tank and door latch recalls

Two of the three campaigns are on the 2005:

• 05V515000: the straps holding the fuel tank to the body could break, dropping the tank and heat shield onto the driveshaft (AWD) or the exhaust (FWD). Dealers replaced both straps. The 123,206 vehicles count the whole campaign.
• 06V383000: on cars registered in a list of states, dealers installed a shield over the front door latches. The remedy also covered Freestyle rear doors, so the campaign's 139,537 vehicles include Fords.

The 2007 has one campaign, 11V355000. Ford recalled 2007 Five Hundred and Montego cars built September 5 to September 11, 2006, because the fuel tank welds may not be consistent; dealers replaced the tank. Only 2,945 vehicles were in it.

Montego complaints and recalls

Montego complaints logged with NHTSA as of October 10, 2026. Owners of a 2007 Montego have had two fewer years to file than owners of a 2005, which helps explain its shorter list. That partly explains its lower count. The 2004 row holds complaints filed under the year production started, before the first EPA-listed model year.

The 2006 sits in no recall campaign at all. Three complaints across all years report a fire, and none report a death.

Repair the Montego, or sell it?

1. Run the VIN at NHTSA's recall lookup. On a 2005, the tank strap and door latch campaigns are the ones to confirm.
2. Know which transmission you have. A CVT and a 6-speed automatic fail differently. Our failing CVT guide and bad transmission guide explain the signs.
3. Price a running Montego with similar miles and the same drivetrain, then hold the quote against it. When fixing a Montego would eat up most of what it's worth, selling it broken usually makes more sense.

Selling a Montego whole

1. Note the Montego's VIN and mileage, and tell us if it's front-drive or AWD.
2. Request an offer, or call (877) 421-6008.
3. Tell us whether it sits on a street, in a garage or in a lot, and if it rolls; the truck loads it where it is. Pickup is free anywhere in the US.
4. Leave the car complete. Tell us about any parts already gone.
5. Have the Montego title and your ID ready at pickup. After you sell covers plates.

The Sable bookends the Montego in Mercury's lineup. Every model is on the Mercury page.