Complaints by model year
Each bar is one model year. The most recent years are still collecting complaints.
NHTSA ODI complaints (public domain) · updated 23 Oct 2026
New York safety inspections
Share of first inspections failed on safety, by model year. Older cars fail more as miles build up, so compare each year with the average car of the same year. Best against its own year: 2004.
NY DMV Vehicle Inspections, initial inspections since Aug 2021 · how we count
Year by year
| Model year | Complaints | Recalls |
|---|---|---|
| 2007 Monterey | 7 | 1 |
| 2006 Monterey | 44 | 2 |
| 2005 Monterey | 119 | 3 |
| 2004 Monterey | 283 | 4 |
A model year gets its own page when it has enough data for at least three sections
Most common problems
- Power train338
- Structure28
- Seats20
- Electrical system20
- Vehicle speed control17
- Engine15
- Service brakes, hydraulic11
- Engine and engine cooling11
NHTSA ODI complaints, all model years
Fatal crashes in the US
From 2020 to 2023, 11 Monterey vehicles were involved in crashes on US public roads in which someone died, and 5 people died inside them. These are counts, not crash rates: a model with more cars on the road shows up more often, and people killed outside the vehicle are not counted here.
| Model year | Vehicles in fatal crashes | Deaths in the vehicle |
|---|---|---|
| 2006 | 2 | 1 |
| 2005 | 3 | 1 |
| 2004 | 6 | 3 |
NHTSA Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS), crash years 2020–2023 (public domain) · how we count
In New Zealand
54 Monterey cars are on the New Zealand register; 94% arrived as used imports.
| Model year | Registered | Sold new in NZ | Used imports |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1972 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| 1970 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| 1968 | 2 | 0 | 2 |
| 1967 | 5 | 0 | 5 |
| 1966 | 2 | 0 | 2 |
| 1965 | 2 | 0 | 2 |
| 1964 | 5 | 0 | 5 |
| 1963 | 4 | 0 | 4 |
| 1962 | 9 | 0 | 8 |
| 1961 | 3 | 0 | 3 |
| 1960 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| 1959 | 3 | 0 | 2 |
| 1957 | 3 | 0 | 3 |
| 1956 | 3 | 0 | 3 |
| 1955 | 4 | 0 | 4 |
| 1954 | 2 | 1 | 1 |
| 1953 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| 1950 | 3 | 0 | 3 |
NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi, Motor Vehicle Register (March 2026) · CC BY 4.0
Recalls
5 campaigns cover the Monterey.
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.
FORD IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2004 AND 2005 FORD FREESTAR AND MERCURY MONTEREY VEHICLES. THE TORQUE CONVERTER OUTPUT SHAFT MAY FAIL.
ON CERTAIN VANS EQUIPPED WITH THE POWER LIFTGATE OPTION, THE POWER LIFTGATE MOTOR AUTOMATICALLY DISENGAGES AFTER THE LIFTGATE IS POWERED OPEN.
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.
ON CERTAIN MINIVANS, THE POWER STEERING LOW-PRESSURE LINE MAY NOT BE FULLY SEATED AT THE RACK AND PINION STEERING GEAR.
NHTSA recalls