Non functioning Mercury Montego tail light replaced with a Mercury Sable 08 tail light assembly?

I did. And I called several. No one has a montego. In fact, Ive talked to several mechanics that have told me I have one of the worst possible cars to get used parts for. Even if I had found one at a junkyard it would still cost me the same if not more than what I paid for the one I got off Ebay. I could keep trying to buy them and try them out off Ebay but that seems a bit ridiculous, don't you think? especially since I stil haven't gotten my refund for the first one yet.

Did you get anywhere? I just came across the same problem. I haven’t even been able to find a passenger side tail light in any condition yet.

Same issue here with a 2005 Mercury Montego's tail lights. The LED tail light passenger side died over a year ago and the drivers side is dead now so I have to do something. I stopped by a local salvage yard today and picked up a passenger and drivers side tail light assembly out of a 2005 Ford Five Hundred cost me 72 bones plus my time. They fit perfectly and plugged right into the harness unfortunately everything works except for the brake lights?????? I saw the video about changing the 5 wire to 2 but I have not tried that yet. I guess I will try tomorrow just for grins and giggles. I sure hope that it does not fry my electrical system on this sweet 2005 Mercury Montego with 240k miles valued at around 900 bones LOL. Just searching around on the web like everyone else I guess......... Maybe I will hit the Powerball tonight that will fix it Haha

After days of searching and trying different solutions I went back to the salvage yard and took the SJB out of a 2005 Ford Five Hundred and installed it into my 2005 Mercury Montego this provided proper power to the proper pins to make the 500 tail lights work. This IS a viable solution. You just have to make sure the donor 500 has the same factory options as your Montego the fuse panel box (aka SJB) controls almost everything on the car. It is a complete Plug and Play except you have to reprogram your remote key fobs to match the donor SJB. That is real simple - key switch on and off quickly 8 times when you hear the door locks cycle hit any button on the key fob and it will be programmed to match the donor SJB. happy swapping! Man I wish someone had posted this info before I started on my journey of Discovery LOL I wasted days trying to figure this out. Enjoy my friends.

Another tip is get the 5 digit number off the back of the donor SJB. That will be your new code for the door button pad to lock and unlock without the key. Like I said above the SJB controls almost everything.......I am very happy to have this Tail light issue fixed, now on to the noisy Power Steering, i changed the power steering fluid out today (Mercon V transmission fluid) it is nice and quiet now. Next repair is the poorly performing AC system. I put the gauges on evacuated and refilled to proper level and diagonsed the control valve sticking; I have a new AC compressor control valve for the variable volume compressor ordered to fix that issue. Will be about 5 days before it comes in so that will be next weekends project. Looks like I will have a nearly NEW car (except for the 240k miles on this one) by the time this is all done LOL.

PROBLEM SOLVED! I replaced my son's 2005 Mercury Montego passenger side brake light several times over the past few years with junkyard units that failed within a few months. I searched the internet for weeks and months watching every YouTube Video and reading every post looking for better options. New units were over $700 (list $1,000.00). EBay units were $400 with no warranty. I watched the YouTube video about converting to a 2008 Ford 500 by switching the 5 & 2 wires. I took a chance and bought a 2008 Mercury Sable tail light from an auto salvage yard. When I looked at the 2 & 5 wires on the plug, they seemed to be where they were supposed to be. I plugged it into my son's car and it worked perfectly with no wiring changes. The next day I bought the driver's side tail light from the same auto salvage yard and installed it. Now we have two (2) matching tail lights that work fine and have replaceable bulbs rather than the non-serviceable LED tail light MONSTROSITY!!

Did the connecter on the lights plug in to the car's factory plug

Yes. The connectors matched perfectly.

I'd love for someone to post before and after pics or upload video of this mod with the stuff Crash227 noted. I am in the same jam with my mothers car. Just got a full Montego light off EBAY. Claims it was tested, we shall see. I'll report back.

Everything fits perfectly. I paid $60 each for 2 tail lights from a 2008 Mercury Sable. I think ‘08 thru ‘10 are a direct fit. This photo is of the first swap. I have the old drivers side LED which still works. The passenger side failed three times before swapped it for the ‘08 Sable.

This is the 2008 Mercury Sable tail light assembly on the way home from the auto salvage yard. None of the 6 people working at a giant auto salvage yard knew this swap would work. They told me I was on my own with this fix...

The final photo with both tail lights replaced with 2008 Mercury Sable lights.

Removed 2006 montego tail light assembly - opened sealed light assembly. Inside I found a circuit board but I don’t know how to test it. June

They are not serviceable units. Save yourself a huge hassle and lots of money and simply buy the tail light assembly from a 2008-2010 Mercury Sable and swap it out. I paid $120 for a pair and it solved the problem. The LED tail light assemblies are JUNK!!!

tried crash 227 idea used 2008 Mercury Sable tail light assembly, just make sure they give you the harness from the Sable assembly not just the light assembly! ABSOLUTELY PERFECT FIT!! Thanks to everyone!!!

so i have a montego 2006. left driver side tail light is out. Could it be just the fuse? and if so does anyone know where it's located? :( Im so sad bec i really need this car to work... or perhaps I can just do what the rest of you have done, swap my tail light with a sable 2008. Are there any wirings I need to fix or do or it's just as easy as putting it in?? Any information that could help will truly and sincerely be appreciated. I don't know anything about cars... HELP!!!!

No wiring change. The 2008 Sable plug matches your 2006 Montego. Nearly certain you have the same LED failure that is so common in your vehicle. A bad fuse would kill both Taillights. You could check for power at the plug with a multimeter or plug in the working passenger side taillight on the drivers side wiring to see if it works.

Hi Guys, im in the process as i type. I have an 05 montegeo and went to pull a part yesterday and bought 2- 500 taillights. In my case i have to add a wire to the #3 spot on the new harness and cut a wire of one of the brown legs and add the red and white wire from the same plug to the new wire. (saw this on youtube)) wish i would have read this yesterday about the sable swap sounds a little less aggravating non the less i have finsh it up now and ill get back to you all have a great day and with a little luck my problem should be fixed.

I bought used tail lights from a 2008 mercury sable at the auto salvage and they worked well for my 2006 mercury montego 100 dollars for the set saved my self a lot of time and money

I have a 2010 montego anyone possibly know what year sable would fit it

There is no such vehicle as a 2010 Mercury Montego. Google it.

hi guys forgot to post the outcome of my tail light swap from 05 montego to 500 tail lights for my montego, everything works fine and i love the idea of easy bulb replacement.

Ok thx. Does the light come with the harness and bulbs?

Anyone know if the 2008, 2009 Ford Taurus tail light assembly will connect to my Mercury Montego? It looks so similar and easier to find at junk yards. Also just to confirm the tail light assembly from the 2008 sable does work?

Christina it is the same part number for both the 2008/2009 Ford Taurus and the 2007 Mercury Montego Part number 8g1z-13404-A is the OEM for both cars.

Changed sons taillights 2006 Montego with 2008 sable 20 min done plugs right in no changing wires beware bought taillights at junkyard didn’t realize one had plug cut off wires aren’t color coded on montego plug tried to splice had to change fuse. Bought another light eBay. Work perfectly now have left montego taillight for sale just looking to break even $150 for the sable lights

Had the same problem with my 07 Premiere with LED lights. I removed them & dried them out VERY WELL, THEY KEPT GETTING WATER IN THEM & QUIT WORKING. Once mine dried out ( HAIR DRYER, OVEN ON LOW ) they worked, so I put CLEAR RTV all around where the 2 halves meet ( squished it in crack very well ). Then drilled a drain hole or air hole in the bottom of the lights & 1 inside trunk on the back of them. They get no condensation in them any more or water & have worked GREAT EVER SINCE.

The Taurus tail lights are the same dimensions as the Montego, but is the wiring compatible, without making any wiring changes, to work in the Montego.(Is the Tauris tailight just a smple plugin, like you are all talking about with the Sable tail light?)

Dont know on the Taurus taillights but I do know that the ford five hundred taillights fit and work work you just have to get the SJB unit on the salvage yard unot too and swap it in.. Going from LED to incandescent bulb requires a different programming in the controller. I could not find anyone that could reprogram mine so I just swapped in the entire control unit. ONLY Thing is the LED headlights act funny with the five hundred controller if you turn them off and back on while the ignition switch is on sometimes they do not come on and you have to cycle the ignition switch. I gave this car to my brother in law 3 years ago after the repair (it had around 240k on it at the time) he drives it every day and has 320k on it and the lights are all still working! We did have to swap out the AC compressor a few weeks back, now that is a big chore due to its location....... The good news is in todays market that Mercury Montego with 240k on it 3 years back was worth $900.00 now with 320k on it he got an offer for 4k LOL the used car market is absolutely crazy so i guess that makes working on an old beater car worth the effort Hahah

Darryl, Tks for the reply. Shocking info on the car's increased value! I got a pair of Ford Five Hundred tail lights at the junk yard yesterday.(Could not even find any Sables, or Montegos, at the yard!) I watched two videos on youtube about rewiring the harness of the Ford Five Hundred to work in the Montego vehicle.The better of the 2 videos gave some clear instruction on cutting, and rewiring, the harness from the Five Hundred (and did not mention needing a the compatible SJB - which I didn't pick up, when I picked the tail lights from the yard). I am hoping I don't need it, since the video did not mention it!) This is the better of the 2 videos: ( https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mT30nnpwT58&list=PLKcv1PZ9WYtIX0TA9CzDAYKjUbX4fn0He&index=6 ) This solution uses the bigger Five Hundred 'bigger inner light circle/bulb - for lack of a good term to describe it' as both a brake, and tail light, and makes the 'smaller outer circle/bulb' the turn signal light.) The 2nd video, very short, and not much commentary, said to move the #5 wire to the #2 spot in the harness clip. (I don't exactly see how that maintains all light functions though - seeing as how the Montego harness has 5 wires, but the Five Hundred only has 4 wires) ( https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5GX32YmzLJY&list=PLKcv1PZ9WYtIX0TA9CzDAYKjUbX4fn0He&index=6 ) Honestly, if I will need the SJB, even after the wires swaps in that first video - I have no idea how to swap an SJB. (I had to google those letters to find out they stand for "Smart Junction Box"). Did you have instructions? Seems like a chore?