Mercury Cougar Complaints (1999)

454 consumer complaints on file.

#871145September 21, 2000
SUSPENSION:FRONT:MACPHERSON STRUT
WHILE DRIVING 20-25 MPH AND MAKING A MERGE TO RIGHT LANE AND DUE TO STRUT BREAKING, CAUSING STEERING TO BECOME INOPERATIVE, AND RESULTING IN A CRASH. FORD WAS NOT WILLING TO INVESTIGATE THE PROBLEM. *AK DURING THE CRASH, THE WHEEL AND EVERYTHING ATTACHED TO THE WHEEL CAME OFF. *YH
Crash:
Yes
Fire:
No
Injuries:
1
Deaths:
0
#731937September 19, 2000
TIRES
AFTER REGULAR TIRE ROTATION AT 28,000 MILES, THE CAR STARTED TO PULL TO THE RIGHT (THE SIDE WHERE THE DEFECTIVE TIRES WERE ON), THE STEERING WAS JERKY AND AN AUDIBLE THRUMMING COULD BE HEARD. IT WAS NOTICEABLE AS SLOW AS 10 MPH AND GREW INCREASINGLY WORSE AS THE VEHICLE SPED UP. WHEN WE HAD THE VEHICLE INSPECTED AT THREE DIFFERENT LOCATIONS, THEY ALL CONCLUDED THAT TIRE SEPARATION WAS THE CAUSE AND WAS THE POSSIBLE CAUSE OF THE CAR BEING OUT OF ALIGNMENT. WE CORRECTED THE ALIGNMENT AND PURCHASED FOUR NEW TIRES (YOKOHAMA) AND THE PROBLEMS ARE GONE.( DOT NUMBER: W2B0 TIRE SIZE: 215/50R16 )
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#870846September 19, 2000
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:MASTER CYLINDER
MASTER CYLINDER WAS DEFECTIVE, CAUSING BRAKE FLUID TO LEAK FROM VEHICLE. THIS BRAKE CYLINDER WAS REPLACED, AND PROBLEM REOCCURRED.*AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#554701September 18, 2000
EQUIPMENT:MECHANICAL:ACCESSORY SCISSOR/SCREW/BOTTLE JACK/LIFT, VISIBILITY:POWER WINDOW DEVICES AND CONTROLS
WHEEL NUT WRENCH IS DEFECTIVE. *SLC
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#731721September 17, 2000
STEERING:HYDRAULIC POWER ASSIST SYSTEM
POWER STEERING FAILS WHEN DRIVING IN THE RAIN AND PUDDLE IS DRIVEN THROUGH, CAUSING LOSS OF CONTROL OF VEHICLE. BATTERY ALERT LIGHTS ON DASHBOARD.THIS DEFECT FIRST SURFACED IN JUNE OF 1999, AND WAS CALLED A "SERPENTINE BELT" FAILURE AND REPAIRED . THE PROBLEM HAS NOW RETURNED AND CAUSES A SERIOUS LOSS OF CONTROL OF AUTO.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#870648September 15, 2000
SUSPENSION:REAR
WHEN DRIVING AT LOW SPEEDS CONSUMER NOTICED A NOISE COMING FROM THE RIGHT REAR OF VEHICLE WHICH CAUSES DRIVER DESTRUCTION. CONSUMER HAS CONTACTED DEALER, DEALER UNABLE TO DETERMINE THE CAUSE OF THE PROBLEM. *AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#731101September 12, 2000
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL:ACCELERATOR PEDAL
WHILE DRIVING THE THROTTLE WILL STICK CAUSING THE ENGINE TO REV UP WHEN I PUSH IN THE CLUTCH, IT LASTS ANYWHERE FROM 5 TO 10 SECONDS AT A TIME. IT IS OFF AND ON, SOMEDAYS IT DOES IT, THEN OTHER DAYS IT'S FINE. I HAVE TAKIN IT TO THE DEALER TWICE BEFORE NOW, THE FIRST TIME THEY REPLACED THE IDLE AIR CONTROL VALVE WHICH SEEMED TO FIX THE PROBLEM, THEN APPROX. 3 MONTHS LATER BEGAN TO DO IT AGAIN, SO THEY PUT A NEW THROTTLE BODY IN IT, THAT LASTED ABOUT 3 WEEKS AND NOW IM TAKING IT BACK AGAIN. *AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#730706September 7, 2000
EXTERIOR LIGHTING:BRAKE LIGHTS
BRAKE LIGHTS DO NOT COME ON WHEN BRAKE PEDAL IS SLIGHTLY DEPRESSED.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#730707September 7, 2000
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
CRUISE CONTROL WILL NOT DISENGAGE WITH A TAP ON THE BRAKE - IT MUST BE FULLY DEPRESSED.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#869796September 6, 2000
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DISC:ROTOR
ROTORS NEEDED TO BE REPLACED DUE TO "WEAR AND TEAR". DEALER RECOGNIZED PROBLEM AT 20OOO MILES.*AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#729132August 26, 2000
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
THE CAR IN QUESTION WAS MY FIRST COUGAR. IT WAS BOUGHT BACK BY FORD. I WAS TOLD IT WOULD BE SENT BACK TO THE PLANT TO BE TAKEN APART AND CHECKED OUT. INSTEAD IT WAS SOLD TO NORTHTOWN AND THEY IN TURN SOLD IT TO AN UNSPECTING BUYER. I WAS CALLED ABOUT THE CAR BY AL THE CAR SALESMAN AND HE IN TURN TOLD THE PEOPLE I WAS A PICKY PERSON! THE PERSON THAT BOUGHT THE CAR CALLED ME TONIGHT AND THEY ARE STILL HAVING TROUBLE WITH THE CAR AND I THINK THEY GOT A RAW DEAL! I TOLD THE CUSTOMER I WOULD HELP HER OUT IN ANY WAY I CAN.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#729155August 26, 2000
TIRES
TREAD COMPLETELY SEPARATED FROM SIDEWALLS. ONLY SIDEWALLS REMAINED ON WHEEL. DEALER INDICATED THAT THERE WAS A HOLE IN THE TREAD BUT UNCLEAR WHETHER HOLE OCCURRED BEFORE OR AFTER SEPARATION. DO NOT HAVE TIRE BUT HAVE PICTURES. ALSO, SERVICE MANAGER, NICK CALDARON INSPECTED TIRE. AM CONCERNED BECAUSE I HAVE 4 SIMILAR TIRES ON CAR NOW.( DOT NUMBER: TIRE SIZE: P215R1689 )
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#868680August 25, 2000
STRUCTURE:BODY
REAR DRIVER'S SIDE WEATHER STRIP RIPPED, AND CONSUMER WAS NOT ABLE TO OPEN DOOR. HAS HAD WEATHER STRIP REPLACED 5 TIMES, ORIGINAL STRIP WAS OKAY. IT WAS JUST LEAKING, BUT THE REPLACEMENT ONES ARE THE ONES THAT KEEP RIPPING. *AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#553980August 24, 2000
TIRES:TREAD/BELT
TWO OF THE FIRESTONE FIREHAWK GTA 20-P215/50R16 TIRES EXPERIENCED TREAD SEPARATION AND BLOWOUTS, ONE INCIDENT CAUSED LOSS OF CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE AND HIT A CURB. *MJS
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#868350August 22, 2000
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE:BELTS AND ASSOCIATED PULLEYS
WHILE DRIVING IN A RAINY CONDITIONS SERPENTINE BELT GETS WET/ WILL LOSE POWER STEERING, LEAVING VEHICLE STUCK.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#728600August 21, 2000
TIRES:TREAD/BELT
TREAD ON TIRES STARTED TO SEPARATE FROM TIRE HAD TO RELACE ALL TIRES SENT FIRESTONE AN E-MAIL THEY SENT BACK THE TRUCK TIRE RECALL INFO DID NOT TAKE TO DEALER BECAUSE THEY WOULD HAVE PUT FIRESTONES BACK ON ,I SAVED ONE TIRE THAT WAS DAMAGED( DOT NUMBER: W2UN TIRE SIZE: P205/60RIS )
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#728003August 15, 2000
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP
COMPLETE LOSS OF ALL BRAKES DUE TO "NEVER BEFORE SEEN" EXPLOSION OF ABS MASTER CYLINDER
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#727822August 14, 2000
TIRES:TREAD/BELT
I HAVE HAD TWO (2) SIDE WALL BLOWOUTS ON THE LOWER PART OF THE SIDEWALL NEAR THE TREAD. BOTH INCIDENTS WERE ON CITY STREETS AND THERE WAS NO EVIDENCE OF ROAD HAZARD OF ANY KIND. THE FIRST INCIDENT THROUGH THE CAR OUT OF CONTROL AND INTO A CURB. NO OTHER CARS WERE INVOLVED. I KEPT THE LAST TIRE, HOWEVER DISCARDED THE FIRST.*AK( DOT NUMBER: TIRE SIZE: P215/50 R1 )
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#727843August 14, 2000
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS
ON 8-01-00, WITH A CALIFORNIA HIGHWAY PATROLMAN AS A WITNESS, THE BRAKES ON MY GRAND DAUGHTERS CAR FAILED COMPLETELY (PEDAL TO FLOOR), UPON PUMPING THE PEDAL THE BRAKES THEN LOCKED UP AND THE CAR WENT INTO AN UNCONTROLLED SKID STRIKING A STOPPED VEHICLE. THIS HAPPENED ON THE FREEWAY IN A CONSTRUCTION ZONE AND WE ARE UNSURE OF THE VEHICLE SPEED AT THE TIME OF IMPACT. SHE WAS TRAVELING AT APPROXIMATELY 45 MPH AT THE TIME OF THE INITIAL BRAKE FAILURE. FORTUNATELY NO ONE WAS INJURED (ALTHOUGH MY GRAND DAUGHTER'S HEAD DID STRIKE THE WINDSHIELD) AND VERY LITTLE DAMAGE WAS DONE TO EITHER VEHICLE. BOTH FRONT TIRES NOW HAVE SEVERE CUTS AND ABRASIONS ACROSS THEIR WIDTH, APPROXIMATELY 6 TO 8 INCHES LONG, WHERE THE NEWLY FORMED GROOVES IN THE HIGHWAY SHREDDED THE TIRES UPON BRAKE LOCKUP. FAILED COMPONENTS: 1) BRAKES - COMPLETE FAILURE, THEN SEVERE LOCKUP. 2) AIR BAGS - NEITHER THE DRIVER NOR PASSENGER AIR BAGS DEPLOYED UPON IMPACT. 3) SELT BELTS - SEAT BELTS FAILED TO LOCKUP UPON IMPACT. THE CHP OFFICER, WHO WAS SITTING IN THE CONSTRUCTION ZONE AREA, STATED THAT HE SAW THE ENTIRE INCIDENT AND EXPRESSED HIS CONCERN THAT WITH THE SEVERITY OF THE IMPACT THAT THE AIR BAGS HAD NOT DEPLOYED. THE BRAKE ROTORS, CALIPERS AND PADS ON THIS VEHICLE WERE REPLACED AND/OR REBUILT BY FORD UNDER WARRANTY AT 32K MILES. WE HAVE SO FAR BEEN UNSUCCESSFUL IN CONTACTING FORD/MERCURY ABOUT THESE PROBLEMS, AND THE DEALERS SEEM TO BE AT A LOSS ON HOW TO CHECK THE FAILED COMPONENTS. THEIR ATTITUDE IS ONE OF DISBELIEF SINCE THE CARS WERE NOT SEVERLY DAMAGED. WHEN WILL IT HAPPEN AGAIN? *AK
Crash:
Yes
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#727606August 11, 2000
SERVICE BRAKES, AIR:ANTILOCK, SERVICE BRAKES, AIR:DISC:CALIPER
I HAVE REPLACED A SET OF BRAKE PADS ON THE FRONT, THE CALIPERS WERE LOOSE WHEN REPLACED & I HAD TO REPLACE THE ROTOR ON THE RIGHT & THE ROTOR ON THE LEFT NOW NEEDS REPLACED. THIS DOES NOT SEEM LIKE NORMAL WEAR/TEAR. THIS CAR HAS BEEN USED MOSTLY FOR HIGHWAY TRAVEL. THANKS!
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0

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