Mercury Cougar Complaints

1,886 consumer complaints on file.

#10163948July 31, 2006
AIR BAGS
DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE'S AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY AFTER HITTING AN EMBANKMENT AND FLIPPING OVER ON ITS TOP. THE VEHICLE WAS TRAVELING 55 MPH WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS SWERVED TO AVOID HITTING A DEER, WHICH CAUSED THE CONTACT TO LOSE CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE. THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. ONE PERSON WAS INJURED AND A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOTALED, ACCORDING TO THE TOW TRUCK DRIVER. THE DEALER HAS NOT BEEN ALERTED.
Crash:
Yes
Fire:
No
Injuries:
1
Deaths:
0
#10163849July 28, 2006
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
FIRST TRANSMISSION FAILED ON THE HIGHWAY AT 32,000 MILES AND WAS REPLACED UNDER WARRANTY SECOND TRANSMISSION FAILED AT 82,000. *JB
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10163436July 25, 2006
VISIBILITY:SUN/MOON ROOF ASSEMBLY
THE SUNROOF ON MY 1999 MERCURY COUGAR HAS STOPPED WORKING. IT STOPPED IN THE RAISED POSITION AND UPON INVESTIGATING THE PROBLEM IT SEEMS THAT THE PLASTIC PIECES ON THE TRACK HAVE BROKEN. WHILE RESEARCHING THE PROBLEM I DISCOVERED THAT THIS IS A KNOWN PROBLEM AND CAN BE DANGEROUS BECAUSE THERE HAVE BEEN MANY REPORTS OF THE SUNROOF PANEL ACTUALLY FLYING OFF THE CAR WHILE MOVING. FORD/MERCURY KNOWS THIS WAS A PROBLEM BECAUSE THEY CHANGED THE PLASTIC PIECES TO ALUMINUM AFTER THIS MANUFACTURE YEAR. IT IS A SHAME THAT SOMEONE DOESN'T MAKE THIS COMPANY FIX THE PROBLEM BEFORE SOMEONE GETS HURT OR KILLED BY ONE OF THESE SUNROOF'S MALFUNCTIONING AND FLYING OFF THE CAR OR FALLING ON SOMEONE WHILE TRYING TO GET IT TO CLOSE. YOUR ATTENTION IN THIS MATTER WOULD BE APPRECIATED. *JB
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10162851July 19, 2006
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:12V/24V/48V BATTERY:CABLES
MOST RECENT INFORMATION IS GIVEN. HAD TO HAVE ALTERNATOR REPLACED TWICE WITH IN A 7-8 MONTH PERIOD DUE TO A RECALL ISSUED BY FORD ON FEBRUARY 6, 2001. NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER: 01V031000. I HAD 2 DEALERSHIPS SEARCH FOR RECALLS USING MY VIN, NO RECALLS CAME UP. *NM
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10162859July 19, 2006
VISIBILITY:SUN/MOON ROOF ASSEMBLY
FAULTY EQUIPMENT IN THE SUNROOF ASSEMBLY (PLASTIC PIECES THAT HOLD THE SUNROOF TO THE TRACK GUIDES). THESE PIECES ALSO TAKE A CONSIDERABLE AMOUNT OF "STRESS" WHEN THE SUNROOF IS IN THE OPEN POSITION. THEY ARE SUPPORTING MOST OF THE WEIGHT OF THE SUNROOF ITSELF. AND ALSO ON MY CAR, LEFT SIDE TRACK IS BROKEN AND JAMMED. TAKE A LOOK AT WWW.COUGARSUNROOF.COM PLEASE TAKE THE TIME TO READ SOME OF THE COMPLAINTS. THEY FOCUS AROUND THE SAME PROBLEM, AS I HAVE DESCRIBED ABOVE. I THINK A RECALL SHOULD BE ISSUED FOR ANY 1999 AND UP MERCURY COUGAR THAT HAVE SUNROOFS. *NM
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10162917July 19, 2006
VISIBILITY:SUN/MOON ROOF ASSEMBLY
SUNROOF FAILED TO CLOSE ON 99 MERCURY COUGAR LOOKED ON THE WEB AND I AM NOT ALONE HTTP://WWW.COUGARSUNROOF.COM/. *NM
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10162066July 11, 2006
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
1. CAR BEGAN TO LOSE POWER AND THE STEERING WHEEL BEGAN TO LOCK UP AND LIGHTS BEGAN FLICKERING ON THE DASH. 2. THE CAR STALLED IN THE FAST LANE ON A BUSY FREEWAY. THE CONSEQUENCE WAS A SMALL TRUCK REAR-ENDED THE BACK OF THE CAR AND IT WAS TOTALED. ONE PERSON HAD BUSTED LIP IN TRUCK AND ONE IN THE CAR HAD BUSTED FOREHEAD AND BLACKENED EYES WITH BACK INJURIES AND THE OTHER ONE HAD BACK AND STOMACH EXTREME PAINS AND LEGS. 3. NOTHING COULD BE DONE AT THIS POINT-THE CAR ALWAYS HAD PROBLEMS. TOO BAD, I WAS NOT AWARE OF ALL OF THE RECALLS--MAYBE THAT WOULD NOT HAVE HELPED EITHER. *NM
Crash:
Yes
Fire:
No
Injuries:
3
Deaths:
0
#10161341July 3, 2006
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, EQUIPMENT:ELECTRICAL
WITH NO WARNING, MY CAR'S ELECTRICAL SYSTEM WILL START FAILING. LIGHTS WILL DIM, RPM AND SPEED GAUGES RESET AND THE CAR STALLS WITH IN A MATTER OF MINUTES. THE VEHICLE WILL NOT START AGAIN AND HAS TO BE TOWED TO THE DEALERSHIP. VEHICLE HAS LEFT ME STRANDED 5+ TIMES BECAUSE OF THIS. THE FAILURE IS IN THE ALTERNATOR TO THE CAR AND POSSIBLY THE BATTERY AS WELL WHICH BOTH HAVE ONLY EVER BEEN THE MANUFACTURERS PARTS. I HAVE HAD TO HAVE MY BATTERY REPLACED 4 TIMES AND MY ALTERNATOR 5+ TIMES IT IS OBVIOUS THAT THERE IS A SUBSTANTIAL PROBLEM WITH THIS CAR'S ELECTRICAL SYSTEM. THE CAR IS NOT DEPENDABLE AT ALL AND CAUSES MORE STRESS, MONEY,& TIME THAN IT IS WORTH. THESE ISSUES SHOULD BE ADDRESSED BY THE FORD MOTOR COMPANY. *JB
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10161111June 30, 2006
EXTERIOR LIGHTING:BRAKE LIGHTS
3RD BRAKE LIGHT/HIGH MOUNT STOP LAMP IN THE REAR WINDOW. THE EXCESSIVE HEAT FROM THE BULBS THAT ARE USED CAUSED THE PLASTIC HOUSING THAT THE BULBS ARE IN TO MELT AROUND THE BULB ALONG WITH THE ACTUAL HARNESS THAT THE BULB IS PLUGGED INTO. SINCE I AM NOT THE FIRST OWNER OF MY CAR, I'M SURE THE INCIDENT DATE IS NOT TODAY BUT HAS BEEN AN ONGOING PROBLEM. *JB
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10160441June 22, 2006
VISIBILITY:SUN/MOON ROOF ASSEMBLY
THE ISSUE IS WITH THE DESIGN FLAW FOR A SUNROOF ON THE 1999 FORD MERCURY COUGAR, WHICH HAPPENED ABOUT A MONTH AGO WHEN TRYING TO OPEN ONE DAY. I BOUGHT THE CAR WITH LOW MILEAGE OF 53000, SUNROOF ONE OF MAIN REASON FOR PURCHASE. DID SOME RESEARCH, THERE IS GREAT WEBSITE THAT SHOWS THOUSAND PLUS OWNERS WHO HAVE HAD SAME PROBLEM AND NO HELP FROM FORD. PROBLEM IS SMALL PLASTIC PIECE IN DESIGN OF SUNROOF CANNOT SUPPORT ROOF, THEREFORE BREAKS AND ENTIRE ROOF MUST BE REPLACED EVEN THOUGH PART COST A FEW DOLLARS. THE COST TO FIX VEHICLE FROM FORD WITH LABOR HAS BEEN QUOTED BETWEEN 1500-2500 DOLLARS, UNBELIEVABLE FOR DESIGN FLAW. ALSO CAUSES SAFETY ISSUE FOR SOME AS SUNROOF IS LOOSE ON TOP OF ROOF AND WILL NOT SHUT ALL THE WAY FOR MANY OWNERS, BUT SINCE NO INJURIES HAVE BEEN REPORTED YET, FORD HAS NOT RECALLED FAULTY DESIGN. MY ONLY REQUEST IS THAT SOMEONE FROM AGENCY TAKES A LOOK AT THE THIS WEBSITE AS THE ADMINISTRATOR HAS DONE A TERRIFIC JOB EXPLAINING THE PROBLEM, THE UNFAIR TREATMENT FROM FORD, AND ALSO COMPLIES A VERY LONG LIST OF OWNERS WHO HAVE ALL HAD THE EXACT SAME PROBLEM. THE WEBSITE WILL ALLOW THE AGENCY A VERY GOOD UNDERSTANDING OF THE ISSUE AND HOPEFULLY TAKE ACTION FOR THOSE WHO FEEL CHEATED BY THE COMPANY (I WAS DIRECTED TO THE NHTSA FROM THAT SITE). PLEASE REVIEW THIS WEBSITE AS IT WILL EXPLAIN ALL THAT IS NEEDED FOR THE COMPLAINT AND HOPEFULLY ALLOW THE AGENCY TO TAKE SOME ACTION FOR THE CONSUMERS. HTTP://WWW.COUGARSUNROOF.COM/FAQS.PHP AND HTTP://WWW.COUGARSUNROOF.COM/INDEX.PH. *JB
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10160273June 20, 2006
EQUIPMENT, ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:DELIVERY:FUEL PUMP
I WOULD LIKE TO COMPLAIN ABOUT MY COUGAR. I CANNOT PASS THE IL. EMISSIONS TESTS, DUE TO THE FACT THAT THE O2 SENSORS ARE DEFECTIVE. MY ENGINE LIGHT IS CONSTANTLY ON. I HAVE HAD MY CAR SERVICED FOR THE ENGINE LIGHT, ALONE, 8 DIFFERENT TIMES. EIGHT! THIS IS INCREDIBLE. ALSO, MY CAR MAKES A LOUD SCREECHING NOISE WHEN I ATTEMPT TO START IT. -IF IT STARTS AT ALL.- I HAVE HAD MY STARTER REPLACED TWICE. TWICE!!! THIS CAR IS A LEMON. NOTHING BUT A LEMON. HOW COULD MERCURY SALE SUCH CRAP AND GET AWAY WITH IT. MY DRIVERS' LICENSE WILL BE SUSPENDED BECAUSE I CANNOT PASS THE EMISSIONS TEST. IF I CAN EVEN GET MY CAR TO THE TESTING FACILITY. I HAVE HAD THE ALTERNATOR CHANGED, THE FUEL PUMP, THE ELECTRICAL WIRING CHANGED, SUNROOF, TURNING SIGNAL, EVEN THE RADIO WAS DEFECTIVE. I SINCERELY HOPE THAT THERE IS A CLASS-ACTION LAWSUIT AGAINST MERCURY, BECAUSE I WILL BE THE FIRST ONE IN LINE TO SUE. *NM *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10160107June 18, 2006
VISIBILITY:SUN/MOON ROOF ASSEMBLY
1999 MERCURY COUGAR SUNROOF BROKE AND THE COST OF REPAIR IS UNBELIEVABLE! I HAVE SEEN MANY WEBSITES WITH THE SAME COMPLAINT. THOUSANDS OF COMPLAINTS. SOMETHING HAS GOT TO BE DONE. THERE HAS TO BE SOMETHING WRONG WHEN ALL THESE SUNROOFS ARE BREAKING CONSTANTLY. *NM
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10159893June 15, 2006
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE
DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THE VEHICLE HESITATED, STALLED, LOST POWER AND BACKFIRED WHEN THE FUEL TANK REACHED A LEVEL OF THREE QUARTERS TO ONE HALF FULL. THE VEHICLE RESTARTED IMMEDIATELY AFTER IT STALLED. THE CONTACT DISCOVERED NHTSA RECALL 04V421000, CONCERNING THE FUEL SYSTEM ONLINE. THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10159319June 8, 2006
STRUCTURE
1999 MERCURY COUGAR LEAKS WATER INTO HATCH AREA DIRECTLY ONTO THE INTERIOR EXPOSED ELECTRICAL WIRING AND CONNECTIONS FOR TAIL LIGHTS AND HATCH RELEASE. DEALERSHIP CANNOT DETERMINE SOURCE OF LEAK AND THEREFORE CANNOT REPAIR. MERCURY WILL NOT RELEASE BLUEPRINTS OF SHEET METAL LAYOUT TO HELP IN DETERMINING WHERE WATER LEAK MIGHT BE ORIGINATING. NEITHER DID MERCURY COVER DIAGNOSIS AND WILL NOT COVER REPAIR EVEN IF PROBLEM SOURCE WAS IDENTIFIED. SIGNIFICANT WATER INSIDE THE VEHICLE AND DIRECTLY ON EXPOSED ELECTRICAL COMPONENTS COULD EASILY RESULT IN A CATASTROPHIC FIRE HAZARD AND LOSS OF LIFE. *JB
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
1
Deaths:
0
#10158202May 24, 2006
WHEELS:RIM, TIRES
WE WERE DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD AND ALL OF A SUDDEN WE HAD A FLAT TIRE. WE THOUGHT THE TIRE HAD BLOWN OUT, BUT WHEN WE CHANGED THE TIRE, WE FOUND THAT THE RIM HAD BURST OPEN AND THE TIRE WAS PERFECTLY FINE. THANK GOD THE CAR DID NOT FLIP. IF IT HAD, NO ONE WOULD HAVE KNOWN WHAT HAPPENED. WE CALLED THE FORD COMPANY AND THEY TOLD US THEY WOULD NOT INCUR ANY COST FOR THEIR CLEARLY DEFECTIVE PRODUCT. AFTER ALL THE PROBLEMS THEY HAVE CAUSED THE PUBLIC WITH THEIR DEFECTIVE PRODUCTS, YOU WOULD THINK THEY WOULD HAVE AT LEAST HAD A DEALERSHIP LOOK AT THE RIM TO TRY AND FIND OUT WHAT HAPPENED. BUT APPARENTLY THEY DO NOT CARE ABOUT THEIR PRODUCTS UNLESS SOMEONE GETS KILLED LIKE IN THE CASE WITH THEIR DEFECTIVE TIRES. I REALLY FEEL THAT IF THEY HAD TAKEN THE COMPLAINTS SERIOUS ABOUT THE TIRE SITUATION, NO ONE WOULD HAVE LOST THEIR LIFE. IF ONE CUSTOMER COMPLAINS, AND YOU CARE ABOUT YOUR PRODUCT, I WOULD THINK THE COMPANY WOULD WANT TO KNOW WHY THEIR PRODUCT WAS DEFECTIVE IN THE FIRST PLACE. I TRULY HOPE THE FORD COMPANY GETS WHAT IS DUE THEM. AS THE OLD SLOGAN SAYS; FORD REALLY DOES MEAN FOUND ON THE ROAD DEAD. *JB
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10158037May 22, 2006
EQUIPMENT:OTHER:LABELS, ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:COOLING SYSTEM
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
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10157491May 13, 2006
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
I BOUGHT A 1994 MERCURY COUGAR VIN# [XXX]. I WAS THE SECOND OWNER AND IT HAD ONLY 29K ON IT BACK IN JULY 1997. WELL MY TRANSMISSION WENT OUT BEFORE 68K AND THE COUGAR IS RATTLING APART. I HEARD LATER THAT THERE WAS A RECALL ON THE 3.8 MOTOR FOR THE BLOWER BY WHICH I'M HAVING NOW BUT BEING OVER 100K THEY SAID IT HAD TO BE BY A CERTAIN DATE AND UNDER 100K BUT I WAS NEVER TOLD OR NOTIFIED. FOUND OUT FROM A MECHANIC FRIEND. DON'T KNOW WHAT I CAN DO ABOUT IT. I HAD TO REPLACE THE TRANSMISSION COMPLETELY BECAUSE THE LOW END SHIFT PLATE WAS FAULTY ON THOSE MODELS TOO. ENGINE KEEPS GETTING HOT AND BURNING OFF RADIATOR FLUID. *JB UPDATED 07/16/2012 *JS INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10157385May 11, 2006
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
I HAVE A 2000 MERCURY COUGAR WITH THE TERRIBLE CD4E TRANSMISSION WITH 66,000 MILES AND THE TRANSMISSION WENT BAD. THERE ARE A LOT OF PEOPLE WITH THE SAME PROBLEMS AND THE SAME TRANNYS. *JB
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10157214May 10, 2006
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
MY AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION, WHILE DRIVING DOWN THE EXPRESSWAY, SHUT DOWN THE O/D NOW WILL NOT SHIFT INTO 2ND GEAR UNTIL CLOSE TO 5,000 RPM. THE CAR HAS ONLY 60,000 MILES. *NM
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10156394April 28, 2006
VISIBILITY:SUN/MOON ROOF ASSEMBLY
SUNROOF FAILED TO CLOSE AT 40K MILES AND IS STUCK OPEN. IT WILL COST ABOUT $2K TO FIX. IT RATTLES WHEN DRIVEN AND I AM AFRAID IT WILL FLY OFF ON THE FREEWAY. I AM CONCERNED FOR THE SAFETY ISSUE NOT TO MENTION THAT ALL SORTS OF WEATHER CONDITIONS HAVE RUINED THE INTERIOR OF THE CAR. I READ ABOUT THIS SITE ON A WEB SITE DEVOTED TO BROKEN COUGAR SUNROOF'S ( WWW.COUGARSUNROOF.COM ) AND THERE ARE OVER 800 PEOPLE WITH THE SAME COMPLAINT ALREADY. PLEASE LOOK INTO THIS BEFORE SOMEONE DOES GET HURT. *JB
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0

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