Mercury Cougar Complaints (2000)

211 consumer complaints on file.

#10066819April 29, 2004
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:STORAGE:TANK ASSEMBLY
WHILE DRIVING AT ANY SPEED, WHEN FUEL LEVEL WAS AT 1/4 FULL VEHICLE STALLED. CURRENTLY, WHEN THE FUEL TANK LEVEL IS AT 1/2 FULL THE VEHICLE STILL STALLS. A TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN WAS ISSUED CONCERNING THIS PROBLEM. *AK THE VEHICLE WOULD RUN OUT OF GAS WHEN THERE WAS 1/4-1/2 TANK OF GAS. *SC *JB
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10066820April 29, 2004
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:STORAGE:TANK ASSEMBLY
WHILE DRIVING AT ANY SPEED AND WHEN THE FUEL LEVEL WAS AT 1/4 FULL, THE VEHICLE STALLED. CURRENTLY WHEN THE FUEL LEVEL IS 1/2 FULL, THE VEHICLE CONTINUED TO STALL. A TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN WAS ISSUED CONCERNING THIS PROBLEM. *AK THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT RESTART UNTIL IT WAS FILLED WITH GAS. THIS PROBLEM OCCURRED AT ANY SPEED ON ALL ROAD TYPES. (THIS PROBLEM ALSO APPLIED TO THE CONSUMERS SECOND VEHICLE WHICH THE SAME MAKE/MODEL/YEAR, VIN# [XXX], WITH THE ODOMETER READING OF 60K MILES) *SC *JB INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10066223April 15, 2004
AIR BAGS:FRONTAL
AIR BAG LIGHT COMES ON INTERMITTENTLY, BLINKS 7 TIMES PAUSES AND REPEATS UNTIL VEHICLE IS SHUT OFF AND RESTARTED. TAKEN TO DEALERSHIP MULITPLE TIMES STARTING WITH 2 YEARS AGO, BUT WAS INFORMED THAT THEY COULD NOT CHECK IT UNLESS IT WAS BLINKING AT THE TIME. WAS ADVISED TO BRING IT BACK WHILE IT'S BLINKING. BLINKING USUALLY OCCURS ON MY WAY TO WORK OR AFTER THE DEALERSHIP HOURS. I HAVE LOOKED THIS PROBLEM UP IN MY REPAIR MANUAL CD AND FOUND THE PROBLEM WAS THAT ONE OF THE AIRBAG SENSORS WAS NOT WORKING PROPERLY. I'M CONCERNED ABOUT MY SAFETY IF THERE IS AN ACCIDENT IF THE AIR BAG WILL DEPLOY OR NOT WITH THIS PROBLEM. I KNOW MULTIPLE OWNERS OF THIS VEHICLE WITH THIS PROBLEM AND ONE WHO HAS THIS PROBLEM AND WAS IN AN ACCIDENT WHERE AIR BAG DID NOT DEPLOY FOR A 100 MPH IMPACT. MY AIR BAG LIGHT CONTINUES WITH THIS PROBLEM.*AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10065840April 9, 2004
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION
THE CAR WOULD STALL WITHOUT WARNING ONE TIME LEAVING ME IN THE MIDDLE OF A BUSY INTERSECTION. THIS TIME ON A SLIGHT HILL I SAT STALLED WITH HAZARD LIGHTS & HEADLIGHTS ON BUT GOT REAR ENDED BY A MOTORIST TRAVELING 50 MPH. HAD PROBLEM LOOKED AT & THOUGHT IT WAS REPAIRED BUT HAPPENED AGAIN. CAR IS NOW TOTALED. AIR BAG DID NOT DEPLOY AND GAS SHUT OFF VALVE DIDN'T WORK BECAUSE MUCH LATER AT TOW YARD CAR WAS STARTED. IT COULD OF BEEN MY DEATH! 6 DAYS IN HOSPITAL & NO CAR.*AK
Crash:
Yes
Fire:
No
Injuries:
1
Deaths:
0
#10064101March 29, 2004
VISIBILITY:POWER WINDOW DEVICES AND CONTROLS, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:ALTERNATOR/GENERATOR/REGULATOR
POWER WINDOWS DIDN'T WORK AS FAST, AND EVENTUALLY THE CAR WOULDN'T START. THE SAME THING HAPPENED NOT TWO MONTHS LATER. IT TOOK EIGHT DAYS TO FIX THE ALTERNATOR, WHICH HAD BEEN REPAIRED BY THAT SAME DEALER BEFORE AND ONLY TOOK 2 DAYS. THE DAY I GOT IT OUT OF THE SHOP THE SUNROOF BROKE. AND THEN ON MARCH 29, ON MY WAY TO WORK IN THE MORNING, AS I WAS EXITING THE RAMP ONTO THE HIGHWAY THE RPMS SHOT WAY UP AND THE CAR "LURCHED " A FEW TIMES BEFORE FINALLY DYING. I PULLED OVER TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AND CALLED A WRECKER. ONCE AT THE REPAIR SHOP IT WAS DIAGNOSED AS BEING LOW IN GAS, CAUSING THE FUEL PUMP TO OVERHEAT. THEY ALSO FOUND THAT THE BOLT HOLDING THE MOTOR TO THE MOTORCARRIAGE WAS MISSING, BUT I HAVEN'T HEARD BACK FROM THEM ON WHY. THE CAR PRESENTLY ONLY HAS 44,376 MILES ON IT, AND ONE COMPLAINT HAS ALREADY BEEN FILED WITH FORD.*AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10058764February 23, 2004
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
2000 MERC COUGAR, V6, AUTO TRANSMISSION. TRANAXLE LIGHT OR O/D OFF LIGHT BLINKS, SHIFTING OF GEAR BECOMES VIOLENT. FIRST STARTED IN SEPT/OCT OF 2002, PROBLEM STILL OCCURS IN FEB 2004. NUMEROUS TRIPS TO REPAIR SHOP. NO FIXES WORK.*AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10058742February 23, 2004
STEERING:RACK AND PINION
MY 2000 MERCURY COUGAR STARTING LEAKING POWER STEERING FLUID RAPIDLY AT APPROXIMATELY 54,000 MILES. TWO MECHANICS STATED THAT THE ENTIRE RACK AND PINON ASSEMBLY WOULD NEED TO BE REPLACED DUE TO FAILURE OF AN INTERNAL SEAL. THE CAR HAS NEVER BEEN IN AN ACCIDENT. IT HAS BEEN PROPERLY MAINTAINED WITH ALL MANUFACTURER-RECOMMEDED SERVICES, OIL CHANGES, TIRE ROTATION, ETC. *AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10058477February 19, 2004
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
CAR EXPERIENCES ENGINE MISFIRE AND WILL NOT START AFTER DRIVING THRU A ONE INCH DEEP PUDDLE OF RAIN WATER. POSSIBLE TIMING CHAIN FAILURE DUE TO ENGINE MISFIRE CAUSED BY MALFUNCTION. AUTO HAS 43,000 MILES ON IT.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10069419January 15, 2004
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE, ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING, EQUIPMENT:ELECTRICAL
THIS CAR HAS INTERMITTENTLY SHUT DOWN IN TRAFFIC AT 70 MPH, ALSO WILL NOT START FROM TIME TO TIME. VERY UNRELIABLE TRANSPORTATION. INCREDIBLY POOR CHOICE OF VEHICLE. KEY HAS ELECTRONIC CHIP IN IT WHICH MALFUNCTIONS. KEY REPLACED ONCE UNDER WARRANTY; WENT BAD AGAIN. COSTS $400 TO REPLACE.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10070755January 15, 2004
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
SICKLY SWEET SMELL WHEN AIR CONDITIONER ON. INITIALLY CHECKED FOR POSSIBLE FLUID LEAKAGE FROM AIR CONDITIONER. THAT WAS NOT IT. LATER TRACED TO TOXIC MOLD IN A TRAPPED AREA OF THE AIR CONDITIONING PATH. DEALER SPRAYED IN FUNGICIDE WHICH WORKED FOR A SHORT WHILE. ON ONE OCCASION I GOT OUT OF THE CAR AND INTO THE HOUSE AND COULD SMELL THIS SICKLY SWEET SMELL ON MY BREATH. THE DAY AFTER I STARTED COUGHING AND IT TOOK 3 MONTHS OF INTENSIVE MEDICAL TO GET IT CLEANED UP. THEN I GOT ANOTHER WHIFF AND STARTED COUGHING AGAIN. I DISCOVER THIS IS A KNOWN PROBLEM, BUT NOT ADMITTED. VOLVO RUNS A SPECIAL DRYING CYCLE IN THEIR AIR CONDITIONING TO AVOID THIS MOLD PROBLEM. I ALSO HEAR MERCEDES HAS A SIMILAR PROBLEM.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
1
Deaths:
0
#10054207January 15, 2004
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
WHILE DRIVING 55 MPH, CONSUMER NOTICED THE DASH LIGHTS AND HEAD LIGHTS DIMMING FLOWING ENGINE HESITATION WHICH RESULTED IN THE ENGINE STALLING. THE CONSUMER RESTARTED THE VEHICLE AND RETURNED TO NORMAL DRIVING. THE DEALERSHIP SERVICED THE VEHICLE AND REPLACED THE ALTERNATOR AND BATTERY, HOWEVER THE PROBLEM RETURN. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. *JB
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10053630January 7, 2004
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING
CONSUMER STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING DOWN A HILL VEHICLE DIED, AND COULD NOT GET IT RESTARTED. CONSUMER HAD TO COAST DOWN A HILL INTO A GASOLINE STATION IN ORDER TO STOP AND HIT A PILLAR. VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A LINCOLN-MERCURY DEALER, WHO TOLD CONSUMER THAT THE PROBLEM WAS THE FUEL PUMP. ALSO, AFTER CONTACTING THE MANUFACTURER THEY TOLD THE MECHANIC THAT THERE WAS A RECALL ON CONSUMER'S VEHICLE CONCERNING AN ELECTRICAL CABLE WHICH CAUSED THE POWER TO FAIL. *AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10052330January 4, 2004
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:DELIVERY:FUEL PUMP
THE 99'-2002 MERCURY COUGARS HAVE FAULTY FUEL PUMPS. ONCE THEY BECOME INEFFECTIVE THE VEHICLE BUCKS VIOLENTLY AND NO LONGER IS CONTROLLABLE. I AM PART OF A CAR CLUB CALLED "NEW EDGE COUGARS" AND EVERY SINGLE MEMBER HAS HAD THIS HAPPEN TO THEM, MOST OF THE TIME IT OCCURS ON BUSY HIGHWAYS AND INTERSECTIONS. I MYSELF ALMOST WAS HIT NUMEROUS TIMES AS MY VEHICLE DIED IN THE MIDDLE OF BUSY INTERSECTION. OTHER MEMBERS HAVE HAD THE COUGAR DIE WHILE TRAVELING HIGHWAY SPEEDS. THERE IS NO RECALL FOR THIS AND THE DEALERSHIP REFUSES TO FIX THE PROBLEM. ONCE YOU GET THE FUEL PUMP REPLACED, THE DEALERSHIP REPLACE IT WITH THE SAME ONE AND THE SAME PROBLEM HAPPENS AGAIN IN THE NOT SO DISTANT FUTURE. THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE, AS THIS IS A RECURRING PROBLEM WHICH THE DEALERSHIP REFUSES TO FIX BUT JUST REPLACE THE ITEM WITH THE EXACT SAME INEFFECTIVE ONE. IT IS ONLY A MATTER OF TIME WHEN A COUGAR OWNER WILL NOT BE ABLE TO PULL OFF TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD OR TRAFFIC WILL NOT IT THEM WHEN THE VEHICLE GOES FROM HIGHWAY SPEED TO A SUDDEN STOP. THIS WILL CAUSE NUMEROUS INJURIES, LARGE PROPERTY DAMAGES AND POSSIBLE DEATH. *LA
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10052235January 2, 2004
VISIBILITY:SUN/MOON ROOF ASSEMBLY
WHEN DRIVING DRIVER IS UNABLE TO CLOSE THE SUNROOF WHEN IT RAINS, CAUSING THE RAIN TO ENTER THE SUN ROOF, AND MAKING IT DIFFICULT TO SEE THE ROAD. *AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10050980December 23, 2003
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:DELIVERY:FUEL PUMP
I WAS DRIVING MY 2000 MERCURY COUGAR V6 AND THE FUEL PUMP CAUSED POWER HESITATION AND SURGING WHEN I PULLED INTO THE LEFT LANE TO MAKE A PASS. I HAD TO SWERVE BACK INTO THE RIGHT LANE AND NEARLY CAUSED AN ACCIDENT WITH THE ONCOMING VEHICLE. I THEN REPLACED THE FUEL PUMP SHORTLY THEREAFTER AND THE PROBLEM WENT AWAY.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10048112November 18, 2003
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION, STEERING:HYDRAULIC POWER ASSIST SYSTEM, SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:POWER ASSIST
ENGINE DIES AND VEHICLE LOSES POWER AT ANYTIME WITHOUT WARNING. WHEN THIS OCCURS POWER STEERING AND BRAKES FAIL. *AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10046799November 12, 2003
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
I PURCHASED THE 2000 COUGAR NEW, WITH THIS CAME LEATHER SEATS. WELL ABOUT 1YEAR AFTER OWNING THIS CAR THE DRIVERS SEAT STARTED TO WEAR ON THE SIDE . NOT ANY PLACE YOUR BODY TOUCHES. THE DEALERSHIP DID A TOUCH UP AND PAINTED THE LEATHER.ABOUT 3 MONTHS LATER IT WAS A MESS AGAIN. WITH LOTS OF COMPLAINING AND PHONE CALLS AND MAJOR FUSSING I WAS ABLE TO GET THE DEALERSHIP TO REPLACE THE LEATHER ON THE SEAT.(I WAS TOLD IT WAS A COURTESY CALL) WELL THIS COURTESY CALL LASTED ME 14 MONTHS AND ITS STARTING ALL OVER AGAIN. NOW THEY ARE SAYING TOO BAD. THE SERVICE DIRECTOR(TIM HEBRON) AND THE FORD REP(.FRANK TETEL )WONT EVEN LOOK AT IT, AND ARE TELLING ME THATS TOO BAD. MY CAR ONLY HAS 25,000 MILES ON IT AND IS GARAGED KEPT. SO WHATS THE LONGEVITY OF LEATHER?
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10045923November 10, 2003
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:DELIVERY:FUEL PUMP
PURCHASED 2000 MERCURY COUGAR 13 NOV. 2000. SINCE THE TIME OF PURCHASE, ON FIVE DIFFERENT OCCASIONS THE SAID VEHICLE HAS SPUTTERED AND STALLED IN THE MIDDLE OF TRAFFIC DO TO LACK OF FUEL COMSUMPTION. WHILE UNDER WARRENTY DEALER HAS CHANGED THE FUEL PUMP ONCE. AS OF THIS DAY, ON THREE NOVEMBER 2003, I MYSELF CHANGED ANOTHER FUEL PUMP ON SAID VEHICLE. I'VE NOTICED IN OTHER COMPLAINTS THAT THIS IS AN ON GOING PROBLEM WITH THIS VEHICLE, AND AS FAR AS I KNOW NOTHING IS BEING DONE BY THE DEALER TO CORRECT THIS PROBLEM. TODAY IS 10 NOV. 2003 AND SAID VEHICLE HAS STALLED AGAIN. I NOTICED THAT THE FUEL PUMP FUSE WAS BLOWN AND CHANGED IT ALSO INSTALLED A NEW PUMP RELAY. THERE SEEMS TO BE AND ELECTRICAL PROBLEM WITHIN THS SYSTEM, WHICH IN TURN CAUSES THE PUMP TO BURN UP. THE AVERAGE PRICE OF A FUEL PUMP FOR THIS VEHICLE IS THREE HUNDRED DOLLARS OR MORE WHICH DOESN'T INCLUDE LABOR FOR INSTALLATION. MY QUESTION, IS THERE A ELECTRICAL PROBLEM IN THE HARNESS OR THE RELAYS THAT ARE MANUFACTORED. BECAUSE I'VE FOUND THE PUMP FUSE BLOWN ON THE LAST THREE OCCASIONS. WHAT IS BEING DONE TO CORRECT THIS PROBLEM. THANKFULLY THERE HASN'T BEEN ANY INJURIES. BUT DEPENDING ON WHERE YOU STALL, IT VERY WELL COULD BE. I'VE ALSO BEEN TOLD TO AT LEAST KEEP A HALF OF TANK OF GAS IN VEHICLE TO KEEP PUMP FROM OVERHEATING. WHAT'S THE DEAL? NOW IS THE DEALER REGULATING CONSUMERS FUEL CONSUMPTION. WHAT IF I WENT ON A ROAD TRIP I WOULD NEVER GET THERE.*AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10045792November 9, 2003
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:ALTERNATOR/GENERATOR/REGULATOR
HI. I AM FROM CANADA AND HOPE THAT EVERYONE THAT READS THIS NEVER BUYS ONE OF THIS PIECES OF JUNK COUGARS THAT FORD IS SELLING.THE NAME SPEAKS FOR IT SELF FIX OR REPAIR DAILY - DRIVERS WINDOW ASSEMBLY BROKE $100.00 TO FIX - FUEL PUMP AT 56,000 KM $500.00- WINDOW STRESS CRACKED AT 60,000 KM NOT FIXED YET- TRANSMISSION REPLACED AT 70,000 KM $2500.00 - TWO BALL JOINTS AND ALTERNATOR REPLACED AT 72,000 KM $400.00- REARHATCH WILL NOT OPEN FROM INSIDE NOT FIXED YET- LIGHTS FLICKER ON DASH ALTERNATOR AGAIN AT 85,000KM BUT DID NOT HELP SO PUT IN NEW BATTERY BUT DIDN'T HELP NO SENSE OF PHONING FORD THEY DON,T GIVE A [XXX] $18,500 FOR THIS JUNK AND BY TIME IT IS PAID OFF $24,000 PLUS ALL THE REPAIRS BEST PLACE FOR ALL THE FORD JUNK IS FORM THE PLANT TO THE SCRAP YARD SO NOBODY HAS TO PUT UP WITH ALL THESE PROBLEMS AFTER READING ALL THIS YOU STILL GO OUT AN BUY A FORD AS THE SAYING GOES THERE IS A SUCKER BORN EVERY DAY. *AK INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10040991September 30, 2003
FUEL SYSTEM, OTHER:STORAGE:TANK ASSEMBLY
THERE APPEARS TO BE A WIDESPREAD PROBLEM WITH FUEL TANK WARPAGE ON 2000 MERCURY COUGARS. THE TANK IS MOLDED PLASTIC AND CAN DISTORT. THIS DISTORTION OCCURS WITHOUT WARNING OR NOTICEABLE INCIDENT. ONCE DISTORTED, THE CAR WILL SUDDENLY FAIL TO BE ABLE TO ACCESS THE LAST QUARTER TANK OF FUEL AND WILL SUDDENLY LOSE POWER OR STALL. THE DEALER FROM WHOM I PURCHASED THE CAR DIAGNOSED THE PROBLEM AND REPLACED THE TANK AND FUEL SENDER; HOWEVER, SUBSEQUENT DISCUSSIONS ON INTERNET GROUPS RELATED TO THE CAR OR MAKER REVEAL THAT THERE ARE A SIGNIFICANT NUMBER OF PEOPLE EXPERIENCING THE SAME SYMPTOMS WHOSE LOCAL DEALERS ARE EITHER IGNORANT OF THE PROBLEM OR UNWILLING TO FIX THE PROBLEM AT THE FACTORY'S EXPENSE.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0

← Back to Mercury Cougar