21 of the 104 complaints about the 1990 Mercury Cougar are about the electrical system — 20% of everything reported for this model year. Half of the failures with a mileage on record happened before 75,400 miles.
21
Complaints
0
Crashes
6
Fires
0
Injuries
Filed with NHTSA, in their own words.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
SEAT BELT DOESN'T STAY LOCKED AND LATCH BROKE, AUTOMATIC HEAD LIGHTS DON'T WORK THE DIGITAL INSTRUMENT CLUSTER DON'T WORK AND AS SOON AS IS GETS SO HOT IT VAPER LOCKS A LOT
NHTSA complaint #11112292 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
AFTER STARTING VEHICLE FLICKERING ON OFF OF DASH LIGHTS,PANEL COMPLETELY OUT AND NOW WILL NOT COME BACK ON,CREATING AN ISSUE DRIVING,UNABLE TO SEE SPEED,MILAGE GAS USAGE,WHEN CHECKING UNDER HOOD I WAS GIVEN AN ELECTRICAL SHOCK,THE MOTOR WAS RUNNING,IMMEDIATELY TURNED OFF MOTOR
NHTSA complaint #11024160 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
HEAVY TRAFFIC ON STATE HIGHWAY ENGINE OVERHEATING ALARM ACTIVATED,INCIDENT HAS OCCURED TWICE,IN TRAFFIC,EVERYTHING HAD TO BE TURNED OFF AND I HAD TO PULL OFF OF HIGHWAY, OTHER COMPLAINT DASH PANEL LIGHTS OUT WITH DEFINITELY ELECTRICAL ISSUE,ALMOST WILL NOT START,THIS OCCURED WHILE DRIVING AND NOW EILL NOT COME BACK ON AT ALL
NHTSA complaint #11024101 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1990 MERCURY COUGAR. THE CONTACT STATED SMOKE EMITTED FROM UNDERNEATH THE HOOD WHEN THE ENGINE WAS TURNED ON AND WITHIN SECONDS THE ENGINE WAS ON FIRE. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT ADVISED THE FIRE ORIGINATED AT A FUSE BOX LOCATED IN THE BATTERY AND ALTERNATOR AREA. THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 89,000.
NHTSA complaint #10558771 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION
TWO YEARS AGO THE CONSUMER RECEIVED A RECALL LETTER NHTSA # 96V071000. DEALER REPLACED THE IGNITION SWITCH. ONE YEAR LATER THE RECALLED COMPONENT FAILED AND THIS TIME AN INDEPENDENT SHOP REPLACED THE IGNITION SWITCH. ONCE AGAIN THE IGNITION SWITCH NEEDS TO BE REPLACED. THE DEALER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED.
NHTSA complaint #10080252 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION
THE VEHICLE'S IGNITION MODULE WAS REPLACED BECAUSE IT WAS DEFECTIVE.
NHTSA complaint #565699 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION
IGNITION WENT BAD. FORD NO LONGER MAKES THE PART. PLEASE PROVIDE DETAILS.
NHTSA complaint #888486 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION
NO SUMMARY
NHTSA complaint #734140 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:12V/24V/48V BATTERY
NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOV EVEHICLE.
NHTSA complaint #719214 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:INTERIOR/UNDER DASH
NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOV EVEHICLE.
NHTSA complaint #719214 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:ALTERNATOR/GENERATOR/REGULATOR
ALTERNATOR CAUGHT ON FIRE TWICE, COULD HAVE CAUSED INJURIES. CAUSE UNKNOWN. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION AND VIN#.
NHTSA complaint #836198 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION:SWITCH
VEHICLE EXPERIENCED ENGINE FIRE DUE TO POSSIBLE RECALL COMPONENT (IGNITION SWITCH) FAILURE, NO NOTICE OF RECALL SENT TO CONSUMER PRIOR TO FIRE (#95S28).
NHTSA complaint #543889 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:FRONT UNDERHOOD
WHILE VEHICLE WAS PARKED WITH THE IGNITION OFF A FIRE STARTED UNDER THE HOOD. THIS HAPPENED ABOUT 15 MINUTES AFTER THE VEHICLE HAD BEEN DRIVEN. THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN REPAIRED.
NHTSA complaint #821450 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION
RECALL 96V071000; BEFORE THE RECALL WORK WAS PERFORMED THE VEHICLE STARTED WITH NO PROBLEM. NOW, AFTER THE WORK HAD BEEN PERFORMED THE VEHICLE STALLS BEFORE STARTING PROPERLY.
NHTSA complaint #817349 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING
CONSUMER WAS DRIVING UNDER NORMAL OPERATION WHEN THE VEHICLE CAUGHT ON FIRE IN THE FIREWALL AREA OF THE VEHICLE, CONSUMER NOTE THE FIRE SPREAD RAPIDLY, CAUSE OF THE FIRE IS UNKNOWN.
NHTSA complaint #810500 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:12V/24V/48V BATTERY
BATTERY MALFUNCTIONED 4 TIMES.
NHTSA complaint #512181 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:12V/24V/48V BATTERY
BATTERY FAILURE.
NHTSA complaint #512169 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING
VEHICLE PARKED IN DRIVEWAY, FRIEND DROVE BY, NOTICED SMOKE COMING FROM VEHICLE, NOTIFIED FRIEND, CALLED FIRE DEPT WHO PUT FLAMES OUT.
NHTSA complaint #802315 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:12V/24V/48V BATTERY
DEFECTIVE KEY ASSEMBLY CAUSES FACTORY INSTALLED ALARM TO MALFUNCTON/VEHICLE WILL NOT START/STALLS.
NHTSA complaint #500631 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:12V/24V/48V BATTERY
DEFECTIVE KEY ASSEMBLY CAUSES FACTORY INSTALLED ALARM TO MALFUNCTON/VEHICLE WILL NOT START/STALLS.
NHTSA complaint #500631 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM MALUFUNCTION CAUSING THE ODOMETER READING TO BE INADEQUATE. TT
NHTSA complaint #960392 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.