21 of the 98 complaints about the 1991 Mercury Cougar are about the engine — 21% of everything reported for this model year. Half of the failures with a mileage on record happened before 95,000 miles.
21
Complaints
0
Crashes
1
Fires
0
Injuries
Filed with NHTSA, in their own words.
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE
THIS IS THE SECOND TIME IT HAS HAD A BLOWN HEAD GASKET. IT IS NOT FIXED YET BECAUSE I CAN'T AFFORD IT.
NHTSA complaint #10149363 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
THE CAR STARTS AND RUNS WELL. BUT EVER SO OFTEN WITHOUT ANY WARNING THE ENGINE WILL STALL, AND THEN IT WILL CRANK RIGHT UP. LUCKY FOR ME IT HASN'T STALLED WHILE I WAS MAKING A LEFT TURN WITH A SEMI BARRELING DOWN ON ME.
NHTSA complaint #10069593 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE
VEHICLE WAS ACTING SLUGGISH AND WHITE MOKE CAME FORM TAILPIPE. VEHICLE WAS GOING 35MPH AND OVERHEATED, CAUSING DRIVER TO PULL OVER. CONSUMER INDICATED THAT CONTINUING TO DRIVE WILL CAUSE HEAD TO WARP. DEALER WAS NOTIFIED. *AK
NHTSA complaint #8012955 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE
CONSUMER COMPLAINS OF HEAD GASKET FAILURE.
NHTSA complaint #564227 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE
CONSUMER COMPLAINS OF HEAD GASKET FAILURE.
NHTSA complaint #564227 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE
WHILE DRIVING 15-20 MPH VEHICLE BEGAN TO OVERHEAT, CONSUMER PULLED INTO SERVICE STATION TO HAVE VEHICLE INSPECTED, THE SERVICE MECHANIC STATED THAT THE HEAD GASKETS HAD BLOWN. DEALER HAS YET TO BE CONTATCED. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER DETAILS.
NHTSA complaint #8001876 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE
HEADLIGHTS GO OFF WHILE DRIVING, BRAKES CONTINUE TO MAKE NOISE, KEY SWITCH PROB. RECALL REPAIR, HEATER BLOWS COLD, CAR DIED AFTER EXCEL. RESTARTED AND DROVE 50 FT. DIED AGAIN AND KNOW IN SHOP & BEEN TOLD GASKETS OR BUSTED HEAD. I LOVE THIS CAR AND HAVE TAKEN EXTRA CARE, ENGINE AND CAR KEEP SPOTLESS, CAR IS NEVER LEFT OUTSIDE. ALL TOOK PLACE WITHIN 1 MO. IS IT ALL TIED TOGETHER WITH ONE THING?
NHTSA complaint #738145 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE
NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE.
NHTSA complaint #725106 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE
WHEN CONSUMER TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALER FOR CHECK UP,TECHNICIAN FOUND THAT ENGINE HAD A BLOWN HEAD GASKET WICH HAPPENED WITHOUT A WARNING.
NHTSA complaint #865979 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE
ENGINE HEAD GAKSET NEEDED TO BE REPAIRED AT 60,000 MILES. THE FORD DEALER "SHAVED" THE GASKET. THE HEAD GASKET IS NOW SHOT AT 98,000 MILES. I HAVE CONTACTED FORD VIA THE INTERNET AND PHONE BUT HAVE HAD NO SUCCESS. FORD HAS ADMITTED TO A DEFECT IN THIS SAME ENGINE IN THE 1994-95 TAURUSES, SABLES, CONTINENTALS, COUGARS, THUNDERBIRDS, MUSTANGS AND WINDSTARS AND OFFERED REIMBURSEMENT AND/OR MONEY TOWARDS A NEW VEHICLE (SEE APRIL 26, 2000 EDITION OF DETROIT NEWS AUTO SECTION - WWW.DETNEWS.COM).
NHTSA complaint #721947 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE
THE HEAD GASKET WENT BAD EVEN AFTER ROUTINE REGULAR MAINTENANCE AND ONLY 80,000 MILES ON THE VEHICLE. ACCORDING TO A LOCAL DEALERSHIP AND SEVERAL MECHANICS THIS IS EXTREMELY COMMON. I WAS FORTUNATE BECAUSE THE HEADS AND BLOCK WERE NOT CRACKED UNLIKE THE MAJORITY OF THE ONES THAT ARE SERVICED. IT SEEMS THAT IF THE 3.8 LITER HAS THIS PROBLEM THEN MAYBE THERE IS A DESIGN FLAW OR QUALITY PROBLEM WITH THE GASKET. THE OTHER PROBLEM IS WHEN HAVING THIS FIXED, THE STEERING PUMP FRONT GASKET USUALLY BREAKS WHEN THE BELT IS REMOVED, THIS SHOULD NOT HAPPEN. IF I HAD KNOWN ABOUT THIS DESIGN FLAW IN THIS ENGINE I WOULD HAVE NEVER PURCHASED THIS OR ANY FORD VEHICLES WITH A 3.8 LITER ENGINE. ALSO WHY DON'T THE SEAT BELTS LOCK?
NHTSA complaint #722078 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE
NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE.
NHTSA complaint #722729 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:EXHAUST SYSTEM:EMISSION CONTROL:GAS RECIRCULATION VALVE (EGR VALVE)
EGR VALVE AND SENSOR FAILED. NLM
NHTSA complaint #604450 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE
VEHICLE EXPERIENCED HEAD GASKET FAILURE, RECALL ON OTHER MODELS HOWEVER COUGAR WAS NOT INCLUDED EVEN THOUGH SAME ENGINE AS RECALL MODELS, DENIED RECALL REPAIR (98M01). MJS
NHTSA complaint #549571 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE
VEHICLE EXPERIENCED HEAD GASKET FAILURE, RECALL ON OTHER MODELS HOWEVER COUGAR WAS NOT INCLUDED EVEN THOUGH SAME ENGINE AS RECALL MODELS, DENIED RECALL REPAIR (98M01). MJS
NHTSA complaint #549571 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE
VEHICLE EXPERIENCED HEAD GASKET FAILURE, RECALL ON OTHER MODELS HOWEVER COUGAR WAS NOT INCLUDED EVEN THOUGH SAME ENGINE AS RECALL MODELS, DENIED RECALL REPAIR (98M01). MJS
NHTSA complaint #549571 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE
BOTH HEAD GASKETS BLOWN; HOWEVER, COMPLAINTS RE; FAULTY TEMPERATURE GUAGE SUBMITTED TO DEALER SINCE 10/15/1993. REPAIR COST: $1390.92 (INCL. TAX).
NHTSA complaint #704514 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
BOTH HEAD GASKETS BLOWN; HOWEVER, COMPLAINTS RE; FAULTY TEMPERATURE GUAGE SUBMITTED TO DEALER SINCE 10/15/1993. REPAIR COST: $1390.92 (INCL. TAX).
NHTSA complaint #704514 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE
MOUNTS HAVE FAILED, SIMILAR TO 87 & 92 FORD TAURUS MODELS. IS THERE A RECALL ON THE 91 COUGAR FOR THIS SAME PROBLEM?...STRANGE COINCIDENCE. THANKS
NHTSA complaint #703764 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE
WHEN STARTING THE VEHICLE IT MADE A PUFFING SOUND AND CUT OFF, AFTER RESTARTING AND DRIVING ABOUT ONE BLOCK, THE ENGINE SUDDENDLY DIED. THE ENGINE HEAD GASKET WAS REPLACED BY MECHANIC.
NHTSA complaint #810661 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE
PARKED CAR AND IT CAUGHT ON FIRE.*AK CONSUMER STATESVEHICLE WAS PARKED AND ABOUT 15 MINUTES LATER IT WAS ON FIRE NEAR STEERING WHEEL AREA.
NHTSA complaint #986389 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.