21 of the 122 complaints about the 1992 Mercury Cougar are about the engine — 17% of everything reported for this model year. Half of the failures with a mileage on record happened before 77,777 miles.
21
Complaints
0
Crashes
1
Fires
0
Injuries
Filed with NHTSA, in their own words.
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE
HEAD GASKETS BLEW A LEAK DURING VEHICLE INSPECTION AT RAHWAY, NJ INSPECTION STATION. *AK *NLM **DIMSII IVOQ ENTRY POSTED AFTER 12/12/02 CUT-OVER TO ARTEMIS*734305
NHTSA complaint #10007016 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE
HEAD GASKETS BLEW A LEAK DURING VEHICLE INSPECTION AT RAHWAY , NJ VEHICLE INSPECTION STATION.
NHTSA complaint #734305 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:COOLING SYSTEM
WHEN I DROVE MY CAR TO WORK IT SEEMED FINE. WHEN I GOT INTO THE CAR AFTER WORK I IDLED REALLY ROUGH I THOUGHT IT WAS THE MORE EXPENSIVE GAS I PUT INTO IT THE NIGHT BEFORE, SO I PROCEEDED TO THE GAS STATION TO LET THEM KNOW. THE CAR DROVE REALLY ROUGH ALL THE WAY THERE. A RED LIGHT CAME ON ON THE DASH JUST BEFORE I GOT TO THE GAS STATION SAYING CHECK GAUGES. THE GAUGE SHOWED THAT THE CAR OVERHEATED. AFTER HAVING MY CAR WORKED ON ABOUT EIGHT MONTHS AGO FOR A OVERHEATING PROBLEM, IT HAD BEEN RUNNING REALLY COOL, SO DIDN'T THINK I WOULD HAVE A OVERHEATING PROBLEM. I TURNED OFF THE CAR, BUT THOUGHT I WOULD CHECK TO MAKE SURE THE FAN WORKED I TURNED THE CAR BACK ON AND OUT OF THE TAIL PIPE CAME A CLOUD OF WHITE SMOKE THAT DISAPATED REALLY FAST AFTER TURNING OFF ENGINE. CHECKED OIL THERE WAS NO WATER IN IT, BUT IT WAS LOW . I ADDED A QUART IN ORDER TO GET IT HOME. IT STILL HAD WHITE SMOKE OR STEAM COMING OUT THE TAIL PIPE. ALSO THE SEATS DO NOT LOCK INTO PLACE. THE AIRCONDITIONER DOES NOT GET COLD. I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW IF THERE IS ANYTHING ELSE THAT I SHOULD BE AWARE OF THAT I NEED TO HAVE FIXED.
NHTSA complaint #762625 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE
WHILE DRIVING AT 25-30 MPH HEAD GASKET BLEWOUT, AND THERE WAS ANTIFREEZE ALL OVER ENGINE ALSO, VEHICLE BECAME INOPERATIVE .CONTACTED DEALER, AND DEALER WAS NOT WILLING TO DO ANYTHING.
NHTSA complaint #8010976 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE
THIS ENGINE TYPE HAS HAD A HISTORY OF THIS REPORTED PROBLEM (HEAD GASKET FAILURE). I HAVE CONTACTED SEVERAL MECHANICS, AND THEY HAVE ALL REPORTED THAT THE PROBLEMS THAT I AM EXPERIENCING, ARE DUE TO HEAD GASKET FAILURE. I HAVE CONTACTED FORD MO. CO., BUT THEY HAVE PROVIDED NO ANSWERS/ASSISTANCE, EVEN KNOWING OF THIS MAJOR DEFECT WITH THIS ENGINE TYPE. THIS FAILURE IS OBVIOUSLY DUE TO A FACTORY DEFECT, AND I WANT IT TO BE ON RECORD WITH EVERY ORGANIZATION THAT FORD SHOULD BE RESPONSIBLE TO FIX AT THEIR COST. FORD NOT TAKING RESPONSIBILITY FOR THIS ENGINE DEFECT IS COMPLETELY UNACCEPTABLE, AND I EXPECT THAT I WILL BE FILING SUIT WITH THEM UNLESS THEY WILL TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR THEIR DESIGN FLAWS. IF YOU AN SUGGEST ANY FURTHER ACTION I CAN TAKE, PLEASE EMAIL ME AT STEVE.TOSTIGE@FRITZ.COM.
NHTSA complaint #745542 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE
HEAD GASKETS LEAKAGE WATER INTO CYLINDER, CAUSING PROBLEMS TO ENGINE PROFORMANCE-STALLING, DECREASED EXCELERATION, ETC.
NHTSA complaint #743990 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE
HEAD GASKETS LEAKAGE WATER INTO CYLINDER, CAUSING PROBLEMS TO ENGINE PROFORMANCE-STALLING, DECREASED EXCELERATION, ETC.
NHTSA complaint #743990 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE
HEAD GASKET HAS BLOWN, AND POSSIBLY CAUSED DAMAGE TO ENGINE.*AK *SLC
NHTSA complaint #883987 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE
HEAD GASKET FAILED DURING NORMAL USE-VEHICLE IS WELL MAINTAINED. REPORTED DUE TO UNDERSTANDING OF EPIDEMIC OF COMMON OCCURANCES.
NHTSA complaint #736710 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE
THE 3RD TIME THE GASKET'S YES THATS RIGH BOTH OF THEM HAVE BLOWN AND HOW ODD AT 40K/80K/121K/ GEE THATS 40K FOR EACH HEAD GASKET FORD FIXED FIRST ONE THEN SAID SORRY YOUR UP S*CREEK WITH THE 2ND ONE... AND NOW THE 3RD TIME WHAT NEXT????
NHTSA complaint #734595 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE
HEAD GASKETS BLEW A LEAK DURING VEHICLE INSPECTION AT RAHWAY , NJ VEHICLE INSPECTION STATION
NHTSA complaint #734305 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE
HEAD GASKET BLEW ON MY COUGAR. UPSET THAT THIS IS A WIDESPOREAD ISSUE AND THAT FORD FAILS TO WARRANTY THIS CLEAR DEFECT. THE DEFECT RATE FOR THIS EXACT PROBLEM IS MIND BOGGLING. THE FACT THAT FORD HAS 'CHRREY PICKED' WHICH YEARS / VEHICLES TO COVER UNDER WARRANTY IS ABSURD. THE PROBLEM IS RELATED TO THE 3.8L ENGINE AND THUS ALL SUCH ENGINES SHOULD BE COVERED!
NHTSA complaint #725590 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:COOLING SYSTEM
NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOV EVEHICLE.
NHTSA complaint #722128 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE
ENGINE HEAD GASKET WENT BAD, CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO OVERHEAT AND OIL TO LEAK. DEALER HAS BEEN CONTACTED.
NHTSA complaint #859369 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:COOLING SYSTEM
LOTS OF PROMBLEMS
NHTSA complaint #713207 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE
NO SUMMARY
NHTSA complaint #711435 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:COOLING SYSTEM:RADIATOR ASSEMBLY
THERMOSTAT FAILED. MJS
NHTSA complaint #545875 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE
HEAD GASKET FAILED, RECALL ON COMPONENT HOWEVER VEHICLE DENIED DUE TO YEAR BUILT. MJS
NHTSA complaint #545875 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE
CYLINDER HEAD GASKET ARE A COMMON FAILURE ON THE 3.8L ENGINES. FORD TAURUS (SABLE) AND MERCURY COUGAR ARE EQUIPPED WITH THIS ENGINE. I THINK FORD HAS RECALLED TAURUS BUT HAS NOT RECALLED THE COUGAR.
NHTSA complaint #704091 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE
THE GASKET RING SPLIT AND ALLOWED WATER TO LEAK IN.
NHTSA complaint #517485 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE
VEHICLE FIRE.
NHTSA complaint #513811 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.