24 of the 236 complaints about the 1993 Mercury Cougar are about the lighting — 10% of everything reported for this model year. Half of the failures with a mileage on record happened before 120,000 miles.
24
Complaints
1
Crashes
1
Fires
0
Injuries
Filed with NHTSA, in their own words.
EXTERIOR LIGHTING
HEAD LIGHT SWITCH HARD TO APPLY HEAD LIGHT FLICKER ON AND OFF.SOMETIME WILL NOT COME ON AT ALL.CAR WAS IN MOTION,AND STATIONARY
NHTSA complaint #11040983 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
EXTERIOR LIGHTING
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1993 MERCURY COUGAR. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE AT A STOP, THE HEADLIGHTS BEGAN TO FLICKER WITHOUT WARNING. THE CONTACT MENTIONED THAT THE FAILURE WOULD RECUR SPORADICALLY. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE AND STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER: 99V275000 (EXTERIOR LIGHTING). THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 150,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 160,000.
NHTSA complaint #10548708 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
EXTERIOR LIGHTING
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1993 MERCURY COUGAR. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 45 MPH, THE CONTACT NOTICED THAT THE HEADLIGHTS BEGAN TO FLICKER. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR DIAGNOSTICS. THE CONTACT REFERENCED NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER: 99V275000 (EXTERIOR LIGHTING:HEADLIGHTS:SWITCH) BUT WAS ADVISED BY THE DEALER THAT THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 164,431.
NHTSA complaint #10432893 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
EXTERIOR LIGHTING:HEADLIGHTS:SWITCH
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1993 MERCURY COUGAR. WHILE DRIVING 75 MPH, THE INSTRUMENT PANEL LIGHTS AND THE HEADLIGHTS DIMMED. THE CONTACT ALSO NOTICED SMOKE RISING FROM THE DASHBOARD. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE VEHICLE NEEDED A NEW HEADLIGHT SWITCH AND THEY MADE THE REPAIR. APPROXIMATELY ONE YEAR LATER, THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE DEALER STATED THAT HIS VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 99V275000 (EXTERIOR LIGHTING:HEADLIGHTS:SWITCH). THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 4,000 AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 189,000.
NHTSA complaint #10203174 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
EXTERIOR LIGHTING:HEADLIGHTS
LIGHTS PERIODICALLY STOPPED WORKING ELIMINATING VISIBILITY.
NHTSA complaint #10178278 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
EXTERIOR LIGHTING:HEADLIGHTS:SWITCH
I WAS DRIVING HOME GOING DOWN A COUNTRY ROAD AND MY HEADLIGHTS QUIT WORKING. I ALMOST WRECKED,AND I ALMOST LOST CONTROL OF MY VEHICLE. I ENDED UP DRIVING IT HOME WITH NOTHING BUT PARKING LIGHTS ON WHICH WAS A GOOD HALF HOUR JOURNEY.
NHTSA complaint #10167166 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
EXTERIOR LIGHTING:HEADLIGHTS
WHILE DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD, AT NIGHT HEADLIGHTS FLICKERED OFF AND ON. CONSUMER CONTACTED THE DEALER AND THE MANUFACTURER. CONSUMER WAS TOLD THAT THIS DEFECT WAS NOT AN OPEN RECALL. PREVIOUS REPLACEMENT OF THE HEADLIGHTS WERE UNDETERMINED BY THE MANUFACTURER. *AK THE CONSUMER WAS TOLD THAT HIS VEHICLE BEING OLD IS TO BLAME FOR FAILURE. THE CONSUMER HAD THE HEADLIGHT SWITCH REPLACED.
NHTSA complaint #10103667 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
EXTERIOR LIGHTING:HEADLIGHTS:SWITCH
HEAD LIGHTS FLICKER OFF AND ON. I HAD TO PLAY WITH THE HEADLIGHT SWITCH TO FINALLY GET THEM BACK ON. AT FIRST THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER WOULD NOT COME ON, BUT BARELY PULLED ON SWITCH AND THEY CAME ON. PULLED DASH APART AND NOTICED THE SWITCH BRACKET WAS MELTED A LITTLE AND A (BROWN AND GRAY?) WIRE WAS SCORCHED, MELTED, FRAYED.
NHTSA complaint #10014413 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
EXTERIOR LIGHTING:HEADLIGHTS:SWITCH
INTERNAL LIGHTS AND HEADLIGHTS COME ON AND OFF INTERMITTENTLY. DEALERSHIP IS AWARE OF PROBLEM. *AK RECALL 99V275 DEALS WITH THIS SAME PROBLEM, HOWEVER CONSUMER WAS INFORMED BY THE FORD RECALL HOTLINE THAT HER VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED, CONSUMER WILL NOT DRIVE THE VEHICLE AT NIGHT.
NHTSA complaint #8003610 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
EXTERIOR LIGHTING:HEADLIGHTS
LEFT HUB IS STARTING TO GO OUT..THE LOCK IS STUCK ON MY IGNITION SWITCH SO I CANN'T CRANK MY CAR..MOTOR MOUNT BROKE.
NHTSA complaint #756460 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
EXTERIOR LIGHTING:HEADLIGHTS:SWITCH
HEADLIGHTS STARTED FLASHING, AND BLINKING, AFTER A FEW MILES OF DRIVING. WHILE I WAS DRIVING ON A COUNTRY ROAD, THIS FLASHING ATTRACTED A DEER ONTO THE ROAD, WHICH CAUSED SOME BODY DAMAGE TO MY CAR. THE PROBLEM WAS IN THE HEADLIGHT SWITCH. MY CAR DOES NOT HAVE FOGLIGHTS, SO IT DID NOT QUALIFY FOR RECALL 99V275000, BUT WAS ACTING JUST THE SAME. THE REPAIR SHOP CHANGED THE HEADLAMP SWITCH, AND THE FLASHING ENDED. I WAS TOLD THE HEADLAMP SWITCH HAD A SHORT IN IT.
NHTSA complaint #737100 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
EXTERIOR LIGHTING
THE PLASTIC HEAD LIGHT COVERS HAVE YELLOWED TO THE EXTENT THAT CONSUMER HAS LOST AT LEAST 30% OF LIGHTING, DEALER CONTACTED BUT SAYS THEIRS NOTHING THEY CAN DO ABOUT IT.
NHTSA complaint #783639 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
EXTERIOR LIGHTING:HEADLIGHTS
THE HEADLIGHTS START TO FLICKER, FLASH ON AND OFF, WHEN THE AMBIENT TEMPERATURE RISES ABOVE ABOUT 90 DEGREES. THESE SYMPTOMS ARE QUITE SIMILAR TO THOSE DESCRIBED BY RECALL 99V275000, BUT MY CAR DOES NOT HAVE FOG LIGHTS, SO IT DOES NOT QUALIFY. THIS ESPECIALLY HAPPENS, WHEN I AM USING MY BRIGHTS (HIGH BEAMS).
NHTSA complaint #731646 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
EXTERIOR LIGHTING:HEADLIGHTS
NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE.
NHTSA complaint #724126 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
EXTERIOR LIGHTING:HEADLIGHTS
COVER OVER THE HEADLIGHTS HAS TURNED YELLOW. CONSUMER HAS TO USE THE HIGH BEAMS TO SEE AT NIGHT. CONSUMER FEELS THAT HE HAAS LOST AT LEAST 30% PERCENT OF LIGHTING.
NHTSA complaint #854755 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
EXTERIOR LIGHTING:HEADLIGHTS
NHTSA RECALL #99V-275 000/HEADLIGHTS: VEHICLE HAS BEEN EXPERIENCING HEADLIGHTS GOING OUT FOR VARIOUS INTERVALS PREECEDED BY FLICKING/BLICKING. DEALER NOTICED, AND INFORMED CONSUMER THAT THIS VEHICLE WAS NOT PART OF RECALL. ASKING NHTSA TO SHED SOME LIGHT ON THIS MATTER.
NHTSA complaint #853652 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
EXTERIOR LIGHTING:BACK UP LIGHTS
THE INTENSITY OF THE MOUNTED BRAKES LIGHTS WAS SO HIGH THAT THEY MELTED THROUGH THE PLASTIC AND BURNED OUT THE WIRE, CAUSING SMOKE TO COME FORM THE REAR WINDOW. MANUFACTURER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED.
NHTSA complaint #838014 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
EXTERIOR LIGHTING:HEADLIGHTS
HEADLIGHT LENSES FROSTED, CAUSING POOR VISIBILITY WHILE DRIVING AT NIGHT. DEALER NOTIFIED AND REFUSED TO REPLACE THE PART UNLESS COST GOES TO CONSUMER. MANUFACTURER INFORMED CONSUMER THAT VEHICLE WA S OUT OF WARRANTY AND THERE IS NOTHING THEY COULD DO.
NHTSA complaint #831650 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
EXTERIOR LIGHTING:BRAKE LIGHTS:SWITCH
WIRING HARNESS THAT HOLDS THE BULB ON THE MOUNTED REAR BRAKE LIGHT IS MELTING. PLEASE GIVE ANY FURTHER DETAILS.
NHTSA complaint #822874 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
EXTERIOR LIGHTING:HEADLIGHTS
WHILE DRIVING AT NIGHT THE HEADLIGHTS GO OUT WITHOUT WARNING. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER DETAILS.
NHTSA complaint #822226 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
EXTERIOR LIGHTING:HEADLIGHTS
HEAD LIGHTS GO ON AND OFF FOR NO APPARENT REASON.
NHTSA complaint #531303 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
EXTERIOR LIGHTING:HEADLIGHTS:CONCEALMENT DEVICES
HEADLIGHTS FLASH INTERMITTENTLY AS A RESULT OF A CIRCUIT BREAKER MALFUNCTION. FIX REQUIRES REPLACING THE HEADLIGHT SWITCH OR INSTALLING A NEW CONNECTOR AND WIRING. "EA96-019" PROMPTED A RECALL, HOWEVER DEALER INFORMED OWNER THAT HIS VEHICLE WAS OUT OF SCOPE.
NHTSA complaint #530953 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
EXTERIOR LIGHTING:HEADLIGHTS
HEADLIGHT FAILURE; WHEN USING THE HEADLIGHTS THEY WILL GO OUT FOR ABOUT 2 OR 3 SECONDS, COME BACK ON AGAIN AND GO OUT AGAIN. THE PROBLEM HAS NOT BEEN CORRECTED.
NHTSA complaint #821038 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
EXTERIOR LIGHTING:HEADLIGHTS
HEADLIGHTS WILL COME ON AND OFF INTERMITTENTLY. TT
NHTSA complaint #958179 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.