12 of the 283 complaints about the 2000 Mercury Cougar are about the braking system — 4% of everything reported for this model year. Half of the failures with a mileage on record happened before 58,363 miles.
12
Complaints
1
Crashes
1
Fires
0
Injuries
Filed with NHTSA, in their own words.
SERVICE BRAKES
THE DRIVERS REAR METAL BRAKE LINE FAILED CATASTROPHICALLY ON THE HIGHWAY IN A PANIC STOP. THIS RESULTED IN COMPLETE BRAKE FAILURE OF BOTH FRONT AND REAR BRAKES.
NHTSA complaint #10513499 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:POWER ASSIST
VEHICLE STALLED IN TRAFFICE RESULTING IN LOSS OF POWER STEERING AND POWER BRAKE CONTROL. *MR
NHTSA complaint #10024635 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP
VEHICLE LOST POWER WHILE DRIVING DOWN HIGHWAY. REPLACED THE BATTERY AND TOOK TO SHOP TO HAVE ALTERNATOR AND WHATEVER ELSE LOOKED AT. MECHANIC COULD NOT FIND ANYTHING WRONG. BATTERY LIGHT STILL FLASHING. I'M SCARED THIS WILL HAPPEN AGAIN AND LEAVE ME STRANDED. ALSO HAVE HAD SAME ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS (POWER WINDOWS) AS EVERYONE ELSE, AS WELL AS SPENDING $600 ON BRAKES, AND TRUNK LATCH WON'T WORK. RADIO WORKS OFF AND ON. ALSO HAD TO REPLACE BUMPER AS IT WAS RIPPED OFF WHILE PULLING OUT OF PARKING SPACE. (NOT NEGLIGENC).
NHTSA complaint #10086633 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP
AFTER RUNNING FOR MORE THAN 10 MINUTES IN A ROW ENGINE WILL NOT RESTART FOR THIRTY OR FOURTY MINUTES. BRAKES LOSE CONTROL IN RAIN.
NHTSA complaint #10082812 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:POWER ASSIST
ENGINE DIES AND VEHICLE LOSES POWER AT ANYTIME WITHOUT WARNING. WHEN THIS OCCURS POWER STEERING AND BRAKES FAIL.
NHTSA complaint #10048112 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC
PROBLEMS WITH ODOMETER, GAS GAUGE, TURN SIGNALS,WINDOWS, RADIO, HAZARD LIGHTS, AIR BAG LIGHTS, SPEEDOMETER.*MR. THE MILEAGE AND CLOCK WERE NO LONGER VISIBLE. A NEW BATTERY AND ALTERNATOR WERE INSTALLED PRIOR TO THE INCIDENT. THE SUN ROOF LEAKED CONSTANTLY AND WAS ALSO FIXED PRIOR TO THE INCIDENT. THE BATTERY AND WRENCH LIGHT WERE CONSTANTLY ILLUMINATED. THIS VEHICLE HAD BEEN REPAIRED OVER AND OVER AGAIN. CONSUMER HAD TO EXIT AND BARELY MADE IT HOME WHEN SHE ENTERED THE DRIVEWAY, THE VEHICLE COMPLETELY DIED. *PH. THE AIR CONDITION WAS NOT COLD ENOUGH, THE CIGARETTE LIGHTER WAS BROKE, THE BRAKES MADE A GRINDING NOISE, THE DOOR LOCKS/LATCHES WERE INOPERATIVE, AND THE VEHICLE HAD A TRANSMISSION LEAK.
NHTSA complaint #10032290 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DISC:ROTOR
THE CONSUMER BELIEVED THE WRONG ROTORS WERE INSTALLED ON THE VEHICLE, HOWEVER THE DEALER STATED ROTORS WERE CONSIDERED WEAR AND TEAR.
NHTSA complaint #10015857 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP
CONSUMER WAS PULLING INSIDE OF A PARKING LOT AND WITHOUT PRIOR WARNING SHE APPLIED BRAKES AND PEDAL WENT DOWN TO THE FLOOR , HITTING A TREE. DEALERSHIP WAS AWARE OF PROBLEM.
NHTSA complaint #8012610 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DISC
SQUEAKING NOISE COINCIDES WITH HESITATION IN DRIVING. SERVICE TECHNICIANS CANNOT FIGURE OUT WHAT THE PROBLEM IS. HAD IN TO DEALER 3 TIMES, ONCE THEY KEPT IT FOR 5 DAYS AND SAID THEY COULDN'T FIND THE PROBLEM. FEELS LIKE A JERKING OR BUCKING, HAPPENS RANDOMLY/FREQUENTLY. DOESN'T MATTER WHAT GEAR OR HOW FAST, HAPPENS WHEN APPLYING BRAKES AND APPLYING GAS. BUZZING SOUND IN STEERING COLUMN. SAID WAS FIXED ONCE, BUT STILL OCCURS.
NHTSA complaint #752657 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP
WHILE DRIVING AT 55-60 MPH CONSUMER TURNED ON AIR CONDITIONER, THEN SMELLED SMOKE. TURNED AIR CONDITIONER OFF. WENT TO PULL OVER, AND BRAKES HAD FAILED. WHEN VEHICLE CAME TO STOP, CONSUMER OPENED HOOD AND SAW FLAMES. PUT FIRE OUT, AND HAD VEHICLE TOWED TO DEALER. DEALER STATED THAT STARTER HAD CAUSED FIRE AND REPLACED STARTER.
NHTSA complaint #886363 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SERVICE BRAKES, AIR:ANTILOCK
I HAVE BROUGHT MY CAR BACK TO THE DEALERSHIP 5 TIMES AND NO REPAIRS HAVE CHANGED THE PROBLEMS ON MY CAR - NOW I RECEIVED A RECALL NOTICE ON THE V-6 ENGINE HAVING AN ELECTRICAL PROBLEM - IF YOU ARE NOT THE COMPANY I NEED TO PLACE MY COMPLAINT WITH, PLEASE ADVISE CORRECT E-MAIL ADDRESS, PHONE NUMBER, OR ADDRESS - THANK YOU.
NHTSA complaint #743492 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS
INTERMITTENT BRAKE FAILURE. BRAKES FAILED, ALMOST CAUSING COLLISION AT 65 MPH. AFTER PUMPING PEDAL, BRAKES RETURNED TO NORMAL. CONTACTED DEALER, WAS TOLD NOTHING WAS WRONG W/ CAR BASED ON TEST DRIVE ALONE. WAS TOLD IT WAS $40.00 TO PUT IT ON THE LIFT TO CHECK BRAKE SYSTEM, REGARDLESS OF MANUFACTURER WARRANTY. PLEASE ADVISE.
NHTSA complaint #742015 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.