164 of the
2,646 complaints filed about the Mercury Cougar
are about the throttle and cruise control —
6% of everything owners reported.
The worst model year for it is 1999.
164
Complaints
6%
Share of all complaints
40
Crashes
0
Fires
Acceleration & Cruise Control complaints by model year
OVER PAST FEW WEEKS LOOSING ACCELERATION ESPECIALLY ON INCLINES AND HIGHWAY ENTRANCE RAMPS CAUSING NEAR COLLISSION AS I CAN'T SPEED UP TO HIGHWAY SPEED AND CAR BEHIND ME MUST BRAKE AT FAST SPEEDS. ENGINE LIGHT ON. MECHANIC SAYS CAN'T FIX AND CONTACT FORD. MY VIN # DOES NOT BRING UP RECALL BUT IT MATCHES RECALL NOTICE SUMMARY STATING CONTAMINATION OF FILTER IN FUEL DELIVERY MODULE (FDM) THI RECALL STATE 1999-2002 COUGARS.MINE IS 2001 BOUGHT NEW, UNDER 70,000 MI WITH NEW FUEL PUMP. THIS HAS BEEN GOING ON FOR WEEKS AND SCARED TO DRIVE MY ONLY CAR. PLEASE HELP.
NHTSA complaint #10883481 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
I HAVE PROBLEM WITH TRANSMMITION SHIFTING 1ST TO SECOND CHANGES AT 3000RPM BUT WHEN I CHANGE PARK TO DRIVE SHAKES MOTOR BAD , ONE OF THE WIRES START SMOKING I LIKE I PUT TAPE AROUND WIRED BURND. TEMPERATURE IT DOESN'T SHOW BUT WHEN I OPEN THE HOOD THE CAR IS VERY HOT EVERY TIME I TRIED DRIVING IT AT FREEWAY OVERDRIVE LIGHT STARTS BLINKING I LIKE I PAID TO GET IT FIX AND STILL DOES THE SAME.
NHTSA complaint #10877025 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
WHEN SLOWING DOWN FROM HIGHWAY SPEEDS, APPROXIMATELY 70 MPH, I TAPPED THE BRAKES TO DISENGAGE THE CRUSE CONTROL, AFTER MAKING MY EXIT IN TO A RESIDENTIAL AREA THE CRUSE CONTROL TRIED TO RESUME MY LAST RECORDED SPEED WITHOUT ME PRESSING ANY OF THE CRUSE CONTROLS. THE CAR REACHED ABOUT 50MPH IN A 35MPH ZONE AND THE RPM'S SPIKED TO ABOUT 5000 BEFORE I HAD TO MANUALLY TURN OFF THE CRUSE CONTROL.
NHTSA complaint #10761424 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SINCE PURCHASING 2002 MERCURY COUGAR IN JANUARY 2010 THE VEHICLE HESITATES, SURGES, AND STALLS AT ANY RATE OF SPEED. INITIALLY THE PROBLEM WAS RARE, THEN GRADUALLY OCCURRED MORE FREQUENTLY. THIS NOW HAPPENS AT LEAST WEEKLY, SOMETIMES SEVERAL TIMES PER DAY. THIS ISSUE HAS ENDANGERED ME MORE TIMES THAN I CAN CURRENTLY RECALL. REPLACED ALTERNATOR, BATTERY, EGR VALVE AND SENSOR, IAC VALVE, AND CATALYTIC CONVERTER. THE ISSUE PERSISTS.
NHTSA complaint #10724633 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 MERCURY COUGAR. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 5 MPH IN A DRIVEWAY, THERE WAS A SUDDEN INCREASE IN THE ACCELERATION. THE VEHICLE FAILED TO DECELERATE EVEN AS THE CONTACT APPLIED THE BRAKES. THE CONTACT WAS UNABLE TO CONTROL THE FAILURE AND CRASHED INTO A HOUSE. THE CONTACT SUSTAINED A FRACTURED LEFT WRIST. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED OF THE INCIDENT. THE VEHICLE SUSTAINED SEVERE FRONT END DAMAGES. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A POLICE IMPOUND LOT. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE ACCELERATION FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 30,000.
NHTSA complaint #10548123 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
THE CONSUMER PRESSED ON THE ACCELERATOR AND ACCELERATED WAY TOO FAST AND HE BOLTED FORWARD STRIKING A CONCRETE BARRIER. *DT CONSUMER SENT ADDITIONAL LETTER REGARDING RESULTS FROM INCIDENT. *TGW 04/06/10 THE VEHICLE WAS INSPECTED AND IT WAS FOUND THAT THE THROTTLE LINKAGE WAS DEFECTIVE.
NHTSA complaint #10313173 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
I AM THE ORIGINAL OWNER OF A 1999 MERCURY COUGAR AUTOMATIC V6. I HAVE NEVER BEEN IN AN ACCIDENT WITH THE VEHICLE, BUT CONTINUE TO HAVE MECHANICAL PROBLEMS. LIKE OTHER 1999 ' 2000 MERCURY COUGAR OWNERS I WORRY ABOUT THE SAFETY OF DRIVING A VEHICLE WITH MORE PROBLEMS THAN CAN COST EFFECTIVELY BE FIXED. MY LIST OF BROKEN ITEMS INCLUDE THE RADIO, POWER WINDOW REGULATOR, O2 SENSORS, TRANSMISSION AT 59,000 MILES, DASHBOARD LIGHTS (LOW COOLANT AND CHECK ENGINE), DOOR/WINDOW LEAKY SEAL ISSUES, ENGINE MISFIRE (DECREASED ACCELERATION) AND NOW MY CRUISE CONTROL AND TURN SIGNALS DO NOT WORK. UPON RESEARCHING THE RECALL FOR CRUISE CONTROL FIRES DEALING WITH FORD PRODUCTS I FOUND THAT I AM AMONG OTHER DISGRUNTLED COUGAR OWNERS. FORD/MERCURY OR FORD TECHNICIANS HAVE NOT DONE A SATISFACTORY JOB LETTING OWNERS KNOW OF RECALLS THAT NEED ATTENTION. MY LATEST CONCERN IS THAT MY COUGAR MIGHT START ON FIRE, PER MY COMPLAINT WITH FORD; THEY SEE NO THREAT WITH MY CRUISE CONTROL ISSUES AND SUGGESTED I CONTACT THE NHTSA WITH MY COMPLAINT.
NHTSA complaint #10222903 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 MERCURY COUGAR. WHILE IDLING, THE ENGINE REVS AND THE VEHICLE ACCELERATES ON ITS OWN. THE DEALER STATED THAT NO RECALLS WERE AVAILABLE; HOWEVER, THE CONTACT DISCOVERED NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 99V194000 (VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL). IN ADDITION, THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT REMAINS ILLUMINATED FOR WEEKS AT A TIME. NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 04V421000 (FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE) WAS REFERENCED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHEN THE VEHICLE IS STARTED AND THE DOORS ARE SHUT, THE POWER DOOR LOCKS AUTOMATICALLY LOCK. ALSO, THE DOORS AUTOMATICALLY LOCK WHILE DRIVING. THE CONTACT REFERENCED NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 99V226000 (LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES: DOORS:LATCH). THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 114,000 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 50,000.
NHTSA complaint #10216394 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 MERCURY COUGAR. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE ENGINE REVS VERY HIGH AND THEN THE VEHICLE BEGINS TO JERK. THE CONTACT HAS TAKEN THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS, BUT THEY HAVE BEEN UNABLE TO DIAGNOSE THE CAUSE OF FAILURE. THE CONTACT INFORMED THE MANUFACTURER ABOUT THE FAILURE AND MENTIONED THAT THE DEALER CHANGED SEVERAL PARTS. THE MANUFACTURER STATED THAT THERE WERE NO CURRENT RECALLS OR SERVICE BULLETINS FOR THIS FAILURE. THE SERPENTINE BELT, THROTTLE ASSEMBLY, AND VACUUM TUBE WERE REPLACED, BUT THE FAILURE PERSISTS. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 183,000. THE CONSUMER STATED BELIEVES DEALER CHARGED FOR UNNECESSARY REPAIRS, INACCURATE DIAGNOSTICS, AND FINANCIAL BURDEN FOR CAR RENTALS AND WANTS TO BE REIMBURSED ALL THE OUTPOCKET EXPENSES. UPDATED 09/05/07
NHTSA complaint #10195384 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
DT*: THE CONSUMER STATED WHILE DRIVING ON AN ICY ROAD, THE REAR BRAKES FAILED AND THE CONSUMER HIT INTO A CURB. THE THROTTLE HAS STUCK INTERMITTENTLY SINCE AUGUST OF 2005. THE DEALERSHIP WAS UNABLE TO DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM. THERE ARE TWO RECALLS, #00V075000 REGARDING THE SERVICE BRAKES AND #99V194000 REGARDING THE VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL. THE VEHICLE HAS THE SAME PROBLEMS AS INDICATED IN THE RECALL; HOWEVER IT IS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL DUE TO THE VIN.
NHTSA complaint #10147933 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
DT: CONTACT OWNS A 1999 MERCURY COUGAR. HE HAS BEEN LOOKING ON THE INTERNET AND FOUND RECALLS 04V4210000, 04V4210000,1V0320000, AND 01V0310000 . HE CALLED THE MANUFACTURER, AND THEY TOLD HIM THAT THIS VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THESE RECALLS DUE TO VIN ALTHOUGH THE CONTACT'S VEHICLE EXPERIENCED THE SAME FAILURE AS DESCRIBED IN AFOREMENTIONED RECALLS. WHILE DRIVING AND ACCELERATING THE VEHICLE SURGED. HE HAD NOT NOTICED THIS WHEN THE CRUISE CONTROL WAS ON. BUT, NOTICED THIS IMMEDIATELY AFTER PURCHASING THE VEHICLE FROM AN AUCTION ON 9-18-05. ALSO, THE LEFT REAR TAIL LAMP BLEW OUT THREE TIMES IN A SHORT TIME FRAME. HE BOUGHT THE EXTENDED LIFE BULBS, BUT THEY STILL BLEW OUT. HOWEVER, SOME OF THE LIGHTS WORKED ON THE DASHBOARD. . THE ENGINE LIGHT DID NOT COME ON WHEN HE FIRST STARTED THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT NOTICED THIS 10-04-05.
NHTSA complaint #10140139 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
MY VEHICLE HAS NOT CAUSED AN ACCIDENT OR A CRASH YET, BUT IT SOON COULD. THE THROTTLE/ ACCELERATOR HAS BEEN STICKING ON MY 2000 MERCURY COUGAR SINCE SOON AFTER I BOUGHT IT IN OCTOBER OF 2003. IT STARTED WITH THE RPMS REVVING UP TO 2 OR 3 AS I WAS COMING TO A STOP. THIS HAPPENED ONCE EVERY COUPLE WEEKS OR SO. THE RPMS DO NOT GO DOWN UNTIL AFTER I HAVE COMPLETELY STOPPED. IT HAS SINCE BECAME MORE FREQUENT (CLOSE TO EVERY TIME I DRIVE THE CAR) AND SIGNIFICANT(RPMS GO TO 3 OR 4). I TOOK IT TO THE LINCOLN MERCURY DEALERSHIP SOON AFTER I FIRST NOTICED THE PROBLEM IN APRIL 2003. THEY REPAIRED A BLOWN AIR VALVE. THE PROBLEM BEGAN AGAIN WITHIN A MONTH OF THE REPAIR. I THEN TOOK IT BACK IN JUNE 2003 AND REPORTED THE SAME PROBLEM. THEY CLEANED THE THROTTLE. HOWEVER, THE PROBLEM BEGAN AGAIN WITHIN THE NEXT MONTH. IN MAY 2004 I RECEIVED A RECALL NOTICE FOR A CONTAMINATED FUEL PUMP. THINKING THIS WAS THE SOURCE OF THE PROBLEMS I HAD THE FUEL PUMP REPLACED. THE PROBLEM BEGAN AGAIN WITHIN A MONTH. NOT BEING ABLE TO AFFORD TO PUT MORE MONEY INTO MY CAR, I WAITED A YEAR BEFORE TAKING IT TO THE DEALERSHIP AGAIN. UPON EMISSIONS INSPECTION IN SEPTEMBER 2005 THEY FAILED IT BECAUSE THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT WAS ON. I TOOK IT BACK A WEEK LATER AND THEY PASSED IT. THE LIGHT WAS OFF THEN. IT HAS BEEN GOING ON AND OFF ON ITS OWN SINCE I PURCHASED THE VEHICLE. RECENTLY WHILE DRIVING THE ACCELERATOR STUCK MAKING MY CAR STAY AT 40 MPH EVEN THOUGH MY FOOT WAS NOT ON THE GAS. I RESEARCHED A 1999 RECALL THAT SEEMS TO FIT THE EXACT DESCRIPTION OF MY CARS PROBLEM, BUT FORD INSISTS THAT COULDN'T BE POSSIBLE.
NHTSA complaint #10135477 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
DT: THE CONTACT STATED CAR WAS REVVING WHEN STARTING IT UP. WHEN PUTTING IT IN DRIVE IN WENT DOWN SOMEWHAT. IT FELT LIKE IT WAS GOING TO TAKE OFF BY ITSELF. THIS HAPPENED ON 8-31-05. BACK IN 1998 THE CONTACT WAS HAVING THE SAME PROBLEM. SHE TOOK IT TO A DEALER, AND THEY REPLACED A CHIP THAT HAD BROKEN UNDER THE HOOD. SHE FELT THIS WAS SAME PROBLEM THAT SHE EXPERIENCED IN 1998. THE CONTACT WAS PLANNING TO TAKE VEHICLE TO A DEALER CLOSE TO HER AS SOON AS POSSIBLE. SHE WAS NOT GOING TO DRIVE THE CAR BECAUSE SHE WAS AFRAID. SHE WILL HAVE IT TOWED.*AK UPDATED 11/2/2005 -
NHTSA complaint #10135063 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ON FEB 12, 1994 MY WIFE AND HER FRIEND TOOK MY RED 1988 MERCURY COUGAR LS TO CHURCH AT 6:30 PM. IT WAS AN EXTREMELY FOGGY EVENING. I RECEIVED A CALL AT THE HOUSE AT 6:50 PM THAT MY WIFE HAD BEEN IN A CAR ACCIDENT AND THAT I NEEDED TO COME TO THE SITE. MY CAR WAS IN MINT CONDITION INSIDE AND OUT BEFORE THE ACCIDENT. WHEN I SAW THE CAR, IT WAS UNBELIEVABLE!! MY WIFE, WITNESSES, LAW ENFORCEMENT AND GOODYEAR TIRE CONCLUDED THAT IT WAS THE MERCURY COUGAR?S COMPUTER THAT CAUSED THE ENGINE TO GO FULL-THROTTLE. DIANE, MY WIFE AND PASSENGER TESTIFIED THAT WHEN THE ENGINE SURGED, SHE PUT BOTH FEET ON THE BRAKE PEDAL TO STOP THE CAR. AFTER NO AVAIL, SHE APPLIED THE EMERGENCY BRAKE. THIS CAUSED THE VEHICLE TO SPIN INTO A HEAVILY TRAVELED INTERSECTION. AS THE VEHICLE SPUN, MY WIFE TRIED TO PUT THE VEHICLE INTO ?PARK?. UNFORTUNATELY, THE VEHICLE CHANGED INTO ?REVERSE?, SENDING THEM THROUGH A GAS STATION, AT FULL-THROTTLE, BACKWARDS. AT THIS TIME, THE PASSENGER PANICKED. SHE UNBUCKLED HER SEATBELT AND OPENED THE DOOR WHILE TRAVELING IN REVERSE. THE DOOR MOMENTARILY PINED HER TO THE GROUND, RESULTING IN MAJOR FRACTURES OF THE HIP AND OTHER MINOR INJURIES. THE CAR FINALLY CAME TO REST IN THE WOODS ADJACENT TO THE GAS STATION WITH MAJOR FRAME DAMAGE, A SEVERED FUEL LINE AND ALL FOUR WHEELS WERE DESTROYED. MY WIFE WAS SHAKEN, BUT NO INJURIES. WITNESSES STATED THEY CAME WITHIN INCHES OF HITTING THE GAS PUMPS. AT THE TIME, MY FATHER-IN-LAW, A RETIRED GM MECHANIC BLAMED THE EVENT ON MY WIFE. UNTIL I BECAME COMPUTER SMART AND HAVE READ SO MANY ARTICLES THIS WEEK ON FORD VEHICLES SURGING, I THOUGHT I HAD BETTER REPORT THIS INCIDENT TO HELP OTHERS WHO APPARENTLY HAVE BEEN THROUGH THE SAME EXPERIENCE.
NHTSA complaint #10118272 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
WHILE PULLING OUT OF A PARKING LOT VEHICLE SUDDENLY/UNEXPECTEDLY ACCELERATED AND LURCH FORWARD. CONSUMER APPLIED THE BRAKES HARD TO SLOW THE VEHICLE DOWN, ALLOWED THE VEHICLE TO HIT THE CURB, AND TURNED OFF THE IGNITION SWITCH. VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER. DEALER INFORMED THE CONSUMER THAT THE THROTTLE CABLE STUCK.
NHTSA complaint #10117620 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
HEAD GASKET ON 3.8 ENGINE HAS BLOWN TWO TIMES IN 8 MONTHS. CAR OVERHEATS AND HAS OIL IN RADIATOR. HEATER DOES NOT WORK. AND VERY DIM LIGHTING ON SPEEDOMETER.
NHTSA complaint #10098640 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
WHILE RELEASING THE BRAKE PEDAL, THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED UNCONTROLLABLY. THE CONSUMER WAS NOT ABLE TO MAINTAIN CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE AND CRASHED INTO A TREE. THE CONSUMER WILL CONTACT THE DEALER IN THE NEAR FUTURE. THE CAUSE HAS NOT BEEN DETERMINED AT THIS TIME. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER DETAILS. *JB THE CONSUMER STATED THAT THE SUDDEN ACCELERATION LEFT TIRE MARKS ON THE DRIVEWAY.
NHTSA complaint #10099244 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
CONSUMER RECEIVED RECALL 99V194000 CONCERNING THROTTLE CABLE: WHILE DRIVING AT ANY SPEED AND WHEN CONSUMER STOPPED AT A LIGHT THE ENGINE REVVED. ALSO, WHEN VEHICLE WAS SITTING STILL THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO MOVE, EVEN WHEN THE CONSUMER'S FOOT WAS ON THE BRAKES. THIS MAKE, MODEL AND YEAR VEHICLE WAS ON RECALL. BUT, THIS VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED DUE TO VIN.
NHTSA complaint #10075980 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
I WAS HEADING HOME FROM THE BEACH. I HAD MY CAR ON CRUISE CONTROL. A CAR WAS STOPPING AHEAD TO TURN INTO A HOUSING DEVELOPMENT. I TRIED TO PUSH THE BRAKE TO DISENGAGE THE CRUISE CONTROL,BUT THE CRUISE CONTROL DID NOT DISENGAGE. I AGAIN HIT THE BRAKE, HARDER THIS TIME, BUT THE CRUISE CONTROL AGAIN DID NOT DISENGAGE. WITH MY FOOT ON THE BRAKE I TRIED TO SWERVE TO MISS THE CAR IN FRONT OF ME. I ENDED UP LOSING CONTROL OF MY CAR OFFROAD AND ROLLING THE CAR INTO A DITCH. I AVOIDED ANY OTHER CARS OR PROPERTY, BUT MY CAR WAS DAMAGED HEAVILY. I AM STILL AWAITING THE ASSESSMENT OF THE DAMAGE FROM MY INSURANCE COMPANY. MY PASSENGER AND I BOTH WALKED AWAY, LUCKILY WE WERE WEARING OUR SEAT BELTS.
NHTSA complaint #10072746 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.