115 of the
2,646 complaints filed about the Mercury Cougar
are about the seat belts —
4% of everything owners reported.
The worst model year for it is 1988.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1992 MERCURY COUGAR. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE DRIVER SIDE SEAT BELT RETRACTOR WOULD REMAIN STUCK AND THE SEAT BELT WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT WAS CONCERNED THAT IN THE EVENT OF A CRASH, THE SEAT BELT WOULD FAIL TO SECURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN.
NHTSA complaint #10723296 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1993 MERCURY COUGAR. A MONTH AFTER PURCHASING THE VEHICLE IN JUNE OF 2008, THE ELECTRONIC SEAT BELT SHOULDER STRAP WOULD NOT RETRACT AFTER THE DRIVER'S SIDE DOOR WAS CLOSED. THE VEHICLE WAS DRIVEN TO A LOCAL REPAIR SHOP AND THE MECHANIC STATED THAT THE TRACKING WAS OFF AND THE SEAT BELT WAS DEFECTIVE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE UNAVAILABLE.
NHTSA complaint #10254848 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 MERCURY COUGAR. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE REAR SEAT BELTS FAILED TO PROPERLY SECURE THE CHILD SAFETY SEAT OR AN OCCUPANT. HE STATED THAT THE FAILURE COULD POSSIBLY BE DUE TO THE LATCH. THE VEHICLE HAS NOT YET BEEN TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER. THE VIN WAS UNKNOWN. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 66,600.
NHTSA complaint #10237070 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1978 MERCURY COUGAR. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FRONT SEAT BELTS FAIL TO OPERATE PROPERLY. THE DEALER STATED THAT HER VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 78V108000 (SEAT BELTS:FRONT:RETRACTOR) BECAUSE THE VEHICLE WAS TOO OLD. THE VIN WAS INACCURATE AND THE ENGINE SIZE WAS UNKNOWN. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 42,267.
NHTSA complaint #10216421 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
WHILE RIDING IN THE FRONT PASSENGER SEAT, I SNEEZED ONCE. THE SEAT BELT DID NOT LOOSEN UP ANY. RESULT WAS LEFT SHOULDER INJURY FOR ABOUT 5 MONTHS WITH THERAPY AND BRUISED RIBS THAT LASTED FOR ABOUT A MONTH. TO AVOID THIS, I PULL THE SEAT BELT AWAY FROM ME WHENEVER I HAVE TO SNEEZE OR COUGH.
NHTSA complaint #10090729 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
WHILE DRIVING AT 40 MPH A VEHICLE AHEAD SLAMMED ON THE BRAKES AND CONSUMER HIT THE BRAKES AND THE VEHICLE JUMPED AND ACCELERATED WHICH CAUSED CONSUMER'S VEHICLE TO HIT THE VEHICLE AHEAD. DURING THIS, THE DRIVER SEAT BELT DID NOT RESTRAIN, AND THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY.
NHTSA complaint #10024932 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
THE DRIVER'S SEAT BELT FAILED TO UNLOCK. *JB THE AUTO SHOULDER BELT DID NOT MOVE AND INTERRUPTS THE ABILITY TO MANEUVER THE STEERING WHEEL. THE DRIVER DOOR MOLDING DID WOULD NOT STAY IN PLACE. THE DRIVER DOOR HAS TO BE PULLED UP IN ORDER TO SHUT. SCC
NHTSA complaint #10009453 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
I HAVE TRIED TWICE TO ASK FORD TO RESOLVE THE ISSUE OF SEATBELT FAILURE IN THE COUGAR. THEY HAVE STATED THAT "ALTHOUGH IT IS A VITAL SAFETY COMPONENT THERE IS NO RECALL AND MY WARRANTY HAS EXPIRED. YOU SHOULD PAY TO HAVE THEM FIXED QUICKLY." I REFUSE TO PAY IN EXCESS OF 500.00 TO THE FORD GARAGE TO FIX A STANDARD SAFETY COMPONENT ! AMONG THE HEAD GASKET , E.G.R., TRANS. , P.W. MOTORS, AND COMPLETE ENGINE REPLACEMENT, I BELIEVE I HAVE PAID FOR ENOUGH OF THEIR FAILURES IN THIS AUTO! I CAN NOT BELIEVE THAT A COMPANY WOULD DEVISE SUCH A WORTHLESS SAFETY DEVICE AND THEN NOT ONLY ADMIT IT IS HAZARDOUS, BUT TELL CUSTOMERS OF SUCH AN EXPENSIVE ITEM THAT THEY NEED TO GET IT FIXED BY THEMSELVES! I RELY ON THIS DEVICE TO SAVE MY FAMILY AND MY LIFE! I ONLY WANT THE CHANCE FOR US TO STAY IN THE VEHICLE IN A CRASH, NOT BE EJECTED AND KILLED BECAUSE FORD DID NOT THINK THESE RESTRAINTS WERE USELESS.
NHTSA complaint #10007854 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
I HIT THE CAR IN FRONT OF ME TRAVELING AT 40MPH, MY SEATBELT DID NOT RESTRAIN ME, MY LIP HIT THE STEERING WHEEL WHICH MADE MY TEETH GO ALL THE WAY THROUGH. THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY EITHER, SO MY HEAD BROKE THE WINDSHEILD. THE LAP PORTION OF THE SEATBELT KEPT ME FROM GOING ALL THE WAY OUT, I HAD BRUISES ON MY ABDOMAN FROM IT.
NHTSA complaint #765905 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
FRONT PASSENGER SIDE SEAT BELT RELEASE BUCKLE FAILED TO LATCH, GAVE FALSE LATCH, THEN FAILED COMPLETELY. BUCKLE WAR ORIGINAL EQUIPMENT. REPAIR COST WAS $140.00.
NHTSA complaint #759029 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
CONSUMER STATED THE DRIVER SIDE MOTOR BELT WOULD INTERMITTENTLY LOCK UP/STICK IN THE CLOSED POSITION AND WOULD NOT ALLOW DRIVER TO GET OUT. DEALER NOTIFIED.*AK
NHTSA complaint #8004804 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
AUTOMATIC SEATBELTS GET STUCK IN COLD WEATHER, SOMETIMES IF WEARING BULKY CLOTHES BELTS WILL BE LOOSE, CONSUMER FEELS THIS IS UNSAFE BECAUSE IN AN ACCIDENT CONSUMER MAY NOT BE PROPERLY RESTRAINED.
NHTSA complaint #885953 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
AIR CONDITIONER SWITCH THAT CONTROLED HEATING AIR MALFUNCTIONED, AND IT MELTED, EXPOSING A POSITIVE TERMINAL. THIS COULD CAUSE A FIRE HAZARD. ALSO, SEAT BELT ON PASSENGER'S SIDE WAS NOT OPERABLE.
NHTSA complaint #880670 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
A PENNY, NICKLE, AND A QUARTER FELL INTO THE FEMALE BUCKLE ASSEMBLY, PROBABLY OVER TIME FROM POCKETS AND/OR THE CONSOLE. THE TONGUE AND BUCKLE JAMMED AND WOULD NOT RELEASE. THE DRIVER CUT HERSELF OUT WITH A SISSORS AFTER BEING TRAPPED. THE TONGUE COULD BE RELEASED FROM THE BUCKLE BY SLIPPING A THIN SCREWDRIVER ALONG THE SIDE OF THE TONGUE INTO THE BUCKLE AND PUSHING DOWN. REINSERTING THE TONGUE INTO THE BUCKLE WITH THE COINS IN IT CAUSED THE SAME JAM WITH THE SAME PROCEDURE TO RE-RELEASE. NO EXPERIMENT WAS PERFORMED TO FIND OUT HOW MANY OR WHICH COIN WAS CAUSING THE JAM, ALL, ONE OR SOME. THE BUCKLE STICKS UP IN THE AIR LIKE A COIN SLOT. NO CHILDREN WOULD HAVE PUT COINS IN THE SLOT SO THEY MUST HAVE GOT IN INADVERTENTLY FROM POCKETS OR THE CONSOLE.
NHTSA complaint #734996 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.