1994 Mercury Cougar

These are unverified consumer reports filed with NHTSA, shown as submitted.

• 12/30/1998· SEAT BELTSCrash

  CONSUMER'S DAUGHTER HAD A HEAD-ON COLLISION, AND SEAT BELT DID NOT HOLD HER. THE SEAT BELT BECAME UNFASTENED, CAUSING EXTENSIVE INJURIES. *AK

• 12/30/1997· SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC,ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING,POWER TRAIN

  AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION TENDS TO SLIP AND THEN ENGAGE INTO THE GEAR ROUGHLY WHEN SHIFTING. THIS IS MOST NOTICEABLE DURING ACCELERATION, SUCH AS IN PASSING SITUATIONS. ALSO AIR BYPASS VALVE MALFUNCTIONED. ABS BRAKES FAILED TO OPERATE PROPERLY DURING MODERATE BRAKING. IN ADDITION, MACHINED WARPED ROTORS AND REPLACED PADS. *AK

• 12/22/2004· ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

  THE VEHICLE FAILED TO START DUE TO A FAILURE IN THE IGNITION STARTER SYSTEM. THE STARTER WAS REMOVED AND INSPECTED BY A STARTER SPECIALIST, HOWEVER NO PROBLEM WAS FOUND. THE STARTER WAS REINSTALLED. THE VEHICLE STILL FAILED TO START. THE IGNITION CYLINDER TURNS ALL THE WAY AROUND ALSO. THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN SITTING IN THE GARAGE FOR A YEAR DUE TO THIS PROBLEM BECAUSE THE CAUSE COULDN'T BE FOUND. *JB

• 12/16/1998· SERVICE BRAKES, AIR

  NO ONLY AM I DISOPPOINTED WITH THE BRAKES WHICH NEEDED TO BE REPAIRED 3 TIMES ALL TIMES ON THE SAME SIDE(DRIVERS SIDE ONLY) BUT I AM VERY DISPLEASED WITH THE PAINT JOB THAT MY CAR HAS. I WOULD HATE TO SELL MY CAR BUT NOW BECAUSE THE PAINT IS CHIPPING AND PEELING ON THE HOOD AND BUMPER TO THE POINT THAT WHEN I AM DRIVING PAINT CHIPS ARE FLYING UP AND HITTING THE WINDSHIELD. JUST RECENTLY AS WHAT I THOUGHT OF AS A CRUEL JOKE MERCURY CALLED ME AND THOUGHT THAT I WOULD LIKE TO TRADE MY 94 COUGAR(WITH BAD PAINT JOB IN FOR A NEW 99 COUGAR AND GUARENTEED THAT THE PAINT WOULD NOT PEEL. I THOUGHT WHAT A LAUGH!

• 12/15/1994· POWER TRAIN

  TRANSMISSION FAILS TO SHIFT FROM 2ND TO 3RD GEAR, RESULTING IN COMPLETE FAILURE. *AK

• 12/14/1998· POWER TRAIN

  TORQUE CONVERTER FAILED CAUSING THE CAR TO SHUDDER WHEN SHIFTING FROM 2 TO 3RD, AND 3RD TO 4TH. PROBLEM REPAIRED, BUT OTHER TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS OCCURRED LATER. *ML

• 12/14/1995· VISIBILITY

  THE RIGHT PASSENGER SIDE ELECTRICAL MIRROR DOES NOT WORK. TT

• 12/11/2003· POWER TRAIN

  THE TRANSMISSION ON MY VEHICLE WAS REBUILT IN OCTOBER 2001 @ 120000 MILES BECAUSE IT JUMPED OUT OF GEAR DURING ACCELERATION AND WOULD NOT ENGAGE. SINCE THE REBUILD, THE CAR HAS CONTINUED TO HAVE TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS SUCH AS SELF-ACCELERATION WHEN CURSE CONTROL IS ENGAGED, SLIPPING OUT OF GEAR AND NOT REENGAGING, OR DOWNSHIFTING DURING ACCELERATION. THE CAR HAS BEEN TAKEN INTO THREE DIFFERENT TRANSMISSION SHOPS EACH BEING UNABLE TO DUPLICATE OR CORRECT THE PROBLEM. THE CAR HAS NOT BEEN TO A FORD DEALERSHIP BUT, HAS BEEN WELL MAINTAINED. I WOULD LIKE TO KEEP THE CAR AS A WORK VEHICLE, NOW @ 137K MILES, BUT REFUSE TO CONTINUE TO DEAL WITH THE TRANSMISSION SLIPPAGE.*AK

• 12/07/1998· SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC

  ABS BRAKE PROBLEMS; WHEN APPLYING THE BRAKES ON ANY TYPE OF ROAD SURFACE, NO INCLEMENT WEATHER, THE VEHICLE SHIMMIES BADLY. THE VEHICLE HAS HAD A NUMBER OF REPAIRS, AND THE PROBLEM WITH THE BRAKES CONTINUES. PLEASE DESCRIBE DETAILS. *AK

• 12/05/1995· SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULICCrash

  VEHICLE WOULD NOT STOP COMPLETELY DUE TO MASTER CYLINDER FAILURE, CAUSING ACCIDENT. *DSH

• 12/04/1998· UNKNOWN OR OTHER

  THE LOCATION OF THE ASH TRAY CAUSES THE DRIVER TO LOOK DOWN WHICH MAY CAUSE AN ACCIDENT. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK

• 11/30/1994· FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE

  VEHICLE EMITS GASOLINE ODOR. *SKD

• 11/29/1995· SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC

  THE ABS SYSTEM IS FAILING AND THE VEHICLE IS NOT STOPPING PROPERLY. PLEASE DESCRIBE. TT

• 11/27/2000· ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING

  RECALL # NOT AVAILABLE. CONSUMER HAD OVER 100,000 MILES ON VEHICLE AND VEHICLE WAS ALMOST 7 YEARS OLD. DEALER COULD NOT FIX PROBLEM FOR RECALL. *AK

• 11/25/1997· FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE,VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL

  GEAR ENGAGEMENT; VEHICLE REEVS 3,000 RMPS. WATER DEVELOPED THROUGH INLET, COULD HAVE CONTRIBUTED TO THROTTLE POSITION SENSOR. DEALER'S COMMENTS: MASS FLOW AIR SENSOR ALSO SERVICED ON BYPASS AIR VALVE TUBE. *AK

• 11/24/2000· ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING

  RADIATOR FAILED BETWEEN PLASTIC SIDES AND ALUMINUM CORE. THIS IS THE FIFTH FORD RADIATOR OF THE SAME CONSTRUCTION IN THE 1994-1995 MODEL YEARS I HAVE HAD FAIL. *AK

• 11/19/2002· UNKNOWN OR OTHER

  NO SUMMARY. DT

• 11/19/1998· POWER TRAIN

  TRANSMISSION TORQUE CONVERTER FAILED.

• 11/18/1999· SUSPENSION

  BOTH FRONT COIL SPRINGS ARE BROKEN, AND THERE IS SOME TYPE OF NOISE COMING FROM THE VEHICLE. *AK

• 11/18/1994· POWER TRAIN

  SPEEDOMETER FAILED.

• 11/16/1994· EXTERIOR LIGHTING

  DIMMER SWITCH FAILED, CAUSING DASHBOARD LIGHTS TO GO OUT. *SKD

• 11/14/1994· POWER TRAIN

  TRANSMISSION FAILURE. *AK

• 11/12/1994· SUSPENSION

  MISALIGNMENT, CAUSING VEHICLE TO SHIMMY WHEN BRAKES APPLIED. *AK

• 11/11/1994· PARKING BRAKE

  EMERGENCY BRAKE FAILURE. *AK

• 11/10/2001· FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE

  ENGINE IDLES ROUGHLY AND SURGES AT STOP LIGHTS, DEALERS HAVE STATED THAT THERE ARE NO PROBLEMS AND THAT ALL MERCURYS ACT THIS WAY. *JG

• 11/10/1998· POWER TRAIN

  TORQUE CONVERTER WAS SLIPPING CAUSING A VIBRATION WHEN SHIFTING GEARS. WAS TOLD BY SERVICE MANAGER THERE WERE TWO OTHER CARS COMING IN FOR THIS SAME PROBLEM THE NEXT DAY. WAS ALSO TOLD BY SERVICE TECH THAT THIS PROBLEM WAS FIXED IN THE 1995 MODEL. THIS IS A KNOWN DEFECT THAT SHOULD BE FIXED BY THE MANUFACTER

• 11/10/1998· ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING

  BOTH ENGINE HEAD GASKETS FELL APART ON THE ENGINE AND HAD TO BE REPLACED. DEALER AND MANUFACTURER CONTACTED, AND CANNOT DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM. RECALL ISSUED FOR THIS PROBLEM, BUT THIS VEHICLE NOT INCLUDED. *AK *ML

• 11/04/1994· POWER TRAIN

  TRANSMISSION FAILED, CAUSING VEHICLE TO SMOKE.

• 10/25/2002· ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING

  THE AIR FLOW METER FAILED. *YH

• 10/21/1999· AIR BAGS

  THIS ACCIDENT OCCURRED AT A STOP LIGHT. MY VEHICLE WAS STOPPED,BUT SOMEHOW THE VEHICLE STRUCK THE BACK OF A 1986 PICKUP TRUCK. THE SUN WAS VERY LOW AND THERE WAS APOSSIBILITY THAT MY JUDGEMENT WAS IMPAIRED. THE DAMAGE TO THE TRUCK WAS MINIMAL $350. MY SMALL DG WAS STRUCK BY THE AIRBAG WHICH EXPLODED ON BOTH SIDES WITH A FORCE THAT KNOCKED ME OUT AND INJURED HIM SEVERELY. HE DIED 5 DAYS LATER AFTER DOING EVERYTHING POSSIBLE TO SAVE HIM. HIS NECK WAS SNAPPED, AND HE HAD INTERNAL INJURIES. THE FRONT DAMAGE TO MY CAR WAS NOT THAT GREAT AND COULD HAVE BEEN REPAIRED. I HARDLY TOUCHED THE TRUCK. MY CONCERN IS WERE THE AIRBAGS DEFECTIVE THE DAMAGE TO THE INSIDE OF MY CAR WAS ENOUGH TO TOTAL THE CAR. I NEED TO KNOW IF THIS HAPPENED BEFORE WITH THE 1994 COUGAR XR7. I HAVE HEARD SEVERAL COMMENTS CONCERNING THE SAFETY OF THIS PARTICULAR MODEL, AND I AM CONCERNED AS I REALLY DO NOT KNOW HOW THIS ACCIDENT HAPPENED AND WHY THE AIRBAGS EXPLODED AS THEY DID. I HAVE TO SAY THIS WAS A DEVESTATING XPERIENCE TO ME, AND ONE I HOPE NEVER HAPPENS TO ANYONE. THE CAR ACTUALLY EXPLODED INSIDE AND I THOUGHT THE CAR HAD BLOWN UP WITH ALL THE SMOKE IT MADE. THE WAY THAT THE BAG EXPLODED BROKE OUT THE FRONT WINDSHIELD IN 2 PLACES, BROKE THE REAR VIEW MIRROR, BROKE THE DRIVER VISOR OVERHEAD, BROKE THE PASSENGER SEAT, AND CRACKED THE ENTIRE DASHBOARD IN HALF WHERE IT EXPLODED OUT. THIS DAMAGE WAS WHY THE INSURANCE COMPANY TOTALLED THE CAR.

• 10/21/1998· ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING

  MOTOR MOUNTS FAILED.

• 10/18/2000· SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC

  NO SUMMARY

• 10/18/1999· POWER TRAIN

  DEALER REPLACED THE TRANSMISSION IN 1996 WITH A LITTLE OVER 20,000 MILES ON THE CAR. AT LESS THAN 60,000 MILES, I BEGAN HAVING TRANSMISSION FAILURE. THE CAR SHUDDERS VERY VIOLENTLY WHEN DRIVING AT ANY SPEED. I DO NOT FEEL THAT THIS IS VERY GOOD WORKMANSHIP ON THE PART OF THE FORD MOTOR COMPANY. I HAVE ALWAYS OWNED FORD VEHICLES AND NEVER HAD A PBLEM SUCH AS THIS. I AM VERY UNHAPPY. THERE IS NO WAY UNDER NORMAL DRIVING CONDITIONS SHOULD THIS CAR BE ON ITS SECOND TRANSMISSION, LET ALONE TO BE HAVING PROBLEMS AGAIN. I DO NOT FEEL THAT I AM SAFE DRIVING THIS VEHICLE WHEN AT ANY TIME, THE TRANSMISSION COULD COMPLETELY GO OUT. I HAVE ALL OF THE PAPERWORK FROM STIVERS LINCOLN MERCURY CONCERNING THE FIRST REPLACEMENT.

• 10/18/1996· AIR BAGSCrash

  CONSUMER WAS IN AN ACCIDENT, HEAD ON THE AIR BAG DEPLOYED BUT THERE WAS A BURNING SMELL AND SMOKE THAT WAS RELEASED. PLEASE DESCRIBE .*AK

• 10/15/2003· ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING

  WE BOUGHT A MERCURY COUGAR 1994 AND DISCOVERED WE HAVE A BLOWN HEAD GASKET. WE JUST FOUND OUT THAT IT IS VIRTUALLY IMPOSSIBLE TO FIND AN ENGINE FOR THE V6 MODEL AT A REASONABLE PRICE. WE ALSO FOUND OUT THAT THIS 1994 MODEL IS FAMOUS FOR BLOWN HEAD GASKETS. *LA

• 10/15/2001· ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING

  COOLANT LIGHT COMES ON MOST OF THE TIME, TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALER, AND DEALER DIDN'T CORRECT THE PROBLEM. *AK

• 10/03/1999· UNKNOWN OR OTHER

  THE PAINT IS FALLING OFF THE HOOD, TRUNK AND TOP OF THE CAR. IT IS DOWN TO THE METAL IN SOME AREAS. I APPARENTLY RECEIVED A VEHICLE WITH A FLAWED PAINT JOB. I HAVE NOTICED SEVERAL OTHER COUGARS WITH THE SAME PROBLEM RIGHT HERE IN THE OKC AREA. NO SAFETY DEFECT . *AK

• 09/30/1999· POWER TRAIN

  WHEN DRIVING, TRANSMISSION HAS A HARD SHIFT FROM 1ST TO 2ND GEAR AND SHUDDERS.

• 09/30/1998· ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING

  RAW GAS IS COMING OUT OF THE EXHAUST PIPE. VEHICLE WAS DIAGNOSED AS FAILED PCM LEAVING INJECTORS OPEN AND POURING RAW FUEL TO SPEW FROM TAIL PIPES CREATING A FIRE HAZARD NO WARNING INDICATORS PRESENT. *AK

• 09/29/1999· STRUCTURE

  DRIVER'S SIDE DOOR HINGE AND ATTACHMENT DROPPED DOWN DUE TO THE HINGE PIN THAT CAME OUT, AND THE RUBBER AROUND THE DOOR AND THE STRIP CAME OFF THE DOOR. *AK

• 09/26/2000· POWER TRAIN

  REPORTING VEHICLE WOULD INTERMITTENTLY SLIP OUT OF GEAR AND RE-ENGAGE. DEALER/MANUFACTURER WERE NOT CONTACTED AT THIS TIME. PLEASE FEEL FREE TO PROVIDE ANY FURTHER DETAILS. *AK

• 09/26/1996· SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC

  POOR BRAKE PERFORMANCE. DURING VEHICLE OPERATION, WITHOUT HAVING APPLIED THE ABS BRAKES, THE VEHICLE SLOWS DOWN ON ITS OWN.*AK

• 09/21/1999· POWER TRAIN

  WHILE DRIVING CAR WILL INTERMITTENTLY JUMP TO A LOWER GEAR . THIS HAPPENS AT ANY GIVEN TIME. *AK

• 09/21/1999· ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING,FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE

  WATER IS DRAINING INTO INTAKE MANIFOLD AND THEN INTO ENGINE, CAUSING DAMAGE TO ENGINE.TSB HAS BEEN ISSUED . *AK

• 09/19/1999· POWER TRAIN

  INTERMITENT "CHECK ENGINE" LIGHT. WHEN SACN IS HOOKED TO CAR, IT SHOWS NO CODE IN MEMORY. UNABLE TO RESOLVE. IN MEMORY

• 09/13/2000· SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC,PARKING BRAKE

  CONSUMER WAS COMIMG OUT OF A PARKING LOT AND APPLIED BRAKES, PEDAL WENT ALL THE WAY TO THE FLOOR. SHE PULLED THE EMERGENCY BRAKES, AND THERE WAS NO BRAKIN GPOWER. SHE TURNED VEHICLE OFF, AND CALLED DEALERSHIP. *AK

• 09/10/1999· AIR BAGSCrash

  WHILE DRIVING AT 35 MPH CONSUMER HAD A HEAD-ON COLLISION WITH ANOTHER VEHICLE, AND NEITHER OF THE AIRBAGS DEPLOYED. *AK

• 09/09/1998· AIR BAGSCrash

  I JUST THINK THAT IF A CHEVIEY TAHO AND A CHEVIE VAN HIT A MERCURY COUGAR AT A STOP SIGN AT THE SPEED OVER 55MPH AND PUSHES MY COUGAR 5 FEET SIDWAYS IN THE CORNER OF MY FRUNT END THE AIRBAGE'S SHOULD HAVE IMPLODED ???

• 09/07/2004· SUSPENSION

  THE FRONT COIL SPRINGS BROKE WITHOUT WARNING. AS A RESULT WHEN DRIVING AT ANY SPEED THE VEHICLE VEERED TO THE RIGHT. *JB

• 09/04/1998· POWER TRAIN

  TRANSMISSION SYSTEM MALFUNCTIONS WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE WILL SLOW DOWN UNEXPECTEDLY WHICH MAY CAUSE AN ACCIDENT. REPLACED PARTS OF THE TRANSMISSION, BUT PROBLEM STILL OCCURRING. DEALER CANNOT DETERMINE PROBLEM. PLEASE PROVIDE DETAILS. *AK