1999 Mercury COUGAR problems and owner complaints
Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.
Key facts
402 owner complaints analyzed
7 distinct recall campaigns
68,434 mi median reported failure mileage
Scope: 1999 model year. Data snapshot: . 129 complaints include usable failure mileage.
Most common problems
Electrical System is the most frequently named component, appearing in 38 of 402 complaints (9.5%). A complaint can name multiple components.
| Topic | Matching reports | Share of complaints |
|---|---|---|
| Braking behavior | 87 | 21.6% |
| Electrical and battery issues | 55 | 13.7% |
| Engine operation | 45 | 11.2% |
| Transmission and shifting | 37 | 9.2% |
| Steering behavior | 27 | 6.7% |
| Fuel system concerns | 17 | 4.2% |
Topic matches use published keyword rules. They describe mentions, including negations or comparisons, and do not confirm a diagnosis. Read the matching rules.
Component breakdown
Number of unique complaints naming each component. Top eight shown.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Electrical System | 38 |
| Visibility:Sun/Moon Roof Assembly | 32 |
| Power Train:Automatic Transmission | 29 |
| Unknown Or Other | 24 |
| Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine | 23 |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic:Foundation Components | 21 |
| Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine:Gasoline | 19 |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 17 |
Electrical System: 38; Visibility:Sun/Moon Roof Assembly: 32; Power Train:Automatic Transmission: 29; Unknown Or Other: 24; Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine: 23; Service Brakes, Hydraulic:Foundation Components: 21; Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine:Gasoline: 19; Vehicle Speed Control: 17
Reported problems by failure mileage
Complaint counts in mileage bands. These are not failure rates per vehicle or mile.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Under 25,000 | 9 |
| 25,000 to 49,999 | 27 |
| 50,000 to 74,999 | 37 |
| 75,000 to 99,999 | 26 |
| 100,000 to 149,999 | 23 |
| 150,000 and above | 7 |
Under 25,000: 9; 25,000 to 49,999: 27; 50,000 to 74,999: 37; 75,000 to 99,999: 26; 100,000 to 149,999: 23; 150,000 and above: 7
50,000 to 74,999 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (37). 273 complaints have missing, zero or invalid mileage.
Complaints over time
Year the complaint was filed, not the vehicle model year or incident year. The snapshot year is partial.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| 2000 | 81 |
| 2001 | 71 |
| 2002 | 59 |
| 2003 | 50 |
| 2004 | 34 |
| 2005 | 23 |
| 2006 | 29 |
| 2007 | 15 |
| 2008 | 8 |
| 2009 | 6 |
| 2010 | 2 |
| 2012 | 5 |
| 2013 | 5 |
| 2014 | 4 |
| 2015 | 4 |
| 2016 | 4 |
| 2017 | 2 |
2000: 81; 2001: 71; 2002: 59; 2003: 50; 2004: 34; 2005: 23; 2006: 29; 2007: 15; 2008: 8; 2009: 6; 2010: 2; 2012: 5; 2013: 5; 2014: 4; 2015: 4; 2016: 4; 2017: 2
Pattern summary
Electrical System leads the component reports. Braking behavior appears in 87 complaint narratives. Electrical and battery issues appears in 55 complaint narratives. Engine operation appears in 45 complaint narratives. Use these patterns to inspect individual reports and prepare questions for a mechanic.
Calculated from recorded counts. An AI narrative has not been published for this selection.
Complaint evidence
Examples provide context, not a representative sample or a verified diagnosis.
Owner report 10000023 · 2002-12-13 (December 13, 2002)
I HAVE HAD NUMEROUS PROBLEMS WITH MY '99 COUGAR SUCH AS, FAILURE OF MY PAT SYSTEM AND COMPUTER SYSTEM. I HAVE HAD PROBLEMS WITH MY BRAKES WHICH THEY CAN'T SEEM TO FIGURE OUT THE PROBLEM. I HAVE HAD MY STARTER REPLACED TWICE. I HAVE HAD DEFECTS IN SEVERAL SENSORS, WHICH IS NOT UNDER WARRANTY THAT I HAD TO PAY A GOOD AMOUNT OF MONEY FOR THEM TO REPAIR. MY FAN HAS EVEN BLOWN OUT. THERE IS A BURNING SMELL WHENEVER I TURN ON MY HEATER THAT NONE OF THE DEALERS CAN'T SEEM TO SMELL. I ALSO HAD TO PURCHASE A NEW RADIATOR. WHEN MY COMPUTER WENT O…
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10000023 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10003656 · 2003-01-13 (January 13, 2003)
WHILE TRAVELING AT 45 MPH VEHICLE SUDDENLY CAME TO A SUDDEN STOP ON ITS OWN. VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER, WHERE DEALER INDICATED THEAT BOLTS FELL OUT WHICH CAUSED BRAKES TO LOCK UP. *JB. *AK
Owner-reported narrative. 36,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10003656 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10002189 · 2003-01-07 (January 7, 2003)
THE KNOB THAT ADJUST THE HEAT FOR HIGH OR LOW IS STUCK ON LOW. CONSUMER STATES" IT IS AN ELECTRICAL PROBLEM. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION. TS
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10002189 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10002190 · 2003-01-07 (January 7, 2003)
THE KNOB THAT ADJUSTS THE HEAT FOR HIGH OR LOW HAD STUCK ON LOW. THE PROBLEM MAY BE AN ELECTRICAL PROBLEM. TS THE SUNROOF HAD BROKEN. SCC
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10002190 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10015838 · 2003-04-14 (April 14, 2003)
THE ENGINE MADE A VERY LOUD RATTLE AND THEN STALLED. THE DEALER STATED THE ENGINE BLEW DUE TO DEFECTIVE PISTONS AND RODS. *JB
Owner-reported narrative. 60,132 miles reported. Look up ODI 10015838 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10017104 · 2003-05-06 (May 6, 2003)
WHEN MAKING A LEFT HAND TURN AND A HALF A TANK OF FUEL OR BELOW, THE ENGINE MISFIRES AND ALMOST STALLS OUT, THIS PRESENTS A HAZARD WHEN MAKING A LEFT-HAND TURN WITH ONCOMING TRAFFIC COMING. THE FUEL SYSTEM HAS BEEN CHECKED AND SEEMS TO BE OPERATING FINE. *NLM
Owner-reported narrative. 78,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10017104 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10002405 · 2003-01-08 (January 8, 2003)
THE CONSUMER BEGUN TO DRIVE, WHEN SHE ATTEMPTED TO PLACE THE VEHICLE IN 3RD GEAR, IT DID NOT. SHE HAD TAKEN THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER, AND WAS TOLD THAT SHE NEEDED A NEW TRANSMISSION. THE CONSUMER FELT THAT THIS SHOULD NOT HAVE HAPPENED WITH LESS THAN 60K MILES. TS THE LOWELL DEALER STATED THAT THE VEHICLE HAD A MAZDA TRANSMISSION, AND THAT THE TRANSMISSION HAD TO BE COMPLETELY REBUILT WITH A NEW TORQUE CONVERTER. SCC
Owner-reported narrative. 59,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10002405 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10009065 · 2003-02-28 (February 28, 2003)
THE VEHICLE DID NOT SHIFT CORRECTLY, IT HESITATED AND SURGED WHEN ACCELERATED TO PASS OTHER VEHICLE'S, AND THERE WERE NO WARNING LIGHTS INDICATING A TRANSMISSION PROBLEM. SCC *JB
Owner-reported narrative. 32,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10009065 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10023225 · 2003-06-17 (June 17, 2003)
POWER RACK AND PINION LEAKAGE OCCURRED AND RACK NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE WARRANTY 3 YRS. OR 36,000 MI. HAD EXPIRED ACCORDING TO DEALER. $800.00 AND 15 MONTHS LATER A "CLUNKING" NOISE IS COMING FROM THE STEERING WHEEL DURING PARKING MANEUVERS. APPARENTLY, THEY ONLY WARRANTY THE PART FOR 12 MONTHS. *JB
Owner-reported narrative. 45,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10023225 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10037305 · 2003-09-05 (September 5, 2003)
MY CAR IS A LEMON. HAVE HAD A NEW ENGINE PUT IN IT 2 TIMES BECAUSE THE RODS SPUN. I HAVE HAD THE BRAKE LIGHTS "FIXED" 3 TIMES, THE ALTERNATOR REPLACED 3 TIMES, NEW CATALYTIC CONVERTERS TWICE. NEW POWER STEERING. TRANSMISSION DONE 3 TIMES. THERES DEFINANTLY MORE I JUST CANT THINK OF ALLLLLLL MY REPAIRS ON THIS 1999 COUGAR. I BOUGHT IT USED AND IT HAS NOW 98000 MILES CAUSE I DRIVE OUT OF STATE. *AK
Owner-reported narrative. 98,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10037305 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10016632 · 2003-04-28 (April 28, 2003)
I OWN A 1999 MERCURY COUGAR. I JUST BOUGHT THE CAR IN JANUARY OF 2003 WITH 32,000 MILES ON THE CAR. TWO WEEKS AFTER PURCHASING THE CAR THE ALTERNATOR DIED, WHICH IS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH THIS CAR, AND THE DEALERSHIP REPLACED THE ALTERNATOR. BUT TWO OR THREE WEEKS AFTER THAT, MY POWER SUNROOF BROKE, WHICH IS ALSO A VERY COMMON PROBLEM, AND BECAUSE THE CAR WAS NOT UNDER WARRANTY ANYMORE IT COST ME OVER $1200.00 WITH LABOR TO FIX. I HAVE SINCE LEARNED THAT THERE ARE MANY COUGAR OWNERS THAT HAVE HAD THE SUNROOF BREAK BECAUSE THE 1999 AND 2000 COUGA…
Owner-reported narrative. 33,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10016632 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10022335 · 2003-06-04 (June 4, 2003)
THERE IS A RECALL ON THE GAS TANK AS BEING LOOSE. THIS IS CAUSING THE NOZZLE NOT TO GO IN SMOOTHLY, AND THE PUMP KEEPS SHUTTING OFF. *AK
Owner-reported narrative. 40,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10022335 at NHTSA ↗