U.S. public vehicle records

2002 Mercury COUGAR problems and owner complaints

Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.

Key facts

95 owner complaints analyzed

1 distinct recall campaigns

66,600 mi median reported failure mileage

Scope: 2002 model year. Data snapshot: 2026-09-12 (September 12, 2026). 79 complaints include usable failure mileage.

Owner-reported patterns

Most common problems

Fuel System, Gasoline is the most frequently named component, appearing in 22 of 95 complaints (23.2%). A complaint can name multiple components.

Recurring terms in complaint narratives
Topic	Matching reports	Share of complaints
Engine operation	26	27.4%
Fuel system concerns	24	25.3%
Transmission and shifting	9	9.5%
Braking behavior	8	8.4%
Electrical and battery issues	6	6.3%
Steering behavior	5	5.3%

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.

Fuel System, Gasoline

Fuel System, Gasoline:Delivery:Fuel Pump

Engine

Power Train:Automatic Transmission

Engine And Engine Cooling

Air Bags

Fuel/Propulsion System

Air Bags:Frontal

Component breakdown data
Category	Count
Fuel System, Gasoline	22
Fuel System, Gasoline:Delivery:Fuel Pump	16
Engine	9
Power Train:Automatic Transmission	7
Engine And Engine Cooling	5
Air Bags	4
Fuel/Propulsion System	4
Air Bags:Frontal	3

Fuel System, Gasoline: 22; Fuel System, Gasoline:Delivery:Fuel Pump: 16; Engine: 9; Power Train:Automatic Transmission: 7; Engine And Engine Cooling: 5; Air Bags: 4; Fuel/Propulsion System: 4; Air Bags:Frontal: 3

Reported problems by failure mileage

Complaint counts in mileage bands. These are not failure rates per vehicle or mile.

Under 25,000

25,000 to 49,999

50,000 to 74,999

75,000 to 99,999

100,000 to 149,999

150,000 and above

Under 25,000: 14; 25,000 to 49,999: 10; 50,000 to 74,999: 21; 75,000 to 99,999: 17; 100,000 to 149,999: 13; 150,000 and above: 4

50,000 to 74,999 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (21). 16 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.

2002

2003

2004

2005

2006

2007

2008

2009

2010

2011

2012

2013

2014

2015

2017

2018

2020

2002: 3; 2003: 15; 2004: 9; 2005: 8; 2006: 3; 2007: 12; 2008: 9; 2009: 5; 2010: 2; 2011: 8; 2012: 3; 2013: 2; 2014: 7; 2015: 2; 2017: 3; 2018: 3; 2020: 1

Pattern summary

Fuel System, Gasoline leads the component reports. Engine operation appears in 26 complaint narratives. Fuel system concerns appears in 24 complaint narratives. Transmission and shifting appears in 9 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 10014166 · 2003-04-09 (April 9, 2003)

WHILE TRAVELING ON HIGHWAY AT APPROXIMATELY 70 MPH, VEHICLE STALLS WITHOUT WARNING. THIS HAS HAPPENED 12 TIMES AT HIGH SPEEDS AND RESULTS IN LOSS OF POWER STEERING AND TWICE HAS RESULTED IN LOSS OF ALL ELECTRICAL POWER INCLUDING HEADLIGHTS. *JB

Owner-reported narrative. 5,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10014166 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10065114 · 2004-03-29 (March 29, 2004)

WHILE DRIVING 75 MPH VEHICLE STALLED. CONSUMER TRIED TO RESTART VEHICLE, BUT WAS UNABLE TO RESTART IT. VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION, AND MECHANIC DETERMINED THAT FUEL PUMP NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. CONSUMER HAD FUELL PUMP REPLACED FOUR TIMES. *AK

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10065114 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10016452 · 2003-04-24 (April 24, 2003)

I HAVE A 2002 MERCURY COUGAR C2 THAT I PURCHASED MARCH OF 2002 AND I HAVE HAD NOTHING BUT PROBLEMS SINCE THE DAY I BOUGHT IT. WITHIN ONE YEAR OF MY PURCHASE I HAVE HAD ALL FOUR TIRES GO FLAT AND ADDITONAL FLATS ON TOP OF THOSE. MY FUEL PUMP ALSO WENT OUT ON ME APRIL 18TH WITH ONLY 18,000 MILES ON MY CAR. I HAVE ASKED TURNPIKE FORD, WHERE I PURCHASED THE VEHICLE, ON OCCASION TO COME AND GET MY CAR FOR ME TO FIX THE TIRE AFTER I HAD ALREADY PUT THE DOUGHNUT ON BUT THEY HAVE REFUSED TO DO SO AND TOLD ME THAT I WOULD HAVE TO CALL ROADSIDE SERVICE. …

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10016452 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10026760 · 2003-07-08 (July 8, 2003)

FUEL PUMP HAD FAILED, CAUSING TE VEHICLE TO SHUT OFF. DEALER NOTIFIED. *AK

Owner-reported narrative. 23,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10026760 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10017690 · 2003-04-28 (April 28, 2003)

WHILE DRIVING, THE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION FAILED TO SHIFT PROPERLY. *JB

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10017690 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10051365 · 2003-12-30 (December 30, 2003)

TOTAL FAILURE OF THE 5 SPEED MANUAL TRANSMISSION AT 4046 MILES. DEALER REFUSED REPAIR UNDER WARRANTY, AS DID FORD. SAID CAR WAS ABUSED WITH NO APPARENT VISABLE DAMGE TO CAR

Owner-reported narrative. 4,026 miles reported. Look up ODI 10051365 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10003989 · 2003-01-16 (January 16, 2003)

CONSUMER DEPRESSED THE BRAKE PEDAL. THE VEHICLE HESITATED TO ACCELERATE, THEN IT ACCELERATED IN FULL THROTTLE. THIS RESULTED IN AN ACCIDENT. PLEASE PROVIDE MORE DETAILS. PH *TS

Owner-reported narrative. 12,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10003989 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10003991 · 2003-01-16 (January 16, 2003)

WHILE DRIVING WHEEL LOCKS,(WHICH WHEEL UNKNOWN)WHICH CAUSES THE BRAKE PAD TO WEAR ON ONE SIDE BEFORE THE OTHER(SIDE UNKNOWN). PLEASE PROVIDE MORE DETAILS. PH *TS

Owner-reported narrative. 13,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10003991 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10536556 · 2013-08-21 (August 21, 2013)

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 MERCURY COUGAR. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 70 MPH, THE VEHICLE STALLED AS THE BATTERY, ENGINE, AND OIL WARNING LIGHTS ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO A DEALER FOR INSPECTION. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 90,600.

Owner-reported narrative. 90,600 miles reported. Look up ODI 10536556 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10057142 · 2004-02-13 (February 13, 2004)

AS LISTED I HAVE A 2002 MERCURY COUGAR AND I HAVE EXPERIENCED ALL OF THE PROBLEMS (FUEL PUMP, STEERING COLUMN, AIRBAGS.......) I HAVE HAD THE CAR TOWED THREE TIMES AND HAVE BEEN TO THE DEALER ON 20 OCCASIONS.*AK

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10057142 at NHTSA ↗