1989 Mercury COUGAR: complaints, problems and recalls
Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.
Key facts
47 owner complaints analyzed
4 distinct recall campaigns
116,828 mi median reported failure mileage
Scope: 1989 model year. Data snapshot: . 6 complaints include usable failure mileage.
Most common problems
Seat Belts is the most frequently named component, appearing in 8 of 47 complaints (17.0%). A complaint can name multiple components.
| Topic | Matching reports | Share of complaints |
|---|---|---|
| Braking behavior | 6 | 12.8% |
| Electrical and battery issues | 4 | 8.5% |
| Steering behavior | 3 | 6.4% |
| Engine operation | 2 | 4.3% |
| Transmission and shifting | 1 | 2.1% |
| Fuel system concerns | 1 | 2.1% |
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 |
|---|---|
| Seat Belts | 8 |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 7 |
| Seat Belts:Front:Buckle Assembly | 5 |
| Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine | 3 |
| Electrical System:Wiring:Interior/Under Dash | 2 |
| Engine And Engine Cooling | 2 |
| Equipment:Appliance:Air Conditioner | 2 |
| Seat Belts:Front:Retractor | 2 |
Seat Belts: 8; Vehicle Speed Control: 7; Seat Belts:Front:Buckle Assembly: 5; Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine: 3; Electrical System:Wiring:Interior/Under Dash: 2; Engine And Engine Cooling: 2; Equipment:Appliance:Air Conditioner: 2; Seat Belts:Front:Retractor: 2
Reported problems by failure mileage
Complaint counts in mileage bands. These are not failure rates per vehicle or mile.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Under 25,000 | 0 |
| 25,000 to 49,999 | 0 |
| 50,000 to 74,999 | 0 |
| 75,000 to 99,999 | 3 |
| 100,000 to 149,999 | 1 |
| 150,000 and above | 2 |
Under 25,000: 0; 25,000 to 49,999: 0; 50,000 to 74,999: 0; 75,000 to 99,999: 3; 100,000 to 149,999: 1; 150,000 and above: 2
75,000 to 99,999 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (3). 41 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 |
|---|---|
| 1995 | 18 |
| 1996 | 12 |
| 2000 | 4 |
| 2001 | 4 |
| 2002 | 4 |
| 2003 | 4 |
| 2008 | 1 |
1995: 18; 1996: 12; 2000: 4; 2001: 4; 2002: 4; 2003: 4; 2008: 1
Pattern summary
Seat Belts leads the component reports. Braking behavior appears in 6 complaint narratives. Electrical and battery issues appears in 4 complaint narratives. Steering behavior appears in 3 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.
Examples from the source records
Examples provide context, not a representative sample or a verified diagnosis.
Owner report 10001373 · 2003-01-06 (January 6, 2003)
THE CONSUMER HAS EXPERIENCED A REREATED BRAKE PROBLEM; WHEN SLIGHTLY PRESSING THE BRAKE PEDAL TO SLOW DOWN, DURING HIGH/LOW SPEEDS, CITY/HIGHWAY DRIVING, THE BRAKE PEDAL CONTINUES TO DEPRESS ON ITS OWN UNTIL IT COMES TO A COMPLETE STOP, THEN SLAPS THE CONSUMERS FOOT AS IT COMES BACK UP TO NORMAL POSITION, WHEN THE A/C IS RUNNING FOR 15 MINS, THE VEHICLE WILL STALL AT LOW/NO SPEED-AND HAS HAPPENED TO THE CONSUMER WHEN SITTING AT A RED LIGHT/ON SEVERAL TIMES WHILE WAITING TO MAKE A LEFT TURN. THE MANUFACTURER COULD NOT FIND THE PROBLEM-@ J & S/D…
Owner-reported narrative. 93,655 miles reported. Look up ODI 10001373 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10001375 · 2002-12-23 (December 23, 2002)
CONSUMER SLIGHTLY DEPRESSED GAS PEDAL WHILE IDLING AND VEHICLE SUDDENLY ACCELERATED CRASHING INTO A RETAINER WALL. CONSUMER SUSTAINED SERIOUS INJURIES. TS
Owner-reported narrative. 140,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10001375 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10007854 · 2003-02-20 (February 20, 2003)
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 SU…
Owner-reported narrative. 75,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10007854 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10029786 · 2003-07-22 (July 22, 2003)
WHILE DRIVING, CUSTOMER SMELT A BURNING ODOR. THEN DIGITAL DASHBOARD LIGHTS WENT OUT. MAYBE CAUSE BY ELECTRICAL SYSTEM FAILURE.
Owner-reported narrative. 80,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10029786 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10030489 · 2003-07-30 (July 30, 2003)
WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE THE PLASTIC BLOCK THAT CONNECTS THE THROTTLE VALVE (TV) CABLE TO THE THROTTLE LEVER BROKE WHERE IT CONNECTS TO THE THROTTLE LEVER. THE PLASTIC BLOCK, STILL CONNECTED TO THE TV CABLE, DROPPED DOWN AND WEDGED BETWEEN THE THROTTLE LEVER AND A FUEL RAIL AND PREVENTED THE THROTTLE LEVEL FROM GOING BACK TO THE NORMAL IDLE POSITION. WHEN APPROCHING STOPPED TRAFFIC AT AN INTERSECTION THE PARTIALLY OPEN THROTTLE PREVENTED THE VEHICLE FROM STOPPING AS USUAL AND A COLLISION RESULTED. WHEN RESTARTING THE VEHICLE AFTER THE ACCIDENT…
Owner-reported narrative. 205,060 miles reported. Look up ODI 10030489 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10248214 · 2008-11-09 (November 9, 2008)
THE CAR IS NOW TOAST. IT WAS ABOUT 100 MILES PAST ITS SCHEDULED OIL-CHANGE/TUNE UP BUT OTHERWISE HAS BEEN WELL-CARED-FOR AND WAS RUNNING SMOOTHLY. I WAS DRIVING, AND A BEEPING STARTED. IT SOUNDED LIKE IT'S COMING FROM THE CENTER OF THE CAR, AND THE BATTERY LIGHT CAME ON WARNING OF VERY LOW BATTERY, BUT NO OTHER WARNING LIGHTS. I SAW SMOKE COMING OUT THE BACK (REARVIEW AND SIDE MIRRORS) AND IT SMELLS LIKE SOMETHING SYNTHETIC IS BURNING (THIS ALL HAPPENS IN SECONDS TIME); SO, I PULL OVER, PARK, TURN THE CAR OFF. MY FRIEND AND I GOT OUT OF TH…
Owner-reported narrative. 166,900 miles reported. Look up ODI 10248214 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 482930 · 1995-04-05 (April 5, 1995)
ANTI-LOCK BRAKES FAILED TWICE.
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 482930 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 484067 · 1995-07-08 (July 8, 1995)
AUTOMATIC SHOULDER BELTS FAIL INTERMITTENTLY, CAUSING BELT TO STICK HALFWAY UP TRACK. *SKD
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 484067 at NHTSA ↗
Recall history
4 distinct campaigns affect this selection. Announcement dates below are different from vehicle model years. A campaign may cover multiple years.
88V165000 · Fuel System, Gasoline:Storage:Tank Assembly:Mounting
Reported: 1988-10-18 (October 18, 1988)
PLASTIC ROLLOVER VALVE MOUNTING PLATE MAY NOT BE PROPERLY SEALED TO THE PLASTIC FUEL TANK.
Consequence: FUEL OR VAPOR COULD LEAK, WHICH COULD RESULT IN A VEHICLEFIRE.
Remedy: REPLACE FUEL TANK.
NHTSA campaign record ↗89V080000 · Suspension:Rear:Springs
Reported: 1989-05-19 (May 19, 1989)
IMPROPERLY HEAT TREATED REAR SUSPENSION KNUCKLES COULD EXPERIENCE HIGH MILEAGE FATIGUE CRACKS AND EVENTUAL FRACTURE.
Consequence: THIS COULD RESULT IN REAR SUSPENSION FAILURE AT THEAFFECTED WHEEL WITH AN ADVERSE AFFECT ON CONTROL OF THE CAR, WHICH COULDCAUSE AN ACCIDENT.
Remedy: REPLACE KNUCKLES THAT HAVE THE AFFECTED LOT CODES.
NHTSA campaign record ↗89V081000 · Service Brakes, Air:Disc:Caliper
Reported: 1989-05-19 (May 19, 1989)
DUE TO CONTACT BETWEEN THE BRAKE CALIPER OF THE INBOARD FRONT WHEEL AND THE FRONT STABILIZER BAR, THERE MAY BE INCREASED BRAKE PEDAL TRAVEL FOLLOWING LOW SPEED TURNING MANEUVERS.
Consequence: THIS COULD CAUSE A REDUCTION IN BRAKE PERFORMANCETHAT COULD RESULT IN AN ACCIDENT.
Remedy: INSTALL ACORN TYPE FRONT SUSPENSION STRUT NUTS TO ELIMINATE STABILIZER BAR TO BRAKE CALIPER CONTACT.
NHTSA campaign record ↗96V071000 · Electrical System:Ignition
Reported: 1996-04-25 (April 25, 1996)
THE IGNITION SWITCH COULD EXPERIENCE AN INTERNAL SHORT CIRCUIT.
Consequence: THIS CONDITION COULD CAUSE OVERHEATING, SMOKE, AND POSSIBLY FIRE IN THE STEERING COLUMN AREA OF THE VEHICLE.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE IGNITION SWITCH.
NHTSA campaign record ↗