2000 Mercury COUGAR: complaints, problems and recalls

WHILE DRIVING AT 30 MPH THE VEHICLE SHUT DOWN AND THE CONSUMER HIT THE CURB. DEALER CONTACTED. PLEASE PROVIDE ADDITIONAL INFORMATION.

Owner-reported narrative. 35,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10001673 at NHTSA ↗

I WAS IN A MINOR MVA IN WHICH THE AIRBAGS BOTH DEPLOYED. DAMAGE TO MY VEHICLE WAS COSMETIC BUT I HAVEN'T BEEN THE SAME SINCE. I SUFFER FROM ATTACKS OF VERTIGO, DIZZINESS, BLURRED VISION, LIGHT HYPERSENSITIVITY, LOUDNESS SENSITIVITY AND HAVE CONSTANT TINNITUS TO NAME A FEW. AIRBAGS SHOULD BE OPTIONAL EQUIPMENT AND ALL EXSISTING AUTO'S WITH THEM SHOULD HAVE ON/OFF SWITCHES INSTALLED.

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10003572 at NHTSA ↗

PROBLEMS WITH THE TRANSMISSION, WHEN SHIFTING INTO GEAR VEHICLE WILL SHAKE VIOLENTLY. DEALER WAS NOT CONTACTED AT THE TIME OF THIS CALL. TS

Owner-reported narrative. 60,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10004812 at NHTSA ↗

VEHICLE HAD LOSS OF POWER AND LIGHTS WERE FLICKERING. WIRING HARNESS, ALTERNATOR AND VOLTAGE REGULATOR NEED REPLACED.VEHICLE HAS 47000 MILES ON IT. DEALER SAID IT WAS 4TH COUGAR WITH EXACT SAME PROBLEM BUT YET NO RECALL. COST OF REPAIR IS AT LEAST $800.00.

Owner-reported narrative. 47,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10005264 at NHTSA ↗

THE VEHICLE EXPERIENCED A STEERING PROBLEM.*JB *TS

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10007030 at NHTSA ↗

I HAVE A 2000 MERCURY COUGAR THAT ONCE WARMED UP ACCELERATES 3000 TO 3500 RPM AND WILL NOT SLOW DOWN UNTIL I COME TO A DEAD STOP. I HAD IT IN FOR THIS PROBLEM AT LEAST 6 TIMES AND THEY CAN'T FIX IT. I CALLED THE FORD/MERCURY SERVICE HOT LINE TO SEE IF SOMETHING COULD BE DONE ABOUT THIS. WHEN I CALLED ABOUT THIS I THOUGHT THAT A MERCURY REP. WOULD GET A HOLD OF THE CAR DEALERSHIP WERE I GOT THE CAR (JOHNSON FORD LINCOLN/ MERCURY IN PITTSFIELD, MA) AND THEN GET A HOLD OF ME. I CALLED IN JAN. THATS NOT WHAT HAPPENED, WHEN I CALLED I FOUND OUT …

Owner-reported narrative. 10,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10010375 at NHTSA ↗

FUEL PUMP FAILS TO PRODUCE SUFFICIENT PRESSURE TO RUN ENGINE. FIRST REPLACEMENT AT 54010 MILES. PUMP HAS FAILED AGAIN AT 88000 MILES.

Owner-reported narrative. 88,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10013875 at NHTSA ↗

THE ENGINE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. *JB

Owner-reported narrative. 17,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10015804 at NHTSA ↗

Reported: 2000-03-09 (March 9, 2000)

VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES NOT EQUIPPED WITH THE ANTI-LOCK BRAKING SYSTEM (ABS). A PRESSURE CONSCIOUS REDUCING VALVE (PCRV) IN THE REAR BRAKES MAY BE SUBJECT TO CORROSION AND RESULT IN MALFUNCTION, WHEN OPERATED IN AREAS THAT USE SALT COMPOUNDS ON THE ROADWAY FOR DE-ICING OR DUST CONTROL.

Consequence: IF BOTH PCRV'S MALFUNCTION, VEHICLE HANDLING COULD BE ADVERSELY AFFECTED DURING BRAKING AS A RESULT OF THE REAR WHEELS LOCKING, INCREASING THE RISK OF A CRASH.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSTALL IMPROVED PCRV'S IN THE REAR BRAKE SYSTEM. THIS RECALL WAS EXPANDED IN SEPTEMBER 2000 TO INCLUDE 1999 AND 2000 FORD CONTOUR, MERCURY MYSTIQUE AND COUGAR VEHICLES.

Reported: 2001-02-06 (February 6, 2001)

VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH 2.5L V6 ENGINES. THE BATTERY CABLE WAS MISROUTED AND ITS ATTACHMENT TO THE ALTERNATOR CABLE WAS UNDER-TORQUED. IF MISROUTED, THE CABLE COULD CONTACT THE POWER STEERING LINE AND THE INSULATION COULD WEAR, RESULTING IN AN ELECTRICAL SHORT.

Consequence: THE SHORT COULD POTENTIALLY RESULT IN A FIRE, STALLING, OR A NO-START CONDITION.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSPECT THE BATTERY CABLE TO THE ALTERNATOR FOR DAMAGE AND, IF IT IS DAMAGED, WILL REPLACE THE CABLE. ADDITIONALLY, THE ROUTING OF THE CABLE WILL BE CORRECTED, AS NECESSARY, AND A ROUTING CLIP WILL BE ADDED. ALSO THE TORQUE ON THE ALTERNATOR ATTACHMENT OF THE CABLE WILL BE CHECKED AND, AS REQUIRED, WILL BE TIGHTENED TO SPECIFICATION. OWNER NOTIFICATION BEGAN MARCH 22, 2001. OWNERS WHO TAKE THEIR VEHICLES TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER ON AN AGREED UPON SERVICE DATE AND DO NOT RECEIVE THE FREE REMEDY WITHIN A REASONABLE TIME SHOULD CONTACT FORD AT 1-800-392-3673.

Reported: 2004-08-30 (August 30, 2004)

ON CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES, CONTAMINATION OF THE FILTER IN THE FUEL DELIVERY MODULE (FDM) CAN REDUCE, AND EVENTUALLY BLOCK, THE FLOW OF FUEL TO THE ENGINE.

Consequence: THIS MAY CAUSE ENGINE HESITATION, LOSS OF POWER, SURGING, AND OTHER SIMILAR SYMPTOMS. OVER TIME, THE FILTER MAY BECOME SUFFICIENTLY BLOCKED TO CAUSE THE ENGINE TO STALL, WHICH COULD RESULT IN A CRASH.

Remedy: THIS ACTION IS DEEMED A SAFETY IMPROVEMENT CAMPAIGN AND IS NOT BEING CONDUCTED UNDER THE SAFETY ACT. ALL OWNERS WILL BE NOTIFIED OF THE PROBLEM, AND DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE FDM WITH A NEW DESIGN AT NO CHARGE IF THE OWNER REPORTS THAT THE VEHICLE EXHIBITS ANY OF THE IDENTIFIED SYMPTOMS. THE FREE REPLACEMENT WILL BE AVAILABLE FOR A PERIOD OF 10 YEARS FOLLOWING THE ORIGINAL PURCHASE OF THE VEHICLE, WITH NO MILEAGE LIMIT. THE CAMPAIGN BEGAN ON APRIL 16, 2004. OWNERS SHOULD CONTACT FORD AT 1-800-392-3673.