2001 Mercury COUGAR: complaints, problems and recalls

GOING 70 MPH ON 75 SOUTH CAR JUST CAUGHT ON FIRE IN MIDDLE LANE ON THE HIGHWAY. CAR JUST STOPPED IN THE MIDDLE LANE FIRE STARTED FROM THE ENGINE AND SHOT TO THE REAR OF THE CAR. ****DIMS 11 IVOQ ENTRY POSTED AFTER 12/12/02 CUT-OVER TO ARTEMIS****761083. *AK *JB

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10008768 at NHTSA ↗

CAR PARKED AND ENGINE SHUT OFF. WITHIN 5 MINUTES ENGINE WAS ON FIRE. *TS ***DIMSII IVOQ ENTRY POSTED AFTER 12-12-02 CUT OVER TO ARTEMIS***761829

Owner-reported narrative. 4,002 miles reported. Look up ODI 10009199 at NHTSA ↗

THE VEHICLE EXPERIENCED SUDDEN ACCELERATION.*JB

Owner-reported narrative. 20,075 miles reported. Look up ODI 10011108 at NHTSA ↗

THE VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN AN ACCIDENT AND THE AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY. *NLM THE CONSUMER WAS CONCERNED THAT ALL BF GOODRICH TIRES FAILED ON SLIPPERY CONDITIONS. DOT # UNKNOWN. *TT *JB

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10017792 at NHTSA ↗

JUST OVER 36,000 MILES, THE ALTERNATOR COMPLETELY FAILED LEAVING MYSELF AND A PASSENGER STRANDED MORE THAN 50 MILES AWAY FROM HOME. DUE TO THE FACT THAT THE WARRANTY EXPIRED AT 36,000 MILES THE LOCAL DEALERSHIPS ALL REFUSED TO ASSIST ME WITH THIS MATTER FORCING ME TO PAY TO REPLACE THE ALTERNATOR. FURTHERMORE, I WAS INFORMED BY SEVERAL MECHANICS THAT A REASONABLE TIME ESTIMATE ON AN ALTERNATOR IS 100,000 MILES. *NLM

Owner-reported narrative. 36,900 miles reported. Look up ODI 10023353 at NHTSA ↗

HYDRAULIC PUMP WENT OUT ON MY COUGAR - I HAD NO BRAKES WHATSOEVER! LUCKILY, THIS HAPPENED AT NIGHT WITH NO TRAFFIC, SO I WAS ABLE TO STOP THE VEHICLE BY DOWNSHIFTING AND USING THE EMERGENCY BRAKE. HAD ONLY HAD THE CAR FOR A LITTLE OVER A YEAR.

Owner-reported narrative. 13,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10040946 at NHTSA ↗

THE VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN A COLLISION WHILE DRIVING AT 55 MPH. UPON IMPACT, THE AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOYED. THE DRIVER DIED AS A RESULT. *AK *SCC *JB

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10042448 at NHTSA ↗

AT 25,600 MILES, I BROUGHT MY VEHICLE INTO THE DEALERSHIP TO COMPLAIN ABOUT HARD & RAPID SHIFTING AND THAT MY CHECK ENGINE LIGHT HAD COME ON. THEY REPLACED THE ENGINE LIGHT, BUT WERE UNABLE TO DUPLICATE THE SHIFTING ISSUES. I CONTINUED TO BELIEVE THE VEHICLE DID NOT SHIFT APPROPRIATELY. AT 38,200 MILES, WITH THE VEHICLE JUST OVER THE WARRANTY PERIOD, THE VEHICLE AGAIN HAD HARSH RAPID SHIFTING WHILE TRAVELING ON THE INTERSTATE DURING RUSH HOUR TRAFFIC. OUT OF FEAR FOR MY SAFETY, I EXITED THE INTERSTATE AND WAS COMPLETING A TURN WHEN MY VEHIC…

Owner-reported narrative. 38,400 miles reported. Look up ODI 10045321 at NHTSA ↗

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.