1986 Mercury Cougar Problems
Owner-reported complaints filed with NHTSA, grouped by component
Data refreshed
What this page shows
Everything below is an owner-reported complaint submitted to NHTSA about the 1986 Mercury Cougar, grouped by the component NHTSA recorded on the report. These are not confirmed defects, and they are not recalls. NHTSA does not verify most reports before publishing them, and a category with more reports in it is not evidence that a part is defective.
Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.
Reports by component
Ranked by how many owner reports name each component category
- Electrical320.0%
- Seat belts320.0%
- Interior & seats213.3%
- Driver assistance213.3%
- Body & structure16.7%
- Visibility16.7%
- Brakes16.7%
- Engine16.7%
- Fuel system16.7%
Percentages are of component mentions. A single complaint can name more than one component, so these do not sum to the total complaint count.
Each component in detail
What the reports in each category say, in the owners' own words
Electrical
Reports naming the electrical system — wiring, battery, charging, control modules, infotainment and electrical accessories.
From owner reports, verbatim
WHEN DRIVING CAR STALLS. PLEASE DESCRIBE . *AK
IGNITION SWITCH HAS BURNING SMELL COMING FROM UNDER DASH; KILLS BATTERY. *AK
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Seat belts
Reports naming seat belts, buckles, retractors and pretensioners.
From owner reports, verbatim
SEAT BELT BUCKLE RELEASE BUTTON BROKE. *SD
DRIVER'S SHOULDER/LAP BELT BUCKLES INOPERATIVE, MALE WON'T STAY LATCHED INTO FEMALE PORTION. TT
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Interior & seats
Reports naming seats, latches, locks, linkages and interior fittings.
From owner reports, verbatim
DRIVER SIDE SEAT TRACK AND ANCHORS MAKE CLICKING NOISE WHEN IN INCLINE POSTION AND FALLS BACK. *AK
THE LIGHT FOR SPEEDOMETER IS OUT, CANNOT READ SPEED DAY OR NIGHT, CREATES POTENTIAL FOR ACCIDENT. TT
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Driver assistance
Reports naming forward-collision avoidance, lane keeping, back-over prevention, cruise control and related electronic driver-assistance systems.
From owner reports, verbatim
HEAD GASKET ON 3.8 ENGINE HAS BLOWN TWO TIMES IN 8 MONTHS. CAR OVERHEATS AND HAS OIL IN RADIATOR. HEATER DOES NOT WORK. AND VERY DIM LIGHTING ON SPEEDOMETER.*AK
THE HOOD IS HELD UP WITH A THIN METAL ROD AND PLACED INTO A HOLE IN THE HOOD. THERE ARE SEVERAL HOLES TO PUT THE ROD INTO BUT ONLY ONE IS PROPER SIZE AND FIT. IF YOU ARE UNDER THE HOOD AND YOU OR SOMEONE ELSE ACCIDENTALLY BUMPS THE ROD, THEN YOU WILL HAVE YOUR HEAD OR HANDS LITERALLY CHOPPED OFF SINCE THE WEIGHT OF THE HOOD IS SO HEAVY DUE TO HEAVY METAL PLATES PLACED IN THERE FOR FRONT END CRASH PROTECTION. I COMPLAINED TO THE FORD COMPANY IN 1986 BUT THEY JUST LAUGHED AS WELL AS NHTSA. ALSO MY CAR HAD ONE OF THE RUNAWAY PROBLEMS WHEREBY THE CAR WOULD JUST TAKE OFF ON ITS OWN DOWN THE STREET AT 90 MPH WITH BOTH FEE ON THE BRAKES. THE DEALER LAUGHED AND SAID I WAS THE ONLY ONE THAT COMPLAINED. NHTSA HAD 500 COMPLAINTS ON FILE FOR THAT PROBLEM. I WROTE CERTIFIED LETTER TO PRES OF FORD AND TOLD HIM THAT OF MY CAR INJURED OR KILLED ANYONE THAT HE WOULD BE FOUND GUILTY OF CRIMINAL NEGLIGENCE. 2 WEEKS LATER I GOT A NEW COMPUTER THAT SOLVED THAT PROBLEM. MY CAR WAS KEPT IN SHOWROOM MINT CONDITION AND WAS STOLEN IN 1999. *JB
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Body & structure
Reports naming the vehicle structure, frame, body panels, doors, hood and trim.
From owner reports, verbatim
THE HOOD IS HELD UP WITH A THIN METAL ROD AND PLACED INTO A HOLE IN THE HOOD. THERE ARE SEVERAL HOLES TO PUT THE ROD INTO BUT ONLY ONE IS PROPER SIZE AND FIT. IF YOU ARE UNDER THE HOOD AND YOU OR SOMEONE ELSE ACCIDENTALLY BUMPS THE ROD, THEN YOU WILL HAVE YOUR HEAD OR HANDS LITERALLY CHOPPED OFF SINCE THE WEIGHT OF THE HOOD IS SO HEAVY DUE TO HEAVY METAL PLATES PLACED IN THERE FOR FRONT END CRASH PROTECTION. I COMPLAINED TO THE FORD COMPANY IN 1986 BUT THEY JUST LAUGHED AS WELL AS NHTSA. ALSO MY CAR HAD ONE OF THE RUNAWAY PROBLEMS WHEREBY THE CAR WOULD JUST TAKE OFF ON ITS OWN DOWN THE STREET AT 90 MPH WITH BOTH FEE ON THE BRAKES. THE DEALER LAUGHED AND SAID I WAS THE ONLY ONE THAT COMPLAINED. NHTSA HAD 500 COMPLAINTS ON FILE FOR THAT PROBLEM. I WROTE CERTIFIED LETTER TO PRES OF FORD AND TOLD HIM THAT OF MY CAR INJURED OR KILLED ANYONE THAT HE WOULD BE FOUND GUILTY OF CRIMINAL NEGLIGENCE. 2 WEEKS LATER I GOT A NEW COMPUTER THAT SOLVED THAT PROBLEM. MY CAR WAS KEPT IN SHOWROOM MINT CONDITION AND WAS STOLEN IN 1999. *JB
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Visibility
Reports naming windshields, glass, wipers, defrosters and mirrors.
From owner reports, verbatim
VEHICLE DOES NOT CONTAIN SAFETY GLASS ON SIDE WINDOWS, VEHICLE COLLISION RESULTING IN CUTS TO FACE DUE TO GLASS.
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Brakes
Reports naming service brakes, the antilock braking system, brake hoses, master cylinders or the parking brake.
From owner reports, verbatim
FRONT BRAKES FAILED TWICE, BACK BRAKES FELL OFF. TT
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Engine
Reports naming the engine itself — including stalling, misfires, oil consumption, cooling and internal engine components.
From owner reports, verbatim
HEAD GASKET ON 3.8 ENGINE HAS BLOWN TWO TIMES IN 8 MONTHS. CAR OVERHEATS AND HAS OIL IN RADIATOR. HEATER DOES NOT WORK. AND VERY DIM LIGHTING ON SPEEDOMETER.*AK
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Fuel system
Reports naming fuel storage or delivery — tanks, pumps, lines, injectors and fuel leaks.
From owner reports, verbatim
THE BRACKET THAT HOLD THE STRAPS FOR THE FUEL TANK RUSTED VERY BADLY, BROKE AND THE FEUL TANK DROPPED WHILE THE CAR WAS MOVING/DRAGGED AND RIPPED A HOLE IN THE GAS TANK THE SPARKS COULD HAVE LIT THE GAS ON FIRE AND POTENTAILY COULD HAVE KILLED MY WIFE AND SON IN THE CAR.THE REST OF THE CAR IS IN GOOD SHAPE VERY LITTLE RUST .WHY WAS THE BRACKETS THE FIRST THING TO GIVE WHEN IT SHOULD HAVE BEEN THE LAST THING TO RUST ?COULD THEY BE DEFECTIVE I WANT TO EMPHASIZE THAT THERE IS VERY LITTLE RUST ANY WHERE ELSE BUT WHAT COULD HAVE BEEN THE MOST DEADLY PROBLEM I COULD HAVE HAD WAS THE FIRST PROBLEM THAT I HAD WHITH RUST. *AK
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Higher-selling and older vehicles accumulate more reports. Counts are not failure rates and are not directly comparable between vehicles that sold in very different numbers.
Elsewhere on this vehicle
Data sources
- NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation — owner-reported complaints and the components recorded on them
Data on this page last refreshed .