Owner-reported complaints naming the driver-assistance system, filed with NHTSA
Data refreshed
Driver assistance reportsComplaints are reports submitted to NHTSA by owners and drivers. NHTSA does not verify most reports before publishing them, and a complaint does not establish that a defect exists. Volume is influenced by how many of a vehicle were sold, how long it has been on the road, and how much attention an issue has received.
21
Latest Jul 30, 2003
Share of all reportsThis category as a share of every owner report on file for this model year. One report can name more than one component, so the categories overlap.
26%
of 81 total
Crash or fire reportedReports in this category whose submitter recorded that a crash or a fire occurred. The reporter's own answer on the NHTSA form, not a verified finding.
10
Injuries or deaths reportedTotals the submitters entered on their own reports in this category. Not verified by NHTSA and not a casualty statistic.
8
What this page shows
Reports naming forward-collision avoidance, lane keeping, back-over prevention, cruise control and related electronic driver-assistance systems. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 1989 Mercury Cougar submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 21 reports on file name it.
Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.
Owner reports naming driver-assistance
Shown in the owner’s own words, exactly as filed
Driver assistance
Filed Jul 30, 2003
Crash reported
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 THE ENGINE IDLED AT 3000 RPM. WHEN THE PLASTIC TV CABLE BLOCK WAS UNWEDGED FROM BETWEEN THE THROTTLE LEVER AND THE FUEL RAIL THE ENGINE IDLE SPEED WAS BACK TO THE NORMAL 900 RPM.
NHTSA ID
10030489
Incident
May 27, 2003
Mileage
205,060 mi
Driver assistance
Filed Mar 15, 1999
NO SUMMARY
NHTSA ID
704450
Driver assistance
Filed Feb 16, 1999
Crash reported
CONSUMER HAD FOOT ON BRAKE AND HAD VEHICLE IN PARK WHEN VEHICLE ACCELERATED AT 35 MPH AND HIT A BRICK WALL. CONSUMRER DOESN'T HAVE A VEHICLE ANY MORE. *AK
NHTSA ID
834851
Incident
Feb 2, 1999
Driver assistance
Filed Oct 14, 1998
1 injury reported
VEHICLE WA SPARKED, FACING UPHILL ON A 75 FOOT LONG DOWNWARD SLOPING DRIVEWAY OF ASPHALT. STARTED VEHICLE AND IT SUDDENLY REVVED AND ACCELERATED VIOLENTLY REARWARD. VEHICLE RACED BACKWARD, DOWN DRIVE, TOWARD STREET. DRIVER TRIED TO STOP WITH BRAKES, BUT THEY ONLY SLOWED VEHICLE A BIT. FEARING THAT VEHICLE WOULD RACE INTO STREET, SWUNG STEERING WHEEL TO LEFT, TO PUT VEHICLE ON LAWN. REA ROF VEHICLE SWUNG INTO PARKE DVEHICLE, KNOCKING IT FORWARD AND DAMAGING REAR. VEHICLE THEN BOUNCED SIDEWAYS INTO DRIVE AND ATTEMPTED TO CLIMB A HILL. KILLED IGNITION TO STOP. DRIVER SUSTAINED BACK INJURIES AND HAD A HEADACHE. .
NHTSA ID
781220
Incident
Oct 8, 1998
BrakesDriver assistanceSteering+1 more
Filed Oct 9, 1997
POWER STEERING LINES LEAK FLUID.
NHTSA ID
523651
Incident
May 14, 1997
Driver assistance
Filed Aug 8, 1997
DURING NORMAL PEDAL OPERATION PEDAL WILL STICK, CAUSING ERRATIC ACCELERATION. PLEASE DESCRIBE. *AK
NHTSA ID
815183
Driver assistance
Filed Jun 24, 1997
Crash reported
CONSUMER SON WAS DRIVING ABOUT 20-25 MPH WHEN SUDDENLY THE VEHICLE STARTED TO PICK UP SPEED, HITTING 45 MPH, LOST CONTROL OF CAR, ENGINE LOCKED UP, SHIFT GEAR GOT STUCK. DUE TO THIS DEFECT, CONSUMER HAD TO HIT THE VEHICLE IN FRONT IN ORDER TO STOP. *AK
NHTSA ID
813487
Incident
Jun 1, 1997
Driver assistance
Filed Jun 10, 1997
Crash reported1 injury reported
WHEN STARTING THE CAR AND SHIFTING INTO DRIVE WITH THE FOOT ON THE BRAKE, IT COULD NOT BE STOPPED. THE ACCELERATOR WAS ON THE FLOOR BY ITSELF. THE CAR HAD TO BE TURNED OFF.
NHTSA ID
812952
Incident
Jun 9, 1997
BrakesDriver assistanceSteering
Filed Apr 1, 1997
Crash reported
VEHICLE WAS IN IDLE POSITION IN PARK, PUT IN GEAR INTO DRIVE, VEHICLE WENT INTO OPEN THROTTLE POSITION, PEDAL WENT THE FLOOR, TRIED TO BRAKE, RPMS UNKNOWN, IMPACT 12:00 POSITION, HITTING A PARKED VEHICLE. ALSO, CRUISE CONTROL MALFUNCTIONED. *AK
NHTSA ID
807829
Incident
Apr 5, 1996
Driver assistanceTransmission
Filed Feb 12, 1997
WHILE DRIVING PRESSED ON THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL AND THERE WAS SUDDEN ACCELERATION TO 75 MPH; ALSO, TAPPED ON THE BRAKES AND THE VEHICLE WENT IN NEUTRAL. MANUFACTURER SAID THE TRANSMISSION CABLE BUSHING BROKE, CAUSING THE ACCELERATOR TO JAM. *AK
NHTSA ID
807889
Incident
Jan 20, 1997
Heating & air conditioningDriver assistanceExterior lighting
Filed Oct 9, 1996
PLASTIC HEADLIGHT COVERS GET BURNED FROM THE HEAT OF THE BULBS, CAUSING COVER TO BECOME CLOUDY, WHICH REDUCES VISIBILITY.
NHTSA ID
509644
Incident
Mar 1, 1991
Driver assistance
Filed Sep 30, 1996
THROTTLE LINKAGES AND CONTROL PROBLEM. (2ND VEHICLE ON 601564/503665)
NHTSA ID
601565
Driver assistance
Filed Aug 27, 1996
Crash reported1 injury reported
TURNED ON IGNITION, SHIFTED FROM PARK TO DRIVE, ENGINE ACCELERATED TO HIGH SPEED, PICKED UP MORE SPEED WITH FOOT ON BRAKES, STOPPED AFTER HITTING BRICK HOUSE, NO PRIOR WARNING.*AK
NHTSA ID
800393
Incident
Jul 25, 1996
Driver assistance
Filed Apr 15, 1996
CRUISE CONTROL FAILURE, DRIVER EXPERIENCED ACCELERATION OF SPEEDS FROM 45-55 MPH TO APPROXIMATELY 70 MPH. *AK
NHTSA ID
982687
Incident
Apr 12, 1996
Driver assistance
Filed Mar 20, 1996
VEHICLE EXPERIENCED SUDDEN ACCELERATION (ATTORNEY FOR CONSUMER).
NHTSA ID
525933
Driver assistance
Filed Mar 7, 1996
SUDDEN ACCELERATION. *DH
NHTSA ID
503195
Incident
Mar 7, 1996
Driver assistance
Filed Sep 5, 1995
Crash reported
CONSUMER WAS DRIVING AND THE GAS PEDAL STUCK TO THE FLOOR(ACCELERATE) TO AVOID HITTING CAR CONSUMER WENT OFF THE ROAD AND TOTALED CAR . TT
NHTSA ID
971599
Incident
Aug 19, 1995
BrakesDriver assistance
Filed Jul 27, 1995
Crash reported4 injuries reported
CONSUMER GOT IN CAR STARTED IT UP AND IT WENT DEAD, STARTED IT UP AGAIN AND PUT INTO REVERSE WITH FOOT ON BRAKE, CAR ACCELERATED BACKWARD . TT
NHTSA ID
969491
Incident
Jul 21, 1995
Driver assistance
Filed Jun 30, 1995
Crash reported1 injury reported
ENGAGED IN REVERSE, VEHICLE SUDDENLY ACCELERATED INTO A WALL, THEN ENGAGED IN DRIVE, VEHICLE SUDDENLY ACCELERATED OUT OF CONTROL, RESULTING IN AN ACCIDENT. *AK
NHTSA ID
968079
Incident
May 20, 1995
Driver assistance
Filed Jun 28, 1995
Crash reported
HAD VEHICLE ACCIDENT BECAUSE THROTTLE STICKING WIDE OPEN. *AK
NHTSA ID
967943
Incident
Jun 10, 1995
Driver assistance
Filed May 23, 1995
PLASTIC CLIP TO THROTTLE VALVE BROKE CAUSING TUBING TO GET CAUGHT IN ACCELERATOR SPRING MECHANISM;JAMMED ACCELERATOR, ENGINE ACCELERATED;FROZE AT 50 MPH. *AK
NHTSA ID
965688
Incident
May 20, 1995
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.
Other components reported on this vehicle
Categories with enough reports to have a page of their own