Recalls, owner-reported complaints, investigations and safety data
Data refreshed
Our database contains 86 NHTSA owner-reported complaints for the 1990 Mercury Cougar, most frequently naming the electrical, driver assistance and seat belts categories. 3 safety recalls have been issued covering this model year; 5 NHTSA investigations name it; and 33 manufacturer communications are on file.
Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.
When owners filed reports about this model year
| Month | Complaints filed | Cumulative |
|---|---|---|
| Feb 1995 | 5 | 5 |
| Mar 1995 | 2 | 7 |
| Apr 1995 | 1 | 8 |
| Aug 1995 | 1 | 9 |
| Sep 1995 | 1 | 10 |
| Oct 1995 | 3 | 13 |
| Jan 1996 | 2 | 15 |
| Jul 1996 | 2 | 17 |
| Aug 1996 | 1 | 18 |
| Sep 1996 | 3 | 21 |
| Oct 1996 | 3 | 24 |
| Dec 1996 | 3 | 27 |
| Jan 1997 | 1 | 28 |
| Feb 1997 | 3 | 31 |
| Mar 1997 | 1 | 32 |
| May 1997 | 1 | 33 |
| Jul 1997 | 1 | 34 |
| Aug 1997 | 2 | 36 |
| Sep 1997 | 2 | 38 |
| Oct 1997 | 2 | 40 |
| Dec 1997 | 2 | 42 |
| Feb 1998 | 3 | 45 |
| Mar 1998 | 1 | 46 |
| Jul 1998 | 1 | 47 |
| Aug 1998 | 2 | 49 |
| Jan 1999 | 2 | 51 |
| Feb 1999 | 1 | 52 |
| Mar 1999 | 2 | 54 |
| Apr 1999 | 1 | 55 |
| May 1999 | 1 | 56 |
| Jun 1999 | 2 | 58 |
| Sep 1999 | 1 | 59 |
| Oct 1999 | 2 | 61 |
| Feb 2000 | 5 | 66 |
| Mar 2000 | 1 | 67 |
| Apr 2000 | 3 | 70 |
| May 2000 | 1 | 71 |
| Sep 2000 | 1 | 72 |
| Oct 2000 | 2 | 74 |
| Nov 2000 | 2 | 76 |
| Feb 2001 | 1 | 77 |
| May 2001 | 1 | 78 |
| Sep 2001 | 1 | 79 |
| May 2002 | 1 | 80 |
| Jul 2004 | 1 | 81 |
| Apr 2010 | 1 | 82 |
| Jan 2014 | 1 | 83 |
| Sep 2017 | 2 | 85 |
| Jul 2018 | 1 | 86 |
Complaints grouped by the component NHTSA recorded
Percentages are of component mentions. A single complaint can name more than one component, so these do not sum to the total complaint count.
3 campaigns cover this model year
Recalls apply to specific vehicles, not to every vehicle of a model year. Check your VIN with NHTSA or your manufacturer's dealer to confirm whether a recall affects your vehicle.
Check a VIN on NHTSA.govELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION
VISIBILITY:WINDSHIELD WIPER/WASHER:MOTOR
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:12V/24V/48V BATTERY:CABLES
NHTSA inquiries naming this vehicle. An investigation is not a finding of a defect.
FAULTY SEATBELT BUCKLES
There is no summary currently available
THRTTL VLV LINKAGE BUSHING
There is no summary currently available
THRTTL VLV LINKAGE BUSHING
There is no summary currently available
HOOD LATCHES FAIL
There is no summary currently available
Reports submitted to NHTSA, shown in the owner's own words
SEAT BELT DOESN'T STAY LOCKED AND LATCH BROKE, AUTOMATIC HEAD LIGHTS DON'T WORK THE DIGITAL INSTRUMENT CLUSTER DON'T WORK AND AS SOON AS IS GETS SO HOT IT VAPER LOCKS A LOT
AFTER STARTING VEHICLE FLICKERING ON OFF OF DASH LIGHTS,PANEL COMPLETELY OUT AND NOW WILL NOT COME BACK ON,CREATING AN ISSUE DRIVING,UNABLE TO SEE SPEED,MILAGE GAS USAGE,WHEN CHECKING UNDER HOOD I WAS GIVEN AN ELECTRICAL SHOCK,THE MOTOR WAS RUNNING,IMMEDIATELY TURNED OFF MOTOR
HEAVY TRAFFIC ON STATE HIGHWAY ENGINE OVERHEATING ALARM ACTIVATED,INCIDENT HAS OCCURED TWICE,IN TRAFFIC,EVERYTHING HAD TO BE TURNED OFF AND I HAD TO PULL OFF OF HIGHWAY, OTHER COMPLAINT DASH PANEL LIGHTS OUT WITH DEFINITELY ELECTRICAL ISSUE,ALMOST WILL NOT START,THIS OCCURED WHILE DRIVING AND NOW EILL NOT COME BACK ON AT ALL
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1990 MERCURY COUGAR. THE CONTACT STATED SMOKE EMITTED FROM UNDERNEATH THE HOOD WHEN THE ENGINE WAS TURNED ON AND WITHIN SECONDS THE ENGINE WAS ON FIRE. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT ADVISED THE FIRE ORIGINATED AT A FUSE BOX LOCATED IN THE BATTERY AND ALTERNATOR AREA. THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 89,000.
THE CONSUMER PRESSED ON THE ACCELERATOR AND ACCELERATED WAY TOO FAST AND HE BOLTED FORWARD STRIKING A CONCRETE BARRIER. *DT CONSUMER SENT ADDITIONAL LETTER REGARDING RESULTS FROM INCIDENT. *TGW 04/06/10 THE VEHICLE WAS INSPECTED AND IT WAS FOUND THAT THE THROTTLE LINKAGE WAS DEFECTIVE. *JB
TWO YEARS AGO THE CONSUMER RECEIVED A RECALL LETTER NHTSA # 96V071000. DEALER REPLACED THE IGNITION SWITCH. ONE YEAR LATER THE RECALLED COMPONENT FAILED AND THIS TIME AN INDEPENDENT SHOP REPLACED THE IGNITION SWITCH. ONCE AGAIN THE IGNITION SWITCH NEEDS TO BE REPLACED. THE DEALER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED. *NM
THE VEHICLE'S IGNITION MODULE WAS REPLACED BECAUSE IT WAS DEFECTIVE. *YH
PASSENGER AND DRIVER SIDE WINDOWS CANNOT REMAIN ON TRACK. DEALER HAS BEEN CONTACTED. *AK CONSUMER CONTACTED DEALER TO SEE IF THERE WERE ANY RECALLS ON WINDOWS COMING OFF TRACK, DEALER INFORMED CONSUMER THAT THEY HAVE FIXED OTHER COUGAR WITH THIS PROBLEM, CONSUMER STATED SHE WILL BE DRIVING AND THE WINDOWS WILL JUST FALL DOWN AT TIMES, WINDOWS WILL JUST COMPLETELY GO DOWN IN THE DOOR, CONSUMER HAS TO PAY SOMEONE TO TAKE THE DOOR APART TO GET THE WINDOWS OUT.*JB
A bulletin sent by a manufacturer to its dealers. Not a recall, and repairs are not necessarily free.
INFORMATION REGARDING TRANSMISSION FLUID USAGE CHARTS. *SLC
VISIBILITY:DEFROSTER/DEFOGGER/HVAC SYSTEM:HEATER CORE
SOME VEHICLES MAY EXHIBIT HEATER CORE LEAKS. *SLC
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION:COOLING UNIT AND LINES
SUBJECT REGARDING CONTAMINATION FROM PRIOR TRANSMISSION CONCERNS OR EXCESS WEAR MAY BE TRAPPED IN THE TRANSMISSION FLUID COOLING SYSTEM. *TT
EQUIPMENT:APPLIANCE:AIR CONDITIONER
SUBJECT REGARDING CLIMATE CONTROL - EATC - BLOWER MOTOR CONTROL SERVICE TIPS. *JB
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
INFORMATION REGARDING THE NEW TRANSMISSION COOLER FLUSHER- SERVICE TIP. *MJS
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING
SUBJECT ON A WIRE HARNESS TERMINAL REPAIR KIT AVAILABLE FOR REPAIRING ELECTRICAL WIRING HARNESSES. *TT
Manufacturers file copies of the bulletins they send to dealers with NHTSA. These often describe diagnostic or repair procedures for a known condition. They are not recalls: repairs described in a bulletin are usually only free if the vehicle is still under warranty or the manufacturer has extended coverage.
Complaint and recall counts across every year of this model
| Year | Complaints | Recalls | Investigations | Issue Index |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2002 | 95 | 3 | 0 | 52.7 |
| 2001 | 82 | 3 | 0 | 53.2 |
| 2000 | 211 | 5 | 0 | 54.4 |
| 1999 | 454 | 9 | 1 | 55.6 |
| 1998 | 1 | 0 | 1 | — |
| 1997 | 76 | 0 | 1 | 40.3 |
| 1996 | 62 | 2 | 1 | 48.7 |
| 1995 | 109 | 0 | 1 | 42.9 |
| 1994 | 137 | 0 | 1 | 42.8 |
| 1993 | 195 | 3 | 2 | 55.7 |
| 1992 | 92 | 3 | 4 | 57.8 |
| 1991 | 73 | 3 | 2 | 61.0 |
| 1990Viewing | 86 | 3 | 5 | 64.9 |
| 1989 | 81 | 4 | 6 | 70.7 |
| 1988 | 55 | 1 | 5 | 60.2 |
| 1987 | 33 | 1 | 3 | 60.4 |
| 1986 | 13 | 2 | 1 | 56.4 |
| 1985 | 10 | 1 | 1 | 49.7 |
| 1984 | 17 | 1 | 2 | 54.6 |
| 1983 | 2 | 3 | 2 | — |
| 1982 | 2 | 4 | 1 | — |
| 1981 | 0 | 1 | 1 | — |
| 1980 | 2 | 2 | 2 | — |
| 1979 | 0 | 3 | 0 | — |
| 1978 | 2 | 2 | 1 | — |
| 1977 | 0 | 4 | 0 | — |
| 1976 | 0 | 1 | 0 | — |
| 1975 | 0 | 2 | 0 | — |
| 1974 | 0 | 2 | 0 | — |
| 1973 | 2 | 0 | 0 | — |
| 1972 | 0 | 1 | 0 | — |
| 1971 | 0 | 1 | 0 | — |
| 1970 | 0 | 1 | 0 | — |
| 1969 | 0 | 4 | 0 | — |
| 1968 | 0 | 1 | 0 | — |
| 1967 | 0 | 2 | 0 | — |
| 1962 | 1 | 0 | 0 | — |
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. Older model years have had longer for reports to accumulate.