RoadVitals

1991 Mercury Cougar Exterior lighting Problems

Owner-reported complaints naming the exterior lighting system, filed with NHTSA

Data refreshed

Exterior lighting 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.
8
Latest Jan 14, 2009
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.
11%
of 73 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.
0
Injuries or deaths reportedTotals the submitters entered on their own reports in this category. Not verified by NHTSA and not a casualty statistic.
1

What this page shows

Reports naming headlights, tail lights, turn signals and other exterior lighting. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 1991 Mercury Cougar submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 8 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 exterior lighting

Shown in the owner’s own words, exactly as filed

Exterior lighting
Filed Jan 14, 2009

HEADLIGHTS GO OUT FOR VARIOUS INTERVALS AND IS PRECEDED BY FLICKERING AND/OR BLINKING WHICH CAUSES LOSS OF VISIBILITY WHICH INCREASES MY RISK OF A CRASH. ALSO NOTE A BURNING SMELL FROM VENTS WHEN THIS HAPPENS. MY VEHICLE IS A 1991 COUGAR AND I WENT ONLINE TO SEE IF THERE WAS A RECALL FOR THIS PROBLEM. NOTED RECALL FOR SAME PROBLEM ON 1992 AND 1993 MODELS NOT FOR 1991. CALLED FORD MOTOR COMPANY AND ASKED IF THERE WAS A RECALL FOR MY MODEL SINCE IT HAS THE SAME ISSUE AS 1992 AND 1993 COUGARS. WAS TOLD NO RECALL FOR THIS AND TO PAY TO GET IT FIX MYSELF. THEY WOULD REPORT PROBLEM TO PROPER DEPARTMENT. *TR

NHTSA ID
10255020
Incident
Dec 18, 2008
Mileage
64,000 mi
Exterior lighting
Filed Jan 31, 2000

WHILE DRIVING ON HIGHWAY HEADLIGHTS STARTED TO DIM , AND WENT TOTALLY OUT. PULLED OFF THE SIDE OF ROAD. THEY CAME BACK ON AFTER WAITING 10 MINUTES. DROVE ABOUT ANOTHER TEN MILES, IT HAPPENED AGAIN. *AK

NHTSA ID
855817
Incident
Jan 30, 2000
Exterior lighting
Filed Nov 10, 1998

AFTER DRIVING FOR 25 MINUTES THE HEADLIGNTS START FLASHING ON AND OFF. THE BULBS AND FUSES ARE GOOD. I HAVE DESCOVERED THAT THE MERCURY SABLE HAS THE SAME PROBLEM AND HAD A RECALL FOR A FAILED HEADLIGHT SWITCH WHICH INCORPORATES A CIRCUIT BREAKER. WHEN THE HEADLIGHTS HEAT UP THE CIRCUIT OPENS. RECALL WAS MADE APRIL 15, 1998 FOR SABLES MADE DEC. 1992 TO SEPT. 1993. NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 98V009000. ALL VEHICLES WITH SAME PROBLEM AND RISK OF A CRASH SHOULD BE REPAIRED IN THE SAME MANNER.

NHTSA ID
700484
Exterior lighting
Filed Dec 19, 1997

DRIVING AT ANY VARIOUS SPEED HEADLIGHTS WILL TURN OFF AND ON, CAUSING THE CONSUMER TO DRIVE SOMETIMES WITHOUT HEADLIGHT UNEXPECTEDLY,WHICH MAY RESULT IN AN ACCIDENT.DEALER HAS REPLACED HEADLIGHTS 4 TIMES, BUT DEFECT IS STILL OCCURRING. *AK

NHTSA ID
820061
Driver assistanceExterior lighting
Filed Dec 11, 1996

ELECTRICAL SHORT IN HEADLIGHT TO FAIL.

NHTSA ID
512544
Incident
Dec 1, 1992
Exterior lighting
Filed Jul 1, 1996

WHILE DRIVING THE HEADLIGHTS WENT OUT AND THEN CAME BACK ON AND THEN WENT OUT AGAIN. PLEASE DESCRIBE. *AK

NHTSA ID
986370
Incident
Jun 16, 1996
Exterior lighting
Filed Jan 24, 1996

WHILE DRIVING, AT APPROX. 55MPH, EXPERIENCED INTERMITTENT FRONT HEAD LAMP FAILURE, WHEN LIGHTS WENT OUT SEVERAL TIMES BEFORE REACHING DESTINATION. TT

NHTSA ID
978108
Fuel systemInterior & seatsExterior lighting+2 more
Filed Aug 3, 1995
1 injury reported

DRIVERS SIDE WINDOW WILL NOT GO UP. REPLACED WINDOW MOTOR. TT

NHTSA ID
969800
Incident
Jul 8, 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

Elsewhere on this vehicle

Data sources

Data on this page last refreshed .