Engine
Filed Jun 4, 2002
WHILE DRIVING AT 25-30 MPH HEAD GASKET BLEWOUT, AND THERE WAS ANTIFREEZE ALL OVER ENGINE ALSO, VEHICLE BECAME INOPERATIVE .CONTACTED DEALER, AND DEALER WAS NOT WILLING TO DO ANYTHING.*AK
- NHTSA ID
- 8010976
- Incident
- Jun 3, 2002
1992 Mercury Cougar Engine Problems
Owner-reported complaints naming the engine system, filed with NHTSA
Data refreshed
Engine 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.
18
Latest Jun 4, 2002
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.
20%
of 92 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.
1
Injuries or deaths reportedTotals the submitters entered on their own reports in this category. Not verified by NHTSA and not a casualty statistic.
0
What this page shows
Reports naming the engine itself — including stalling, misfires, oil consumption, cooling and internal engine components. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 1992 Mercury Cougar submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 18 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 engine
Shown in the owner’s own words, exactly as filed
Heating & air conditioningEngineInterior & seats
Filed Jun 4, 2002
WHEN I DROVE MY CAR TO WORK IT SEEMED FINE. WHEN I GOT INTO THE CAR AFTER WORK I IDLED REALLY ROUGH I THOUGHT IT WAS THE MORE EXPENSIVE GAS I PUT INTO IT THE NIGHT BEFORE, SO I PROCEEDED TO THE GAS STATION TO LET THEM KNOW. THE CAR DROVE REALLY ROUGH ALL THE WAY THERE. A RED LIGHT CAME ON ON THE DASH JUST BEFORE I GOT TO THE GAS STATION SAYING CHECK GAUGES. THE GAUGE SHOWED THAT THE CAR OVERHEATED. AFTER HAVING MY CAR WORKED ON ABOUT EIGHT MONTHS AGO FOR A OVERHEATING PROBLEM, IT HAD BEEN RUNNING REALLY COOL, SO DIDN'T THINK I WOULD HAVE A OVERHEATING PROBLEM. I TURNED OFF THE CAR, BUT THOUGHT I WOULD CHECK TO MAKE SURE THE FAN WORKED I TURNED THE CAR BACK ON AND OUT OF THE TAIL PIPE CAME A CLOUD OF WHITE SMOKE THAT DISAPATED REALLY FAST AFTER TURNING OFF ENGINE. CHECKED OIL THERE WAS NO WATER IN IT, BUT IT WAS LOW . I ADDED A QUART IN ORDER TO GET IT HOME. IT STILL HAD WHITE SMOKE OR STEAM COMING OUT THE TAIL PIPE. ALSO THE SEATS DO NOT LOCK INTO PLACE. THE AIRCONDITIONER DOES NOT GET COLD. I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW IF THERE IS ANYTHING ELSE THAT I SHOULD BE AWARE OF THAT I NEED TO HAVE FIXED.
- NHTSA ID
- 762625
Engine
Filed May 20, 2001
THIS ENGINE TYPE HAS HAD A HISTORY OF THIS REPORTED PROBLEM (HEAD GASKET FAILURE). I HAVE CONTACTED SEVERAL MECHANICS, AND THEY HAVE ALL REPORTED THAT THE PROBLEMS THAT I AM EXPERIENCING, ARE DUE TO HEAD GASKET FAILURE. I HAVE CONTACTED FORD MO. CO., BUT THEY HAVE PROVIDED NO ANSWERS/ASSISTANCE, EVEN KNOWING OF THIS MAJOR DEFECT WITH THIS ENGINE TYPE. THIS FAILURE IS OBVIOUSLY DUE TO A FACTORY DEFECT, AND I WANT IT TO BE ON RECORD WITH EVERY ORGANIZATION THAT FORD SHOULD BE RESPONSIBLE TO FIX AT THEIR COST. FORD NOT TAKING RESPONSIBILITY FOR THIS ENGINE DEFECT IS COMPLETELY UNACCEPTABLE, AND I EXPECT THAT I WILL BE FILING SUIT WITH THEM UNLESS THEY WILL TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR THEIR DESIGN FLAWS. IF YOU AN SUGGEST ANY FURTHER ACTION I CAN TAKE, PLEASE EMAIL ME AT [email protected]. *AK
- NHTSA ID
- 745542
- Incident
- May 1, 2000
Engine
Filed Apr 13, 2001
HEAD GASKETS LEAKAGE WATER INTO CYLINDER, CAUSING PROBLEMS TO ENGINE PROFORMANCE-STALLING, DECREASED EXCELERATION, ETC. *AK
- NHTSA ID
- 743990
Engine
Filed Mar 23, 2001
HEAD GASKET HAS BLOWN, AND POSSIBLY CAUSED DAMAGE TO ENGINE.*AK *SLC
- NHTSA ID
- 883987
- Incident
- Oct 3, 2000
Engine
Filed Nov 21, 2000
HEAD GASKET FAILED DURING NORMAL USE-VEHICLE IS WELL MAINTAINED. REPORTED DUE TO UNDERSTANDING OF EPIDEMIC OF COMMON OCCURANCES. *AK
- NHTSA ID
- 736710
- Incident
- Nov 18, 2000
Engine
Filed Oct 17, 2000
THE 3RD TIME THE GASKET'S YES THATS RIGH BOTH OF THEM HAVE BLOWN AND HOW ODD AT 40K/80K/121K/ GEE THATS 40K FOR EACH HEAD GASKET FORD FIXED FIRST ONE THEN SAID SORRY YOUR UP S*CREEK WITH THE 2ND ONE... AND NOW THE 3RD TIME WHAT NEXT????*AK
- NHTSA ID
- 734595
- Incident
- Oct 13, 2000
Engine
Filed Oct 14, 2000
HEAD GASKETS BLEW A LEAK DURING VEHICLE INSPECTION AT RAHWAY, NJ INSPECTION STATION. *AK *NLM **DIMSII IVOQ ENTRY POSTED AFTER 12/12/02 CUT-OVER TO ARTEMIS*734305
- NHTSA ID
- 10007016
- Incident
- Aug 9, 2000
- Mileage
- 77,777 mi
Engine
Filed Oct 14, 2000
HEAD GASKETS BLEW A LEAK DURING VEHICLE INSPECTION AT RAHWAY , NJ VEHICLE INSPECTION STATION. *AK
- NHTSA ID
- 734305
- Incident
- Aug 9, 2000
Engine
Filed Jul 17, 2000
HEAD GASKET BLEW ON MY COUGAR. UPSET THAT THIS IS A WIDESPOREAD ISSUE AND THAT FORD FAILS TO WARRANTY THIS CLEAR DEFECT. THE DEFECT RATE FOR THIS EXACT PROBLEM IS MIND BOGGLING. THE FACT THAT FORD HAS 'CHRREY PICKED' WHICH YEARS / VEHICLES TO COVER UNDER WARRANTY IS ABSURD. THE PROBLEM IS RELATED TO THE 3.8L ENGINE AND THUS ALL SUCH ENGINES SHOULD BE COVERED!*AK
- NHTSA ID
- 725590
- Incident
- Jul 1, 2000
Engine
Filed Apr 30, 2000
NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOV EVEHICLE. *AK
- NHTSA ID
- 722128
- Incident
- Apr 3, 2000
Engine
Filed Mar 29, 2000
ENGINE HEAD GASKET WENT BAD, CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO OVERHEAT AND OIL TO LEAK. DEALER HAS BEEN CONTACTED. *AK
- NHTSA ID
- 859369
Heating & air conditioningElectricalEngine+1 more
Filed Oct 12, 1999
LOTS OF PROMBLEMS
- NHTSA ID
- 713207
- Incident
- Apr 5, 1999
Engine
Filed Sep 16, 1999
NO SUMMARY
- NHTSA ID
- 711435
- Incident
- Sep 15, 1999
Engine
Filed Jun 2, 1999
THERMOSTAT FAILED. MJS
- NHTSA ID
- 545875
- Incident
- Jan 6, 1999
Engine
Filed Mar 5, 1999
CYLINDER HEAD GASKET ARE A COMMON FAILURE ON THE 3.8L ENGINES. FORD TAURUS (SABLE) AND MERCURY COUGAR ARE EQUIPPED WITH THIS ENGINE. I THINK FORD HAS RECALLED TAURUS BUT HAS NOT RECALLED THE COUGAR.
- NHTSA ID
- 704091
Engine
Filed May 28, 1997
THE GASKET RING SPLIT AND ALLOWED WATER TO LEAK IN.
- NHTSA ID
- 517485
- Incident
- Apr 28, 1997
Engine
Filed Jan 13, 1997
Fire reported
VEHICLE FIRE.
- NHTSA ID
- 513811
- Incident
- Oct 24, 1996
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
- NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation — owner-reported complaints and the components recorded on them
Data on this page last refreshed .