ENGINE COMPARTMENT FIRE
Opened Jul 6, 1994
Closed Sep 22, 1994
There is no summary currently available
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
1994 Mercury Cougar
Recalls, owner-reported complaints, investigations and safety data
Data refreshed
Owner complaintsComplaints 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.
137
Latest Apr 7, 2016
Safety recallsA safety recall is issued when a manufacturer or NHTSA determines that a vehicle has a safety-related defect or does not comply with a federal motor vehicle safety standard. Recall repairs are free. Whether a specific vehicle is covered depends on its VIN — a recall listed for a model year does not necessarily apply to every vehicle of that year.
0
InvestigationsNHTSA opens an investigation to examine whether a safety defect may exist. An open investigation is not a determination that a defect exists, and many investigations close without a recall. Investigations can, however, lead to one.
1
Crash or fire reportedComplaints whose submitter recorded that a crash or a fire occurred. These are the reporter's own answers on the NHTSA form, not verified findings.
14
13 injuries, 1 deaths reported
Overview
Our database contains 137 NHTSA owner-reported complaints for the 1994 Mercury Cougar, most frequently naming the transmission, engine and brakes categories. 1 NHTSA investigation names it; and 94 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.
Complaint activity over time
When owners filed reports about this model year
View as table
| Month | Complaints filed | Cumulative |
|---|---|---|
| Nov 1997 | 1 | 31 |
| Dec 1997 | 1 | 32 |
| Jan 1998 | 1 | 33 |
| Feb 1998 | 2 | 35 |
| Apr 1998 | 3 | 38 |
| May 1998 | 2 | 40 |
| Jun 1998 | 1 | 41 |
| Aug 1998 | 1 | 42 |
| Sep 1998 | 3 | 45 |
| Nov 1998 | 3 | 48 |
| Dec 1998 | 5 | 53 |
| Jan 1999 | 5 | 58 |
| Feb 1999 | 1 | 59 |
| Mar 1999 | 3 | 62 |
| Apr 1999 | 1 | 63 |
| May 1999 | 1 | 64 |
| Jun 1999 | 2 | 66 |
| Jul 1999 | 2 | 68 |
| Aug 1999 | 3 | 71 |
| Sep 1999 | 7 | 78 |
| Oct 1999 | 3 | 81 |
| Nov 1999 | 1 | 82 |
| Mar 2000 | 2 | 84 |
| Apr 2000 | 4 | 88 |
| May 2000 | 2 | 90 |
| Jun 2000 | 2 | 92 |
| Sep 2000 | 2 | 94 |
| Oct 2000 | 1 | 95 |
| Nov 2000 | 2 | 97 |
| Jan 2001 | 1 | 98 |
| Feb 2001 | 2 | 100 |
| Apr 2001 | 1 | 101 |
| May 2001 | 2 | 103 |
| Jul 2001 | 1 | 104 |
| Aug 2001 | 1 | 105 |
| Oct 2001 | 1 | 106 |
| Nov 2001 | 1 | 107 |
| Jan 2002 | 1 | 108 |
| Feb 2002 | 2 | 110 |
| Mar 2002 | 1 | 111 |
| May 2002 | 3 | 114 |
| Aug 2002 | 1 | 115 |
| Oct 2002 | 1 | 116 |
| Nov 2002 | 1 | 117 |
| Mar 2003 | 1 | 118 |
| Apr 2003 | 2 | 120 |
| May 2003 | 1 | 121 |
| Jul 2003 | 3 | 124 |
| Aug 2003 | 2 | 126 |
| Oct 2003 | 1 | 127 |
| Dec 2003 | 1 | 128 |
| Feb 2004 | 1 | 129 |
| Jun 2004 | 1 | 130 |
| Sep 2004 | 1 | 131 |
| Dec 2004 | 1 | 132 |
| Jun 2005 | 1 | 133 |
| May 2006 | 1 | 134 |
| Jun 2006 | 1 | 135 |
| Jan 2007 | 1 | 136 |
| Apr 2016 | 1 | 137 |
What owners report
Complaints grouped by the component NHTSA recorded
- Transmission3622.2%
- Engine3219.8%
- Brakes3018.5%
- Driver assistance116.8%
- Airbags106.2%
- Visibility74.3%
- Suspension74.3%
- Fuel system53.1%
Percentages are of component mentions. A single complaint can name more than one component, so these do not sum to the total complaint count.
Safety recalls
No recalls in our database for this model year
That does not guarantee a specific vehicle is unaffected — recalls are issued against VINs, and new campaigns are announced regularly. Check a VIN on NHTSA.gov.
Safety investigations
NHTSA inquiries naming this vehicle. An investigation is not a finding of a defect.
Recent owner complaints
Reports submitted to NHTSA, shown in the owner's own words
AirbagsInterior & seatsSuspension
Filed Apr 7, 2016
TAKATA RECALL.... JUST LOOKING FOR ANY RECALLS ON MY CAR,,,,WHOLE FRONT END FELL OUT..
- NHTSA ID
- 10854223
- Incident
- Jan 9, 2016
- Mileage
- 45,000 mi
Transmission
Filed Jan 5, 2007
TRANSMISSION FAILURE, NUMEROUS TIMES. *JB
- NHTSA ID
- 10177947
- Incident
- Sep 7, 2004
- Mileage
- 69,000 mi
Brakes
Filed Jun 30, 2006
3RD BRAKE LIGHT/HIGH MOUNT STOP LAMP IN THE REAR WINDOW. THE EXCESSIVE HEAT FROM THE BULBS THAT ARE USED CAUSED THE PLASTIC HOUSING THAT THE BULBS ARE IN TO MELT AROUND THE BULB ALONG WITH THE ACTUAL HARNESS THAT THE BULB IS PLUGGED INTO. SINCE I AM NOT THE FIRST OWNER OF MY CAR, I'M SURE THE INCIDENT DATE IS NOT TODAY BUT HAS BEEN AN ONGOING PROBLEM. *JB
- NHTSA ID
- 10161111
- Incident
- Jun 29, 2006
Transmission
Filed May 13, 2006
I BOUGHT A 1994 MERCURY COUGAR VIN# [XXX]. I WAS THE SECOND OWNER AND IT HAD ONLY 29K ON IT BACK IN JULY 1997. WELL MY TRANSMISSION WENT OUT BEFORE 68K AND THE COUGAR IS RATTLING APART. I HEARD LATER THAT THERE WAS A RECALL ON THE 3.8 MOTOR FOR THE BLOWER BY WHICH I'M HAVING NOW BUT BEING OVER 100K THEY SAID IT HAD TO BE BY A CERTAIN DATE AND UNDER 100K BUT I WAS NEVER TOLD OR NOTIFIED. FOUND OUT FROM A MECHANIC FRIEND. DON'T KNOW WHAT I CAN DO ABOUT IT. I HAD TO REPLACE THE TRANSMISSION COMPLETELY BECAUSE THE LOW END SHIFT PLATE WAS FAULTY ON THOSE MODELS TOO. ENGINE KEEPS GETTING HOT AND BURNING OFF RADIATOR FLUID. *JB UPDATED 07/16/2012 *JS INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
- NHTSA ID
- 10157491
- Incident
- Jun 15, 1999
- Mileage
- 68,500 mi
Electrical
Filed Jun 22, 2005
Fire reported
DT: ON 6/21/2005 WHILE DRIVING AT NIGHT IN CLEAR CONDITIONS ON DRY PAVEMENT THE VEHICLE STALLED AND CAUGHT ON FIRE. THE SPEED WAS ABOUT 5-7 MPH. THERE WERE NO BRAKES, NO ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, NO POWER STEERING, NO ENGINE SOUND, NO LIFE IN THE VEHILCE AT ALL. THERE WAS NO WARNING LIGHTS THAT CAME ON. THE VEHILCLE HAD BEEN DRIVEN FOR ABOUT 45 MINUTES AND 40 MILES BEFORE THIS OCCURRED. THEN, THE VEHICLE SAT FOR ABOUT 2 HOURS.THE VEHICLE WAS DRIVING FINE, AND WAS SERVICED A A WEEK PRIOR TO THE INCIDENT. THE VEHICLE WAS PUT ON THE DIAGNOSTIC THAT DAY AND EVERYTHING LOOKED FINE, BESIDES THE BRAKE LIGHTS HAD TO BE REPAIRED, BUT IT WAS NOT THE FUSE THAT HAD TO BE REPAIRED, OWNER WAS UNSURE WHAT COMPONENT CAUSED THE BRAKE LIGHTS TTO FAIL. THERE WERE ALSO NO TAIL LIGHTS .EITHER.THE BACK LIGHTS WERE COMPLETELY OUT. AFTER REPAIR EVERYTHING WAS FINE UNTIL FIRE. WHEN THE CAR STALLED ON 6/21/05, THE VEHICLE STOPPED ON THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. THERE WAS SMOKE COMING FROM HOOD, THEN THERE WAS A MAN WHO CAME TO HELP AND SPRAYED THE FIRE WITH EXTINGUISHER. .*AK
- NHTSA ID
- 10126196
- Incident
- Jun 21, 2004
- Mileage
- 170,000 mi
Electrical
Filed Dec 22, 2004
THE VEHICLE FAILED TO START DUE TO A FAILURE IN THE IGNITION STARTER SYSTEM. THE STARTER WAS REMOVED AND INSPECTED BY A STARTER SPECIALIST, HOWEVER NO PROBLEM WAS FOUND. THE STARTER WAS REINSTALLED. THE VEHICLE STILL FAILED TO START. THE IGNITION CYLINDER TURNS ALL THE WAY AROUND ALSO. THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN SITTING IN THE GARAGE FOR A YEAR DUE TO THIS PROBLEM BECAUSE THE CAUSE COULDN'T BE FOUND. *JB
- NHTSA ID
- 10105229
- Incident
- Dec 22, 2003
- Mileage
- 75,000 mi
Suspension
Filed Sep 7, 2004
THE FRONT COIL SPRINGS BROKE WITHOUT WARNING. AS A RESULT WHEN DRIVING AT ANY SPEED THE VEHICLE VEERED TO THE RIGHT. *JB
- NHTSA ID
- 10091451
- Incident
- Aug 25, 2004
- Mileage
- 115,000 mi
Airbags
Filed Jun 4, 2004
AFTER STARTING THE VEHICLE THE CONSUMER HEARD A LOUD BEEPING NOISE COMING FROM THE PASSENGER SIDE AIR BAG COMPARTMENT. DEALERSHIP WAS NOTIFIED, BUT DID NOT RESOLVE THE PROBLEM. *AK *NM
- NHTSA ID
- 10071585
- Incident
- Apr 10, 2004
- Mileage
- 49,000 mi
Manufacturer communications
A bulletin sent by a manufacturer to its dealers. Not a recall, and repairs are not necessarily free.
03181
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
REMOTE KEYLESS ENTRY (RKE) - SERVICE TIPS. *TT
03148
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION:COOLING UNIT AND LINES
NEW TRANSMISSION COOLER FLUSHER - SERVICE TIPS. 2003 ESCORT AND SUPER DUTY F SERIES INCLUDED. *TT
03261
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
NEW SERVICE PART - NUMBER 5 NEEDLE BEARING AND RACE KIT - 4R70W TRANSMISSION - SERVICE TIP. *TT
02221
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE
ENGINE-GEAR DRIVEN SYNCHRONIZERS-INCORRECT INSTALLATION-CAMSHAFT POSITION SYNCHRONIZER (CMP) INSTALLATION TOOL CORRECT APPLICATION. *MJ
870197
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE
INCORRECTLY INSTALLED GEAR DRIVEN CAMSHAFT POSITION (CMP) SENSOR SYNCHRONIZER ASSEMBLIES CAUSING SURGE, LOST OF POWER, MALFUNCTION INDICATOR LAMP ON AND DIAGNOSTIC TROUBLE CODES P1336, P1309 AND P0340. *TT
02208
EQUIPMENT:APPLIANCE:AIR CONDITIONER
CLIMATE CONTROL A/C SERVICE TECH TIPS. *EH
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.
Compare model years
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 |
| 1994Viewing | 137 | 0 | 1 | 42.8 |
| 1993 | 195 | 3 | 2 | 55.7 |
| 1992 | 92 | 3 | 4 | 57.8 |
| 1991 | 73 | 3 | 2 | 61.0 |
| 1990 | 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.