1994 Mercury Cougar Owner Complaints

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 FAILURE, NUMEROUS TIMES. *JB

NHTSA ID

10177947

Incident

Sep 7, 2004

Mileage

69,000 mi

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

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

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

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

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

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

CAR OVERHEATS DUE TO A BAD HEAD GASKET. PER FORD'S TSB 00M10, THIS IS A KNOWN DESIGN ISSUE THAT THEY FIXED ONLY IF THERE WAS A PROBLE DURING THE FIRST 7 YEARS AFTER THE WARRANTY INCEPTION DATE FOR 1994 AND 1995 VEHICLES WITH A 3.8L ENGINE. THIS DEFECT CAN EASILY RESULT IN A SAFETY CONCERN DUE TO THE POSSIBILITY OF AN ENGINE FIRE DUE TO THE EXTREME HEAT IF OIL LEAKS ON THE ENGINE WHEN THE GASKET FAILS. *AK

NHTSA ID

10059920

Incident

Feb 18, 2004

Mileage

76,000 mi

THE TRANSMISSION ON MY VEHICLE WAS REBUILT IN OCTOBER 2001 @ 120000 MILES BECAUSE IT JUMPED OUT OF GEAR DURING ACCELERATION AND WOULD NOT ENGAGE. SINCE THE REBUILD, THE CAR HAS CONTINUED TO HAVE TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS SUCH AS SELF-ACCELERATION WHEN CURSE CONTROL IS ENGAGED, SLIPPING OUT OF GEAR AND NOT REENGAGING, OR DOWNSHIFTING DURING ACCELERATION. THE CAR HAS BEEN TAKEN INTO THREE DIFFERENT TRANSMISSION SHOPS EACH BEING UNABLE TO DUPLICATE OR CORRECT THE PROBLEM. THE CAR HAS NOT BEEN TO A FORD DEALERSHIP BUT, HAS BEEN WELL MAINTAINED. I WOULD LIKE TO KEEP THE CAR AS A WORK VEHICLE, NOW @ 137K MILES, BUT REFUSE TO CONTINUE TO DEAL WITH THE TRANSMISSION SLIPPAGE.*AK

NHTSA ID

10049564

Incident

Dec 10, 2003

Mileage

120,000 mi

WE BOUGHT A MERCURY COUGAR 1994 AND DISCOVERED WE HAVE A BLOWN HEAD GASKET. WE JUST FOUND OUT THAT IT IS VIRTUALLY IMPOSSIBLE TO FIND AN ENGINE FOR THE V6 MODEL AT A REASONABLE PRICE. WE ALSO FOUND OUT THAT THIS 1994 MODEL IS FAMOUS FOR BLOWN HEAD GASKETS. *LA

NHTSA ID

10042952

Incident

Oct 11, 2003

ENGINE WAS REPLACED AT 87,000 MILES UNDER RECALL FOR HEAD GASKET FAILURE. 30,000 MILES LATER ENGINE HEAD BLEW UP AGAIN DUE TO THE PLACEMENT OF A HELICOIL IN THE RE-MANUFACTURED ENGINE. THIS HELICOIL WAS PRESENT IN THE RE-MANUFACTURED ENGINE FROM THE FACTORY. I CONSIDER THIS TO BE A DEFECT IN THE RE-MANUFACTURED ENGINE, AS THE HEAD SHOULD HAVE BEEN MACHINED BY THE FACTORY NOT JUST HAVE A HELICOIL STUFFED IN. THIS IIS THE CAUSE OF THE NEW FAILURE AND FOR REFUSES TO REPAIR. *NLM

NHTSA ID

10036605

Incident

Apr 13, 2003

Mileage

30,000 mi

ENGINE WAS REPLACED AT 87,000 MILES UNDER A RECALL. DUE TO A SPARK PLUG THAT BUSTED THROUGH THE ENGINE. 30,000 MILES LATER, ENGINE NEEDED REPLACEMENT AGAIN. *AK

NHTSA ID

10034562

Mileage

87,000 mi

AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION REPAIRED THREE TIMES & NEEDS TO BE REPAIRED AGAIN. HELP P.S NO ONE TAKES BETTER CARE OF A CAR THEN ME. *AK

NHTSA ID

10025918

Incident

Nov 14, 1996

THE HEAD GASKET BLEW DUE TO A FAILED PART IN THE ENGINE. *JB PH *JB

NHTSA ID

10019848

Mileage

71,000 mi

THE ENGINE HAD MAJOR PROBLEMS WITH HEAD GASKET. THIS PROBLEM WAS THE SUBJECT OF A RECALL AND THE WARRANTY WAS EXTENDED. THE CONSUMER NEVER RECEIVED ANY INFORMATION ABOUT THE RECALL. *CB *NLM

NHTSA ID

10027059

THE VEHICLES IGNITION SWITCH BROKE. *NLM

NHTSA ID

10019956

Incident

May 15, 2003

WHEN THE CAR IS COLD, THE TRANSMISSION DOES NOT RESPOND TO MODERATE TO EXTREME ACCELERATOR PEDAL DEPRESSION. IT DOES NOT MATTER IF I AM IN FIRST OR 4TH GEAR OR THE SPEED. THE ENGINE IS SLOW TO RESPOND IN RPMS WHEN I ASK FOR IT, THEN GOES TO 2,000, THEN TO 3,000, BUT WITH NO CHANGE IN VEHICLE VELOCITY. THE CAR RESPONDS RELATIVELY WELL WITH LIGHT, INCREASING DEPRESSION TO THE PEDAL, BUT NOT TO ANYTHING THAT WOULD CAUSE A DOWN SHIFT. THE PROBLEM GOES AWAY AFTER 8 MILES OR SO OF CITY DRIVING. *JB

NHTSA ID

10014006

Incident

Apr 3, 2003

Mileage

110,000 mi

THE ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AND THEN THE VEHICLE OVER HEATED. WHICH WAS CAUSED BY A BLOWN HEAD GASKET. *JB

NHTSA ID

10015106

Incident

Mar 25, 2003

Mileage

91,000 mi

I AM THE ORIGINAL OWNER OF THIS 1994 MERCURY COUGAR WITH 33,465 MILES AS OF MAR 4, 2002. AND THERE WAS A GENERAL RECALL ISSUED ON THE PROBLEM IN QUESTION WHICH INVOLVES THE POTENTIAL FOR A PREMATURE FAILURE OF THE ENGINE HEAD GASKET(S).AT THE TIME OF THE NOTICE THIS CONDITION WAS NOT EXPERIENCED AND NO ACTION WAS TAKEN. HOWEVER THIS CONDITION HAS NOW DEVELOPED AND IS CAUSING SEVERE ENGINE OVER HEATING. I HAVE BROUGHT THIS VEHICLE INTO THE LOCAL MERCURY DEALER AND THIS HEAD GASKET FAILURE DIAGNOSIS HAS BEEN CONFIRMED WITH THE REPAIR REQUIRING A COMPLETE HEAD GASKET REPLACEMENT AND ENGINE TAKE DOWN AND REBUILD COSTING 1400. AS OF THIS WRITING MY EFFORTS TO HAVE FORD MOTOR CO TO AGREE TO PICK-UP AND/OR AT LEAST ASSIST WITH THE PAYMENT OF THESE RELATED REPAIR FEES HAS BEEN DENIED. AND I WOULD VERY MUCH APPRECIATE YOUR REVIEW AND ASSISTANCE IN THIS MATTER.*JB

NHTSA ID

10008422

Incident

Mar 4, 2003

Mileage

33,460 mi

NO SUMMARY. DT

NHTSA ID

769888

Incident

Oct 1, 2002

THE CONSUMER RECEIVED A RECALL NOTICE BUT FAILED TO TAKE THE VEHICLE FOR SERVICE SINCE THE SYMPTOMS INDICATED DID NOT EXIST. AFTER TWO YEARS THE VEHICLE'S LOW COOLANT LIGHT HAD COME ON. THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT HAD COME ON AND THE DIAGNOSIS SHOWED THAT THE HEAD GASKET HAD FAILED PREMATURELY. THE CONSUMER REQUESTED TO BE REIMBURSED FOR THE MONIES SPENT ON REPAIRS. *YH THE WATER PUMP AND THE RADIATOR HAD LEAKED. *SCC

NHTSA ID

568026

Incident

Apr 1, 2002

THE HEADLIGHT LENSES ARE PLASTIC AND ARE NOW SEVERLY CRAZED AND YELLOWED TO A POINT THAT DRIVING AT NIGHT IS A VERY DEFINITE HAZARD. I AM REPLACING THEM BECAUSE OF THIS HAZARD. THERE IS NO WAY THAT THIS PART SHOULD HAVE FAILED IN SUCH A SHORT TIME SPAN.*AK

NHTSA ID

766312

Incident

Mar 1, 1998

AT 23922 MI. (10/28/1997) DEALER REPLACED TRANSMISSION FLUID TO "FIX" RUMBLE STRIP EFFECT WHEN ACCELERATING AT 35-40 MPH (1.5-2 RPM). FLUID AGAIN CHANGED AT 53591 (02/13/2001) TO TRY TO FIX SAME PROBLEM. TRANSMISSION FLUID CHANGED AGAIN AT 63677 (2/27/2002). A SMALL LEAK WAS MENTIONED BY MECHANIC. THE RUMBLE SOUND HAS NOW BEEN REPLACED WITH THE TRANSMISSION NOT ENGAGING...THE ENGINE REVS, BUT NO ACCELERATION BETWEEN 40-50 MPH. THE PROBLEM IS INTERMITENT. THIS COULD LEAD TO A REAR-END COLLISON. CANNOT RELY ON CAR!*AK

NHTSA ID

762243

Incident

May 17, 2002

HEAD GASKET FAILURE CAUSING ANTIFREEZE TO LEAK IN CRANKSHAFT, CAUSING ENGINE FAILURE. FORD REFUSED TO PAY FOR ENGINE REPLACEMENT. TIMING COVER GASKET FAILED PAID OUT OF POCKET OONLY TO FIND OUT RECAL 99B29. YOUR WEBSITE SHOWED TSB # 00M10 SEQUENCE # 625 - INFO REGARDING ENGINE REPLACEMENTS WARRANTY EXTENSION PROGRAM*YH. *AK

NHTSA ID

762238

Incident

Sep 4, 2001