1995 Mercury Cougar Fuel system Problems

ONE DAY I WENT OUT TO MY CAR TO GO TO WORK AND THERE WAS A STRONG ODOR OF GASOLINE APPARENT. I PROCEEDED TO START MY CAR AND FOUND IT SLOW TO START THOUGH IT DID START UP AFTER A BIT.THAT EVENING AFTER WORK AGAIN THERE WAS A GAS SMELL AND AGAIN IT TOOK LONGER TO FIRE UP.UPON ARRIVING HOME THERE WAS A BIG WET SPOT ON MY GARAGE FLOOR WHICH WAS OBVIOUSLY GASOLINE AND AT WORK THE NEXT DAY ANOTHER PUDDLE OF GAS WHERE I NORMALLY PARK. I TOOK THE CAR TO MY REPAIR FACILITY WHERE THEY TOLD ME MY FUEL LINES HAD WORN THROUGH [CHAFED] IF YOU WILL BY IMPROPER INSTALLATION. BEING THE FUEL SYSTEM IS UNDER PRESSURE AND THE LINE WORE THROUGH THIS IS THE REASON THE CAR STARTED SLOWER THAN NORMAL ANDWHY THERE WAS A GASOLINE SMELL.LUCKILY THIS FAILURE DIDN'T CAUSE A FIRE IN MY CAR ESPECIALLY SINCE IT WAS IN MY GARAGE THOUGH THE MECHANIC SAID IT COULD HAVE. THE FUEL TANK HAD TO BE REMOVED AND REINSTALLED ALONG WITH THE PURCHASE AND REPLACEMENT OF THE ENTIRE FUEL LINES FROM THE FUEL TANK TO THE ENGINE AT AN UNNECESSARY EXPENSE TO ME. I READ A CONSUMER REPORTS ARTICLE ABOUT RECALLS FOR 92 -93 MERCURY COUGARS AND ANOTHER ONE FOR 97 COUGARS AND AM REPORTING THIS SAME PROBLEM ON MY 1995 COUGAR.*AK

NHTSA ID

10108317

Incident

Oct 22, 2001

Mileage

35,000 mi

FUEL INJECTION LINES WERE IMPROPERLY INSTALLED, THIS CAUSED FRICTION AGAINST THE FUEL TANK AND CHAFED A HOLE THROUGH THE FUEL LINE, CAUSING A LEAK. *SLC

NHTSA ID

564020

Incident

Oct 23, 2001

SENDING UNIT IN GAS TANK, WINDOW MOTOR DRIVER SIDE,TIMING GASKET LEAKING. *AK

NHTSA ID

723313

Incident

May 2, 2000

NOTICED GAS SMELL, TOOK VEHICLE TO INDEPENDENT SHOP FOR ROUTINE OIL CHANGE AND ASKED IF MECHANIC NOTICED ANY GAS LEAKAGE. MECHANIC TOOK OWNER TO WITNESS THE GAS LEAK IN FUEL LINES JUST BELOW GAS TANK. MECHANIC STATED HE WORKED FOR MERCURY DLR AND REMEMBERS RECALL FOR THIS PROBLEM ON MAKE AND MODEL. OWNER WENT TO DEALER AND QUESTIONED SERVICE MANAGER AND MGR ADMITTED PROBLEM W/MAKE @ MODEL FOR WHAT HE CALLED FUEL ABRASION. RAN VIN # @ STATED VEHICLE NOT COVERED UNDER RECALL. CALLED FORD @ DIDN'T GET ANY COOPERATION FROM CORP. ALTHOUGH THEY WEREN'T DISPUTING MAKE @ MODEL HAD PREVIOUS COMPLAINTS. *AK

NHTSA ID

718859

Incident

Feb 10, 2000

THIS VEHICLE HAS A RUBBER FUEL LINE THAT IS MOUNTED AT THE TOP OF THE GAS TANK THAT RUN DOWN NEAR THE SIDE OF THE TANK. GAS LINE IS RUBBING, CAUSING WEAR IN THE LINE WHICH IS RESULTS IN A LEAK. DEALER HAS BEEN CONTACTED. *AK

NHTSA ID

845931

ENGINE SUCKED WATER THROUGH INTAKE AND AIR CLEANER DURING STORM AT FT. MEYERS BEACH FLA. NHTSA ITEM NUMBER SB600588 FORD MOTOR DENIED ANY CLAIN TO FIX OR COMPENSATE ME FOR COST OF OVER 4000 DOLLARS I HAD CAR CHECKED AT THE MERCURY DEALER IN FT. MYERS , BUT THEY COUL D"T FIX IT FOR 2 WEEKS I RETURNED HOME AT 45 MILES PER HOUR AND CONTACKED THE LOCAL DEALER ,THEY SAID IT WASN'T COVERED . THEY SAID THAT IF I HAD PURCHED IT FROM THEM THEY MIGHT HAVE HELPED ME. I CONTACTED FORD MOTOR 5 OR 6 TIMES AND THEY SAID THAT THERE WAS NO WAY THAT YOU COULD GET WATER IN THE ENGINE DURING A RAIN STORM I GOT A TIP FROM A FRIEND WHO GOT ME A COPY OF THE SERVICE BULLETIN.THIS COULD HAVR BEEN A SERIOUS IACCIDENT AS THE ENGINE DIED IN BUMPER TO BUMPER TRAFFIC. I MANAGED TO WRESTLE THE CAR TO THE EDGE OF THE ROAD .AFTER A WHILE IT RESTARTED ,BUT HAD A BAD KNOCK, SCRATH 1 ENGINE MY WIFE COULD'T HAVE TURNED THE STEERING WHEEL IF SHE HAD BEEN DRIVING SINCE THIS WOULD APPEAR TO BE PART OF THE. *AK

NHTSA ID

707445

Incident

Jul 22, 1998

FUEL PUMP RELAY FAILED.

NHTSA ID

605602

Incident

Oct 10, 1996

TWO HOURS AFTER PARKING, AT APPROX. 2 AM, ENGINE CAUGHT FIRE, FIRE DEPT DETERMINED FIRE STARTED IN FUEL PUMP AREA, VEHICLE WAS TOTALLED. *AK

NHTSA ID

809136

REPLACED INTAKE MANIFOLD.

NHTSA ID

485125

Incident

Mar 27, 1995