Owner-reported complaints naming the airbag system, filed with NHTSA
Data refreshed
Reports naming the air-bag system — deployment behaviour, inflators, sensors and warning lights. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 1999 Mercury Cougar submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 31 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.
The 25 most recent of 31, in the owner's own words
I GOT IN MY CAR ONE DAY AFTER WORK IN THE PARKING LOT AND STARTED MY CAR AND MY AIRBAG LIGHT WAS ON. IT STAYED ON FOR THREE DAYS AND IS NO LONGER ON. IT SEEMS LIKE NO ONE WANTS TO TAKE ACCOUNT OR PROVIDE SOLUTIONS FOR THE PROBLEM. EVERYTIME I ROLL UP MY WINDOWS, MY LIGHTS DIM AS IF THE BATTERY IS DYING. MY WINDSHIELD WIPER CONTROL DOESN'T SHUT OFF AND IM NOT ABLE TO CHANGE THE SPEED.
CPSC: I1370321A. 1999 MERCURY COUGAR. CONSUMER STATED WHILE DRIVING, THE AIR BAG ON THE DRIVER SIDE DEPLOYED FOR NO REASON. *LN
ON MY DRIVE HOME FROM WORK ON FRIDAY 7/12/2013 AT APPROXIMATELY 3:30 PM THE AIRBAG ON THE DRIVER SIDE DEPLOYED FOR NO APPARENT REASON. THIS WAS ON A 1999 MERCURY COUGAR THAT MY FAMILY PURCHASED NEW. THE VIN IS [XXX]. I CALLED AND SPOKE WITH [XXX] AT FORD AND HE STATED THERE WAS NOTHING FORD COULD DO. HE SUGGESTED I CALL MY INSURANCE COMPANY...I DON'T UNDERSTAND WHY MY INSURANCE COMPANY WOULD BE CONCERNED WITH A FLAW IN A FORD PRODUCT. I HOPE YOU WILL UNDERSTAND THAT I AM SCARED TO DRIVE THIS CAR AT THIS POINT. WILL ONE OF THREE REMAINING AIR BAGS DEPLOY FOR NO APPARENT REASON? TO BE TOLD TO CONTACT MY INSURANCE COMPANY IS NOT ACCEPTABLE. I AM A VERY REASONABLE PERSON BUT WILL NOT BE TAKEN ADVANTAGE OF. MY EXPECTATION ARE SIMPLE: FORD NEEDS TO HAVE THIS CAR TOWED TO A DEALER. THE DRIVERS SIDE SEAT NEEDS TO BE REPAIRED OR REPLACED. THE ENTIRE AIR BAG SYSTEMS NEEDS TO BE CHECKED AND BROUGHT UP TO A SAFE STANDARD. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR
MY WIFE STARTED THE CAR AND A SPLIT SECOND LATER THE PASSANGER AIRBAG PREMATURLY DEPLOYED. IT WAS THE AIRBAG IN THE PASSENGER SEAT. I MADE AN APPOINTMENT FOR HER HEARING IN HER RIGHT EAR BECAUSE SHE IS HAVING PROBLEMS. I CALLED THE FORD/MERCURY MANUFACTURER AND THEY STATED THAT THERE WAS NOTHING THAT THEY COULD DO ABOUT IT. I CONTACTED THE DEALERSHIP WHICH I BOUGHT THE VEHICLE FROM AND THEY STATED THERE WAS NOTHING THAT THEY COULD DO EITHER. I DONT KNOW ABOUT YOU BUT I THINK THAT THIS IS A MAJOR DEFECT AND WOULD NOT WANT TO HEAR OR SEE ANYONE ELSE HAVE TO GO THROUGH THIS. I AM JUST GRATEFUL THAT I GAVE MY DAUGHTER A RIDE TO SCHOOL THAT MORNING. *AK
WHILE DRIVING BETWEEN 35 TO 40 MPH VEHICLE STALLED. THIS CAUSED LOSS OF STEERING AND BRAKE POWER. CONSUMER LOST THE CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE, AND WAS INVOLVED IN A FRONT END COLLISION. UPON IMPACT, NEITHER OF THE AIR BAGS DEPLOYED.*AK
WHILE PARKED IN DRIVEWAY DRIVER SIDE AIRBAG DEPLOYED INADVERTENTLY. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED. THE INSURANCE COMPANY WAS ALSO CONTACTED BUT STATED THE FAILURE WAS NOT COVERED. *AK *NLM
CONSUMER STATED WHILE TRAVELING 20 MPH VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN A FRONTAL COLLISION. UPON IMPACT, AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. *AK
THE CONSUMER PARKED VEHICLE, TOOK THE KEY OUT FROM THE IGNITION SWITCH, AND AT THAT MOMENT, THE PASSENGER'S AIR BAG DEPLOYED. *AK *TS *JB
PASSENGER SIDE AIR BAD DEPLOYS IN A PARKED CAR CAUSING INJURY AND DAMAGE WORTH $3,500 AND FORD REFUSES TO PAY FOR IT. ON 31ST MAY 2003, WE WENT TO THE LIBRARY TO DROP OFF OUR BOOKS. WE PARKED OUR CAR, AND I GOT DOWN TO DROP THE BOOKS. MY WIFE, WHO WAS SITTING ON THE PASSENGER SIDE TURNED AROUND TO PICK MORE OF THE BOOKS FROM THE BACK SEAT AND HER SIDE AIR BAG BLEW OUT. SHE BROUGHT HER HAND FORWARD TO COVER HER FACE AND WAS HIT BY THE BLOWN AIR BAG. AIRBAG DEPLOYED WHEN THE CAR WAS PARKED. THE CAR IS A 1999 MERCURY COUGAR SMOKE STARTED COMING OUT AND WE HAD TO CALL THE FIRE DEPARTMENT. PER, FIRE DEPARTMENT CAPTAIN, THEY HAVE NEVER SEEN THIS CASE BEFORE. LUCKILY, THE SMOKE WAS JUST THE AIR BAG POWDER. SIDE AIR BAG DEPLOYED. AIR BAG COVER HIT THE WINDSHIELD, WHICH CRACKED THE WHOLE WINDSHIELD. THE FORCE OF DEPLOYMENT ALSO POPPED OUT AIR VENT AND THE DASHBOARD. WHEN WE CALLED UP FORD, THEY ASKED US TO CLAIM IT THROUGH OUR INSURANCE. BUT WHEN WE TOLD THEM THAT IT DID NOT MAKE SENSE THEY TOLD US SEND THE VEHICLE TO A FORD DEALER WHERE THEY CAN RUN DIAGNOSTICS. CURRENT MILEAGE IS AROUND 64,000. FORD SAYS THAT ONE OF THE MODULES WAS FAULTY AND ALSO THIS MODULE HAS WARRANTY OF 5 YEARS OR 50,000 MILES. BUT THIS WAS NOT MENTIONED IN ANY OF THEIR SERVICE MANUALS. ALSO NOBODY POINTED THIS OUT WHEN THE CAR HAD THE FORD RECOMMENDED 60,000-MILE MAINTENANCE AND CHECK WE ALSO MADE REPEATED CALLS TO FORD, TO GIVE US IN WRITING THAT THE AIR BAGS DEPLOYED DUE TO FAULTY UNIT. BUT THEY ARE REFUSING TO DO SO. PROGRESSIVE, OUR INSURANCE AGENT HAS SAID THEY CANNOT COVER IT AND THAT WE HAVE TO TALK TO FORD (THEY DID SAY THAT IF THIS INCIDENT CAUSED A COLLISION, THEY WOULD HAVE PAID FOR IT). FORD SAYS THIS IS OUT OF WARRANTY. HOW DO WE COME TO KNOW WHICH PART IS GOING TO COST US IN FUTURE BECAUSE IT HAS RUN OUT OF WARRANTY, IF NOBODY POINTS OUT THE PROBLEM DURING ROUTINE MAINTENANCE. *NLM
I HAVE HAD NUMEROUS PROBLEMS WITH MY '99 COUGAR SUCH AS, FAILURE OF MY PAT SYSTEM AND COMPUTER SYSTEM. I HAVE HAD PROBLEMS WITH MY BRAKES WHICH THEY CAN'T SEEM TO FIGURE OUT THE PROBLEM. I HAVE HAD MY STARTER REPLACED TWICE. I HAVE HAD DEFECTS IN SEVERAL SENSORS, WHICH IS NOT UNDER WARRANTY THAT I HAD TO PAY A GOOD AMOUNT OF MONEY FOR THEM TO REPAIR. MY FAN HAS EVEN BLOWN OUT. THERE IS A BURNING SMELL WHENEVER I TURN ON MY HEATER THAT NONE OF THE DEALERS CAN'T SEEM TO SMELL. I ALSO HAD TO PURCHASE A NEW RADIATOR. WHEN MY COMPUTER WENT OUT MY CAR WAS STILL UNDER WARRANTY BUT THEY MADE ME PAY FOR THE REPAIRS, PARTS, AND LABOR OUT OF MY POCKET. THIS IS NOT ALL. THE LIST GOES ON AND ON. I HAVE COMPLAINED TO THE DEALERSHIP, FORD MOTOR CO. AND EVEN HAD SOMEONE FROM FORD TO INVESTIGATE ALL OF THE PROBLEMS I'VE HAD WITH MY VEHICLE. THEY HAVE BEEN RUDE TO ME ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS, ESPECIALLY WHEN I HAD QUESTIONS ABOUT THE REPAIRS OF MY VEHICLE. SOMETHING NEEDS TO BE DONE ABOUT THIS. I WOULD NOT RECOMMEND THE PURCHASE OF A MERCURY COUGAR TO ANYONE.
WHILE TRAVELING ON THE HIGHWAY WITHOUT PHYSICAL CONTACT WITH ANOTHER VEHICLE. THE DRIVER SIDE AIRBAG WENT OFF AND CRACK THE WINDSHIELD. PLEASE FILL IN ADDITIONAL INFORMATION DEALER IS AWARE OF THE PROBLEM. TS
CONSUMER WAS TRAVELING APPROXIMATELY 45-50 MPH AND WAS HIT ON DRIVER'S SIDE WHICH CAUSED VEHICLE TO CRASH HEAD-ON INTO A POLE. BOTH DRIVER AND PASSENGER AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. TS JG *JB
CONSUMER STATES THAT WHEN HIT AT 45MPH IN THE FRONT CENTER OF THE VEHICLE THE AIR BAG DID NOT DEPLOY CAUSING MINOR INJURIES TO THE CONSUMER. DEALER NOTIFIED TS
CONSUMER WAS HIT ON THE DRIVERS SIDE CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO ENTER A DITCH AND RUN HEAD ON INTO AN UTILITY POLE. THE AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY. *JG MR
I HIT THE CAR IN FRONT OF ME TRAVELING AT 40MPH, MY SEATBELT DID NOT RESTRAIN ME, MY LIP HIT THE STEERING WHEEL WHICH MADE MY TEETH GO ALL THE WAY THROUGH. THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY EITHER, SO MY HEAD BROKE THE WINDSHEILD. THE LAP PORTION OF THE SEATBELT KEPT ME FROM GOING ALL THE WAY OUT, I HAD BRUISES ON MY ABDOMAN FROM IT.*AK
WHILE DRIVING 45 MPH CONSUMER'S VEHICLE HIT ANOTHER VEHICLE ON PASSENGER'S SIDE, TOTAL FRONT CRASH. UPON IMPACT, DRIVER'S AIRBAG DID NOT DEPLOY, NO INJURIES. DAMAGE TO VEHICLE UNKNOWN AT THIS TIME.*AK
DRIVER SWERVED TO MISS DEER AND IMPACTED A LIGHT POLE HEAD ON AT 75 MPH, CAR ROLLED - AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY - WILL NOTIFY FORD IN THE MORNING.*AK
THE VEHICLE DEVELOPED A STARTING PROBLEM, IT WOULD CRANK EXCESSIVELY BEFORE STARTING, THE DEALER REPLACED THE FUEL PUMP BUT THAT ONLY TEMPORARILY SOLVED THE PROBLEM AS IT RETURNED SHORTLY AFTER REPLACING THE PUMP. NLM
1. PART WITHIN TRANSMISSION WAS MISSING 2. FAULTY AIRBAG SENSOR IS BLINKING INDICATING A DEFECT 3.WIRING HARNESS MELTED, POSSIBLE FIRE HAZARD.PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK
OIL FILTER COMBUSTED DUE TO PRESSURE. ENGINE HAS BEEN DESTROYED!!! CAR IS A YEAR AND A HALF OLD WITH 24,500 MILES. I HAVE A NUMBER OF PROBLEMS THAT HAVE OCCURRED WITH THIS CAR. I HAVE IGNORED DUE TO THEY COME AND GO. SUCH AS RATTLING NOISES FROM THE TRUNK, CIGARRETTE LIGHTER IS DEAD, GAS GAUGE DOESN'T READ PROPERLY ALL THE TIME, LIGHTS ILLUMINATE FOR REAR LIGHT OUT, AIRBAGS, COOLANT, NEXT TIME START UP CAR THEY ARE OUT??? I HAD A SATURN FOR 5 YEARS NEVER HAD A PROBLEM. I HAVE THIS COUGAR FOR A YEAR AND A HALF AND LOOK AT ALL THESE PROBLEMS. I AM SORRY A CAR THAT IS A YEAR AND A HALF SHOULD NOT BE GETTING A NEW ENGINE!!!! I AM EXTREMELY DISAPPOINTED WITH MERCURY. I WILL NEVER GET ANOTHER ONE AGAIN.*AK
THE PCRV FAILED PRIOR TO RECALL NOTICE 00V-075 RESULTING IN 2 ACCIDENTS, THE AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY DURING BOTH ACCIDENTS. NLM
WHILE DRIVING ON A 4-LANE HIGHWAY, LIGHTS ON THE DASHBOARD LIT UP AND ENGINE DIED. THEN, CONSUMER LOST CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE. WITH NO BRAKES OR STEERING VEHICLE STARTED TO SPIN OUT OF CONTROL AND HIT A GUARDRAIL AT ABOUT 55MPH. CONSUMER SAID IT WAS A ENGINE PROBLEM. AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY.*AK *ML
DRIVER'S DOOR WILL NOT CLOSE COMPLETELY. *SLC
VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN FRONTAL CRASH. UPON IMPACT, DRIVER'S SEATBELT DID NOT LOCK UP, CAUSING DRIVER TO HIT WINDSHIELD. ALSO, DRIVER'S AIRBAG DEPLOYED AFTER DRIVER HIT WINDSHIELD AND WAS THROWN BACK INTO SEAT, CAUSING A MAJOR CONCUSSION. VEHICLE WAS A TOTAL LOSS. *AK
AIR BAG WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATES, INDICATING A MALFUNCTION WITHIN THE SYSTEM. DEALER CANNOT IDENTIFY THE PROBLEM. PLEASE GIVE ANY FURTHER DETAILS. *AK
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.
Categories with enough reports to have a page of their own
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