1999 Mercury Cougar Tires & wheels Problems

PURCHASED CAR NEW, IN 57000 MILES WE HAVE HAD TO REPLACE, 2 ALTERNATORS, 1 STARTER, 2 BATTERIES, ENTIRE RACK AND PINION, POWER STEERING PUMP, TRANSMISSION TORQUE CONVERTER, 4 SET OF BRAKES, 4 SETS OF TIRES PLUS TWO INDIVIDUAL TIRES ALL WITH SIDEWALL BLOW OUTS EXCEPT ONE PUNCTURE AND 2 HEADLIGHT SWITCHES, 2 CIG LIGHTERS. THE ENTIRE UPPER ENGINE GASKET SET HAD TO BE REPLACED TO GET TO AN INTAKE LEAK. THE HEAD LIGHTS AND FOGLIGHTS WORK ITERMITTANTLY, ENGINE WARNING LIGHTS ARE CONSTANTLY GOING ON AND OFF. CURRENTLY ONE HEADLIGHT IS OUT (LAMP IS GOOD) FOG LIGHTS ARE NOT WORKING (TODAY) AND AN ENGINE WARNING LIGHT IS INDICATING A PROBLEM AGAIN. *AK

NHTSA ID

10093261

Incident

Jul 1, 1999

Mileage

8,520 mi

CONSUMER EXPLAINED THAT VEHICLE WAS RIDING ROUGH. TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALER, AND THE DEALER STATED THAT TIRES WERE WEARING OUT FROM THE INSIDE OUTWARD. THERE WAS NO PRIOR WARNING SIGNS OTHER THAN VEHICLE RIDING ROUGH. *AK

NHTSA ID

10042890

Mileage

30,000 mi

PURCHASED NEW TIRE FROM DEALERSHIP - TIRE HAD SEAM-LIKE CUT ON OUTSIDE WALL - TIRE LOST ABOUT 2 TO 10 LBS OF PRESSURE PER DAY - TOOK CAR IN TO DEALERSHIP SEVERAL TIMES OVER THIS MATTER - WAS TOLD BY DEALERSHIP THAT THERE WAS NOTHING WRONG WITH THE TIRE - TIRE WAS FINALLY REPLACED BY DEALER AFTER CONSUMER COMPLAINED MULTIPLE TIMES. TOOK VEHICLE IN TO HAVE CHECKED OUT AFTER HIT BY UNLICENSED/UNINSURED MOTORIST IN THE SIDE - WAS TOLD BY DEALERSHIP (ETTERS FORD IN CRAWFORDSVILLE, IN) THAT TRANSMISSION DESPERATELY NEEDED SERVICED - WAS TOLD THAT IT HAD A KNOCK AND WOULD CAUSE MAJOR PROBLEMS IF NOT DEALT WITH - CUSTOMER BROUGHT UP THAT VEHICLE WAS NOT OVERDUE OR EVEN DUE FOR A TRANSMISSION SERVICE FOR QUITE A WHILE AND POINTED TO OWNER'S MANUAL SPECIFICATIONS - WAS TOLD, AFTER CAR RELOOKED AT, THAT IT WAS A MISTAKE AND THAT TRANSMISSION WAS FINE - HAVE HAD A KNOCK AND SLIPPING OF TRANSMISSION SINCE.*AK

NHTSA ID

760444

Incident

May 11, 2000

HAD TWO TIRES COMPLETELY SHREADDED, BOTH TIRES HAD THE SAME EXACT PROBLEM THAT OCCURRED AROUND THE SAME TIME. HEARD A POPPING SOUND AND THE CAR VEERED OFF TO THE RIGHT, RESULTING IN A UNCONTROLABLE ISSUE WHERE THE VEHICLE WENT ONTO THE GRAVEL SHOULDER OF THE RAMP.

NHTSA ID

9006394

Incident

May 1, 2001

THE FIRST TIME THE WHEEL CRACKED WHILE EXITING INTERSTATE AND RUNNING OVER A SMALL POTHOLE. THOUGHT IT WAS SOMETHING MY DAUGHTER DID. THE SECOND TIME A FEW MONTHS LATER, ANOTHER ONE CRACKED IN THE SAME LOCATION ON THE WHEEL AND CAUSED THE TIRE TO BLOW OUT. CHECKED WITH THE DEALER WHO REFUSED TO TAKE ANY ACTION OR EVEN INVESTIGATE ANY CHANCE OF MALFUNCTION OF WHEELS. SEVERAL MONTHS LATER WHEN HAVING THE CAR SERVICED, WAS TOLD THE OTHER 2 WHEELS WERE BENT CAUSING THE CAR TO VIBRATE WHILE DRIVING AT 55 TO 60 MPH.*AK

NHTSA ID

757404

Incident

Apr 1, 1999

TIRE HAS CONTINUOUSLY LOST AIR SINCE DAY ONE. IT HAS BEEN BACK TO THE DEALER AT LEAST THREE TIMES FOR THIS PROBLEM, EACH TIME THEY FIND NO CONSTANT PROBLEM. ONCE THEY STATED THAT A PATCH WAS LEAKING. THE TIRE IS SO THIN IN SPOTS THAT A 1/4" SCREW PUNCTURED IT, THUS THE PATCH. THAT WAS NOT THE PROBLEM. THE VEHICLE SPENDS MORE TIME AT AIR PUMPS THAT GAS. NOW I HAD IT ALIGNED AND BALANCED, WHERE I WAS INFORMED THAT BOTH FRONT TIRES ARE SEPARATING. I HAVE LONG CONTENDED THERE IS A PROBLEM. I HAVE COMPLAINED TO FORD AND NEVER RECEIVED A REPLY. THE TIRES ARE NOW ON THE REAR, AND I WILL TAKE IT BACK TO THE DEALER, I ALSO EXPECT TO GET A MAJOR RUN AROUND. THE DEALERSHIP I TAKE IT TO IS NOT WHERE I PURCHASED IT. I AM TAKING IT TO HOLMAN LINCOLN MERCURY IN HOLLYWOOD, FL. I HAVE NOT TAKEN IT TO THE SELLING DEALERSHIP DUE TO DISTANCE.ANY ADVISE?*AK (TIRESIZE: P215/50R16)

NHTSA ID

754416

DUE TO VIBRATION IN STEERING, I HAD MY TIRES ROTATED AND BALANCED IN MAY, 2001. ONE TIRE WAS FOUND TO HAVE "THROWN" A BELT, A DEFECT IN THE TIRE. UPON CONTACTING BF GOODRICH IT WAS FOUND THAT THE NEAREST TIRE INSPECTOR/ADJUSTER WAS 90 MILES FROM MY HOMETOWN. I SET AN APPOINTMENT FOR APPROXIMATELY 1 WEEK LATER. IN THE MEANTIME I EXPERIENCED A BLOW-OUT OF THAT TIRE AND HAD TO HAVE IT PATCHED. ACCORDING TO THE INSPECTOR/ADJUSTER, THE PATCH DEEMED ANY WARRANTY VOID AND NO ADJUSTMENT WAS MADE ON A NEW TIRE. THEN IN SEPTEMBER, 2001 I AGAIN NOTICEED SIMILAR VIBRATION. I TOOK THE VEHICLE TO ANOTHER TIRE DEALER TO HAVE THE TIRES ROTATED AND BALANCED. ANOTHER OF THE TIRES WAS FOUND TO HAVE "THROWN" A BELT, WHICH AGAIN WAS SAID TO BE A DEFECT IN THE TIRE. 2 OF THE 4 ORIGINAL EQUIPMENT TIRES EXPERIENCED THE SAME PROBLEM/DEFECT. I CONTACTED BF GOODRICH WITH MY CONCERN FROM A SAFETY STANDPOINT BUT WAS TOLD AS LONG AS THE OTHER 2 TIRES WERE OK THEY CAN ONLY MAKE AN ADJUSTMENT ON THE CURRENT DEFECT ISSUE, PRIOVIDED I DON'T HAVE ANOTHER BLOW-OUT IN THE MEANTIME!*AK (TIRESIZE: P215/50R16)

NHTSA ID

752386

Incident

May 18, 2001

THE VEHICLES REAR TIRE WAS FLAT, THE FRONT TIRE WAS GOING FLAT AND THE PASSENGER SIDE TIRES WERE ALL LOW, UPON CLOSER EXAMINATION THE SIDEWALLS ON ALL 4 TIRES HAD A SPLIT IN THE RUBBER THAT WAS PERFECTLY CIRCULAR AND ON THE FLATTEST TIRE THE RUBBER HAD SPLIT AND WAS GAPING OPEN. THE SEPARATION IS THIN AND SMOOTH-EDGED NOT TORN(FIRESTONE FIREHAWK GTA,P205/55R16).

NHTSA ID

563078

ON ALL FOUR TIRES PRESSURE WAS LOW AND TREAD WAS SEPARATING. CONSUMER CHECKED RIGHT REAR TIRE ,AND THERE WAS TREAD SEPERATION AS WELL. FIRESTONE, FIREHAWK GTA-02, SIZE205/60R15 ON A 1999, MERCURY, COUGAR. *AKALL FOUR TIRES HAD SIDEWALL SEPARATION AT THE SAME TIME,THE VEHICLES REAR TIRE WAS FLAT, THE FRONT TIRE WAS GOING FLAT AND THE PASSENGER SIDE TIRES WERE ALL LOW, UPON CLOSER EXAMINATION THE SIDEWALLS ON ALL 4 TIRES HAD A SPLIT IN THE RUBBER THAT WAS PERFECTLY CIRCULAR AND ON THE FLATTEST TIRE THE RUBBER HAD SPLIT AND WAS GAPING OPEN. THE SEPARATION IS THIN AND SMOOTH-EDGED NOT TORN(FIRESTONE FIREHAWK GTA,P205/55R16). NLM

NHTSA ID

895567

Incident

Aug 29, 2001

THE TIRES ON THIS CAR WERE NOT SEVERLY WORN OR CUPPED IN ANY WAY. I TOOK MY CAR HOME AND ROUGHLY A WEEK LATER A BULDGE ABOUT THE SIZE OF A HALF DOLLAR APPEARED ON THE RIGHT FRONT TIRE, LUCKILY MY FREIND CAUGHT IT BEFORE I DID AS WE WERE ABOUT TO GO ON A TRIP AND IT COULD HAVE BEEN BAD. I TOOK THE CAR TO THE DEALERSHIP AND THEN TO FIRESTONE DEALER, BOTH SAID I HAD HIT A POT HOLE, SPEAKING IT WAS MY NEW CAR, I KNOW I HADNT. THE DEALERSHIP AND FIRESTONE DEALER SAID TO JUST REPLACE THIS TIRE. SO I RELUCTANTLY BOUGHT A NEW SET OF GTA02 FOR MY CAR (LIKE AN IDIOT) AND THEN I GO HOME AND GET ON THE INTERNET. I FOUND THAT THE SIZE UP FROM MINE HAVE BEEN RECALLED FOR SOMETHING QUITE SIMILAR. NOT ONLY THAT BUT I HAVE FOUND MANY NEW FOCUS, CONTOUR, AND COUGAR OWNERS WHO HAVE FACED THE SAME PROBLEM. I JUST WANT TO BE SURE SINCE I WILL NOW START TO TRAVEL BACK AND FOURTH FIVE HOURS ONE WAY THAT I WILL BE SAFE. THANKS. *AK (TIRESIZE: 215/50R/16)

NHTSA ID

749073

Incident

Mar 19, 2001

WHILE ON INTERSTATE 10 A VIBRATION STARTED, STOPPED AND LOOKED SEVERAL TIMES AND DIDN'T FIND ANYTHING, WHEN I EXITED THE INTERSTATE IT APPEARED THAT I HAD A FLAT TIRE, WHEN I PULLED INTO A GAS STATION THE TIRE APPEARED TO BE INFLATED, UPON FURTHER INVESTIGATION I FOUND A LARGE SECTION OF THE STEEL BELT/TREAD WAS MISSING AND THERE WAS BITS OF METAL SHOWING THROUGH SIDE OF TIRE. AT THIS TIME I COULD HEAR AIR BEGINNING TO ESCAPE FROM THE TIRE. I HAD TO HAVE THE TIRE REPLACED. I HAVE TRIED TO DEAL WITH FIRESTONE AND HAVE GOTTEN NO WHERE.*AK (TIRESIZE: 205/60R15)

NHTSA ID

748798

Incident

Jul 7, 2001

TIRE BLEWOUT SIDEWALL AFTER LESS THAN 10 MINUTES OF DRIVING. VEHICLE RECENTLY SERVICED AT A LINCOLN MERCURY DEALERSHIP TIRES WERE INSPECTED AND DETERMINED TO BE IN GOOD CONDITION. *AK (TIRESIZE: 215/50/16)

NHTSA ID

748324

Incident

Jul 8, 2001

VEHICLE STARTED SHAKING, THE TIRES WERE DEFECTIVE, THE DEALER CALLED IT PLY-SEPERATION. TWO DAYS LATER ANOTHER TIRE HAD THE SAME PROBLEM.

NHTSA ID

9002243

Incident

Mar 19, 2001

SHORTLY AFTER EXITING A LEFT HAND TURN, MY WIFE EXPERIENCED A SUDDEN DEFLATION OF HER RIGHT FRONT TIRE. UPON MY ARRIVAL, I NOTICED A PROTRUDED LIP ON THE OUTER RIM EDGE. SHE SAID THAT SHE DID NOT HIT ANYTHING,AND FROM THE DAMAGE TO THE RIM, SHE'D HAVE KNOWN!. WHILE WAITING FOR THE WRECKER, WE EVEN WENT BACK AND INSPECTED THE ROADWAY FOR ANY OBJECTS THAT MIGHT HAVE CAUSED THIS SITUATION. ABSOLUTELY NONE WERE FOUND. THE TIRE WAS INTACT AND NO EXTERIOR DEFECTS WERE(ARE) VISIBLE. WHEN THE WHEEL WAS PULLED FROM THE VEHICLE, ANOTHER BENT AREA DIRECTLY OPPOSITE OF THE EXTERIOR BEND WAS NOTED ON THE INTERIOR. PICTURES OF THESE BENDS ARE AVAILABLE. ALSO, AS THE WHOLE ASSEMBLY IS BEING REPLACED, THE ASSEMBLY IN QUESTION WILL BE AVAILABLE FOR FURTHER INVESTIGATION. THANK GOD MY WIFE (AND CHILDREN)WAS NOT ON THE INTERSTATE DURING THIS EVENT!!!!*AK (DOT NUMBER: BEBOAT9111 TIRESIZE: P215/50R16)

NHTSA ID

740111

Incident

Jan 23, 2001

I NORMALLY BUY FOREIGN MADE AUTOS. BUT THIS CAR WAS GORGEOUS. IT HAS BECOME A LIVING NIGHTMARE. A FLYWHEEL WAS REPLACED AFTER SEVERAL TIMES TELLING THE DEALER THAT IT MADE A HORRIBLE SCREECHING NOISE AS IF THE KEY WAS ALREADY STARTED. THE NEXT PROBLEM IS THAT I HIT A POTHOLE IN DETROIT AND RUINED A RIM PLUS TIRE. I JUST RECENTLY HAD TO REPLACE 2 MORE TIRES THAT JUST SEEM TO WEAR OUT FOR NO REASON. I DON'T DO A WHOLE LOT OF DRIVING. LAST MONTH THEY REPLACED THE IAC SWITCH. NOW I NEED TO TAKE IT IN BECAUSE IT RIDES LIKE A RAGGEDY TRUCK. IT SHAKES AND WILL NOT HOLD THE ROAD. YOU CAN FEEL EVERY CRACK IN THE STREET. MY BOYFRIEND HAS A 88 OLDS AND I WOULD RATHER RIDE/DRIVE HIS CAR THAN THIS COUGAR. I STILL HAVE 1 YEAR ON MY LEASE AND YOU CAN BET I WILL NEVER BY A FORD/LINCOLN/MERCURY CAR EVERY AGAIN. *AK (TIRESIZE: R16)( DOT NUMBER: TIRE SIZE: R16 )

NHTSA ID

739832

Incident

Oct 1, 2000

THIS IS THE SECOND TIME THAT ALL FOUR TIRES HAVE GONE BAD. THE FIRST HAPPENED AT 17M MILES WITH TREAD SEPARATING IN ALL FOUR TIRES. THIS HAS HAPPENNED ONCE AGAIN AT 61M MILES WITH TWO OF THE FOUR SEPARATING AND SHOWING WIRES AND THE OTHER TWO ARE GOING THE SAME WAY SOON. *AK (TIRESIZE: 215/50/16)( DOT NUMBER: TIRE SIZE: 215/50/16 )

NHTSA ID

738986

Incident

Jan 7, 2001

AT 14,000 MILES, MECHANIC SPOTTED HAIRLINE SPLITS ON THE SIDEWALLS. TIRES HAVE BEEN ROATATED TWICE..CITY DRIVING..COST OF 4165.00 TO REPLACE..MUST WAIT 2 WEEKS FOR REPLACEMENTS...MECHANIC WARNS AGAINST HIGH SPEED DRIVING...NEVER REPLACED TIRES ON A CAR THIS SOON! CONTACTED FS..NO ANSWERS!!. *AK (TIRESIZE: P215/50R16)( DOT NUMBER: TIRE SIZE: P215/50R16 )

NHTSA ID

735947

Incident

Nov 4, 2000

FIRESTONE FIREHAWK GTA TIRES (P215 50 R16) EXPERIENCED VIBRATION. *SLC

NHTSA ID

556378

AFTER REGULAR TIRE ROTATION AT 28,000 MILES, THE CAR STARTED TO PULL TO THE RIGHT (THE SIDE WHERE THE DEFECTIVE TIRES WERE ON), THE STEERING WAS JERKY AND AN AUDIBLE THRUMMING COULD BE HEARD. IT WAS NOTICEABLE AS SLOW AS 10 MPH AND GREW INCREASINGLY WORSE AS THE VEHICLE SPED UP. WHEN WE HAD THE VEHICLE INSPECTED AT THREE DIFFERENT LOCATIONS, THEY ALL CONCLUDED THAT TIRE SEPARATION WAS THE CAUSE AND WAS THE POSSIBLE CAUSE OF THE CAR BEING OUT OF ALIGNMENT. WE CORRECTED THE ALIGNMENT AND PURCHASED FOUR NEW TIRES (YOKOHAMA) AND THE PROBLEMS ARE GONE.( DOT NUMBER: W2B0 TIRE SIZE: 215/50R16 )

NHTSA ID

731937

Incident

Aug 30, 2000

TREAD COMPLETELY SEPARATED FROM SIDEWALLS. ONLY SIDEWALLS REMAINED ON WHEEL. DEALER INDICATED THAT THERE WAS A HOLE IN THE TREAD BUT UNCLEAR WHETHER HOLE OCCURRED BEFORE OR AFTER SEPARATION. DO NOT HAVE TIRE BUT HAVE PICTURES. ALSO, SERVICE MANAGER, NICK CALDARON INSPECTED TIRE. AM CONCERNED BECAUSE I HAVE 4 SIMILAR TIRES ON CAR NOW.( DOT NUMBER: TIRE SIZE: P215R1689 )

NHTSA ID

729155

Incident

Aug 18, 2000

TWO OF THE FIRESTONE FIREHAWK GTA 20-P215/50R16 TIRES EXPERIENCED TREAD SEPARATION AND BLOWOUTS, ONE INCIDENT CAUSED LOSS OF CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE AND HIT A CURB. *MJS

NHTSA ID

553980

Incident

Nov 30, 1999

TREAD ON TIRES STARTED TO SEPARATE FROM TIRE HAD TO RELACE ALL TIRES SENT FIRESTONE AN E-MAIL THEY SENT BACK THE TRUCK TIRE RECALL INFO DID NOT TAKE TO DEALER BECAUSE THEY WOULD HAVE PUT FIRESTONES BACK ON ,I SAVED ONE TIRE THAT WAS DAMAGED( DOT NUMBER: W2UN TIRE SIZE: P205/60RIS )

NHTSA ID

728600

I HAVE HAD TWO (2) SIDE WALL BLOWOUTS ON THE LOWER PART OF THE SIDEWALL NEAR THE TREAD. BOTH INCIDENTS WERE ON CITY STREETS AND THERE WAS NO EVIDENCE OF ROAD HAZARD OF ANY KIND. THE FIRST INCIDENT THROUGH THE CAR OUT OF CONTROL AND INTO A CURB. NO OTHER CARS WERE INVOLVED. I KEPT THE LAST TIRE, HOWEVER DISCARDED THE FIRST.*AK( DOT NUMBER: TIRE SIZE: P215/50 R1 )

NHTSA ID

727822

Incident

Aug 8, 2000

CONSUMER WAS TRAVELING ABOUT 30MPH ON HIGHWAY AND HIT A SMALL POTHOLE IN THE ROAD. TIRE SIDEWALL SPLITTED, LIKE SOMEONE HAD CUT THE TIRE. THIS HAPPENED A YEAR AGO TRAVELING ABOUT 50MPH ON THE HIGHWAY, AND A CHUNK OF THE TIRE SIDEWALL SIMPLY EXPLODED WITH NO CONTACT AT ALL. FIRESTONE FIREHAWK #GTA02, SIZE 215/50/16. DEALERSHIP AND FIRESTONE HAS BEEN NOTIFIED. *AK

NHTSA ID

867308

Incident

Aug 8, 2000

ALL FOUR OF MY TIRES HAD THE BELTS SHOWING AT 17000 MILES. I HAVE PUT NEW ONES ON AND THEY ARE STARTING TO SHAKE JUST LIKE THE FIRST SET THAT WAS ON THE CAR. I HAVE HEARD OF OTHER COMPLAINTS ON THE TIRES FOR THE COUGAR. THIS IS NOT THE ONLY PROBLEM. THANK YOU. *AK( DOT NUMBER: TIRE SIZE: 215/50/16 )

NHTSA ID

726079

Incident

Mar 15, 2000