RoadVitals

2001 Mercury Cougar Engine Problems

Owner-reported complaints naming the engine system, filed with NHTSA

Data refreshed

Engine reportsComplaints 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.
12
Latest Jul 7, 2016
Share of all reportsThis category as a share of every owner report on file for this model year. One report can name more than one component, so the categories overlap.
15%
of 82 total
Crash or fire reportedReports in this category whose submitter recorded that a crash or a fire occurred. The reporter's own answer on the NHTSA form, not a verified finding.
3
Injuries or deaths reportedTotals the submitters entered on their own reports in this category. Not verified by NHTSA and not a casualty statistic.
0

What this page shows

Reports naming the engine itself — including stalling, misfires, oil consumption, cooling and internal engine components. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 2001 Mercury Cougar submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 12 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.

Owner reports naming engine

Shown in the owner’s own words, exactly as filed

EngineFuel system
Filed Jul 7, 2016

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 MERCURY COUGAR. WHILE DRIVING 45 MPH, THE VEHICLE FAILED TO ACCELERATE WHEN THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED. THE ENGINE CHECK WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE FUEL DELIVERY MODULE FAILED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 04V421000(FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE). THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 59,800.

NHTSA ID
10883445
Incident
Jun 23, 2015
Mileage
59,800 mi
EngineFuel system
Filed Apr 16, 2015

CAR STARTED HESITATING AND LOST POWER THEN STALLED OUT CAUSING TRAFFIC TO GET BACKED UP. *TR

NHTSA ID
10706169
Incident
Apr 1, 2015
Mileage
159,000 mi
Engine
Filed Jul 30, 2007

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 MERCURY COUGAR. WHILE DRIVING 55 MPH, THE ENGINE BEGAN MAKING A KNOCKING SOUND AND EVENTUALLY FAILED. NO WARNING LIGHTS ILLUMINATED AND THE TEMPERATURE GAUGE DID NOT INDICATE ANYTHING ABNORMAL. THE VEHICLE BEGAN SMOKING ONCE THE CONTACT PULLED OVER AND SHE NOTICED RADIATOR FLUID LEAKING. AFTER RESTARTING THE VEHICLE, ALL OF THE INSTRUMENT PANEL WARNING LIGHTS ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO A MECHANIC AND THEY STATED THAT A NEW ENGINE WAS NEEDED. SHE TOOK THE VEHICLE TO MIDAS FOR A SECOND OPINION AND WAS INFORMED AGAIN THAT HER VEHICLE NEEDED A NEW ENGINE. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 75,000. UPDATED 02/01/08. *LJ THE HEAD GASKETS WERE LEAKING WHICH ALLOWED RADIATOR FLUID TO MIX WITH THE OIL.

NHTSA ID
10197835
Incident
Jul 22, 2007
Mileage
75,000 mi
Engine
Filed Jul 23, 2007

I HAVE A SMELL IN THE CAR AFTER AGGRESSIVE DRIVING, AND THE TSB # IS 00252 AND NHTSA IS 616819. WHAT IS CAUSING THIS SMELL, IT JUST STARTED. ALSO WHAT IS NHTSA # 10004066 TSB # 17174. HESITATION I KNOW, WHAT IS MAKING IT HESITATE. *TR

NHTSA ID
10197180
Incident
Jul 1, 2007
Mileage
78,000 mi
EngineSuspensionTransmission
Filed Feb 23, 2005

2001 MERCURY COUGAR. SINCE I HAVE OWNED THIS CAR I HAVE REPLACE THE ENGINE AT 65,000 MILES, LEFT FRONT WHEEL BEARING AT 70,000 MILES, RIGHT FRONT WHEEL BEARING IS ON ITS WAY OUT AT 100,000 MILES ALONG WITH A PLUGGED CATALYTIC CONVERTER, AND TRANSMISSION SLIPPAGE. A/C ALSO FAILED AT 115,000 MILES.*AK

NHTSA ID
10112067
Incident
Sep 15, 2002
Mileage
67,000 mi
Engine
Filed Dec 29, 2004

WHILE DRIVING 15 MPH, THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO HESITATE AND THEN IT STALLED, THE CONSUMER WAS UNABLE TO RESTART THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER. THE DEALER WAS UNABLE TO DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM. *JB

NHTSA ID
10105520
Incident
Dec 20, 2004
Mileage
23,144 mi
Engine
Filed Jul 29, 2004

WHILE DRIVING 30 MPH ENGINE CHECK LIGHT AND RADIATOR LIGHT APPEARED ON THE DASHBOARD AND REMAINED ON. VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION. *AK

NHTSA ID
10083809
Incident
Jul 23, 2004
Engine
Filed Feb 26, 2004

WHILE DRIVING AT 25 MPH AND WITHOUT WARNING VEHICLE SHUT OFF. CONSUMER ATTEMPTED TO RESTART THE VEHICLE, BUT VEHICLE WOULD NOT RESTART. CONSUMER HAD THE VEHICLE TOWED TO THE DEALERSHIP FOR INSPECTION, BUT MECHANIC COULD NOT RESOLVE THE PROBLEM. *AK

NHTSA ID
10059864
Incident
Feb 26, 2004
Engine
Filed Aug 13, 2002

ONGOING PROBLEM WITH ENGINE STALLING AT MULTIPLE SPEED. VEHICLE BEEN TO DEALER ON THREE OCCASIONS, AND PROBLEM STILL REOCCURRING. FEEL FREE TO PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFROMATION.*AK

NHTSA ID
8016216
Incident
Jul 2, 2002
Engine
Filed May 13, 2002
Fire reported

CAR PARKED AND ENGINE SHUT OFF. WITHIN 5 MINUTES ENGINE WAS ON FIRE. *TS ***DIMSII IVOQ ENTRY POSTED AFTER 12-12-02 CUT OVER TO ARTEMIS***761829

NHTSA ID
10009199
Incident
May 10, 2002
Mileage
4,002 mi
Engine
Filed Apr 26, 2002
Fire reported

TRAVELING 70MPH ON INTERSTATE 75 SOUTH CAR JUST CAUGHT FIRE IN THE MIDDLE LANE. CAR JUST STOPPED IN THE MIDDLE LANE. FIRE STARTED FROM THE ENGINE AND SHOT TO THE REAR OF THE CAR. STATE FARM INSURANCE CO., THE SERVICE MANAGER AT THE DEALERSHIP, AND A REPRESENTATIVE FOR FORD MOTOR CO., ALL STATED THAT THE CAR HAS A MANUFACTURER'S DEFECT WHICH CAUSE THE ENGINE TO SEPARATE . THE CAR WAS SERVICED AT THE DEALERSHIP THAT SAME DAY ( ENGINE LIGHT HAD CAME ON) AND RELEASED AS REPAIRED.*AIK

NHTSA ID
761236
Incident
Apr 2, 2002
Engine
Filed Apr 23, 2002
Fire reported

GOING 70 MPH ON 75 SOUTH CAR JUST CAUGHT ON FIRE IN MIDDLE LANE ON THE HIGHWAY. CAR JUST STOPPED IN THE MIDDLE LANE FIRE STARTED FROM THE ENGINE AND SHOT TO THE REAR OF THE CAR. ****DIMS 11 IVOQ ENTRY POSTED AFTER 12/12/02 CUT-OVER TO ARTEMIS****761083. *AK *JB

NHTSA ID
10008768
Incident
Apr 2, 2002

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.

Other components reported on this vehicle

Categories with enough reports to have a page of their own

Fuel system26Electrical11Transmission10

Elsewhere on this vehicle

Data sources

Data on this page last refreshed .