Tap a category to read its complaints. One report may name several components.
When problems were reported
Mileage at the reported incident
Limited mileage data: 2 of 55 reports include usable mileage. There isn’t enough coverage to show a useful chart.
NHTSA’s mileage field refers to the reported incident, not necessarily the filing date. This shows report counts, not the likelihood of a failure.
What to inspect
Issues worth paying extra attention to based on owner reports.
Seat Belts. Review the 16 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
Electrical System. Review the 12 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
Vehicle Speed Control. Review the 10 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
7 crash reports6 fire reports6 injury reports
What owners actually said
55 reports
60,000 miles · Apr 22, 2005
Vehicle Speed ControlCrashInjury
ON FEB 12, 1994 MY WIFE AND HER FRIEND TOOK MY RED 1988 MERCURY COUGAR LS TO CHURCH AT 6:30 PM. IT WAS AN EXTREMELY FOGGY EVENING. I RECEIVED A CALL AT THE HOUSE AT 6:50 PM THAT MY WIFE HAD BEEN IN A CAR ACCIDENT AND THAT I NEEDED TO COME TO THE SITE. MY CAR WAS IN MINT CONDITION INSIDE AND OUT BEFORE THE ACCIDENT. WHEN I SA…
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ON FEB 12, 1994 MY WIFE AND HER FRIEND TOOK MY RED 1988 MERCURY COUGAR LS TO CHURCH AT 6:30 PM. IT WAS AN EXTREMELY FOGGY EVENING. I RECEIVED A CALL AT THE HOUSE AT 6:50 PM THAT MY WIFE HAD BEEN IN A CAR ACCIDENT AND THAT I NEEDED TO COME TO THE SITE. MY CAR WAS IN MINT CONDITION INSIDE AND OUT BEFORE THE ACCIDENT. WHEN I SAW THE CAR, IT WAS UNBELIEVABLE!! MY WIFE, WITNESSES, LAW ENFORCEMENT AND GOODYEAR TIRE CONCLUDED THAT IT WAS THE MERCURY COUGAR?S COMPUTER THAT CAUSED THE ENGINE TO GO FULL-THROTTLE. DIANE, MY WIFE AND PASSENGER TESTIFIED THAT WHEN THE ENGINE SURGED, SHE PUT BOTH FEET ON THE BRAKE PEDAL TO STOP THE CAR. AFTER NO AVAIL, SHE APPLIED THE EMERGENCY BRAKE. THIS CAUSED THE VEHICLE TO SPIN INTO A HEAVILY TRAVELED INTERSECTION. AS THE VEHICLE SPUN, MY WIFE TRIED TO PUT THE VEHICLE INTO ?PARK?. UNFORTUNATELY, THE VEHICLE CHANGED INTO ?REVERSE?, SENDING THEM THROUGH A GAS STATION, AT FULL-THROTTLE, BACKWARDS. AT THIS TIME, THE PASSENGER PANICKED. SHE UNBUCKLED HER SEATBELT AND OPENED THE DOOR WHILE TRAVELING IN REVERSE. THE DOOR MOMENTARILY PINED HER TO THE GROUND, RESULTING IN MAJOR FRACTURES OF THE HIP AND OTHER MINOR INJURIES. THE CAR FINALLY CAME TO REST IN THE WOODS ADJACENT TO THE GAS STATION WITH MAJOR FRAME DAMAGE, A SEVERED FUEL LINE AND ALL FOUR WHEELS WERE DESTROYED. MY WIFE WAS SHAKEN, BUT NO INJURIES. WITNESSES STATED THEY CAME WITHIN INCHES OF HITTING THE GAS PUMPS. AT THE TIME, MY FATHER-IN-LAW, A RETIRED GM MECHANIC BLAMED THE EVENT ON MY WIFE. UNTIL I BECAME COMPUTER SMART AND HAVE READ SO MANY ARTICLES THIS WEEK ON FORD VEHICLES SURGING, I THOUGHT I HAD BETTER REPORT THIS INCIDENT TO HELP OTHERS WHO APPARENTLY HAVE BEEN THROUGH THE SAME EXPERIENCE. *JB
NHTSA ODI #10118272
75,000 miles · Nov 17, 2004
Seat Belts
THE RIGHT SELTBELT BUCKLE ON THE DRIVERS SIDE FAILS OFTEN. FORD NO LONGER SUPPLIES THESE BUCKLES, AND THEY ARE VERY SCARCE IN WRECKING YARDS.*AK
NHTSA ODI #10100078
Mileage unknown · Apr 8, 2004
Unknown Or OtherCrashInjury
CONSUMER COMPLAINED ABOUT A TIRE THAT FAILED FROM ANOTHER VEHICLE. FRONT LEFT TIRE TREAD SEPARATED FROM A CHEVROLET BLAZER 1984, AND CAUSED THE VEHICLE TO LOSE CONTROL. VEHICLE HIT TWO OTHER VEHICLES, ONE BEING THE CONSUMER'S VEHICLE, AND CAUSED SEVERE DAMAGE. DURING THE CRASH CONSUMER'S WRIST WAS BROKEN AND THE VEHICLE WAS…
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CONSUMER COMPLAINED ABOUT A TIRE THAT FAILED FROM ANOTHER VEHICLE. FRONT LEFT TIRE TREAD SEPARATED FROM A CHEVROLET BLAZER 1984, AND CAUSED THE VEHICLE TO LOSE CONTROL. VEHICLE HIT TWO OTHER VEHICLES, ONE BEING THE CONSUMER'S VEHICLE, AND CAUSED SEVERE DAMAGE. DURING THE CRASH CONSUMER'S WRIST WAS BROKEN AND THE VEHICLE WAS TOTALED. *AK *JB
NHTSA ODI #10059749
Mileage unknown · Sep 3, 2003
Electrical System
THE IGNITION SWITCH DOES NOT IGNITE IF THE GEAR SHIFT IS NOT COMPLETELY UP. IT APPEARS THERE IS NOT ENOUGH COMMUNICATION BETWEEN THE ELECTRICAL IGNITION SWITCH AND THE GEAR SHIFT.*AK
NHTSA ODI #10037172
Mileage unknown · May 13, 2002
Electrical System
RECALL 96 V 071 000/IGNITION SWITCH: RECALL REPAIRS WAS DONE AT BAYWAY LINCOLN, MERCURY; HOUSTON, TX; PHONE# 281/ 929-6500. AT THE PRESENT TIME PROBLEM HAS REOCCURRED. FEEL FREE TO PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION.*AK
NHTSA ODI #8009718
Mileage unknown · Nov 9, 2000
Electrical SystemEngine And Engine Cooling
WHILE DRIVING ABOUT ANY SPEED VEHICLE WILL SHUT DOWN, BUT ALL ELECTRICAL PARTS WILL STILL BE WORKING, LIKE HEADLIGHTS/ RADIO/ POWER WINDOW, AND AIR CONDITIONER. BUT NOT COLD AND MOTOR WILL STILL BE WORKING; IGNITION MODULE HAD BEEN REPLACED FOUR TIMES, AND NOW HAS TO BE REPLACED AGAIN.*AK
NHTSA ODI #874762
Mileage unknown · Nov 8, 2000
Engine And Engine Cooling
VEHICLE STALLS WHEN STARTING FROM A COMPLETE STOP OR A ROLLING STOP, RECALL 96V071 WAS COMPLETED ON VEHICLE, BUT THE PROBLEM STILL EXISTS POSSIBLY DUE TO AN ENGINE FAILURE. *SLC
NHTSA ODI #557171
Mileage unknown · Sep 23, 2000
Electrical SystemFire
BOTH FORD MOTOR CORP. AND GALPIN LINCOLN-MERCURY REFUSED TO COVER FOR REPAIRS. OWNER HAD TO DO SO AT HIS OWN EXPENSE. *AK
NHTSA ODI #732358
Mileage unknown · Sep 12, 2000
Electrical SystemSeat BeltsFire
IGN. SW. RECALL WORK DONE PREVIOUSLY 2 TIMES BY GALPIN LINCOLN-MERCURY. SEAT BELT FAILURE REPORTED BOTH TO GALPIN LINCOLN-MERCURY AND FORD MOTOR CORP. BECAUSE OF NO DOCUMENTED RECALL, THEY REFUSED TO REPAIR IT. I HAVE BEEN DRIVING EVER SINCE WITHOUT SHOULDER BELT PROTECTION.
NHTSA ODI #731200
Mileage unknown · Aug 8, 2000
Tires
THE UPPER LAYER OF THE FIRESTONE TIRE ON THE FRONT LEFT WAS COMPLETELY SEPARATED FROM THE REST OF THE TIRE. THIS WAS AT A SPEED OF ABOUT 60 MPH. THE TIRE WAS IN GOOD CONDITION WITH NO DAMAGE. IT WAS A VERY SCAREY AND DANGEROUS SITUATION WITH THE WHOLE FAMILY (WIFE AND 2 KIDS) IN THE CAR ON THE HIGHWAY, IN THE MIDDLE OF DESERT …
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THE UPPER LAYER OF THE FIRESTONE TIRE ON THE FRONT LEFT WAS COMPLETELY SEPARATED FROM THE REST OF THE TIRE. THIS WAS AT A SPEED OF ABOUT 60 MPH. THE TIRE WAS IN GOOD CONDITION WITH NO DAMAGE. IT WAS A VERY SCAREY AND DANGEROUS SITUATION WITH THE WHOLE FAMILY (WIFE AND 2 KIDS) IN THE CAR ON THE HIGHWAY, IN THE MIDDLE OF DESERT AND AT NIGHT. CALLED AAA FOR HELP AND WE WERE LUCKY THE CAT DID NOT OVERTURN. I HAVE HEARD VERY SIMILAR CASES WITH FIRESTONE. I BELIEVE THRE FIRESTONE TIRES ARE DANGEROUS AND SHOULD BE RECALLED. *AK( DOT NUMBER: TIRE SIZE: 215SR17 )
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