IllustrationI KNOW THAT THERE IS A PROBLEM WITH THIS ENGINE SIZE AND MAKE. I WANT IN ON THE SUIT. THIS PROBLEM SHOULD NOT HAVE HAPPENED. I TAKE VERY GOOD CARE OF THE CAR AND THIS MUST BE POOR WORKMANSHIP FROM THE FACTORY. *AK
1993 Mercury Cougar
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
Limited comparison data
There is not enough comparable history to draw a useful model-year comparison.
About this comparison →How this year compares
Owner complaints by model year
Compare all Cougar years →Counts vary with age, sales and reporting. They are not failure rates.
What owners reported most
All reported categories
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: 18 of 195 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.
- Engine And Engine Cooling. Review the 105 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Exterior Lighting. Review the 24 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Service Brakes, Hydraulic. Review the 20 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
6 crash reports4 fire reports2 injury reports
Engine And Engine Cooling complaints
105 reportsCONTACTED FORD MOTOR COMPANY TWICE, TELEPHONE AND IN WRITING, WITH NO RESOLVE. NO SAFETY DEFECT MENTIONED IN THE SUMMARY. *AK
WHEN DRIVING AT ANY SPEED AND APPLYING THE BRAKES, BRAKE'S WENT STRAIGHT TO THE FLOORBOARD. ALSO, PCV VALVE WENT OUT, AND TRANSMISSION OVERFLOWED WHICH CAUSED THE TRANSMISSION FLUID TO GET ONTO TRANSMISSION AND ENGINE. CONSUMER HAD THE ENGINE REBUILT, AND TWO WATER PUMPS WERE REPLACED. ENGINE CHECK LIGHT KEPT COMING ON. *AK
VEHICLE WAS RUNNING WHILE PARKED AND HEATER WAS TURNED ON WHEN DRIVER NOTICED THAT THE TEMP GAUGE INDICATED HIGH TEMPERATURES. VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A REPAIR SHOP WHERE IT WAS DETERMINED THAT THE HEAD GASKET ON THE LEFT SIDE WAS BLOWN OUT AND THERE WAS WATER IN THE OIL. REPAIRS WERE MADE AT OWNER'S EXPENSE. *AK
THIS OILPAN GASKET MADE OF RUBBER THAT SWELLS IN OIL AND WILL BLOW OUT
HEAD GASKET REPLACED (BOTH BANKS) THREE GARAGES STATED THE HEAD GASKET PROBLEM WAS COMMON IN MOST 3.8 LITRE ENGINES. MASTER MECHANIC CONSIDERS THIS TO BE A QUALITY ISSUE, AND A RECALL SHOULD BE ISSUED. MECHANIC FURTHER STATED THAT THE JAPANESE WOULD NOT LET THIS PROBLEM GO PAST THEIR PRODUCTION LINE AND THE GERMAN'S WOULD COM…
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HEAD GASKET REPLACED (BOTH BANKS) THREE GARAGES STATED THE HEAD GASKET PROBLEM WAS COMMON IN MOST 3.8 LITRE ENGINES. MASTER MECHANIC CONSIDERS THIS TO BE A QUALITY ISSUE, AND A RECALL SHOULD BE ISSUED. MECHANIC FURTHER STATED THAT THE JAPANESE WOULD NOT LET THIS PROBLEM GO PAST THEIR PRODUCTION LINE AND THE GERMAN'S WOULD COMPLETELY THROW OUT ANY REPEATED MECHANICAL DEFECTS. THIS IS THE FOURTH FORD/MERCURY AUTOMOBILE I HAVE OWNED AND THE MECHANICAL PROBLEMS I HAVE INCURRED ARE USUALLY REPEATED YEAR-TO-YEAR/MODEL-TO-MODEL. I HAVE SAVED ALL RECEIPTS FOR REPAIRS FOR ALL FORD VEHICLES OWNED AND WILL SEND A LETTER WITH COPIES TO FORD'S PRESIDENT.
I HAVE BEEN MADE AWARE THE FORD MOTOR COMPANY IS AWARE OF A PROBLEM WITH THIS 3.8 ENGINE BLOWING GASKETS AND DAMAGING HEADS. WHY NOT A RECALL?? HAVE JUST HAD MY VEHICLE BLOW THE GASKETS AND HEADS AGAIN. *AK
COULD ANYONE TELL ME WHY WHEN YOU HAVE THE HEADS AND VALVE GASKETS REPLACED IN MAY BECAUSE THEY FAILED WITH ONLY 15,000 MORE MILES, THEY BLEW AGAIN. NOW I AM FIND OUT THAT THERE ARE QUITE A FEW 93 MERCURY COUGARS JUST IN OUR AREA HAVING THE SAME PROBLEM??? WHAT IS THIS? *AK
WHEN DRIVING AT ANY SPEED VEHICLE OVERHEATS AND STALLS,VEHICLE DIES OUT, AND THE TEMPERATURE GAUGE LIGHT GOES OFF. THE ENGINE CHECK LIGHT KEEPS COMING ON. DEALER STATED THE PROBLEM WAS WITHIN THE RADIATOR, AND THE RADIATOR WAS REPLACED. VEHICLE HAS BEEN IN THE SHOP TWICE, AND THE DEALER CAN'T DETERMINE THE PROBLEM. *AK
WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE WOULD OVERHEAT. WHEN TAKEN TO GOODYEAR, THE PROBLEM WAS DUE TO A CRACK ENGINE HEAD GASKET. THE ENGINE HEAD GASKET WAS REPLACED. *AK
Official recalls
399V275000 · Exterior Lighting:headlights:switch
Oct 12, 1999
VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH FOG LIGHTS, IN WHICH THE HEADLIGHTS MAY GO OUT FOR VARIOUS INTERVALS AND WHICH MAY BE PRECEDED BY FLICKERING OR BLINKING AS A RESULT OF THE CIRCUIT BREAKER OPENING.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: DRIVER'S COULD EXPERIENCE A LOSS OF VISIBILITY, INCREASING THE RISK OF A CRASH.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSTALL A HEADLIGHT SWITCH WHICH INCORPORATES A CIRCUIT BREAKER OF REVISED DESIGN, AND INSTALL A WIRING HARNESS CONNECTOR, IF NEEDED.
97V159000 · Fuel System, Gasoline:delivery:hoses, Lines/piping, And Fittings
Sep 22, 1997
VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES ORIGINALLY SOLD OR CURRENTLY REGISTERED IN THE STATES OF CONNECTICUT, DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, DELAWARE, IOWA, ILLINOIS, INDIANA, KENTUCKY, MASSACHUSETTS, MARYLAND, MAINE, MICHIGAN, MINNESOTA, MISSOURI, NEW HAMPSHIRE, NEW JERSEY, NEW YORK, OHIO, PENNSYLVANIA, RHODE ISLAND, VERMONT, WISCONSIN, AND WEST VIRGINIA. MOVEMENT OF THE FUEL LINES CAUSES THE NYLON FUEL LINE JUMPER TO CHAFE AGAINST THE FLOOR PAN. THIS WEAR CAN CAUSE A PIN HOLE IN THE FUEL LINE RESULTING IN FUEL LEAKAGE.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: THIS FUEL LEAKAGE RESULTS IN DAMPNESS AND FUEL ODOR, AND IF AN IGNITION SOURCE WAS PRESENT, A FIRE COULD RESULT.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSTALL A PLASTIC CONVOLUTE COVERING AROUND THE FUEL LINES. IF THE LINES SHOW A LEAK, THE LINES WILL BE REPLACED FIRST.
96V071000 · Electrical System:ignition
Apr 25, 1996
THE IGNITION SWITCH COULD EXPERIENCE AN INTERNAL SHORT CIRCUIT.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: THIS CONDITION COULD CAUSE OVERHEATING, SMOKE, AND POSSIBLY FIRE IN THE STEERING COLUMN AREA OF THE VEHICLE.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE IGNITION SWITCH.
Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗
NHTSA investigations
2EA99005 · Headlight Switch
Opened Jan 20, 1999 · Closed Dec 14, 1999
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Exterior Lighting
SUBJECT VEHICLES HAVE A HEADLIGHT SWITCH WITH AN INTERNAL, BIMETAL CIRCUIT BREAKER THAT CAN OPEN DUE TO OVERHEATING DURING HEADLING OPERATION.
RQ97011 · Fuel Line Jumper
Opened Sep 25, 1997 · Closed Nov 16, 1998
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Fuel System, Gasoline:delivery:hoses, Lines/piping, And Fittings
TO DETERMINE THE SCOPE OF THE ALLEGED FUEL LINE FAILURES OUTSIDE OF THE RECALL GEOGRAPHIC REGION AND IF THE RECALL SHOULD BE EXPANDED NATIONALLY