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1993 Mercury Cougar

Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations

Limited comparison data

There is not enough comparable history to draw a useful model-year comparison.

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How this year compares

Owner complaints by model year

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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 reports
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Mileage unknown · May 26, 2002
Engine And Engine Cooling

FORD MOTOR CO. FINALLY AGREED TO PAY ALL BUT $535 TO REBUILD THE MOTOR, HOWEVER THEY REBUILT IT WITH DEFECTIVE PARTS. SO, AT 80,000 MILES THE MOTOR NEEDS TO BE REBUILT AGAIN BECAUSE IT IS HAVE THE EXACT PROBLEMS AGAIN. I PERSONALLY KNOW AT LEAST 20 PEOPLE WHO HAVE HAD THE SAME PROBLEM WITH THE 3.8 MOTOR. I ALSO KNOW THAT A CLASS…

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FORD MOTOR CO. FINALLY AGREED TO PAY ALL BUT $535 TO REBUILD THE MOTOR, HOWEVER THEY REBUILT IT WITH DEFECTIVE PARTS. SO, AT 80,000 MILES THE MOTOR NEEDS TO BE REBUILT AGAIN BECAUSE IT IS HAVE THE EXACT PROBLEMS AGAIN. I PERSONALLY KNOW AT LEAST 20 PEOPLE WHO HAVE HAD THE SAME PROBLEM WITH THE 3.8 MOTOR. I ALSO KNOW THAT A CLASS ACTION LAW SUITE WAS DISSMISSED REGARDING THE 3.8 MOTOR WHICH WAS REPESENTING THOUSANDS OF OF OWNERS. *AK

NHTSA ODI #762296

Mileage unknown · Apr 9, 2002
Engine And Engine Cooling

THIS IS A WRITTEN COMPLAIN REGARDING A COMPANY RECALL ON REPLACING HEAD GASKET FOR ALL MERCURY COUGAR (3.8V ENGINE) 1994 AND UP. I OWN A 1993 MERCURY COUGAR XR7 3.8V ENGINE WHO HAS THE SAME ENGINE PROBLEM AS THE 1994, BUT THE MERCURY COMPANY DECIDED TO HAVE A RECALL ON ALL 1994 MODELS ONLY. WELL, I FEEL THIS SHOULD BE RECONSID…

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THIS IS A WRITTEN COMPLAIN REGARDING A COMPANY RECALL ON REPLACING HEAD GASKET FOR ALL MERCURY COUGAR (3.8V ENGINE) 1994 AND UP. I OWN A 1993 MERCURY COUGAR XR7 3.8V ENGINE WHO HAS THE SAME ENGINE PROBLEM AS THE 1994, BUT THE MERCURY COMPANY DECIDED TO HAVE A RECALL ON ALL 1994 MODELS ONLY. WELL, I FEEL THIS SHOULD BE RECONSIDER SINCE I HAD THE SAME PROBLEM APPEARED TO MY CAR AND HAD TO TAKE IT TO A DEALER WHO INFORMED ME THAT THIS PARTICULAR ENGINE HAS A MANUFACTURE DEFECT IN THE DESIGN. HOWEVER, THEY COULDNT DO IT UNDER THE MANUFACTURE RECALL DUE TO THE YEAR OF THE CAR BEGIN 1993 AND NOT 1994. I HAD TO PAY $1000.00 OUT OF MY BUCKET TO HAVE IT DONE BY A MERCURY/LINCOLN DEALER, WHICH I FELT IT WAS UNFAIR TO BE GETTING PENALIZED FOR SOMETHING I HAD NO CONTROL OF. I TOOK VERY GOOD CARE OF MY CAR AND MY ENGINE HAD ONLY 63,000 MILES ON IT. I HAD EXPLAINED TO THE DEALER THAT THE HEAD GASKET BLOWN WITHOUT GIVING ME ANY SIGN OR INDICATIONS. THEY CONFIRMED THAT THERE WAS NOTHING AT MY PART THAT I SHOULD HAVE DONE TO PREVENT THIS FROM HAPPENING. THEY ARE VERY MUCH AWARE OF THIS PARTICULAR ENGINE PROBLEM, BUT STILL CANNOT DO IT ON THE COMPANY EXPENSE. IN LIGHT OF THIS, DUE TO THE HEAD GASKET GOTTEN BLOWN, IT DAMAGED OTHER PARTS IN CAR WHICH THE DEALER GAVE AN ESTIMATED COST OF $800.00. I REALLY CANNOT AFFORD TO SPEND THIS MONEY ON SOMETHING THAT THE MERCURY COMPANY IS VERY AWARE OF IF AND EVEN ADMITS THAT THEY HAVE A DESIGN PROBLEM ON ALL 3.8V ENGINE.*AK

NHTSA ODI #760480

Mileage unknown · Mar 28, 2002
Engine And Engine Cooling

CONSUMER STATED FLUID WAS LEAKING FROM VEHICLE AND VEHICLE WAS SMOKING EXCESSIVELY. TOOK TO DEALER AND DEALER INDICATED HEAD GASKET WAS BLOWN. NLM

NHTSA ODI #8006608

Mileage unknown · Mar 15, 2002
Engine And Engine Cooling

THE ORIGINAL ENGINE AND THE REPLACEMENT ENGINE IN MY 1993 MERCURY COUGAR HAS FAILED ME. IS FORD MOTOR COMPANY OFFERING COMPENSATION FOR THIS ENGINE ISSUE?*AK

NHTSA ODI #759385

Mileage unknown · Feb 21, 2002
Engine And Engine Cooling

WHILE DRIVING 30-50MPH, VEHICLE STARTED SMOKING. ANTIFREEZE STARTED COMING OUT OF TAILPIPE AND MIXED WITH OIL IN THE ENGINE. TOOK VEHICLE TO LOCAL MECHANIC WHO INDICATED HEAD GASKETS WERE BLOWN.*AK *SLC

NHTSA ODI #8004368

Mileage unknown · Jan 26, 2002
Engine And Engine Cooling

NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE. *AK

NHTSA ODI #757382

Mileage unknown · Jan 16, 2002
Engine And Engine Cooling

WHILE PULLING INTO DRIVEWAY, WHITE SMOKE WAS COMING FROM VEHICLE, VEHICLE TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT REPAIR SHOP, AND INFORMED CONSUMER OF A BLOWN HEAD GASKET. *AK *YD

NHTSA ODI #8002312

Mileage unknown · Jan 16, 2002
Engine And Engine Cooling

PAID 3,200.00 FOR A USED CAR FOLLOWED MY GIRLFRIEND HOME AND NOTICED SMOKE COMING FROM MUFFLER AND IT HAD A SWEET SMELL.THE DEALER TOLD ME THE MACHANIC SAID THERE WAS NOTHING WRONG WITH THE CAR WHEN WE BAUGHT IT AND THE NEXT DAY AFTER WE BAUGHT THE CAR IT WAS OVERHEATING SO WE CALLED THE DEALER (LARRY)BUT HE WASNT THERE AND THE …

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PAID 3,200.00 FOR A USED CAR FOLLOWED MY GIRLFRIEND HOME AND NOTICED SMOKE COMING FROM MUFFLER AND IT HAD A SWEET SMELL.THE DEALER TOLD ME THE MACHANIC SAID THERE WAS NOTHING WRONG WITH THE CAR WHEN WE BAUGHT IT AND THE NEXT DAY AFTER WE BAUGHT THE CAR IT WAS OVERHEATING SO WE CALLED THE DEALER (LARRY)BUT HE WASNT THERE AND THE GUY I TALKED TO SAID NOT TO WORRY THEY'LL FIX IT OR REPLACE IT WITH ANOTHER CAR BUT TO CALL BACK AND TALK TO LARRY FIRST SO WE CALLED THE NEXT DAY AND HE SAID HE COULDNT HELP US BUT OFFERED TO FIX IT BUT WE HAD TO PAY FOR IT.FEELING WE ALREADY GOT SCREWED BY THEESE PEOPLE WE WERENT GOING TO RISK IT. SO WE FINALY TOOK THE CAR TO ANOTHER MACHANIC AND HE SAID THE CAR HAD A BROKEN HEAD GASKET, AND THAT THE ENGINE HAD TO BE REPLACED SO NOW I PAID HIM 850.00 FOR ANOTHER ENGINE AND 550.00 FOR LABOR (SO TO MAKE A LONG STORY SHORT WE WERE SOLD A CAR WITH A BUSTED HEAD GASKET AND WERE LIED TO. *AK

NHTSA ODI #756915

Mileage unknown · Jan 6, 2002
Electrical SystemEngine And Engine CoolingExterior Lighting

LEFT HUB IS STARTING TO GO OUT..THE LOCK IS STUCK ON MY IGNITION SWITCH SO I CANN'T CRANK MY CAR..MOTOR MOUNT BROKE.*AK

NHTSA ODI #756460

Mileage unknown · Aug 3, 2001
Engine And Engine Cooling

HEAD GASKET BLEW OUT NOT THE FIRST TIME I OWEND FORDS & THIS HAPPEND!!NO MORE FORDS FOR MEEEE!!! ALL JUNK BOXES.*AK

NHTSA ODI #749735

Official recalls

3

99V275000 · 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

2

EA99005 · 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