← New search

1994 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

Other model years Selected 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: 15 of 137 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.

  • Power Train. Review the 36 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Engine And Engine Cooling. Review the 32 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Service Brakes, Hydraulic. Review the 27 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

12 crash reports2 fire reports9 injury reports

Electrical System complaints

6 reports
Clear category filter
170,000 miles · Jun 22, 2005
Electrical SystemFire

DT: ON 6/21/2005 WHILE DRIVING AT NIGHT IN CLEAR CONDITIONS ON DRY PAVEMENT THE VEHICLE STALLED AND CAUGHT ON FIRE. THE SPEED WAS ABOUT 5-7 MPH. THERE WERE NO BRAKES, NO ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, NO POWER STEERING, NO ENGINE SOUND, NO LIFE IN THE VEHILCE AT ALL. THERE WAS NO WARNING LIGHTS THAT CAME ON. THE VEHILCLE HAD BEEN DRIVEN FOR…

Read full complaint

DT: ON 6/21/2005 WHILE DRIVING AT NIGHT IN CLEAR CONDITIONS ON DRY PAVEMENT THE VEHICLE STALLED AND CAUGHT ON FIRE. THE SPEED WAS ABOUT 5-7 MPH. THERE WERE NO BRAKES, NO ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, NO POWER STEERING, NO ENGINE SOUND, NO LIFE IN THE VEHILCE AT ALL. THERE WAS NO WARNING LIGHTS THAT CAME ON. THE VEHILCLE HAD BEEN DRIVEN FOR ABOUT 45 MINUTES AND 40 MILES BEFORE THIS OCCURRED. THEN, THE VEHICLE SAT FOR ABOUT 2 HOURS.THE VEHICLE WAS DRIVING FINE, AND WAS SERVICED A A WEEK PRIOR TO THE INCIDENT. THE VEHICLE WAS PUT ON THE DIAGNOSTIC THAT DAY AND EVERYTHING LOOKED FINE, BESIDES THE BRAKE LIGHTS HAD TO BE REPAIRED, BUT IT WAS NOT THE FUSE THAT HAD TO BE REPAIRED, OWNER WAS UNSURE WHAT COMPONENT CAUSED THE BRAKE LIGHTS TTO FAIL. THERE WERE ALSO NO TAIL LIGHTS .EITHER.THE BACK LIGHTS WERE COMPLETELY OUT. AFTER REPAIR EVERYTHING WAS FINE UNTIL FIRE. WHEN THE CAR STALLED ON 6/21/05, THE VEHICLE STOPPED ON THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. THERE WAS SMOKE COMING FROM HOOD, THEN THERE WAS A MAN WHO CAME TO HELP AND SPRAYED THE FIRE WITH EXTINGUISHER. .*AK

NHTSA ODI #10126196

75,000 miles · Dec 22, 2004
Electrical System

THE VEHICLE FAILED TO START DUE TO A FAILURE IN THE IGNITION STARTER SYSTEM. THE STARTER WAS REMOVED AND INSPECTED BY A STARTER SPECIALIST, HOWEVER NO PROBLEM WAS FOUND. THE STARTER WAS REINSTALLED. THE VEHICLE STILL FAILED TO START. THE IGNITION CYLINDER TURNS ALL THE WAY AROUND ALSO. THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN SITTING IN THE GARAG…

Read full complaint

THE VEHICLE FAILED TO START DUE TO A FAILURE IN THE IGNITION STARTER SYSTEM. THE STARTER WAS REMOVED AND INSPECTED BY A STARTER SPECIALIST, HOWEVER NO PROBLEM WAS FOUND. THE STARTER WAS REINSTALLED. THE VEHICLE STILL FAILED TO START. THE IGNITION CYLINDER TURNS ALL THE WAY AROUND ALSO. THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN SITTING IN THE GARAGE FOR A YEAR DUE TO THIS PROBLEM BECAUSE THE CAUSE COULDN'T BE FOUND. *JB

NHTSA ODI #10105229

Mileage unknown · May 15, 2003
Electrical System

THE VEHICLES IGNITION SWITCH BROKE. *NLM

NHTSA ODI #10019956

Mileage unknown · Jun 20, 2000
Electrical SystemSteeringStructure

ENGINE CHECK LIGHT GOES ON AND OFF ,WAS TOLD IT REQUIRED TWO SENSORS-/ SOMETHING IS WRONG WITH THE WIRING, AUTOMATIC DOOR LOCKS WORK SOMETIMES AND THE CLOCKS GOES ON & OFF NEVER KEEPING THE CORRECT TIME/ LOST EMERGENCY BRAKE/ AND SPIDER CRACKS IN THE BLACK CLEARCOART ON ROOF, HOOD, AND TRUNK. *AK

NHTSA ODI #724247

Mileage unknown · Jan 14, 1999
Electrical System

THE PLUG ON THE BACK OF THE HEADLIGHTS BURNT OUT AND MELTED, CAUSING THE LIGHTS TO GO OUT INTERMITTENTLY. DEALER PUT NEW WIRE HARNESS IN VEHICLE. *AK

NHTSA ODI #833543

Mileage unknown · Aug 11, 1998
Electrical System

IGNITION SWITCH BECAME DIFFICULT TO TURN, MAKING IT IMPOSSIBLE TO START THE VEHICLE.

NHTSA ODI #540156

Official recalls

0

No recalls in this snapshot.

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

1

DP94005 · Engine Compartment Fire

Opened Jul 6, 1994 · Closed Sep 22, 1994

Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Engine And Engine Cooling

There is no summary currently available