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1994 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: 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

Power Train complaints

36 reports
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Mileage unknown · Oct 18, 1999
Power Train

DEALER REPLACED THE TRANSMISSION IN 1996 WITH A LITTLE OVER 20,000 MILES ON THE CAR. AT LESS THAN 60,000 MILES, I BEGAN HAVING TRANSMISSION FAILURE. THE CAR SHUDDERS VERY VIOLENTLY WHEN DRIVING AT ANY SPEED. I DO NOT FEEL THAT THIS IS VERY GOOD WORKMANSHIP ON THE PART OF THE FORD MOTOR COMPANY. I HAVE ALWAYS OWNED FORD VEHICLES …

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DEALER REPLACED THE TRANSMISSION IN 1996 WITH A LITTLE OVER 20,000 MILES ON THE CAR. AT LESS THAN 60,000 MILES, I BEGAN HAVING TRANSMISSION FAILURE. THE CAR SHUDDERS VERY VIOLENTLY WHEN DRIVING AT ANY SPEED. I DO NOT FEEL THAT THIS IS VERY GOOD WORKMANSHIP ON THE PART OF THE FORD MOTOR COMPANY. I HAVE ALWAYS OWNED FORD VEHICLES AND NEVER HAD A PBLEM SUCH AS THIS. I AM VERY UNHAPPY. THERE IS NO WAY UNDER NORMAL DRIVING CONDITIONS SHOULD THIS CAR BE ON ITS SECOND TRANSMISSION, LET ALONE TO BE HAVING PROBLEMS AGAIN. I DO NOT FEEL THAT I AM SAFE DRIVING THIS VEHICLE WHEN AT ANY TIME, THE TRANSMISSION COULD COMPLETELY GO OUT. I HAVE ALL OF THE PAPERWORK FROM STIVERS LINCOLN MERCURY CONCERNING THE FIRST REPLACEMENT.

NHTSA ODI #713489

Mileage unknown · Sep 30, 1999
Power Train

WHEN DRIVING, TRANSMISSION HAS A HARD SHIFT FROM 1ST TO 2ND GEAR AND SHUDDERS.

NHTSA ODI #712594

Mileage unknown · Sep 21, 1999
Power Train

WHILE DRIVING CAR WILL INTERMITTENTLY JUMP TO A LOWER GEAR . THIS HAPPENS AT ANY GIVEN TIME. *AK

NHTSA ODI #848261

Mileage unknown · Sep 19, 1999
Power Train

INTERMITENT "CHECK ENGINE" LIGHT. WHEN SACN IS HOOKED TO CAR, IT SHOWS NO CODE IN MEMORY. UNABLE TO RESOLVE. IN MEMORY

NHTSA ODI #711567

Mileage unknown · Sep 2, 1999
Engine And Engine CoolingPower Train

INTERMITTENTLY WHEN VEHICLE IS IN OVERDRIVE, IT WILL JUMP OUT OF OVERDRIVE TO NEUTRAL. THE DEALER HAS INSPECTED THE VEHICLE SEVERAL TIMES AND COULD NOT DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM. *YC DEALER HAS REPLACED THE MLP SENSOR, TURBINE SPEED SENSOR, 1-2 ACCUMULATOR PISTON AND SPRING, SOLENOID VALVE, MAIN CONTROL VALVE BODY, SOLLENOID ASSEM…

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INTERMITTENTLY WHEN VEHICLE IS IN OVERDRIVE, IT WILL JUMP OUT OF OVERDRIVE TO NEUTRAL. THE DEALER HAS INSPECTED THE VEHICLE SEVERAL TIMES AND COULD NOT DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM. *YC DEALER HAS REPLACED THE MLP SENSOR, TURBINE SPEED SENSOR, 1-2 ACCUMULATOR PISTON AND SPRING, SOLENOID VALVE, MAIN CONTROL VALVE BODY, SOLLENOID ASSEMBLY, SWITCH ASSEMBLY, AND VONVERTER ASSEMBLY. SERPENTINE BELT WAS REPLACED. *SLC

NHTSA ODI #844425

Mileage unknown · Aug 30, 1999
Power Train

WHILE TRAVELING ON THE HIGHWAY VEHICLE WOULD NOT SHIFT INTO GEAR, RESULTING IN SLOW SHIFTING AND HESITATION. CONSUMER HAS CONTACTED THE DEALER, DEALER STATED TRANSMISSION NEEDED REPLACING. *AK

NHTSA ODI #846116

Mileage unknown · Jul 23, 1999
Power Train

DEALER SHIP SOLD ME THIS CAR KNOW IT HAD A PROBLEM BECAUSE I HAD MADE THEM AWARE OF IT. UNLESS THEY AGREED TO FIX THE PROBLEM OF SHUDDERING WHILE ACCEL AT 40 MPH AND AGAIN AT 80 MPH THAT I WOULD PURCHASE THE CAR. A WE OWE FORM WAS MADE OUT AND APPROVED BY MANAGER. THE CAR DEALERSHIP HAD FIXED EVERYTING BUT THE MOST IMPORTANT …

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DEALER SHIP SOLD ME THIS CAR KNOW IT HAD A PROBLEM BECAUSE I HAD MADE THEM AWARE OF IT. UNLESS THEY AGREED TO FIX THE PROBLEM OF SHUDDERING WHILE ACCEL AT 40 MPH AND AGAIN AT 80 MPH THAT I WOULD PURCHASE THE CAR. A WE OWE FORM WAS MADE OUT AND APPROVED BY MANAGER. THE CAR DEALERSHIP HAD FIXED EVERYTING BUT THE MOST IMPORTANT PART AND AGREED TO DO SO. TO THIS DAY I AM TOLD THEY CAN NOT FIND A PROBLEM WITH THE TRANY AND WILL NOT PUT ANYMORE MONEY INTO THE CAR. HAD TO RETURN CAR SEVERAL TIMES FOR THE SAME PROBLEM. I AM TAKING A LETTER TO THE DEALER ON JULY 24, 1999 IN REGUARDS TO SITUATION. I F CAR DEALERS ARE NOT GOING TO BACK UP THEIR WORD TO INSURE OUR SAFETY AND AGREEMENTS THEN WHO DO WE TRUST TO SELL US A CAR. I WILL GET A ATTORNEY INVOLVED IF THEY DO NOT WISH TO PROCEED TO REPLACE THE TRANSMISSION THAT IS FAULTY AND WAS MADE AWARE OF IT BEFORE AND AT TIME OF PURCHASE. I HAVE WITNESS AND COPY OF WE OWE AND ALL WORK ORDERS THAT WERE PROCESSED ON THE CAR IN CASE OF NEEDING FOR COURT DOCUMATION. PLEASE DO NOT DRIVE A CAR OFF A LOT UNTIL YOU ARE TOTALY SATISFIED WITH YOUR LARGE INVESTMENT. I AM A SINGLE MOTHER WANTING RELIABLE SAFE TRANSPORTATION FOR MY FAMILY. IS THIS THE WAY FORD LINCOLN MERCURY WANTS DEALERS TO TREAT THEIR PRODUCTS AND CUSTOMERS ? IF YOU HAVE ANY COMMENTS FOR ME ON THIS YOU MAY CONTACT ME AT IWILB4ME@AOL.COM. THANK YOU FOR HEARING ME OUT.

NHTSA ODI #709096

Mileage unknown · Jul 21, 1999
Power Train

THE COUGAR AT ALL TIMES REFUSES TO UPSHIFT FROM 1ST GEAR TO THE NEXT HIGHER GEAR UNLESS YOU RELEASE THE GAS PEDAL AT 3,000 RPM, AND THEN REAPPLY GAS THAT SEEMS TO ALLOW THE GEARS TO CHANGE. THIS ALSO OCCURS WHEN I AM TRYING TO USE THE PASSING GEAR, THE CARS TRANSMISSION WINDS UP USELESS I AGAIN RELEASE TRHE GAS AND THEN RE-APLY …

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THE COUGAR AT ALL TIMES REFUSES TO UPSHIFT FROM 1ST GEAR TO THE NEXT HIGHER GEAR UNLESS YOU RELEASE THE GAS PEDAL AT 3,000 RPM, AND THEN REAPPLY GAS THAT SEEMS TO ALLOW THE GEARS TO CHANGE. THIS ALSO OCCURS WHEN I AM TRYING TO USE THE PASSING GEAR, THE CARS TRANSMISSION WINDS UP USELESS I AGAIN RELEASE TRHE GAS AND THEN RE-APLY IT. THAT IS NOT A VERY SAFE SITUATION. *AK

NHTSA ODI #708866

Mileage unknown · Jun 14, 1999
Power Train

TORQUE CONVERTER WAS REPLACED AND FAILED AGAIN CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO LOOSE POWER TO THE DRIVE TRAIN. NLM

NHTSA ODI #546094

Mileage unknown · Apr 22, 1999
Power Train

VEHICLE AT 50 MPH GOES INTO NEUTRAL, ENGINE REVS FAR BEYOND NORMAL RANGE, BUT VEHICLE DOES NOT PICK UP SPEED. THIS HAPPENS ERRATICALLY. AT 20K MILES (WHEN PROBLEM FIRST DEVELOPED) DEALER HAD US REPLACE TRANSMISSION FLUID, THIS DID NOTHING FOR THE PROBLEM. NOW DEALER SAYS WE NEED A NEW TRANSMISSION BECAUSE TRANSMISSION IS NO LONG…

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VEHICLE AT 50 MPH GOES INTO NEUTRAL, ENGINE REVS FAR BEYOND NORMAL RANGE, BUT VEHICLE DOES NOT PICK UP SPEED. THIS HAPPENS ERRATICALLY. AT 20K MILES (WHEN PROBLEM FIRST DEVELOPED) DEALER HAD US REPLACE TRANSMISSION FLUID, THIS DID NOTHING FOR THE PROBLEM. NOW DEALER SAYS WE NEED A NEW TRANSMISSION BECAUSE TRANSMISSION IS NO LONGER UNDER WARRANTY. *AK

NHTSA ODI #705875

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