SkipThatYearREAL DATA. SMARTER CAR DECISIONS.
← 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 →
137Owner complaints

Model-year median: 2

0Recall campaigns

View recall details →

1Investigations

View investigation details →

How this year compares

Owner complaints by model year

Other model years Selected year
73
199192
1992195
1993137
1994109
199562
199676
1997
Compare all Cougar years →

Counts vary with age, sales and reporting. They are not failure rates.

What owners reported most

Power Train
36Engine And Engine Cooling
32Service Brakes, Hydraulic
27Vehicle Speed Control
11Air Bags
10
All reported categories
Suspension
7Visibility
7Electrical System
6Fuel System, Gasoline
5Unknown Or Other
5Seat Belts
4Structure
4Exterior Lighting
3Equipment
2Seats
2Service Brakes, Air
2Steering
2Interior Lighting
1Parking Brake
1Tires
1

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

What owners actually said

137 reports
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 …

Read full complaint

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 · Jun 8, 1999
Seats

DEFECTIVE SEAT MATERIAL IN THE REAR STARTED TO BURN WHEN SUN REFLECTED OFF OF MIRROR IN THE REAR. MJS

NHTSA ODI #546036

Mileage unknown · May 19, 1999
Vehicle Speed Control

WHEN TRAVELING AT ANY SPEED OR WHEN MAKING A STOP VEHICLE SUDDENLY ACCELERATED WITHOUT PRIOR WARNING. CONSUMER HAS CONTACTED THE DEALER, DEALER REPLACED SENSOR. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER DETAILS. *AK

NHTSA ODI #838137

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…

Read full complaint

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

Mileage unknown · Mar 7, 1999
Power Train

I HAVE HAD TO HAVE THE TRANSMISSION FLUID CHANGED NUMEROUS TIMES BECAUSE THE TRANSMISSION STUDDERS. THAT DOES NOT SEEM TO FIX THE PROBLEM. BUT NO ELSE CAN TELL ME WHAT I SHOULD DO.

NHTSA ODI #704120

Mileage unknown · Mar 7, 1999
Service Brakes, AirCrashInjury

I HAVE CONTINUELY HAD THE BRAKES REPLACED DUE TO WARPED ROTORS AND GLAZED BRAKE PADS.

NHTSA ODI #704119

Mileage unknown · Mar 1, 1999
Vehicle Speed Control

AFTER PROCEEDING FROM A STOP LIGHT AND TAKING FOOT OFF THE BRAKE PEDAL, VEHICLE SUDDENLY ACCELERATED TO VERY HIGH RPMS. APPLIED BRAKES, BUT DID NOT STOP THE VEHICLE. CONSUMER PUT VEHICLE IN PARK IN ORDER TO GET VEHICLE TO STOP. CAUSE UNKNOWN. PLEASE GIVE ANY FURTHER DETAILS. *AK

NHTSA ODI #835375

Mileage unknown · Feb 6, 1999
Service Brakes, HydraulicUnknown Or Other

BRAKES PULSATE STRONGLY, EVEN AFTER REPLACEMENT. INSTRUMENT PANEL HOOD DOES NOT PREVENT SUN FROM REFLECTING TO DRIVER. *AK

NHTSA ODI #702988

Mileage unknown · Jan 21, 1999
Air BagsCrashInjury

THE VEHICLE SLID HEAD-ON INTO A GUARDRAIL AT ABOUT 35 TO 40MPH AND NEITHER DRIVER'S OR PASSENGER'S SIDE AIRBAGS DEPLOYED. DEALER HAS NOT SEEN. *AK *ML

NHTSA ODI #833862

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