IllustrationI WAS DRIVING ALONG HWY ABOUT 40 MILES AN HOUR WHEN CAR ENGINE STOPS. THIS STOPS POWER STEERING, BRAKES ETC. TO STOP WORKING AND YOU HAVE A HARD TIME PULLING OFF THE ROAD. WAITED ABOUT 10 MINUTES AND CAR COOLS DOWN A LITTLE. IT WILL THEN START UP AGAIN AND YOU CAN GO AGAIN FOR ABOUT 1/2 MILE OR SO AND ENGINE DIES AGAIN.
1995 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: 8 of 109 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.
- Service Brakes, Hydraulic. Review the 38 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Power Train. Review the 23 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Engine And Engine Cooling. Review the 19 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
9 crash reports4 fire reports4 injury reports
Electrical System complaints
5 reportsWHEN THE DRIVER STARTED THE ENGINE THE KEY WAS HALF WAY OUT AND STARTED, MOTOR WOULD NOT DISENGAGE. ALSO ON ANOTHER ATTEMPT THERE WAS AN ELECTRICAL PROBLEM . AFTER TURNING THE ENGINE OFF, THE VEHICLE WORKED FINE. THE VEHCILE STARTED WITHOUT AN KEY IN THE IGNITION. THE DEALER SAID THAT THEY FOUND A LOOSE CABLE WIRE ON THE BATTE…
Read full complaint
WHEN THE DRIVER STARTED THE ENGINE THE KEY WAS HALF WAY OUT AND STARTED, MOTOR WOULD NOT DISENGAGE. ALSO ON ANOTHER ATTEMPT THERE WAS AN ELECTRICAL PROBLEM . AFTER TURNING THE ENGINE OFF, THE VEHICLE WORKED FINE. THE VEHCILE STARTED WITHOUT AN KEY IN THE IGNITION. THE DEALER SAID THAT THEY FOUND A LOOSE CABLE WIRE ON THE BATTERY. *AK
POWER STEERING PUMP REPLACED.
DEFECTIVE WIRING UNDER PASSENGER'S SEAT CAUGHT FIRE.
REPLACED INTAKE MANIFOLD.
Official recalls
0No 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
1EA01001 · Blower Switch/resistor Or Wiring Harness
Opened Jan 5, 2001 · Closed Jul 31, 2001
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Electrical System
There is no summary currently available
Additional source detail variants (2)
Electrical System
There is no summary currently available
Electrical System
There is no summary currently available