IllustrationNO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE. *AK
1996 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: 19 of 62 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 21 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Service Brakes, Hydraulic. Review the 6 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Structure. Review the 5 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
3 crash reports0 fire reports2 injury reports
What owners actually said
62 reportsNO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE. *AK
WHILE DRIVING AT APPROXIMATELY 70 MPH TREAD ON FIRESTONE TIRES SEPARATED ON REAR DRIVER'S SIDE,CAUSING DAMAGE TO WHEEL WELL AND FENDER/BUMPER. *AK *ML
INTAKE MANIFOLD IS MADE OF A COMPOSITE MATERIAL THE HEAT OF MOTOR MUST HAVE CRACKED IT, THE CRACK IS RIGHT BEHIND WHERE THE ALTERNATOR SITS. SO, IT IS ON THE FRONT OF THE INTAKE. WHY IS AN INTAKE MADE OF PLASTIC ANYWAY?
TOP OF ENGINE, MADE OUT OF PLASTIC ,DEVELOPED A TEAR IN IT.CONSUMER ORDERED NEW PART WHICH IS NOW REVISED AND MADE OF STRONGER MATERIAL. *AK
THE REAR BRAKE ROTORS NEED TO BE CUT DUE TO WARPING. THIS IS THE FIRST PROBLEM WITH THE REAR BRAKES BUT, THE FRONT ROTORS HAVE HAD TO BE CUT DOWN EVERY 12,000-15,000 MILES SINCE NEW. AT 48,000 MILES THE FRONT ROTORS COULD NOT BE CUT ANY MORE AND NEEDED REPLACED. THEY WERE CUT THREE TIMES BEFORE BEING REPLACED. I HAD A SIMILAR PR…
Read full complaint
THE REAR BRAKE ROTORS NEED TO BE CUT DUE TO WARPING. THIS IS THE FIRST PROBLEM WITH THE REAR BRAKES BUT, THE FRONT ROTORS HAVE HAD TO BE CUT DOWN EVERY 12,000-15,000 MILES SINCE NEW. AT 48,000 MILES THE FRONT ROTORS COULD NOT BE CUT ANY MORE AND NEEDED REPLACED. THEY WERE CUT THREE TIMES BEFORE BEING REPLACED. I HAD A SIMILAR PROBLEM WITH A 1989 MERCURY COUGAR AND MERCURY DID FIND A PROBLEM EITH THE ROTORS BEING TO THIN. AFTER BEING REPLACED I NEVER HAD ANOTHER PROBLEM WITH THEM FOR OVER 70,000 MILES. I'M TRYING TO FIND OUT IF THERE IS ANY KNOW PROBLEMS OR REPAIRS FOR MY CAR. *AK
WHILE DRIVING AND ATTEMPTING TO ACCELERATE THE VEHICLE WOULD SHUT DOWN AND TRANSMISSION WOULD QUIT PULLING. THEN WITHOUT ANY WARNING IT WOULD REPAIR ITSELF, BUT WOULD JERK IN THE PROCESS. DEALER AND MANUFACTURER HAVE BEEN NOTIFIED. *AK
ENGINE IDLE PULLEY REPLACED.
DASHBOARD REFLECTS ON WINDSHIELD, CAUSING DECREASED VISIBILITY. *AK
CRUISE CONTROL FAILED.
Official recalls
296V070000 · Latches/locks/linkages:doors:latch
Apr 22, 1996
WHEN IN THE SECONDARY LATCHED POSITION, THE DRIVER DOOR LATCHES MAY OPEN WHEN SUBJECTED TO TRANSVERSE LOADS LESS THAN THAT SPECIFIED IN FMVSS NO. 206, "DOOR LOCKS AND DOOR RETENTION COMPONENTS."
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: THE DRIVER'S DOOR, WHEN CLOSED ONLY TO THE SECONDARY LATCHED POSITION, MAY NOT SUSTAIN A 1,000 POUND TRANSVERSE LOAD.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSPECT AND, IF NECESSARY, REPLACE THE DRIVER DOOR LATCH.
96V007000 · Equipment:appliance:air Conditioner
Jan 16, 1996
UNDER CERTAIN CONDITIONS, THE CLIMATE CONTROL BLOWER DOES NOT OPERATE AS INTENDED. THE BLOWER COULD (1) STICK ON "HIGH;" (2) OPERATE ERRATICALLY WITH BLOWER OUTPUT VARYING BETWEEN NO BLOWER AND MAXIMUM BLOWER; OR (3) NOT OPERATE AT ALL DUE TO MALFUNCTION OF THE TEMPERATURE CONTROL MODULE.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: BLOWER MALFUNCTIONS LIMITING OR STOPPING OUTPUT CAN ADVERSELY AFFECT WINDSHIELD DEFROSTING AND DEFOGGING PERFORMANCE INCREASING THE POTENTIAL FOR A VEHICLE ACCIDENT.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE SEMI-AUTOMATIC TEMPERATURE CONTROL MODULES WITH MODULES CONTAINING REVISED SOFTWARE.
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