1999 Mercury Cougar

LOUD GRINDING NOISE FROM THE MANUAL TRANSMISSION OCCURS WHEN CAR IS DOWN SHIFTED TO FIRST GEAR COMING TO A STOP, OR SHIFTED TO FIRST NOT BEING AT A COMPLETE STOP, THE SHIFT LEVER "POPS OUT OF GEAR" AND ADMITTING A VERY LOUD GRINDING NOISE. PREVENTING THIS WOULD BE COMING TO A COMPLETE STOP FROM NEUTRAL, THEN AFTER STOPPING COMPLETELY PROCEED TO ENGAGE CLUTCH AND PUT CAR INTO FIRST GEAR. FIRST GEAR SOMETIMES HARD TO SHIFT INTO, MIGHT BE A SHIFT LINKAGE PROBLEM. SOUNDS LIKE THE MANUAL TRANSMISSION GRINDING WITH A LOUD WINDING SQUEAL. *TR

BOUGHT CAR AT DEALER ON 02/05/01 SINCE THEN I'VE HAD TO REPAIR CAR ON TOO MANY OCCASIONS. HERE SOME OF THE REPAIRS I'VE HAD TO DO ON THIS CAR EVER SINCE I BOUGHT IT. ON 3/01: BRAKES, 10/01: DEALERSHIP REPLACED BATTERY AND PERFORMED A RECALL,12/01: DEALERSHIP REPLACED ALTERNATOR, 05/02: BRAKE PADS, 04/04: WATER PUMP BELT, 09/04: REPLACED BATTER, 10/11/04: REPLACED ALTERNATOR AND BELT, 10/14/04: REPLACED POSITIVE BATTERY TERMINAL, 12/04: REPLACED RADIO, 02/06: REPLACED MOTOR MOUNT, 01/07:REPLACED BATTERY, 02/07: REPLACED STRUT, 02/08: REPLACED SHOCK ABSORBER, 10/08: REPLACED BATTERY, 04/09: REPLACED BEARING, TRANSMISSION & ANCHOR ENGINE MOUNT AND DON'T HAVE THE DATE BUT ALSO HAD TO REPLACE THE WINDSHIELD WIPER MOTOR. THESE REPAIRS ARE WHAT I HAVE IN RECEIPTS YET FOR EXAMPLE I HAVE REPLACED THE MOTOR MOUNTS MORE THAN ONCE. CURRENTLY THE FOLLOWING AREAS OF MY VEHICLE DO NOT FUNCTION: THE HORN NO LONGER WORKS, CRUISE CONTROL IS NOT FUNCTIONING, THE AIR CONDITIONER NO LONGER HEATS, & THE BRAKE LIGHT OF MY VEHICLE REMAINED LIT WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS ON AND NOW HAVE FAILED TO TURN OUT (LAMP SOCKET IS BURNT). *TR

I HAVE A 1999 MERCURY COUGAR, AND HAVE HAD IT ABOUT 4 YEARS NOW. I HAVE HAD NO PROBLEMS WITH THE CAR, EXCEPT HAVING TO HAVE THE ALTERNATOR REPLACED. I WORK 3RD SHIFT (7P-7A) AT A LOCAL HOSPITAL, AND ON MY WAY HOME, MY CAR STARTED SLIPPING IN AND OUT OF GEAR. THE CAR WOULD GO FOR A MINUTE, THEN IT WOULD STOP, AND I WOULD PUSH THE GAS AND THE CAR WOULD JUST REV UP. I HAD A LINE OF TRAFFIC BEHIND ME, SO I AS TRYING MY BEST TO GET THE CAR OFF THE ROAD. I FINALLY GOT IT INTO AN EMPTY PARKING LOT AND CALLED TO GET SOME HELP. I WAS VERY TIRED FROM WORKING A 12 HOUR SHIFT AND HAD TO WAIT 2 HOURS FOR SOMEONE TO COME AND GET ME. WE GOT THE CAR TO A MECHANIC, WHICH SAID THAT IT WAS THE TRANSMISSION, AND HE THEN TOLD ME THAT HE WOULD DRAIN THE TRANSMISSION, PUT NEW FLUID IN IT, AND SEE IF THAT FIXED THE PROBLEM. TO MY VERY UNFORTUNATE NEWS, THE TRANSMISSION HAS WENT OUT IN MY CAR. I AM A FULL-TIME STUDENT AND FULL-TIME WORKING TRYING TO MAKE ENDS MEET. DUE TO THE TRANSMISSION GOING OUT IN MY CAR, I HAVE MISSED CLASSES, AND IT'S BECOMING A HEADACHE TRYING TO GET TO AND FROM WORK, SCHOOL, AND OTHER PLACES I NEED TO BE. I WAS TOLD THAT THE 1999 COUGARS HAD A RECALL ON THE TRANSMISSION AND THAT I NEEDED TO FIND OUT ABOUT IT. THIS IS WHAT I AM DOING NOW. I CAN'T AFFORD A NEW TRANSMISSION, LET ALONE A NEW CAR, WHILE I'M TRYING TO GO TO SCHOOL. THIS WHOLE ORDEAL HAS THROWN ME OFF, BECAUSE THERE WAS NOTHING WRONG WITH THE CAR, AND ALL OF A SUDDEN (IN ONE DAY) THE TRANSMISSION WENT OUT. I HOPE THIS PROBLEM IS RESOLVED, AND I GET SOME HELP WITH FIXING MY CAR. I APPRECIATE YOUR TIME, AND I HOPE THAT MY PROBLEM IS LOOKED INTO. THANKS, GINA BROOK MELTON *TR

I AM THE ORIGINAL OWNER OF A 1999 MERCURY COUGAR AUTOMATIC V6. I HAVE NEVER BEEN IN AN ACCIDENT WITH THE VEHICLE, BUT CONTINUE TO HAVE MECHANICAL PROBLEMS. LIKE OTHER 1999 ' 2000 MERCURY COUGAR OWNERS I WORRY ABOUT THE SAFETY OF DRIVING A VEHICLE WITH MORE PROBLEMS THAN CAN COST EFFECTIVELY BE FIXED. MY LIST OF BROKEN ITEMS INCLUDE THE RADIO, POWER WINDOW REGULATOR, O2 SENSORS, TRANSMISSION AT 59,000 MILES, DASHBOARD LIGHTS (LOW COOLANT AND CHECK ENGINE), DOOR/WINDOW LEAKY SEAL ISSUES, ENGINE MISFIRE (DECREASED ACCELERATION) AND NOW MY CRUISE CONTROL AND TURN SIGNALS DO NOT WORK. UPON RESEARCHING THE RECALL FOR CRUISE CONTROL FIRES DEALING WITH FORD PRODUCTS I FOUND THAT I AM AMONG OTHER DISGRUNTLED COUGAR OWNERS. FORD/MERCURY OR FORD TECHNICIANS HAVE NOT DONE A SATISFACTORY JOB LETTING OWNERS KNOW OF RECALLS THAT NEED ATTENTION. MY LATEST CONCERN IS THAT MY COUGAR MIGHT START ON FIRE, PER MY COMPLAINT WITH FORD; THEY SEE NO THREAT WITH MY CRUISE CONTROL ISSUES AND SUGGESTED I CONTACT THE NHTSA WITH MY COMPLAINT. *TR

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THE EXTERIOR BRAKE LIGHTS DID NOT ILLUMINATE AT ALL, CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO NEARLY GET REAR-ENDED WHILE BRAKING FROM TRAVELING 70 MPH. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A PRIVATE REPAIR SHOP, WHO DETERMINED THAT THE WIRING HARNESS NEEDED REPLACEMENT DUE TO A SHORT CIRCUIT. THERE WAS A NHTSA RECALL #01V032000 PERTAINING TO THE BRAKE LIGHT SWITCH. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL DUE TO THE VIN. SECONDLY, THE ENGINE HESITATED WHILE WARMING UP, ACCOMPANIED BY A ROUGH IDLE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT SEEN BY A MECHANIC.