IllustrationWHILE DRIVING BETWEEN 35 TO 40 MPH VEHICLE STALLED. THIS CAUSED LOSS OF STEERING AND BRAKE POWER. CONSUMER LOST THE CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE, AND WAS INVOLVED IN A FRONT END COLLISION. UPON IMPACT, NEITHER OF THE AIR BAGS DEPLOYED.*AK
1999 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
90–25K
2725–50K
3750–75K
2675–100K
23100–150K
7150K+
129 reports with mileage · 325 unknown
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.
- Electrical System. Review the 99 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Service Brakes, Hydraulic. Review the 72 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Engine And Engine Cooling. Review the 67 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
23 crash reports3 fire reports21 injury reports
What owners actually said
454 reportsSUNROOF FAILS TO OPEN... OVER A $1000 TO REPAIR... PLASTIC RAIL AT FAULT... FUNNY 2000-01 HAVE METAL RAILS... WHY WASN'T THIS DEFECT RECALLED-IF MANUFACTURER KNEW OF WEAK PART. NOW PASSES THIS FAULT ON TO THE CONSUMER INSTEAD OF FIXING IT....AT HIGH PRICE TO REPAIR. *JB
REPEATED ISSUES ON VARIOUS DATES. PROBLEM 1: THE VEHICLE ALARM WILL RANDOMLY ACTIVATE ITSELF. IT WILL GO THROUGH IT'S 5 MINUTE ALARM PROCESS AND THEN SHUTS ITSELF DOWN. THEN ANYWHERE FROM 3 TO 10 MINUTES LATTER IT WILL SET ITSELF OFF AGAIN. IT DOES NOT MATTER THE LOCATION OF THE VEHICLE SO THAT COULD RULE OUT INTERFERENCE.…
Read full complaint
REPEATED ISSUES ON VARIOUS DATES. PROBLEM 1: THE VEHICLE ALARM WILL RANDOMLY ACTIVATE ITSELF. IT WILL GO THROUGH IT'S 5 MINUTE ALARM PROCESS AND THEN SHUTS ITSELF DOWN. THEN ANYWHERE FROM 3 TO 10 MINUTES LATTER IT WILL SET ITSELF OFF AGAIN. IT DOES NOT MATTER THE LOCATION OF THE VEHICLE SO THAT COULD RULE OUT INTERFERENCE. PROBLEM 2: BATTERY LAMP ILLUMINATES IN THE HIGHER RPM RANGE AND BATTERY AND ALTERNATOR HAVE BEEN CHECKED TO BE FUNCTIONING PROPERLY. PROBLEM 3: THERE IS A LOUD POPPING SOUND FROM THE FRONT DRIVER'S SIDE WHEN THE CAR SHIFTS TO 2ND GEAR AT FULL THROTTLE. *JB
FUEL PUMP FAILURE IS SIMILAR TO THE ONE ON THE RECALLED FOCUSES. I HAD MY FUEL PUMP FAIL ON THE HIGHWAY GOING 70 MILES AN HOUR AND WAS ALMOST RUN OVER. AFTER LOOKING AT SOME CAR FORUMS I HAVE COME TO FIND THAT THIS IS NOT AN UNCOMMON PROBLEM FOR THIS CAR. SOME PEOPLE HAVE REPLACED THIS PUMP 2-3 TIMES BEFORE BREAKING 100K MILES.…
Read full complaint
FUEL PUMP FAILURE IS SIMILAR TO THE ONE ON THE RECALLED FOCUSES. I HAD MY FUEL PUMP FAIL ON THE HIGHWAY GOING 70 MILES AN HOUR AND WAS ALMOST RUN OVER. AFTER LOOKING AT SOME CAR FORUMS I HAVE COME TO FIND THAT THIS IS NOT AN UNCOMMON PROBLEM FOR THIS CAR. SOME PEOPLE HAVE REPLACED THIS PUMP 2-3 TIMES BEFORE BREAKING 100K MILES. *NM
ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS, CAR IS ALMOST 5 YEARS OLD, JUST PUT IN 3RD ALTERNATOR; NOW, CANNOT PASS EMMISIONS, CANNOT FIND A PROBLEM. TONS OF ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS. *AK
I HAVE A 1999 MERCURY COUGAR AND IT HAS MALFUNCTIONS ALL OVER IN THE ENGINE. THE MAIN PROBLEM IS THAT MY PRESTONE IS LEAKING INTO MY PISTONS THEREFORE KILLING MY WHOLE ENGINE. I HAVE TAKEN IT TO THE DEALER THAT HAD SOLD IT TO ME BUT THEY HAVE DONE NOTHING TO FIX THE PROBLEM.SOMEONE NEEDS TO FIX IT AND I'M NOT ABOUT TO FIX IT.*AK
WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE STALLED. DEALER TOLD THE CONSUMER TO KEEP THE FUEL TANK AT LEAST HALF FULL UNTIL THE FUEL PUMP COULD BE BE REPLACED. *AK
WHILE DRIVING THROTTLE STUCK, AND VEHICLE ACCELERATED TO A HIGH RATE. CONSUMER ABLE TO DECELERATE VEHICLE. *AK
RACK & PINION. LOSS OF FLUID. *CB
EXHIBITING A STARTER GRINDING NOISE AND / OR LACK OF STARTER DRIVE ENGAGEMENT (FROM TSB). THE FLYWHEEL DEFECT FIRST APPEARED IN JUNE 2001 WHEN THE COUGAR WAS UNDER WARRANTY IN YEARS AND MILEAGE. WHEN THE DEFECT SURFACED, THE COUGAR WOULD NOT KICK-OVER IMMEDIATELY, HOWEVER THIS OCCURRED VERY INFREQUENTLY. AT THE TIME, THERE WAS …
Read full complaint
EXHIBITING A STARTER GRINDING NOISE AND / OR LACK OF STARTER DRIVE ENGAGEMENT (FROM TSB). THE FLYWHEEL DEFECT FIRST APPEARED IN JUNE 2001 WHEN THE COUGAR WAS UNDER WARRANTY IN YEARS AND MILEAGE. WHEN THE DEFECT SURFACED, THE COUGAR WOULD NOT KICK-OVER IMMEDIATELY, HOWEVER THIS OCCURRED VERY INFREQUENTLY. AT THE TIME, THERE WAS NO CONSISTENT PROBLEM TO RECOGNIZE AND RECTIFY. OVER THE ENSUING MONTHS THE PROBLEM CONTINUED TO OCCUR INTERMITTENTLY. AT THIS POINT, I RECOGNIZED THERE WAS A POSSIBLE MECHANICAL PROBLEM. THE PROBLEM I WAS EXPERIENCING WAS CAUSED BY A DEFECTIVE FLYWHEEL. ITS TEETH WERE SOFT AND THE DEFECT HAD WORN AWAY THE STARTER. THE FLYWHEEL HAD TO BE REPLACED ALONG WITH THE STARTER MOTOR AND IN ORDER TO COMPLETE THIS REPAIR THE TRANSMISSION HAD TO FIRST BE REMOVED.
Official recalls
704V421000 · Fuel System, Gasoline
Aug 30, 2004
ON CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES, CONTAMINATION OF THE FILTER IN THE FUEL DELIVERY MODULE (FDM) CAN REDUCE, AND EVENTUALLY BLOCK, THE FLOW OF FUEL TO THE ENGINE.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: THIS MAY CAUSE ENGINE HESITATION, LOSS OF POWER, SURGING, AND OTHER SIMILAR SYMPTOMS. OVER TIME, THE FILTER MAY BECOME SUFFICIENTLY BLOCKED TO CAUSE THE ENGINE TO STALL, WHICH COULD RESULT IN A CRASH.
Remedy: THIS ACTION IS DEEMED A SAFETY IMPROVEMENT CAMPAIGN AND IS NOT BEING CONDUCTED UNDER THE SAFETY ACT. ALL OWNERS WILL BE NOTIFIED OF THE PROBLEM, AND DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE FDM WITH A NEW DESIGN AT NO CHARGE IF THE OWNER REPORTS THAT THE VEHICLE EXHIBITS ANY OF THE IDENTIFIED SYMPTOMS. THE FREE REPLACEMENT WILL BE AVAILABLE FOR A PERIOD OF 10 YEARS FOLLOWING THE ORIGINAL PURCHASE OF THE VEHICLE, WITH NO MILEAGE LIMIT. THE CAMPAIGN BEGAN ON APRIL 16, 2004. OWNERS SHOULD CONTACT FORD AT 1-800-392-3673.
01V230000 · Electrical System
Jul 9, 2001
ON CERTAIN MY 1996-1998 PASSENGER VEHICLES BUILT AT THE KANSAS CITY, CUAUTITLAN ASSEMBLY PLANTS OR ON MY 1999 PASSENGER VEHCLES BUILT AT THE AUTOMOTIVE ALLIANCE INTERNATIONAL ASSEMBLY PLANTS, THE ROUGH SURFACE OF THE HEATER BLOWER RESISTOR'S STAINLESS STEEL BLADES CAN DAMAGE THE COPPER SURFACE OF THE WIRING HARNESS CONNECTOR. THE DAMAGE COULD, OVER TIME, CAUSE INCREASED RESISTANCE IN THE CONNECTOR AND, DUE TO SUBSEQUENT TERMINAL RELAXATION, RESULT IN AN OPEN CIRCUIT CONDITION.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: THE OPEN CIRCUIT COULD LEAD TO ELECTRICAL ARCING THAT COULD MELT THE CONNECTOR HOUSING MATERIAL CREASING THE POTENTIAL FOR A FIRE.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSTALL A NEW HEATER BLOWER RESISTOR AND A NEW WIRE JUMPER HARNESS. OWNER NOTIFICATION BEGAN AUGUST 29, 2001. OWNERS WHO TAKE THEIR VEHICLES TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER ON AN AGREED UPON SERVICE DATE AND DO NOT RECEIVE THE FREE REMEDY WITHIN A REASONABLE TIME SHOULD CONTACT FORD AT 1-800-392-3673.
01V031000 · Electrical SYSTEM:12V/24V/48V Battery:cables
Feb 6, 2001
VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH 2.5L V6 ENGINES. THE BATTERY CABLE WAS MISROUTED AND ITS ATTACHMENT TO THE ALTERNATOR CABLE WAS UNDER-TORQUED. IF MISROUTED, THE CABLE COULD CONTACT THE POWER STEERING LINE AND THE INSULATION COULD WEAR, RESULTING IN AN ELECTRICAL SHORT.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: THE SHORT COULD POTENTIALLY RESULT IN A FIRE, STALLING, OR A NO-START CONDITION.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSPECT THE BATTERY CABLE TO THE ALTERNATOR FOR DAMAGE AND, IF IT IS DAMAGED, WILL REPLACE THE CABLE. ADDITIONALLY, THE ROUTING OF THE CABLE WILL BE CORRECTED, AS NECESSARY, AND A ROUTING CLIP WILL BE ADDED. ALSO THE TORQUE ON THE ALTERNATOR ATTACHMENT OF THE CABLE WILL BE CHECKED AND, AS REQUIRED, WILL BE TIGHTENED TO SPECIFICATION. OWNER NOTIFICATION BEGAN MARCH 22, 2001. OWNERS WHO TAKE THEIR VEHICLES TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER ON AN AGREED UPON SERVICE DATE AND DO NOT RECEIVE THE FREE REMEDY WITHIN A REASONABLE TIME SHOULD CONTACT FORD AT 1-800-392-3673.
01V032000 · Exterior Lighting:brake Lights:switch
Feb 6, 2001
VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES. THE BRAKE LAMP SWITCH TERMINALS COULD OVERHEAT.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: THIS COULD CAUSE EITHER A LOSS OF BRAKE LAMP FUNCTION OR CONTINUOUSLY ILLUMINATED BRAKE LAMPS, INCREASING THE RISK OF A CRASH.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSTALL A NEW STOP LAMP EXTENSION HARNESS WITH BRONZE TERMINALS AT THE BRAKE LAMP SWITCH CONNECTOR, AND ALSO INSPECT THE BRAKE LAMP SWITCH FOR SIGNS OF OVERHEATING AND REPLACE, AS REQUIRED. OWNER NOTIFICATION BEGAN MARCH 22, 2001. OWNERS WHO TAKE THEIR VEHICLES TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER ON AN AGREED UPON SERVICE DATE AND DO NOT RECEIVE THE FREE REMEDY WITHIN A REASONABLE TIME SHOULD CONTACT FORD AT 1-800-392-3673.
00V075000 · Service Brakes, Hydraulic:foundation Components
Mar 9, 2000
VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES NOT EQUIPPED WITH THE ANTI-LOCK BRAKING SYSTEM (ABS). A PRESSURE CONSCIOUS REDUCING VALVE (PCRV) IN THE REAR BRAKES MAY BE SUBJECT TO CORROSION AND RESULT IN MALFUNCTION, WHEN OPERATED IN AREAS THAT USE SALT COMPOUNDS ON THE ROADWAY FOR DE-ICING OR DUST CONTROL.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: IF BOTH PCRV'S MALFUNCTION, VEHICLE HANDLING COULD BE ADVERSELY AFFECTED DURING BRAKING AS A RESULT OF THE REAR WHEELS LOCKING, INCREASING THE RISK OF A CRASH.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSTALL IMPROVED PCRV'S IN THE REAR BRAKE SYSTEM. THIS RECALL WAS EXPANDED IN SEPTEMBER 2000 TO INCLUDE 1999 AND 2000 FORD CONTOUR, MERCURY MYSTIQUE AND COUGAR VEHICLES.
99V226000 · Latches/locks/linkages:doors:latch
Aug 18, 1999
VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES. THE DOOR LATCH MAY HAVE BEEN MANUFACTURED WITH A LATCH PAWL THAT HAS A COATING WHICH WILL SWELL IN HIGH HUMIDITY CONDITIONS. THE LATCH PAWL MAY THEN STICK IN THE OPEN OR UNLATCHED POSITION.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: THE DOOR WOULD NOT LATCH WHEN CLOSED. IF THE VEHICLE IS DRIVEN IN THIS CONDITION, IT COULD POTENTIALLY RESULT IN THE DOOR OPENING WHILE THE VEHICLE IS IN MOTION.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSTALL A REVISED SIDE DOOR LATCH.
99V194000 · Vehicle Speed Control
Jul 20, 1999
VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES. THE ACCELERATOR CABLE MAY HAVE BEEN MANUFACTURED WITH A BURR ON OR NEAR THE END OF THE CABLE SLEEVE INTERIOR. THIS BURR COULD FRAY THE CORE WIRE RESULTING IN THE ACCELERATOR NOT RETURNING TO IDLE WHEN THE ACCELERATOR IS RELEASED.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: THIS CONDITION CAN RESULT IN THE THROTTLE STICKING, BINDING, OR CAUSING HIGH ENGINE RPM.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSTALL A REVISED ACCELERATOR CABLE THAT HAS A FLARED CONDUIT SLEEVE END AND MOLDED ON END FITTING.
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