2000 Mercury Cougar

WENT OUT TO GO TO WORK ONE MORNING AND CAR WOULD NOT START, ALL SYSTEMS COMPLETELY DEAD, JUMPED CAR OFF NEXT DAY AND BARELY MADE IT TO GARAGE, REPLACED BATTERY 11/04, PROBLEMS EVER SINCE WITH BATTERY LIGHT CONSTANTLY FLASHING AS WELL AS ALL INTERIOR AND EXTERIOR LIGHTS FLASHING BRIGHT TO DIM DAY OR NIGHT, WAS TOLD 11/04 NEEDED A NEW ALTERNATOR, STILL HAVE NOT GOTTEN A NEW ALTERNATOR AND DO NOT PLAN TO AT THIS POINT, RECEIVED THE RECALL ON BATTERY CABLE AND REROUTING AND HAD THAT DONE, IF THIS IS A CONSISTENT PROBLEM WITH V-6 2000 MERCURY COUGARS THE COMPANY SHOULD TAKE CARE OF THIS PROBLEM IMMEDIATELY, IF DRIVING AT NIGHT AND CAR COMPLETELY STALLS, ALL LIGHTS AND CONTROLS ARE INOPERABLE WHICH WILL CAUSE ACCIDENT TO SELF AND/OR OTHERS, THIS IS A SCARY THOUGHT FOR A SINGLE FEMALE DRIVING AT NIGHT AND IN AREAS WHERE CELL PHONE DOESN'T ALWAYS HAVE A SIGNAL, FORD SHOULD FIX THIS BATTERY/ALTERNATOR PROBLEM ASAP BEFORE SOMEONE GETS HURT AND SUES. *JB

MY 2000 MERCURY COUGAR HAS A PROBLEM WITH THE BATTERY LIGHT FLASHING INTERMITTENTLY AND THE HEAD LIGHTS AND INTERIOR LIGHTS FLICKERING CONSISTENTLY. FIRST I TOOK IT TO TWO LOCAL REPAIR SHOPS WHO FOUND NO CHARGING PROBLEMS. THE SECOND SHOP PROVIDED ME WITH A RECALL AND RECOMMENDED THAT I TAKE IT TO THE DEALER. I TOOK IT TO THE FORD DEALER(WITH THE RECALL PAPER WORK) AND THEY FIRST REPLACED THE ALTERNATOR (WHICH DIDN'T FIX THE PROBLEM) THEN REPLACED A CONNECTOR (WHICH DIDN'T FIX MY PROBLEM). WHEN I ASKED THEM TO REPLACE THE BATTERY CABLE TO THE ALTERNATOR WHICH IS MENTIONED IN THE RECALL THE SERVICE MANAGER TOLD ME THAT HE WOULD HAVE TO REPLACE A $1,900.00 WIRING HARNESS TO DO THAT. HE RECOMMENDED THAT I TRADE MY CAR IN. SO I WENT OUT AND BOUGHT A "CONSUMER REPORTS" USED CAR BUYING GUIDE TO LOOK FOR A RELIABLE USED CAR AND I FOUND A SECTION IN THE BACK FOR "RECALLS". UNDER THE '99-00 MERCURY COUGAR SECTION IT REFERENCES THIS RECALL AND SAYS "IF NECESSARY, REPLACE THE BATTERY CABLE". I HAVE FILED A COMPLAINT WITH FORD AND PLAN TO CALL THE ATTORNEY GENERALS CONSUMER AFFAIRS DIVISION NEXT. *JB

WITH NO WARNING, MY CAR'S ELECTRICAL SYSTEM WILL START FAILING. LIGHTS WILL DIM, RPM AND SPEED GAUGES RESET AND THE CAR STALLS WITH IN A MATTER OF MINUTES. THE VEHICLE WILL NOT START AGAIN AND HAS TO BE TOWED TO THE DEALERSHIP. VEHICLE HAS LEFT ME STRANDED 5+ TIMES BECAUSE OF THIS. THE FAILURE IS IN THE ALTERNATOR TO THE CAR AND POSSIBLY THE BATTERY AS WELL WHICH BOTH HAVE ONLY EVER BEEN THE MANUFACTURERS PARTS. I HAVE HAD TO HAVE MY BATTERY REPLACED 4 TIMES AND MY ALTERNATOR 5+ TIMES IT IS OBVIOUS THAT THERE IS A SUBSTANTIAL PROBLEM WITH THIS CAR'S ELECTRICAL SYSTEM. THE CAR IS NOT DEPENDABLE AT ALL AND CAUSES MORE STRESS, MONEY,& TIME THAN IT IS WORTH. THESE ISSUES SHOULD BE ADDRESSED BY THE FORD MOTOR COMPANY. *JB

DT: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING AT 50MPH THE VEHICLE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALERSHIP. UPON INSPECTION THE DEALER FOUND THE BATTERY WIRE HAD CAME LOOSE FROM THE ALTERNATOR. THE PROBLEM RETURNED A SECOND TIME UNDER A SIMILAR CIRCUMSTANCE, BUT THE VEHICLE WAS DRIVEN TO THE DEALER. THE BATTERY WIRE WAS REATTACHED THE SECOND TIME. THE CONTACT FOUND THERE WAS A PREVIOUS RECALL FOR THE BATTERY CABLES, NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID # 01V031000. THE VEHICLE WAS INSPECTED ON OCTOBER 15, 2001 AND THERE WAS NO PROBLEM FOUND. ACCORDING TO THE RECORDS THE RECALL IS CLOSED.

MY DAUGHTER'S CAR IS HAVING ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS. IT IS EXACTLY AS MENTIONED IN NHTSA RECALL CAMPAIGN 01V031000. THE DEALER WON'T FIX THE PROBLEM AS A RECALL BECAUSE IS WAS SUPPOSEDLY FIXED AT THE TIME OF THE RECALL BEFORE MY DAUGHTER BOUGHT THE CAR. IT IS A 2000 MERCURY COUGAR. FORD HAS TOLD HER IT WAS REPAIRED AND WHAT DEALER REPAIRED IT IN NEW JERSEY. SHE IS IN SOUTH CAROLINA IN COLLEGE , AND TOOK VEHICLE TO A DEALER THERE. THEY SAID THEY DIDN'T DO RECALL REPAIRS. SHE CALLED THE DEALER IN NEW JERSEY THAT FORD TOLD HER DID THE WORK, AND THEY TOLD HER THAT SOMETIMES RECALL WORK HAS TO BE REDONE, BUT THE WARRANTY WAS ONLY FOR ONE YEAR. I DON'T FEEL SHE SHOULD HAVE TO PAY TO HAVE THE WORK DONE IF IT IS A KNOWN PROBLEM WITH MERCURY COUGARS, AND HER CAR WAS ONE THAT WAS INCLUDED IN THAT RECALL. I WISH FORD COULD AT LEAST HELP HER PARTIALLY WITH THE REPAIRS. THE RECALL SAID THE CAR MIGHT CATCH ON FIRE. I HOPE THIS NEVER HAPPENS TO HER OR ANYONE OWNING A COUGAR.*AK

MERCURY COUGAR 2000 STARTED TO GIVE ME PROBLEMS WITHIN THE LAST WEEK: LIGHTS FLICKERING,LOSS OF POWER, STALLING. CURRENTLY IN A GARAGE GETTING A NEW ALTERNATOR INSTALLED. NOT UNDER WARRANTY. I FORTUNATELY FOUND ON THE WEB THAT THERE IS A RECALL FOR AN ELECTRICAL PROBLEM, BUT DON'T BELIEVE THIS WILL RESOLVE THE ISSUE AS IT HASN'T FOR ANYONE ELSE. I READ COUNTLESS REPORTS OF THIS SAME PROBLEM ON THE WEB. *NM

DT: 2000 MERCURY COUGAR. THE CONSUMER FOUND RECALL 01V031000 FOR THE ELECTRIC BATTERY AND ALTERNATOR. THE BATTERY HAS BEEN REPLACED THREE TIMES IN THE LAST WEEK, AND THE ALTERNATOR HAS BEEN REPLACED ONCE. HOWEVER, PROBLEM RECURRED. . WHEN SHE CONTACTED MERCURY THEY STATED THIS VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL DUE TO VIN. THE VEHICLE WILL START. BUT WHEN SHE TURNED ON THE AIR CONDITIONER OR RADIO THE VEHICLE STALLED. BOTH THE BATTERY AND ALTERNATOR HAVE BEEN CHECKED TO SEE IF THEY WERE THE PROBLEM. TWO MECHANICS STATED THE BATTERY AND ALTERNATOR WERE FINE. IT WAS AN ELECTRICAL PROBLEM. THE EMISSION SYSTEM LIGHT ON THE VEHICLE KEPT COMING ON. FORD STATED THEY KNEW OF THIS PROBLEM AND THAT COULD BE CHECKED. *AK

VEHICLE INTERIOR AND HEADLIGHTS CONSTANTLY BRIGHTEN AND DIM WHEN BRAKE OR GAS PEDAL IS APPLIED. BROUGHT IT IN TO DEALER ON 11/26/04, ALTERNATOR WAS REPLACED (100 DOLLARS SPENT). ALTERNATOR HAD PREVIOUSLY BEEN REPLACED DUE TO COMPLETE FAILURE ON CHRISTMAS EVE 2001. NOW ON THIRD ALTERNATOR. ON MONDAY NOVEMBER 29, CAR BEGAN EXHIBITED THE SAME BRIGHTENING AND DIMMING EFFECTS. BROUGHT TO DEALER AND WAS INFORMED THAT THE WIRE BETWEEN THE BATTERY AND ALTERNATOR COULD POTENTIALLY HAVE A PROBLEM. DEALER WAS NICE ENOUGH TO FIX IT FOR FREE. I HAVE CONTACTED MERCURY CORPORATE SEVERAL TIMES AND ASKED TO SPEAK WITH SOMEONE WHO CAN ACTUALY HELP ME AND AND ALWAYS TOLD THAT I CAN'T SPEAK TO ANYONE ELSE. THERE ARE SO MANY MORE THINGS THAT HAVE GONE WRONG WITH THIS CAR I DONT EVEN KNOW WHERE TO BEGIN.*AK