IllustrationVEHICLE QUITTING IN INTERSECTION AND CAR LOSING ALL POWER ENTERING GARAGE. VIBRATION AND PULLING TO RIGHT AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS. EGR VALVE REPLACED TWICE. *TR
2001 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
40–25K
1325–50K
1050–75K
775–100K
10100–150K
7150K+
51 reports with mileage · 31 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.
- Fuel System, Gasoline. Review the 18 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Electrical System. Review the 12 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Engine And Engine Cooling. Review the 11 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
7 crash reports6 fire reports5 injury reports
Equipment complaints
2 reportsAFTER ALL THE PROBLEMS WITH MY 2001 COUGAR I WISH I WOULD HAVE MADE A BETTER CHOICE IN WHAT VEHICLE I BOUGHT. THE ONE RECALL THAT THEY HAD ON THE FUEL PUMP I HAD TO HAVE THAT REPLACED, BUT I AM NOT SURE THEY REALLY FIXED IT BECAUSE IT STILL HESITATED WHEN I ACCELERATING . THE LOW COOLANT LIGHT ON THE DASH WENT ON IN THE WINT…
Read full complaint
AFTER ALL THE PROBLEMS WITH MY 2001 COUGAR I WISH I WOULD HAVE MADE A BETTER CHOICE IN WHAT VEHICLE I BOUGHT. THE ONE RECALL THAT THEY HAD ON THE FUEL PUMP I HAD TO HAVE THAT REPLACED, BUT I AM NOT SURE THEY REALLY FIXED IT BECAUSE IT STILL HESITATED WHEN I ACCELERATING . THE LOW COOLANT LIGHT ON THE DASH WENT ON IN THE WINTER TIME WHEN I FIRST STARTED THE CAR. AFTER I DRIVING A BIT THE LIGHT WILL JUST TURN OFF. SO HOW THE AM I SUPPOSE TO KNOW WHEN THERE REALLY WAS A COOLANT PROBLEM IF THE LIGHT JUST WENT ON. THEN, THE TRANSMISSION WENT OUT AT 94,000 MILES WITH NO SIGNS OF IT GOING OUT. I WAS DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY AT 70 MPH WHEN I PRESSED ON THE GAS PEDAL AND NOTHING HAPPENED, LIKE THE CAR WAS IN NEUTRAL. I TRIED DIFFERENT GEARS AND NOTHING. I WAS ABLE TO COAST TO THE SHOULDER OF THE ROAD AND HAD TO CALL A TOW TRUCK TO BRING THE CAR HOME AND COST $300.00. I HAD TO FIND A PLACE TO BRING THE CAR TO GET A NEW TRANSMISSION WHICH WAS AT A FORD DEALERSHIP. THEY SAID IT WOULD TAKE ABOUT 3 DAYS TO HAVE IT DONE, AND TURNED OUT TAKING 2 WEEKS BECAUSE THEY DIDN'T KNOW HOW TO PUT THE CORRECT TRANSMISSION IN THE BOX. THEY SENT TWO WRONG TRANSMISSIONS BEFORE FORD FINALLY GOT THE CORRECT TRANSMISSION FOR THE CAR TO THE SHOP. THIS COST ME $3,235.00. TRANSMISSIONS FAILING AT 94,000 MILES WAS RIDICULOUS CONSIDERING ALL PROPER MAINTENANCE WAS DONE WHEN IT WAS NEEDED. THERE WERE STILL OTHER PROBLEMS WITH THE CAR, BUT I COULD NOT FIT ALL THE WORDS ON THIS FORM. I DID NOT BELIEVE ANYTHING WAS DONE AT ALL, AND CUSTOMER SERVICE FROM FORD WAS TERRIBLE. THE NEXT VEHICLE I BUY MOST DEFINITELY WILL NOT BE A FORD AND PROBABLY NOT AN AMERICAN VEHICLE EITHER. WORD OF MOUTH IS VERY POWERFULLY AND PEOPLE THAT I TALK TO ABOUT COUGAR PROBLEMS WILL NEVER BE BUYING A FORD. IF ONLY FORD WOULD CARE A LITTLE AND NOT BE AFRAID TO SPEND SOME MONEY TO MAKE THEIR CUSTOMERS A LITTLE MORE PLEASED WITH THEIR PURCHASE THEN MAYBE PEOPLE WOULDN'T LOOK DOWN SO MUCH ON FORD PRODUCTS. *AK
Official recalls
104V421000 · 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.
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
0No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.