IllustrationWHILE DRIVING 50 MPH, THE VEHICLE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. THE DRIVER TRIED TO RESTART THE VEHICLE AND WAS NOT ABLE TO DO SO. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION. THE MECHANIC INFORMED THE DRIVER THAT THE FUEL PUMP NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. *JB *SC
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
Fuel System, Gasoline complaints
18 reportsPROBLEMS WITH ENGINE STALLING AND FUEL PUMP. *MR THE CONSUMER REQUESTED THAT FORD REIMBURSE THE COST OF REPLACING THE DEFECTIVE PART. *SC *JB
2001 MERCURY COUGAR HAS STALLED 5 TIMES WITHIN A MONTH AND A HALF. TWICE ON THE HIGHWAY AND 3 TIMES IDLE. CAR WAS COMPLETELY SHUTTING OFF WITHOUT RESTARTING AND 2 COMPUTER CHIPS WERE REPLACED DUE TO FORD PUTTING IN A BAD CHIP. CAR IS NOW STALLING WHEN GOING AT SLOW SPEEDS OR STOPPED AND HAS BEEN IN AN INDEPENDENT SHOP 3 TIMES W…
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2001 MERCURY COUGAR HAS STALLED 5 TIMES WITHIN A MONTH AND A HALF. TWICE ON THE HIGHWAY AND 3 TIMES IDLE. CAR WAS COMPLETELY SHUTTING OFF WITHOUT RESTARTING AND 2 COMPUTER CHIPS WERE REPLACED DUE TO FORD PUTTING IN A BAD CHIP. CAR IS NOW STALLING WHEN GOING AT SLOW SPEEDS OR STOPPED AND HAS BEEN IN AN INDEPENDENT SHOP 3 TIMES WITHIN A 3 WEEK PERIOD SO THE CAR IS NOW STALLING ONCE A WEEK. BRAND NEW WIRES, THROTTLE BODY, IDLE CENSOR WAS REPLACED AND IT'S STILL STALLING. SPENT A SMALL FORTUNE ON RENTAL CARS, TOW TRUCKS AND REPAIRS. FORD'S CUSTOMER SERVICE SAID THERE WAS NOTHING THAT COULD BE DONE. WILL NEVER EVER BUY AN AMERICAN CAR AGAIN!
REQUEST FOR REIMBURSEMENT FOR REPLACEMENT OF FUEL PUMP. *MR *SC *JB
FUEL PUMP FAILURE - FUEL PUMP HAD BEEN REPLACED PREVIOUSLY (WITH AN OEM FORD ONE), WHILE DRIVING ON I95 NEAR DC IN HEAVY TRAFFIC, PUMP DIED, CAUSING CAR TO STALL, ALMOST CAUSING A MULTI CAR ACCIDENT WHILE TRYING TO MERGE THRU TRAFFIC TO REACH THE BREAKDOWN LANE. DEALER REPLACED FUEL PUMP (52,000 MILES). NOW AT 61,000 THE PUMP …
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FUEL PUMP FAILURE - FUEL PUMP HAD BEEN REPLACED PREVIOUSLY (WITH AN OEM FORD ONE), WHILE DRIVING ON I95 NEAR DC IN HEAVY TRAFFIC, PUMP DIED, CAUSING CAR TO STALL, ALMOST CAUSING A MULTI CAR ACCIDENT WHILE TRYING TO MERGE THRU TRAFFIC TO REACH THE BREAKDOWN LANE. DEALER REPLACED FUEL PUMP (52,000 MILES). NOW AT 61,000 THE PUMP IS DYING AGAIN. *LA
SMELL GAS FUMES, GAPS AROUND SUNROOF, FRONT WHEEL AREA LOUD NOISES WHEN TURNING,BACK WINDOW NOT SEALED, BRAKE LIGHTS DON'T ALWAYS WORKS, DIM LIGHTS NOT BRIGHT ENOUGH TO SEE. *AK
FUEL SMELL WAS COMING FROM INSIDE OF VEHICLE THROUGH THE VENTS. DEALERSHIP WAS AWARE OF PROBLEM.*AK
CONSUMER COULD SMELL GAS COMING THROUGH VENTS. FUEL WAS ALSO LEAKING ON GROUND. VEHICLE IS CURRENTLY AT DEALER, BEING INSPECTED. *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.