2002 Mercury Cougar

Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations

Limited comparison data

There is not enough comparable history to draw a useful model-year comparison.

Counts are not adjusted for sales, age, mileage exposure or reporting. A lower count does not establish that a car is problem-free.

About this comparison →

95Owner complaints

Model-year median: 2

1Recall campaigns

View recall details →

0Investigations

View investigation details →

Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗ Model-level counts do not show whether a particular VIN is affected or repaired.

Inspection summary

2002 Mercury Cougar

NHTSA snapshot: September 18, 2026. 95 owner complaints · 1 recall campaigns · 0 investigations.

Counts are not failure probabilities and are not adjusted for sales, age, mileage exposure or reporting. One report may name several categories. Comparison method and limitations.

Top reported categories (up to 5)

Fuel System, Gasoline: 41 reports
Engine And Engine Cooling: 11 reports
Power Train: 10 reports
Engine: 9 reports
Air Bags: 7 reports

Full reported-category list and vehicle report

Recall links

04V421000 — Fuel System, Gasoline

Check a VIN with NHTSA. Model-level history does not establish whether a particular VIN is affected or repaired.

Print the top reported categories, recall links, snapshot date and comparison limits.

How this year compares

Owner complaints by model year

Other model years Selected year

Compare all Cougar years →

Counts vary with age, sales, mileage exposure and reporting. They are not failure rates.

What owners reported most

Fuel System, Gasoline

41 Engine And Engine Cooling

11 Power Train

10 Engine

9 Air Bags

All reported categories

Visibility

6 Electrical System

4 Fuel System, Other

4 Fuel/propulsion System

4 Vehicle Speed Control

2 Electronic Stability Control (esc)

1 Equipment

1 Latches/locks/linkages

1 Seats

1 Service Brakes, Air

1 Service Brakes, Hydraulic

1 Wheels

Tap a category to read its complaints. One report may name several components.

When problems were reported

Mileage at the reported incident

0–25K

25–50K

50–75K

75–100K

100–150K

150K+

79 reports with mileage · 16 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 41 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 →
Power Train. Review the 10 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

9 crash reports1 fire reports8 injury reports

Exterior Lighting complaints

2 reports

Clear category filter

165,000 miles · Jun 12, 2017

Exterior Lighting

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 MERCURY COUGAR. WHILE DRIVING UNKNOWN SPEEDS, THE HEADLIGHTS DIMMED. THE LOCAL DEALER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE CONTACT INSPECTED THE VEHICLE AND NOTICED THAT THE PROTECTED WIRING COVER WAS DETERIORATING. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE F…

Read full complaint

NHTSA ODI #10994500

179,225 miles · Dec 23, 2014

Electrical SystemEngineExterior Lighting

Read full complaint

I'M HAVING THE SAME ISSUE WITH MY 2002 MERCURY COUGAR AS EVERYONE ELSE, BUT WHEN I PUT MY VIN NUMBER INTO THE SEARCH, THERE ARE NO RECALLS LISTED FOR IT. I DON'T THINK THAT ITS RIGHT THAT MY LIFE BE PUT IN SERIOUS DANGER BECAUSE OF AN APPARENT DESIGN ISSUE. THIS CAR IS LOSING ALL POWER AND SHUTTING DOWN. IT DOESN'T MATTER HOW FAST YOU ARE GOING, IT HAPPENS AT ALL SPEEDS. WE THOUGHT THE ALTERNATOR WAS BAD, HAD IT REPLACED AND THE BATTERY AT THE SAME TIME. THE SAME DAY, THE CAR LOST ALL POWER AGAIN AND DIED OUT GOING 60 MPH ON THE HIGHWAY. ALL THE GAUGES START GOING CRAZY AND THE LIGHTS DIM AND EVENTUALLY EVERYTHING INCLUDING THE CAR JUST QUITS. MERCURY/FORD, NEEDS TO BE RESPONSIBLE FOR THIS COFFIN THAT I'M TRYING TO DRIVE AND FIX THE PROBLEM FOR ME AND EVERYONE ELSE FOR FREE. I'VE DONE SOME ONLINE RESEARCH ON THIS, AND IT SEEMS LIKE THERE ARE A TON OF PEOPLE WITH THE SAME PROBLEM FROM YEARS 99 TO 02. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10668046

Recall campaigns

04V421000 · 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 ↗

Defect investigations

No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.

An investigation is not a finding of a defect, and closure does not prove a vehicle is problem-free.