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

Tires complaints

2 reports

Clear category filter

12,000 miles · Nov 27, 2007

Tires

Read full complaint

I HAVE FIRESTONE FIRE HAWK TIRES ON MY 2002 MERCURY COUGER XR. THE TIRE MODEL NUMBER IS 215-50-17. MY CAR HAS 44,000 MILES ON IT. I BOUGHT IT NEW AND I HAVE HAD 5 FLAT TIRES ON THE FRONT TWO TIRES OF MY CAR. THE REAR TIRES HAVE 44,000 MILES ON THEM. EACH TIME I GET A FLAT TIRE, THE TIRE IS SHREDDED IN THE INSIDE AND I HAVE BEEN LUCKY THAT I WAS DRIVING IN THE CITY NOT GOING VERY FAST. I HAVE BEEN TOLD EVERY TIME THAT MY TIRE PRESSURE MUST BE LOW AND THEREFORE CAUSED A FLAT. I GOT MY 5TH FLAT TIRE IN 4 YRS ON 11/22/07 (THANKSGIVING). MY TIRES HAD JUST BEEN CHECK WHEN I GOT MY OIL CHANGE TWO WEEKS BEFORE, BUT I STILL GOT A FLAT TIRE. I HAD JUST BEEN DRIVING ON A HWY GOING 65MPH AND I AM THANKFUL IT DIDN'T HAPPEN THEN, I AM DISABLED AND THE ROAD I HAD BEEN DRIVING ON WAS IN THE MIDDLE OF NO WHERE. SOON AFTER I RETURN TO TOWN I GOT A FLAT TIRE. MY HUSBAND WAS THEN IN THE CAR WITH ME. I TOOK THE TIRE IN TO POMPS TIRES THE SAME PLACE I HAVE ALWAYS TAKEN THEM, AND THE TIRE WAS AGAIN SHREDDED. I AM NOT SURE IF ANYONE ELSE HAS HAD THIS PROBLEM BUT I TRULY THINK THESE TIRES ARE DEFECTIVE AND DANGEROUS. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10210036

16,000 miles · Nov 30, 2004

Tires

Read full complaint

SINCE THE CAR WAS PURCHASED NEW IN SEPTEMBER 2003, THE TIRES HAVE BEEN A CONSTANT BATTLE. NOW AS THE CAR HAS REACHED 16,000 MILES, ONE TIRE HAS FAILED COMPLETELY, WHILE TWO OTHERS ARE NOT IN GREAT CONDITION.*AK 3 TIRES HAVE BEEN PUNCTURED BY SMALL ROUND PEBBLES FOUND CLOSE TO MY HOME. ONE TIRE THE STEEL BELT ACTUALLY SNAPPED ON THE FREEWAY, CAUSING MINOR TREAD SEPERATION AND INSTANT PRESSURE LOSS. THE INCIDENT WAS CONTROLLABLE AND TRAFFIC WAS LIGHT, RESULTING IN NO ACCIDENT. I HAVE CONTACTED BF GOODRICH ABOUT THE PROBLEMS WITH TIRES AND THEY ONLY OFFER TO REPLACE ONE AT A TIME WHEN THEY COMPLETELY FAIL. THEN THEY WILL ONLY GIVE 50% OFF ON ONE NEW TIRE. THE TIRES ARE OEM ON 2002 MERCURY COUGAR. BFGOODRICH COMP/TA P215/50R16 89V I REALLY FEEL IF ONE HAS ALREADY HAD A COMPLETE FAILURE AT 16,000 MILES AND THE OTHERS HAVE THERE OWN PROBLEMS, THAT A SECOND FAILURE IS POSSIBLE. MAYBE WITH WORSE RESULTS.

NHTSA ODI #10100767

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.