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

What owners actually said

95 reports

800 miles · Aug 20, 2003

Visibility

PURCHASED VEHICLE JANUARY 2003. IN MARCH AND MAY TOOK CAR TO DEALERSHIP FOR DRIVER SIDE WINDOW LEAK. SEAL REPLACED BOTH TIMES. IN JULY TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALERSHIP FOR WINDOW LEAKS TO BOTH DRIVER AND PASSENGER SIDES. THEY REPLACED BOTH SEAL TRIM PIECE, RETAINER ASSY. SIDE RAILS AND SEALED WITH SILICONE. CAR IS STILL LEAKING O…

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NHTSA ODI #10033165

Mileage unknown · Jul 31, 2003

Engine And Engine Cooling

CONSUMER STATED VEHICLE HESITATED BETWEEN GEARS AT ANY SPEED. SERVICE TECHNICIAN COULDN'T DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION. *PH

NHTSA ODI #10031761

23,000 miles · Jul 8, 2003

Fuel System, Gasoline

FUEL PUMP HAD FAILED, CAUSING TE VEHICLE TO SHUT OFF. DEALER NOTIFIED. *AK

NHTSA ODI #10026760

Mileage unknown · Jun 25, 2003

Air BagsSeat BeltsCrashInjury

WHILE DRIVING AT 40 MPH A VEHICLE AHEAD SLAMMED ON THE BRAKES AND CONSUMER HIT THE BRAKES AND THE VEHICLE JUMPED AND ACCELERATED WHICH CAUSED CONSUMER'S VEHICLE TO HIT THE VEHICLE AHEAD. DURING THIS, THE DRIVER SEAT BELT DID NOT RESTRAIN, AND THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY.*AK

NHTSA ODI #10024932

Mileage unknown · Apr 28, 2003

Power Train

WHILE DRIVING, THE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION FAILED TO SHIFT PROPERLY. *JB

NHTSA ODI #10017690

Mileage unknown · Apr 24, 2003

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I HAVE A 2002 MERCURY COUGAR C2 THAT I PURCHASED MARCH OF 2002 AND I HAVE HAD NOTHING BUT PROBLEMS SINCE THE DAY I BOUGHT IT. WITHIN ONE YEAR OF MY PURCHASE I HAVE HAD ALL FOUR TIRES GO FLAT AND ADDITONAL FLATS ON TOP OF THOSE. MY FUEL PUMP ALSO WENT OUT ON ME APRIL 18TH WITH ONLY 18,000 MILES ON MY CAR. I HAVE ASKED TURNPIKE FORD, WHERE I PURCHASED THE VEHICLE, ON OCCASION TO COME AND GET MY CAR FOR ME TO FIX THE TIRE AFTER I HAD ALREADY PUT THE DOUGHNUT ON BUT THEY HAVE REFUSED TO DO SO AND TOLD ME THAT I WOULD HAVE TO CALL ROADSIDE SERVICE. I WOULD UNDERSTAND IF I WERE FAR FROM THE CAR LOT BUT MY WORKPLACE IS ONLY A FEW MILES AWAY. I CALLED ON ONE OCCASION TRING TO GET A NUMBER TO CALL MERCURY/FORD TO COMPLAIN TO THEM BUT THE SALES REP TOLD ME THAT SHE DOES NOT HAVE THAT NUMBER THAT I WOULD HAVE TO LOOK FOR IT MYSELF. I HAVE ALSO CALLED THE OWNERS OF THE LOT TO TALK TO THEM BUT I CAN NOT GET THEM TO RESPOND TO MY PHONE CALLS. I WAS JUST UPSET ABOUT THE PROBLEMS WITH THE CAR BUT NOW I AM ALSO UPSET ABOUT THE SERVICE THAT I AM RECEIVING OR IN MY CASE NOT RECEIVING. THANK YOU FOR YOU ATTENTION IN THIS MATTER.

NHTSA ODI #10016452

17,136 miles · Apr 20, 2003

Fuel System, Gasoline

FUEL PUMP WAS REPLACED TWICE BECAUSE FUEL GAUGE WAS NOT READING CORRECTLY. AFTER THE SECOND REPLACEMENT, WHILE DRIVING 70 MPH, VEHICLE SHUT DOWN AND WOULDN'T RESTART. VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER, WHO STATED THAT FUEL PUMP NEEDED TO BE REPLACED AGAIN. *AK *NM

NHTSA ODI #10033777

5,000 miles · Apr 9, 2003

Engine And Engine Cooling

WHILE TRAVELING ON HIGHWAY AT APPROXIMATELY 70 MPH, VEHICLE STALLS WITHOUT WARNING. THIS HAS HAPPENED 12 TIMES AT HIGH SPEEDS AND RESULTS IN LOSS OF POWER STEERING AND TWICE HAS RESULTED IN LOSS OF ALL ELECTRICAL POWER INCLUDING HEADLIGHTS. *JB

NHTSA ODI #10014166

Mileage unknown · Jan 17, 2003

Engine And Engine Cooling

WHILE TRAVELING ON THE HIGHWAY THE VEHICLE SHUT DOWN WITHOUT PRIOR WARNING. AND THE VEHICLE WILL NOT RESTART AT ALL PLEASE PROVIDE ADDITIONAL INFORMATION DEALER IS AWARE OF THE PROBLEM

NHTSA ODI #10004178

13,000 miles · Jan 16, 2003

WheelsCrashInjury

WHILE DRIVING WHEEL LOCKS,(WHICH WHEEL UNKNOWN)WHICH CAUSES THE BRAKE PAD TO WEAR ON ONE SIDE BEFORE THE OTHER(SIDE UNKNOWN). PLEASE PROVIDE MORE DETAILS. PH *TS

NHTSA ODI #10003991

Official recalls

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 ↗

NHTSA investigations

No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.