2000 MERCURY COUGAR Complaints

FOR THE LAST 18 MONTH THE HEAD LIGHTS AND DASH LIGHTS HAVE FLICKERED. I HAVE TAKEN IT TO THE DEALER 4 OR 5 TIMES. TWICE BEFORE THE WARRANTY RAN OUT. THE PROBLEM WAS NEVER FIXED AND THE DEALER ALWAY TOLD ME THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM CHECKED OUT FIND. THE PROBLEM HAS GOTTEN WORSE AND NOW THE ALTERNATOR HAS FAILED TWICE IN 30 DAYS. THIS WAS MY THIRD AND LAST MERCURY. *LA

WITH LITTLE OR NO WARNING, MY CAR'S ELECTRICAL SYSTEM WILL START FAILING. LIGHTS WILL DIM, RPM AND SPEED GAGES RESET AND THE CAR STALLS. THE VEHICLE WILL NOT START AGAIN AND HAS TO BE TOWED TO THE SHOP. VEHICLE HAS LEFT ME STRANDED 3 TIMES BECAUSE OF THIS. THE FAILURE IS IN THE ALTERNATOR TO THE CAR AND POSSIBLY THE BATTERY AS WELL WHICH HAS ONLY EVER BEEN THE ORIGINAL FORD BATTERIES. I HAVE HAD TO HAVE MY BATTERY REPLACED 3 TIMES AND MY ALTERNATOR 3 TIMES. THIS HAS ALL OCCURRED WITHIN THE LAST 2 1/2 YEARS. AFTER READING INFORMATION FROM OTHER MERCURY COUGAR OWNERS ON THE WEBSITE WWW.FASTCOUGAR.ORG, IT IS OBVIOUS THAT THERE IS A SUBSTANTIAL PROBLEM WITH THIS CAR'S ALTERNATOR AND SHOULD BE ADDRESSED BY THE FORD MOTOR COMPANY.*AK

WHILE DRIVING AT 45 MPH VEHICLE STALLED. THIS CAUSED THE LOSS OF STEERING AND BRAKES. AS RESULT, CONSUMER WAS INVOLVED A COLLISION, WHERE THE VEHICLE WAS TOTALED. DEALER NOTIFIED. *AK

CONSUMER PARKED THE VEHICLE AND PASSENGER'S SIDE AIR BAG DEPLOYED. CONSUMER CONTACTED DEALERSHIP ABOUT THIS ISSUE. *AK

THE FRONT BUMPER IS SO LOW IT DRAGS OUT OF DRIVEWAYS, SHOPPING CENTER PARKING BLOCKS AND SO ON. BECAUSE OF THIS, THE WHOLE FENDER HAS TORN OFF ON BOTH SIDES OF CAR. THE FULL FENDER AND LOWER SECTION WHERE FOG LIGHTS WOULD GO IS TORN OFF TOO. INCIDENT DATE WAS LAST TIME, THIS PROBLEM HAPPENS EVERYTIME THE CAR IS DRIVEN. *JB

#1 I RECEIVED A RECALL LETTER FROM FORD IN LATE APRIL 2004 REGARD THE FUEL PUMP. I HAVE HAD SEVERAL PROBLEMS WITH MY 2000 COUGAR LOOSING POWER ON INCLINE FOR THE PAST YEAR OR SO. AFTER I PAID TO HAVE A NEW FUEL PUMP I RECIEVED THE LETTER. THEY INFORMED ME THAT THE NEW FUEL PUMP WOULD BE OUT LATE MAY 2004, BUT I HAVEN'T HEARD FROM THEM AS OF DATE. *AK #2 EVERYTIME I DRIVE MY CAR FOR ABOUT 15 MINUTES OR MORE, ONCE I TURN OFF THE CAR, IF I TRY TO START IT WITHIN 5 TO 10 MINUTES IT WILL NOT START. I HAVE TO WAIT AT LEAST 15 MINUTES. FORD DEALERSHIP REPAIR CANNOT FIND A PROBLEM.

WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE STALLED. DEALERSHIP WAS NOTIFIED, BUT DID NOT RESOLVE THE PROBLEM. *AK

WHILE TURNING ON THE TURN SIGNAL IT FAILED TO TURN ON. CONSUMER TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER, AND MECHANIC REPLACED THE TURN SIGNAL SWITCH UNIT DUE TO A BURNT WIRE. *AK

I WAS HEADING HOME FROM THE BEACH. I HAD MY CAR ON CRUISE CONTROL. A CAR WAS STOPPING AHEAD TO TURN INTO A HOUSING DEVELOPMENT. I TRIED TO PUSH THE BRAKE TO DISENGAGE THE CRUISE CONTROL,BUT THE CRUISE CONTROL DID NOT DISENGAGE. I AGAIN HIT THE BRAKE, HARDER THIS TIME, BUT THE CRUISE CONTROL AGAIN DID NOT DISENGAGE. WITH MY FOOT ON THE BRAKE I TRIED TO SWERVE TO MISS THE CAR IN FRONT OF ME. I ENDED UP LOSING CONTROL OF MY CAR OFFROAD AND ROLLING THE CAR INTO A DITCH. I AVOIDED ANY OTHER CARS OR PROPERTY, BUT MY CAR WAS DAMAGED HEAVILY. I AM STILL AWAITING THE ASSESSMENT OF THE DAMAGE FROM MY INSURANCE COMPANY. MY PASSENGER AND I BOTH WALKED AWAY, LUCKILY WE WERE WEARING OUR SEAT BELTS.

WHILE DRIVING/TURNING AT 55 MPH VEHICLE HESITATED THEN STALLLED. DEALERSHIP WAS NOTIFIED, BUT DID NOT RESOLVE THE PROBLEM. *AK