1999 MERCURY COUGAR Complaints

WHILE RIDING IN THE FRONT PASSENGER SEAT, I SNEEZED ONCE. THE SEAT BELT DID NOT LOOSEN UP ANY. RESULT WAS LEFT SHOULDER INJURY FOR ABOUT 5 MONTHS WITH THERAPY AND BRUISED RIBS THAT LASTED FOR ABOUT A MONTH. TO AVOID THIS, I PULL THE SEAT BELT AWAY FROM ME WHENEVER I HAVE TO SNEEZE OR COUGH. *AK

THE CONSUMER NOTICED THAT THE BLOWER MALFUNCTIONED. THE CONSUMER DROVE THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION. THE MECHANIC INFORMED THE CONSUMER THAT THE HEATER BLOWER RESISTOR NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER DETAILS. *JB

WHILE DRIVING AT ANY SPEED CHECK ENGINE LIGHT STAYED ON. VEHICLE STALLED, AND WAS STARTED AGAIN. THEN, THE VEHICLE REVVED SEVERELY. DEALER SENT THE VEHICLE TO REPAIR SHOPS FIVE TIMES FOR ESTIMATES, BUT COULD NOT FIND THE CAUSE OF THE PROBLEM. *AK THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT HAS BEEN ON SINCE THE VEHICLE WAS PURCHASED. *NM

RECALL 01V230000 CONCERNING AIR CONDITIONER HEATER BLOWER MOTOR RESISTOR DEFECT. THE AIR CONDITIONER BLOWER AND HEATER MALFUNCTIONED. CURRENTLY A RECALL WAS ISSUED FOR THIS YEAR/MAKE, AND MODEL. HOWEVER, AFTER CONTACTING THE MANUFACTURER, THIS VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL DUE TO VIN. *AK *SC

WHILE DRIVING THROTTLE STUCK INTERMITTENTLY. DEALERSHIP WAS NOTIFIED, BUT DID NOT RESOLVE THE PROBLEM. *AK

WHILE DRIVING, THE VEHICLE MADE A NOISE. THE CONSUMER IMMEDIATELY TURNED THE VEHICLE OFF. WHEN HE RESTARTED THE VEHICLE AND SHIFTED INTO REVERSE, THE VEHICLE FAILED TO MOVE. *JB

MY WIFE STARTED THE CAR AND A SPLIT SECOND LATER THE PASSANGER AIRBAG PREMATURLY DEPLOYED. IT WAS THE AIRBAG IN THE PASSENGER SEAT. I MADE AN APPOINTMENT FOR HER HEARING IN HER RIGHT EAR BECAUSE SHE IS HAVING PROBLEMS. I CALLED THE FORD/MERCURY MANUFACTURER AND THEY STATED THAT THERE WAS NOTHING THAT THEY COULD DO ABOUT IT. I CONTACTED THE DEALERSHIP WHICH I BOUGHT THE VEHICLE FROM AND THEY STATED THERE WAS NOTHING THAT THEY COULD DO EITHER. I DONT KNOW ABOUT YOU BUT I THINK THAT THIS IS A MAJOR DEFECT AND WOULD NOT WANT TO HEAR OR SEE ANYONE ELSE HAVE TO GO THROUGH THIS. I AM JUST GRATEFUL THAT I GAVE MY DAUGHTER A RIDE TO SCHOOL THAT MORNING. *AK

THE BATTERY SEEMED LOW ON THE CAR, INDICATED BY INTERIOR LIGHTS NOT BEING VERY ILLUMINATED, BUT THEN DASHBOARD LIGHTS STARTED FLASHING AND WINDOWS ROLLED UP VERY SLOWLY. I CHARGED THE BATTERY FOR MANY HOURS AND IT TOOK A CHARGE, SO I COULD GET TO THE MERCURY DEALER. IT DIED WHEN I GOT THERE AND THEY WERE CLOSED, SO I HAD TO JUMP IT AND MOVE TO A SAFE LOCATION TO LEAVE OVERNIGHT. THIS HAD HAPPENED TWICE BEFORE IN THE PAST 2 1/2 YEARS, SO I NEW IT WAS THE ALTERNATOR AGAIN! THAT'S THREE ALTERNATORS IN 2 1/2 YEARS. THIS TIME I AM OUT OF WARRANTY AND AM EXPECTED TO PAY $550 FOR A RECURRING PROBLEM THAT CLEARLY WILL HAPPEN AGAIN. THE DEALER CAN NOT TELL ME WHY THIS IS OCCURING, AND FORD "CUSTOMER SERVICE" COULD CARE LESS. AFTER RESEARCHING THIS PROBLEM ON THE INTERNET, IT SEEMS THAT MANY COUGAR OWNERS HAVE EXPERIENCED THIS PROBLEM CONTINUALLY. I HAVE ALSO HAD TO HAVE THE TRANSMISSION REPLACED, AS WELL AS THE MOTOR FOR THE SUNROOF.*AK

GAS GAUGE HAS ERRATIC OPERATION (SOMETIMES STICKS ON E OR F AND NEVER ACCURATE). CAR HAS HESITATION. DEALER INDICATED IT WAS THE FUEL DELIVERY MODULE. FORD/MERCURY ISSUED RECALL IN MAY 2004 ON FUEL DELIVERY MODULE FOR THIS REASON. MY CAR WAS NOT IN THE RECALL AND FORD WILL NOT OFFER ANY ASSISTANCE TO HAVE IT REPAIRED (APPROX $480 REPAIR). *NM

WHILE THE CAR IS RUNNING, MY 1999 MERCURY COUGAR WILL SHIFT FROM DRIVE TO NEUTRAL, TO REVERSE, WITHOUT EVER RELEASING THE LOCK. ALL IT TAKES IS SLIGHT PRESSURE ON THE GEAR SHIFT TO CHANGE GEARS UNINTENTIONALLY. THE DEALER I JUST BOUGHT THE CAR FROM 2 WEEKS AGO, AND FORD TELL ME THAT IT IS NORMAL FOR THE GEARS TO MOVE FROM DRIVE TO NEUTRAL WITH NO EFFORT. THE DEALER SAID NO HARM IS DONE. YOU ARE JUST DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD AT 60 MILES AN HOUR WHEN YOU BUMP THE GEAR SHIFT, AND LOSE ALL ACCELERATION UNTIL YOU MOVE THE GEAR SHIFT BACK TO DRIVE. I CAN SEE A REAL SAFETY ISSUE THERE. AND, CONSIDERING THAT THIS IS MY 16 YEAR OLD'S CAR, I SEE A REAL SAFETY ISSUE. IT ALSO WOULD SHIFT FROM 2ND ALL THE WAY TO NEUTRAL WITHOUT RELEASING THE LOCK. *AK