1999 MERCURY COUGAR Complaints

I OWN A 1999 MERCURY COUGAR. I JUST BOUGHT THE CAR IN JANUARY OF 2003 WITH 32,000 MILES ON THE CAR. TWO WEEKS AFTER PURCHASING THE CAR THE ALTERNATOR DIED, WHICH IS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH THIS CAR, AND THE DEALERSHIP REPLACED THE ALTERNATOR. BUT TWO OR THREE WEEKS AFTER THAT, MY POWER SUNROOF BROKE, WHICH IS ALSO A VERY COMMON PROBLEM, AND BECAUSE THE CAR WAS NOT UNDER WARRANTY ANYMORE IT COST ME OVER $1200.00 WITH LABOR TO FIX. I HAVE SINCE LEARNED THAT THERE ARE MANY COUGAR OWNERS THAT HAVE HAD THE SUNROOF BREAK BECAUSE THE 1999 AND 2000 COUGARS WERE MADE WITH PLASTIC RAILS THAT EASILY BREAK. THE 2001 AND 2002 COUGARS WERE MADE WITH METAL RAILS AND WORK FINE. THE PARTS THAT YOU ORDER NOW FOR THE 1999 AND 2000 COUGARS ARE METAL, SO MY QUESTION IS, WHY WASN'T THIS A RECALL, AND WHY SHOULD WE ALL HAVE TO PAY FOR A DEFECTIVE PART THAT IS VERY EXPENSIVE AND BREAKS ONLY BECAUSE IT IS POORLY MANUFACTURED? WHEN I BOUGHT THE CAR I HAD NO IDEA HOW MUCH MONEY I WOULD HAVE TO PUT INTO FIXING THE STOCK PARTS, SUCH AS THE ALTERNATOR, SUN ROOF, AND FUEL PUMP, AND REAR HATCH DOOR, WHICH ARE ALSO VERY COMMON PROBLEMS. *NLM

I OWN A 1999 MERCURY COUGAR 2.5L DURATEC V6 (VIN L) CURRENTLY WITH 55,000 MILES. AT 49,135 MILES, I HAD THE OIL CHANGED AT ITS REGULAR INTERVAL (3,000 MI) AT MIDAS SERVICE. AT CLOSE TO 52,000 MILES, UPON EXITING A SWEEPING RIGHT-HAND OFF-RAMP, THE 'OIL' LAMP FLICKERED ON AND OFF FOR A FEW SECONDS. SEVERAL WEEKS LATER, THE ENGINE DEVELOPED A LIGHT 'TICKING' NOISE THAT GREW INTO 'KNOCKING.' THE LOCAL FORD DEALER, INDEPENDENCE FORD, CHARGED $60 TO TELL ME SEVERAL HUNDRED DOLLARS WORTH OF TESTS WOULD BE REQUIRED TO DETERMINE THE SOURCE OF THE NOISE. I ASKED THE SERVICE MANAGER, [XXX], IF HE OR FORD WAS AWARE OF PROBLEMS CONCERNING OIL STARVATION DUE TO 'CRANK WHIP' OR PRESSURE LOSS DURING RIGHT-HAND CORNERING. HE BEGAN LISTING EXISTING KNOWN PROBLEMS WITH COUGARS. BEING FAMILIAR WITH THE TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETINS, I SUGGESTED HE WAS READING THE LIST OF TSB'S TO ME. HE BECAME EVASIVE AND SAID THERE WAS NO PROBLEM WITH THE ENGINES. I HAD SPENT SEVERAL HOURS RESEARCHING THE OIL STARVATION PROBLEM KNOWN TO EXIST WITH THE DURATEC ENGINES, INCLUDING CHANGES FORD MADE IN 1999 AND IN 2003 TO REDUCE THE OCCURRENCE OF BEARING FAILURE DUE TO OIL STARVATION AS A RESULT OF CRANK WHIP AND POOR OIL CIRCULATION. I READ OF OWNERS WITH FAILURES AS LOW AS 3,000 AND 11,000 MILES. I HAVE CONTACTED BOTH FORD AND MERCURY VIA MAIL EXPLAINING THE SYMPTOMS AND PROBLEM WITH MY VEHICLE, BUT HAVE NOT RECEIVED RESPONSE. IN THE MEANTIME, MY VEHICLE WAS DIAGNOSED BY AN INDEPENDENT REPAIR FACILITY AS HAVING DAMAGED CONNECTING ROD BEARINGS. I MUST NOW ABSORB THE EXPENSE OF ENGINE FAILURE AT LESS THAN 55,000 MILES. FORD HAS MADE PRODUCTION CHANGES TO REDUCE THE INCIDENCE BUT REFUSES TO OFFER REPAIR AND REPLACEMENT FOR EXISTING OWNERS OF THE FAULTY ENGINES. A MARKET HAS DEVELOPED, INCLUDING REVISED OIL PANS INCORPORATING BAFFLES, TO OFFER POSSIBLE REMEDY TO THE PROBLEM. I SINCERELY APPRECIATE ANYTHING NHTSA CAN DO TO HELP OWNERS LIKE MYSELF WHO ARE THE VICTIMS OF THIS FAULTY DESIGN. *NLM INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREE

THE ENGINE MADE A VERY LOUD RATTLE AND THEN STALLED. THE DEALER STATED THE ENGINE BLEW DUE TO DEFECTIVE PISTONS AND RODS. *JB

THE VEHICLE DID NOT SHIFT CORRECTLY, IT HESITATED AND SURGED WHEN ACCELERATED TO PASS OTHER VEHICLE'S, AND THERE WERE NO WARNING LIGHTS INDICATING A TRANSMISSION PROBLEM. SCC *JB

THE VEHICLE EXPERIENCED A PROBLEM WITH THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM AS STATED IN RECALL #01V230000, HOWEVER THE VEHICLE IDENTIFICATION NUMBER WAS NOT INCLUDED. *JB

CAR DIED ALL OF THE DUMMY LIGHTS CAME ON FOUND OUT IT WAS THE ALTERNATOR, DEALER REPALCED IT, 8 MONTHS LATER SAME EXACT PROBLEM.

WHILE DRIVING, THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS COME ON AND GO OFF ON THEIR OWN. CONSUMER STATED THE PROBLEM IS REALLY NOTICABLE WHEN MAKING A TURN, CONSUMER HAS TO PLAY WITH TURN SIGNAL TO START AGAIN. CONSUMER FEEL THIS IS VERY DANGEROUS IF IN A DOWN POUR OF RAIN. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION.

WHILE TRAVELING AT 45 MPH VEHICLE SUDDENLY CAME TO A SUDDEN STOP ON ITS OWN. VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER, WHERE DEALER INDICATED THEAT BOLTS FELL OUT WHICH CAUSED BRAKES TO LOCK UP. *JB. *AK

WHEN TURNING KEY IN IGNITION THERE IS A GRINDING NOISE, SOMETIMES VEHICLE WON'T START. TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALER, AND DEALER REPLACED BB VALVES, AND CLEANED ENGINE. THIS DID NOT CORRECT THE PROBLEM. ALSO, LOOSE OUTER TIE RODS. *JB. *AK

THE CONSUMER BEGUN TO DRIVE, WHEN SHE ATTEMPTED TO PLACE THE VEHICLE IN 3RD GEAR, IT DID NOT. SHE HAD TAKEN THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER, AND WAS TOLD THAT SHE NEEDED A NEW TRANSMISSION. THE CONSUMER FELT THAT THIS SHOULD NOT HAVE HAPPENED WITH LESS THAN 60K MILES. TS THE LOWELL DEALER STATED THAT THE VEHICLE HAD A MAZDA TRANSMISSION, AND THAT THE TRANSMISSION HAD TO BE COMPLETELY REBUILT WITH A NEW TORQUE CONVERTER. SCC