1991 MERCURY COUGAR Complaints

WHEN CONSUMER TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALER FOR CHECK UP,TECHNICIAN FOUND THAT ENGINE HAD A BLOWN HEAD GASKET WICH HAPPENED WITHOUT A WARNING. *AK

THE HEAD GASKET WENT BAD EVEN AFTER ROUTINE REGULAR MAINTENANCE AND ONLY 80,000 MILES ON THE VEHICLE. ACCORDING TO A LOCAL DEALERSHIP AND SEVERAL MECHANICS THIS IS EXTREMELY COMMON. I WAS FORTUNATE BECAUSE THE HEADS AND BLOCK WERE NOT CRACKED UNLIKE THE MAJORITY OF THE ONES THAT ARE SERVICED. IT SEEMS THAT IF THE 3.8 LITER HAS THIS PROBLEM THEN MAYBE THERE IS A DESIGN FLAW OR QUALITY PROBLEM WITH THE GASKET. THE OTHER PROBLEM IS WHEN HAVING THIS FIXED, THE STEERING PUMP FRONT GASKET USUALLY BREAKS WHEN THE BELT IS REMOVED, THIS SHOULD NOT HAPPEN. IF I HAD KNOWN ABOUT THIS DESIGN FLAW IN THIS ENGINE I WOULD HAVE NEVER PURCHASED THIS OR ANY FORD VEHICLES WITH A 3.8 LITER ENGINE. ALSO WHY DON'T THE SEAT BELTS LOCK? *AK

ENGINE HEAD GAKSET NEEDED TO BE REPAIRED AT 60,000 MILES. THE FORD DEALER "SHAVED" THE GASKET. THE HEAD GASKET IS NOW SHOT AT 98,000 MILES. I HAVE CONTACTED FORD VIA THE INTERNET AND PHONE BUT HAVE HAD NO SUCCESS. FORD HAS ADMITTED TO A DEFECT IN THIS SAME ENGINE IN THE 1994-95 TAURUSES, SABLES, CONTINENTALS, COUGARS, THUNDERBIRDS, MUSTANGS AND WINDSTARS AND OFFERED REIMBURSEMENT AND/OR MONEY TOWARDS A NEW VEHICLE (SEE APRIL 26, 2000 EDITION OF DETROIT NEWS AUTO SECTION - WWW.DETNEWS.COM). *AK

WHILE DRIVING ON HIGHWAY HEADLIGHTS STARTED TO DIM , AND WENT TOTALLY OUT. PULLED OFF THE SIDE OF ROAD. THEY CAME BACK ON AFTER WAITING 10 MINUTES. DROVE ABOUT ANOTHER TEN MILES, IT HAPPENED AGAIN. *AK

GAS TANK LEAKS WHEN FILLED COMPLETELY, INDICATING A LEAK AT THE TOP OF THE TANK OR GAS LINES GOING INTO THE TANK. I HAVE CONTACTED FORD SEVERAL TIMES BUT THEY SAY IT IS NOT COVERED. I DO NOT BELIEVE THE LEAK WAS CAUSED BY A ROAD HAZARD SINCE IT IS AT THE TOP OF THE TANK. FORD SAID THEY WILL NOT COVER THE REPAIR SINCE IT HAS NOT BEEN RECALLED. THEY DID AGREE IT IS A SERIOUS SAFETY HAZARD. *AK

VEHICLE EXPERIENCED HEAD GASKET FAILURE, RECALL ON OTHER MODELS HOWEVER COUGAR WAS NOT INCLUDED EVEN THOUGH SAME ENGINE AS RECALL MODELS, DENIED RECALL REPAIR (98M01). MJS

THE DOORS ON THIS CAR WANT CLOSE. THEY ARE TOO HEAVY AND HAVE BENT THE HINGES. THIS A DESIGN FAILURE.

WHILE DRIVING AT 70 MPH IT EXPERIENCED A SUDDEN ACCELERATION, CONSUMER REMOVED FOOT FROM THE PEDAL AND IT STUCK TO THE FLOOR AND ACCELERATED TO 75 WHILE THE CONSUMER WAS BRAKING HARD. IT JUST KEPT LUNCHING FORWARD. DEALER HAS BEEN CONTACTED. *AK

SPEEDOMETER DOES NOT REGISTER AT ALL. THIS IS THE SECOND TIME SPEEDOMETER HAS BROKEN. IN APRIL OF 92, SPEEDOMETER WAS REPLACED BY DEALERSHIP UNDER WARRANTY DEALER WILL BE NOTIFIED ABOUT THE CURRENT PROBLEM. *AK

AUTOMATIC SHOULDER RESTAIN SEAT BELT BROKE. WHICH, WHEN CONSUMER IS GETTING INTO THE VEHICLE THE SEAT BELT TRACK ISN'T WORKING. CONSUMER CAN'T DETERMINE THE PROBLEM. *AK