1999 MERCURY COUGAR Complaints

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 MERCURY COUGAR. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE SUNROOF SEPARATED FROM THE VEHICLE, WHICH COULD CAUSE POSSIBLE WATER DAMAGE. THE DEALER AND MANUFACTURER WERE NOTIFIED, BUT DENIED ANY ASSISTANCE WITH REPAIRS OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 135,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 139,000. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE.

1999 MERCURY COUGAR. CONSUMER STATES PROBLEM WITH TRANSMISSION SHIFTING INTO FIRST AND SECOND GEAR, BUT WILL SHIFT CORRECTLY IF IT IS DONE MANUALLY. *TGW

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 MERCURY COUGAR. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ILLUMINATED UPON STARTING THE VEHICLE. IN ADDITION, THE ENGINE EXHIBITED A LOSS OF POWER. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT REPAIR SHOP AND THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE FAILURE RECURRED APPROXIMATELY ELEVEN MONTHS LATER. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN BACK TO THE REPAIR SHOP AND THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE SAME REPAIRS WOULD BE NEEDED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE AND THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL ASSOCIATED WITH NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 04V42100(FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE). THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 125,000. UPDATED 03/14/12 *BF

LOUD GRINDING NOISE FROM THE MANUAL TRANSMISSION OCCURS WHEN CAR IS DOWN SHIFTED TO FIRST GEAR COMING TO A STOP, OR SHIFTED TO FIRST NOT BEING AT A COMPLETE STOP, THE SHIFT LEVER "POPS OUT OF GEAR" AND ADMITTING A VERY LOUD GRINDING NOISE. PREVENTING THIS WOULD BE COMING TO A COMPLETE STOP FROM NEUTRAL, THEN AFTER STOPPING COMPLETELY PROCEED TO ENGAGE CLUTCH AND PUT CAR INTO FIRST GEAR. FIRST GEAR SOMETIMES HARD TO SHIFT INTO, MIGHT BE A SHIFT LINKAGE PROBLEM. SOUNDS LIKE THE MANUAL TRANSMISSION GRINDING WITH A LOUD WINDING SQUEAL. *TR

1999 MERCURY COUGAR - RIGHT FUEL TANK STRAP FAILURE. WHILE TRAVELING AT HIGHWAY SPEED, I SUDDENLY HEARD A NOISE OF SOMETHING METALLIC SLAPPING AGAINST THE UNDERSIDE OF THE VEHICLE. AFTER PULLING OVER TO INVESTIGATE, I DISCOVERED THAT THE RIGHT SIDE FUEL TANK STRAP HAD COMPLETELY CORRODED THRU AND HAD BROKEN, ALLOWING THE FUEL TANK TO DROP DOWN SLIGHTLY ON THE PASSENGER SIDE. ONCE I WAS ABLE TO JACK UP THE CAR TO EXAMINE, I DISCOVERED THAT THE COATING ON THE METAL STRAP HAD CRACKED OFF AND THAT THE METAL STRAP WAS CORRODED SO BADLY THAT THE METAL STRAP HAD TORN FROM THE WEIGHT OF THE FUEL TANK, ALLOWING THE STRAP TO DROP TO THE PAVEMENT. I REPLACED THE STRAP WITH A UNIVERSAL REPLACEMENT STRAP BECAUSE I WAS TOLD THAT THE ITEM WOULD BE A SPECIAL ORDER ITEM AND THAT I COULD NOT BE GUARANTEED AS TO WHEN IT WOULD BE RECEIVED. TO PREVENT CORROSION OF THE REPLACEMENT STRAP, I PRIMED AND PAINTED IT WITH A RUST INHIBITING PAINT. I FEAR THAT IF I HAD BACKED UP WHILE THE STRAP HAD BEEN BROKEN (IF I HAD BEEN UNAWARE OF THE CONDITION) THAT THE STRAP COULD HAVE CAUGHT ON THE PAVEMENT AND BEEN FORCED UP INTO THE GAS TANK, POSSIBLY PUNCTURING IT, OR THAT THE GAS TANK COULD HAVE BROKEN THE REMAINING STRAP AND RIPPED FROM THE UNDERCARRIAGE OF THE VEHICLE, RESULTING IN A POTENTIAL FIRE CONDITION. IT CONCERNS ME THAT AUTOMAKERS ARE NOT REQUIRED TO USE A STAINLESS GRADE (NON-CORRODING) MATERIAL FOR CRITICAL ITEMS SUCH AS CRITICAL SUSPENSION COMPONENTS, BRAKE LINES, OR IN THIS CASE, FUEL SYSTEM RELATED COMPONENTS, SUCH AS TANK SUPPORT STRAPS. I HAVE NEVER HEARD OF A CAR OF THIS AGE HAVING THIS TYPE OF PROBLEM BUT FOUND THRU MY SEARCH ONLINE THAT FAILURE OF THE RIGHT FUEL TANK STRAP SEEMS TO BE A BIT TOO COMMON ON THE 1999+ MERCURY COUGARS. *TR

BOUGHT CAR AT DEALER ON 02/05/01 SINCE THEN I'VE HAD TO REPAIR CAR ON TOO MANY OCCASIONS. HERE SOME OF THE REPAIRS I'VE HAD TO DO ON THIS CAR EVER SINCE I BOUGHT IT. ON 3/01: BRAKES, 10/01: DEALERSHIP REPLACED BATTERY AND PERFORMED A RECALL,12/01: DEALERSHIP REPLACED ALTERNATOR, 05/02: BRAKE PADS, 04/04: WATER PUMP BELT, 09/04: REPLACED BATTER, 10/11/04: REPLACED ALTERNATOR AND BELT, 10/14/04: REPLACED POSITIVE BATTERY TERMINAL, 12/04: REPLACED RADIO, 02/06: REPLACED MOTOR MOUNT, 01/07:REPLACED BATTERY, 02/07: REPLACED STRUT, 02/08: REPLACED SHOCK ABSORBER, 10/08: REPLACED BATTERY, 04/09: REPLACED BEARING, TRANSMISSION & ANCHOR ENGINE MOUNT AND DON'T HAVE THE DATE BUT ALSO HAD TO REPLACE THE WINDSHIELD WIPER MOTOR. THESE REPAIRS ARE WHAT I HAVE IN RECEIPTS YET FOR EXAMPLE I HAVE REPLACED THE MOTOR MOUNTS MORE THAN ONCE. CURRENTLY THE FOLLOWING AREAS OF MY VEHICLE DO NOT FUNCTION: THE HORN NO LONGER WORKS, CRUISE CONTROL IS NOT FUNCTIONING, THE AIR CONDITIONER NO LONGER HEATS, & THE BRAKE LIGHT OF MY VEHICLE REMAINED LIT WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS ON AND NOW HAVE FAILED TO TURN OUT (LAMP SOCKET IS BURNT). *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 MERCURY COUGAR. WHILE DRIVING 30 MPH THE VEHICLE STARTED TO SURGE BACK AND FORTH AND THEN THE SHUT OFF. HE HAD TO WAIT APPROXIMATELY 15 MINUTES BEFORE HE WAS ABLE TO RESTART THE VEHICLE. HE ALSO STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT ACCELERATE BEYOND 25 MPH WITHOUT SHUTTING OFF. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE FUEL DELIVERY MODULE FAILED AND ADVISED HIM THAT THE REPAIR COST WOULD BE APPROXIMATELY $200. NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER: 04V421000 COMPONENT: FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE IS RELATED TO THE FAILURE; HOWEVER, THE DEALER STATED THAT HIS VEHICLES IDENTIFICATION NUMBER NUMBER WAS NOT INCLUDED. THE VEHICLE WILL BE REPAIRED AT THE OWNERS EXPENSE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 100,000 AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 105,000.

I'VE GOT A REPEATABLE FAILURE THAT HAPPENS WHEN I MAKE A LEFT TURN OR GO UP AN INCLINE WHILE I HAVE LESS THAN A QUARTER OF A TANK OF GAS IN MY VEHICLE. THE CAR WILL LOSE POWER AND START TO STUTTER, AND HAS COMPLETELY STALLED A COUPLE TIMES. I HAVEN'T HAD ANY PARTS REPLACED YET, BUT I FOUND OTHER PEOPLE WITH THIS PROBLEM AND AN EXTENDED COVERAGE PROGRAM OFFERED BY THE MANUFACTURER THAT THEY SAY DOESN'T APPLY TO MY VEHICLE. THIS HAS ALSO BEEN NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID AS WELL. ACCORDING TO THE EMAILS WITH CUSTOMER SERVICE THE PROGRAM WAS FOR CARS MANUFACTURED MAY 25, 1999 THROUGH NOVEMBER 30, 2001. MY CAR WAS MANUFACTURED ON MAY 24, 1999. I QUESTIONED IF THE ONE DAY DIFFERENCE IN MANUFACTURE COULD ACTUALLY EXCLUDE MY VEHICLE, IF MY VEHICLE COULD ACTUALLY BE AFFECTED, AND WHETHER THERE WAS SOME WAY TO TELL IF THE AFFECTED PART WAS INSTALLED IN MY VEHICLE (POSSIBLY BY PART NUMBER OR SERIAL NUMBER OF THE INSTALLED PART). THERE ARE APPARENTLY AT LEAST SEVERAL DIFFERENT PARTS (THE PRE EXTENDED PROGRAM PART, THE BAD PART BEING REPLACED DURING THE PROGRAM, AND THE ONE REPLACING THE BAD PART. I HAVE REQUESTED BUT NOT BEEN GIVEN A WAY TO TELL THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE DIFFERENT PARTS. *TR

SUNROOFS ON THE 1999 TO 2001 MERCURY COUGARS SEEM TO BREAK WITH ALOT OF FREQUENCY. ONE DAY THEY SEEM TO WORK AND THEN FOR NO REASON THEY BREAK. INCLUDED IS A WEBSITE WITH OTHER OWNERS THAT HAVE HAD THE SAME PROBLEM. FORD/MERCURY SAYS IT'S NOT THEIR PROBLEM EVEN WHEN IT SEEMS TO BE A DESIGN FLAW OF USING PLASTIC TRACKS FOR THE SUNROOF. HERE'S A LINK TO THE SITE WITH COMPLAINTS HTTP://WWW.COUGARSUNROOF.COM/ *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 MERCURY COUGAR. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE LATCH PAWL STICKS IN THE OPEN OR UNLATCHED POSITION. AS A CONSEQUENCE, THE DOOR DOES NOT LATCH WHEN CLOSED. WHILE DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE DOOR OPENS. THE MANUFACTURER STATED THAT THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 99V226000 (LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES:DOORS:LATCH); THEREFORE, THEY WOULD NOT ASSUME RESPONSIBILITY FOR ANY REPAIRS. THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 136,000. UPDATED 7/9/09 *CN UPDATED 07/17/09.*JB