1999 MERCURY COUGAR Complaints

RECALL ID#8389 (FEB 06, 2001) ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, BATTERY CABLES. 1999 MERCURY COUGAR 2.5L V6 (70263 MILES). JUST PICKED UP CAR AFTER PAYING $3500 IN REPAIRS FOR HEADGASKET, ETC. MECHANIC MENTIONED A BEARING IN THE ALTERNATOR IS GOING AND SHOULD BE REPLACED SOON. THAT WOULD BE THE THIRD ALTERNATOR IN THIS CAR. I AM THE ORIGINAL OWNER, VEHICLE PURCHASED APRIL 17, 2000. ALTERNATOR #1 JAN 15, 2003 (21672 MILES) - COVERED BY WARRANTY (VEHICLE BROKE DOWN ON INTERSTATE). ALTERNATOR #2 CAR AGAIN DIED ON THE INTERSTATE WITH NO WARNING, NO "IDIOT LIGHTS. 09/20/2005 (47,791 MILES). PAID FOR MYSELF. NOW, 2/24/09 (70,263 MILES) NEED ANOTHER NEW ALTERNATOR! HELP!! HOW DO I GET THIS COVERED, I JUST GOT LAID OFF, JUST PAID $3500.00 IN OTHER REPAIRS AND CANNOT BELIEVE I NEED ANOTHER ALTERNATOR! *TR

I HAVE OWNED MY 99 COUGAR FOR 7 YEARS NOW I BOUGHT IT USED AND EVERYTHING WORKED FINE THE FIRST YEAR BUT LATE WITHIN THE LAST 3 YEARS I HAVE CHANGED THE ALTERNATOR 3 TIMES STARTER 4 TIMES AND THE BATTERY 3 TIMES JUST RECENTLY MY CAR REFUSED TO START SO I FIGURED IT WAS THE STARTER CAUSE EVERY FALL AND WINTER ONE OF THE 3 MENTIONED GOES OUT WELL I REPLACED THE STARTER AND IT WONT START NOW I CHECKED THE BATTERY AND THAT IS GOOD I ALSO CHECKED THE CABLES AND THEY ARE GOOD , AND JUST TODAY I FOUND A FEW RECALLS ON MY CAR ONLINE SO I WENT TO THE FORD WEBSITE TO SEE IF THE RECALLS WHERE LISTED BUT THEY ARE NOT . DOES THAT MEAN THE PREVIOUS OWNER DID THE RECALLS ? AND IF SO WHY IS THE SAME PROBLEM OCCURRING AND WHAT CAN THE DEALERSHIP DO OR WILL DO ? WHAT RECOURSE DO I HAVE IF THE DEALERSHIP REFUSES TO FIX MY CAR UNDER THE RECALL? *TR

I HAVE A 1999 MERCURY COUGAR, AND HAVE HAD IT ABOUT 4 YEARS NOW. I HAVE HAD NO PROBLEMS WITH THE CAR, EXCEPT HAVING TO HAVE THE ALTERNATOR REPLACED. I WORK 3RD SHIFT (7P-7A) AT A LOCAL HOSPITAL, AND ON MY WAY HOME, MY CAR STARTED SLIPPING IN AND OUT OF GEAR. THE CAR WOULD GO FOR A MINUTE, THEN IT WOULD STOP, AND I WOULD PUSH THE GAS AND THE CAR WOULD JUST REV UP. I HAD A LINE OF TRAFFIC BEHIND ME, SO I AS TRYING MY BEST TO GET THE CAR OFF THE ROAD. I FINALLY GOT IT INTO AN EMPTY PARKING LOT AND CALLED TO GET SOME HELP. I WAS VERY TIRED FROM WORKING A 12 HOUR SHIFT AND HAD TO WAIT 2 HOURS FOR SOMEONE TO COME AND GET ME. WE GOT THE CAR TO A MECHANIC, WHICH SAID THAT IT WAS THE TRANSMISSION, AND HE THEN TOLD ME THAT HE WOULD DRAIN THE TRANSMISSION, PUT NEW FLUID IN IT, AND SEE IF THAT FIXED THE PROBLEM. TO MY VERY UNFORTUNATE NEWS, THE TRANSMISSION HAS WENT OUT IN MY CAR. I AM A FULL-TIME STUDENT AND FULL-TIME WORKING TRYING TO MAKE ENDS MEET. DUE TO THE TRANSMISSION GOING OUT IN MY CAR, I HAVE MISSED CLASSES, AND IT'S BECOMING A HEADACHE TRYING TO GET TO AND FROM WORK, SCHOOL, AND OTHER PLACES I NEED TO BE. I WAS TOLD THAT THE 1999 COUGARS HAD A RECALL ON THE TRANSMISSION AND THAT I NEEDED TO FIND OUT ABOUT IT. THIS IS WHAT I AM DOING NOW. I CAN'T AFFORD A NEW TRANSMISSION, LET ALONE A NEW CAR, WHILE I'M TRYING TO GO TO SCHOOL. THIS WHOLE ORDEAL HAS THROWN ME OFF, BECAUSE THERE WAS NOTHING WRONG WITH THE CAR, AND ALL OF A SUDDEN (IN ONE DAY) THE TRANSMISSION WENT OUT. I HOPE THIS PROBLEM IS RESOLVED, AND I GET SOME HELP WITH FIXING MY CAR. I APPRECIATE YOUR TIME, AND I HOPE THAT MY PROBLEM IS LOOKED INTO. THANKS, GINA BROOK MELTON *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 MERCURY COUGAR. ON SEPTEMBER 4, 2008, WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 65 MPH, THE INTERIOR AND EXTERIOR LIGHTS BEGAN FLICKERING ON AND OFF. THE FOLLOWING WEEK, THE CONTACT REPLACED THE BATTERY, BUT THE FAILURE PERSISTED. THE DEALER PERFORMED A DIAGNOSTIC AND STATED THAT THE BATTERY CABLE WAS DEFECTIVE. THE MANUFACTURER STATED THAT HIS VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 01V031000 (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:BATTERY). THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN REPAIRED. THE VIN WAS UNKNOWN. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 55,000.

THE PLASTIC SUNROOF TRANSPORT MECHANISM HAS BROKEN FOR THE SECOND TIME DURING THE LIFE OF THIS CAR (I AM THE ONLY OWNER). THE FIRST INCIDENT OCCURRED EARLY IN MY OWNERSHIP AND WAS COVERED UNDER WARRANTY. DEALERSHIP THAT FIXED IT THE FIRST TIME HAS REFUSED TO FIX IT AGAIN CITING A 12 MONTH WARRANTY. THIS PROBLEM IS A WELL KNOWN DESIGN DEFECT IN THE 1999 AND 2000 MODEL YEAR MERCURY COUGARS AND WAS ADDRESSED IN THE 2001 MODEL YEAR DESIGN. THE COST FOR REPLACEMENT PARTS IS UNCONSCIONABLE CONSIDERING THE FACTS REGARDING THIS WELL KNOWN PROBLEM. I BELIEVE THAT CLEAR KNOWLEDGE OF THESE ISSUES OF THE FORD MOTOR COMPANY AND THE INDUSTRY AS A WHOLE SHOULD HAVE NECESSITATED A RECALL LONG PRIOR TO THIS AND BECAUSE THERE ISN'T A RECALL I AM FILING THIS COMPLAINT. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 MERCURY COUGAR. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE ENGINE WOULD HESITATE AND STALL INTERMITTENTLY. THE VEHICLE WOULD ALSO LOSE POWER AND SURGE AS IF IT WOULD FAIL WHILE DRIVING. WHILE DRIVING UPHILL AT 65 MPH, THE VEHICLE WOULD APPEAR SLUGGISH AND THEN OPERATE NORMALLY AGAIN. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE EXHIBITED THE SAME FAILURES AS DESCRIBED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 04V421000 (FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE). THE DEALER STATED THAT THERE WERE NO RECALLS, AND THE CONTACT WOULD BE CHARGED FOR A DIAGNOSTIC. THE PURCHASE DATE WAS UNKNOWN. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 126,325 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 121,000.

I AM THE ORIGINAL OWNER OF A 1999 MERCURY COUGAR AUTOMATIC V6. I HAVE NEVER BEEN IN AN ACCIDENT WITH THE VEHICLE, BUT CONTINUE TO HAVE MECHANICAL PROBLEMS. LIKE OTHER 1999 ' 2000 MERCURY COUGAR OWNERS I WORRY ABOUT THE SAFETY OF DRIVING A VEHICLE WITH MORE PROBLEMS THAN CAN COST EFFECTIVELY BE FIXED. MY LIST OF BROKEN ITEMS INCLUDE THE RADIO, POWER WINDOW REGULATOR, O2 SENSORS, TRANSMISSION AT 59,000 MILES, DASHBOARD LIGHTS (LOW COOLANT AND CHECK ENGINE), DOOR/WINDOW LEAKY SEAL ISSUES, ENGINE MISFIRE (DECREASED ACCELERATION) AND NOW MY CRUISE CONTROL AND TURN SIGNALS DO NOT WORK. UPON RESEARCHING THE RECALL FOR CRUISE CONTROL FIRES DEALING WITH FORD PRODUCTS I FOUND THAT I AM AMONG OTHER DISGRUNTLED COUGAR OWNERS. FORD/MERCURY OR FORD TECHNICIANS HAVE NOT DONE A SATISFACTORY JOB LETTING OWNERS KNOW OF RECALLS THAT NEED ATTENTION. MY LATEST CONCERN IS THAT MY COUGAR MIGHT START ON FIRE, PER MY COMPLAINT WITH FORD; THEY SEE NO THREAT WITH MY CRUISE CONTROL ISSUES AND SUGGESTED I CONTACT THE NHTSA WITH MY COMPLAINT. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 MERCURY COUGAR. WHILE DRIVING 45 MPH, THE EXTERIOR LIGHTS BECAME DIM. THE EXTERIOR LIGHTS ALSO DIMMED IMMEDIATELY WHEN THE CONTACT BEGAN DRIVING. THE FAILURE OCCURRED INTERMITTENTLY. THE HEADLIGHTS AND INSTRUMENT PANEL LIGHTS ALSO FLICKERED AND DIMMED, BUT THEN ILLUMINATED TO FULL CAPACITY. THE FAILURE IS DIRECTLY RELATED TO NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 01V031000 (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:BATTERY:CABLES); HOWEVER, THE DEALER STATED THAT THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 80,000 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 79,700.

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 MERCURY COUGAR. THE VEHICLE WOULD HESITATE AND SURGE WITHOUT WARNING WHILE DRIVING BETWEEN 45-65 MPH. THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN INSPECTED BY A DEALER. THE THROTTLE CONTROL SENSOR AND FUEL FILTERS WERE REPLACED; HOWEVER, THE FAILURE CONTINUED. THE MANUFACTURER STATED THAT THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 04V421000 (FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE). THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 100,000.

BRAKES CONTINUE TO GRIND EVEN AFTER REPLACEMENT. TRANSMISSION SURGES AND HESITATES UPON ACCELERATION CAUSING UNEXPECTED INCREASES IN SPEED. TRANSMISSION ALSO SLIPS IN AND OUT OF GEARS RANDOMLY. ALL OF THESE PROBLEMS COULD LEAD TO A SERIOUS ACCIDENT. *TR