1992 MERCURY COUGAR Complaints

THE RIGHT REAR WHEEL BEARING IS GOING BAD CAUSING THE WHEEL TO ALMOST FALL OFF. NLM

EA99005, WHILE IN USE, THE HEADLIGHTS GO ON AND OFF WHICH MAY AFFECT VISIBILITY AND MAY RESULT IN A CRASH. ALSO SAME PROBLEM ON 1991 MERCURY COUGAR VIN# [XXX], WHICH HAPPENED ON APR. 26, 1999, AT 69,000 MILES. THIS VEHICLE WAS BOUGHT NEW. THERE IS A RECALL FOR THE 1993 COUGARS FOR THE HEADLIGHTS, BUT NOT FOR 1991 AND 1992 WHICH HAS THE SAME PROBLEM. *AK INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR

CYLINDER HEAD GASKET ARE A COMMON FAILURE ON THE 3.8L ENGINES. FORD TAURUS (SABLE) AND MERCURY COUGAR ARE EQUIPPED WITH THIS ENGINE. I THINK FORD HAS RECALLED TAURUS BUT HAS NOT RECALLED THE COUGAR.

GAS TANK IS LOOSE ON THE SIDE DUE TO THE MATERIAL BEING OUT OF SHAPE AND GAS IS FLOWING AROUND WHILE CONSUMER IS DRIVING VEHICLE. IN SHORT, FUEL TANK IS DISTORTED. *AK

I WAS DRIVING ON I-40 TO I-44 IN OKLAHOMA CITY OK AT 60 MPH AND RESUMED THE SPEED CONTROL AFTER SLOWING DOWN ONE TIME. THE ENGINE WENT INTO FULL TRODDLE. I COULD FEEL THE ACCELERATOR PETAL BEING PUSH ALL THE WAY TO THE FLOOR UNDER MY FOOT. I TRIED TO TURN OFF THE SPEED CONTROL ON THE STEERING COLUMN NOTHING HAPPENED. THEN I TRIED PRESSING ON THE BRAKE AND NOTHING HAPPENED. THE CAR WOULD NOT STOP. I WAS DRIVING 90 PLUS MPH BY THEN I PUSHED ON MY BRAKE FOR ABOUT A HALF MILE OR SO AND STILL NOTHING HAPPENED. THE CAR WAS STILL GOING. BY NOW I CALLED 911 ON MY CELLULAR PHONE. I TOLD 911 WHAT MY PROBLEM WAS THAT MY ACCELERATOR WAS STUCK AND I COULD NOT STOPPED MY CAR. I DROVE FOR ABOUT 7 MILES BEFORE I COULD STOP MY CAR BY PUTTING THE GEAR IN NEUTRAL AND LEAVING IT THERE. FIVE OKLAHOMA CITY POLICE OFFICERS ARRIVED AT THE SCENE. IT IS BY THE GRACE OF GOD THAT I AM HERE TODAY ALIVE. THANK GOD THAT I DID NOT KILL SOMEONE OR BE KILLED MYSELF. I REPORTED THIS TO THE FRED JONES LINCOLN/MERCURY AND THEY INFORMED ME THEY HAD NEVER HEARD TO THIS HAPPENING. I DO NOT DRIVE MY MERCURY COUGAR ANY MORE.

HEADLIGHTS WILL COME ON/ OFF. ALSO TURN SIGNALS AND HEATER INTERMITTENTLY OPERATE. ALSO, SHOCK ABSORBERS THAT HOLD THE HOOD UP FAILED, CAUSING THE HOOD TO FALL UNEXPECTEDELY. *AK

ACCELORATOR LOCKED WHILE ACCELORATING A TOTAL OF 3 TIMES. PUT CAR IN NEUTRAL AND TURNED OFF ENGINE TO STOP. DEALER FOUND NO CAUSE.

WHILE DRIVING, THE HEADLIGHTS WOULD FLICKER ON AND OFF AND WOULD SOMETIMES BE OFF FOR EXTENDED PERIODS OF TIME. OCCASSIONALLY WOULD HAVE TO STOP AT SIDE OF ROAD AND WAIT FOR THEM TO COME BACK ON. UPON MY OWN INSPECTION I NOTICED THE SWITCH WAS QUITE HOT. I ORDERED NEW AND REPLACED THE SWITCH. THE LIGHTS HAVE WORKED NORMALLY NOW FOR THREE YEARS. IN CHECKING NHTSA FILES, HAVE NOTICED OTHER PROBLEMS SIMILAR TO THIS.

INSPECTION STATION RECOMMENDED THAT CONSUMER CALL DEALER. DURING INSPECTION, WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS IN THE AIR, THE INSPECTOR NOTICED THE 2 BACK WHEELS WOBBLING OUT OF CONTROL. *AK

THE PASSENGER'S AND DRIVER'S SEAT BELTS GO FORWARD, BUT THEY DO NOT RETRACT WHEN SUPPOSE TO, ONLY THE MANUAL LAP BELT WORKS. DEALER STATES SELF SERVICE REPAIR OF $150.OO PER BELT. *AK