1993 MERCURY COUGAR Complaints

HEADLIGHTS STARTED FLASHING, AND BLINKING, AFTER A FEW MILES OF DRIVING. WHILE I WAS DRIVING ON A COUNTRY ROAD, THIS FLASHING ATTRACTED A DEER ONTO THE ROAD, WHICH CAUSED SOME BODY DAMAGE TO MY CAR. THE PROBLEM WAS IN THE HEADLIGHT SWITCH. MY CAR DOES NOT HAVE FOGLIGHTS, SO IT DID NOT QUALIFY FOR RECALL 99V275000, BUT WAS ACTING JUST THE SAME. THE REPAIR SHOP CHANGED THE HEADLAMP SWITCH, AND THE FLASHING ENDED. I WAS TOLD THE HEADLAMP SWITCH HAD A SHORT IN IT.

GREASE ON THREADS AND SELF ADJUSTING STAR GETS FULL OF BRAKE DUST, SEIZES UP AND REFUSES TO TURN, SELF ADJUSTING ARM BREAKS TEETH OFF STAR, REAR BRAKE DONT ADJUST CAUSING CAR TO STOP WITH FRONT BRAKES WHICH OVERHEAT, BRAKE FLUID TURNS TO GAS BY BOILING AND NEVER RETURNS TO LIQUID SO THE FRONT BRAKES RUB AND THE BRAKES OVERHEAT, REAR BRAKES CHANGED YET PROBLEM CONTINUES. NLM

ENIGINE HEAD GASKETS WENT OUT AT 62,000 MILES, CAUSING A MAJOR OIL LEAK AND ENGINE DAMAGE. DEALER HAS BEEN CONTACTED.*AK

WHILE TRAVELING VEHICLE OVER HEATED INTERMITTENTLY. REPLACED MANY PARTS, BUT STILL IS HAVING A PROBLEM. DEALER STATED HEAD GASKET NEEDED TO BE REPLACED.*AK

VEHICLE WAS INSPECTED BY INDEPENDENT REPAIR SHOP AFTER VEHICLE WAS EXPERIENCING PROBLEM WITH ENGINE MISSING/WHITE SMOKE AND COOLANT LEAKAGES. INFORMED OF A HEAD GASKET FAILURE. DEALER AND MANUFACTURER NOTIFIED, AND INFORMED THAT VEHICLE WAS NOT INVOLVED IN AN EXTENDED WARRANTY. *AK

OWNER EXPERIENCED ENGINE HEAD GASKET FAILURE, VEHICLE MILEAGE AT TIME OF FAILURE WAS 77,445. *CJ

PROBABLY NOT THE RIGHT PLACE TO SEARCH FOR ANSWERS, BUT WE HAVE SUNK ALOT OF MONEY INTO SOMETHING WE FEEL FORD NEW ABOUT AND DID NOTHING ABOUT. THE 3.8 ENGINE SHOULD HAVE BEEN INVESTIGATED.

HEAD GASKET PROBLEM. I HAVE CONSULTED 4 MECHANICS AND THEY TOLD ME THAT THEY WERE AWARE OF THIS PROBLEM AND HAVE REPAIRED SEVERAL 1993 MERCURY COUGARS. THERE SHOULD BE A RECALL.

WE BOUGHT A 1993 MERCURY COUGAR 3.8L V6 NEW, TOOK EXCELLENT CARE OF IT. IN DEC. 1999, AT 68,432 MILES, 2 HEAD GASKETS HAD BLOWN. THE BILL WAS $1200. WE DECIDED TO KEEP THE CAR SINCE WE HAD ALREADY PUT IN $1200 IN BRAND NEW FORD ROCKER PANELS IN 6/99 THAT HAD RUSTED OUT. WELL, SEPT. 15, 2000 AT 72,943 MILES, NOT EVEN 5,000 MILES LATER, THE HEAD GASKETS WERE LEAKING AND HAD TO BE REPLACED AGAIN! THE BILL CAME TO $600. THIS IS OUTRAGEOUS!! HOW COULD FORD, KNOWING ALL THE TIME THAT THEY HAD A PROBLEM WITH THIS ENGINE, REFUSE TO ENTEND WARRANTY COVERAGE TO ALL THE MODELS THIS ENGINE WAS IN? (THUNDERBIRDS, TAURUSES, WINDSAR MINIVANS, MERCURY SABLES, & LINCOLN CONTINENTALS). THERE'S AN ACTUAL "3.8L FORD MOTOR COMPANY DEFECTIVE HEAD GASKET COMPLAINT AND INFO SITE". ISN'T THAT TELLING YOU THAT THERE'S A MAJOR PROBLEM WITH THESE ENGINES? WHY ARE THEY GIVING OUT A $4,000 COUPON TOWARDS A NEW FORD, MERC, OR LINCOLN PRODUCT TO ONLY A SELECT FEW? THEY ARE THE SAME ENGINE!! OUR RELIABILITY IS GONE, WE'LL NEVER BUY A FORD AGAIN! *AK

CAR BEGAN TO SHAKE LIKE IT WAS MISSING. WHITE/GREY SMOKE CAME OUT TAIL PIPE IN LARGE QUANITY. WITH IN A MILE, THE TEMP GUAGE BEGAN MOVING UP TOWARD HOT. I REALIZED SOMETHING WAS VERY WRONG AND STOPPED VEHICLE AND SHUT DOWN ENGINE. HAD VEHICLE TOWED TO REPAIR FACILITY. AT THIS POINT IN TIME, THE REPAIR ESTIMATE IS IN THE RANGE OF $1400.00 TO $1700.00.