2001 MERCURY COUGAR Complaints

THE INSTRUMENTATION PANEL LOSES IT'S LUMINOSITY WHEN THE BRAKE IS PRESSED. THIS CAUSES VITAL INSTRUMENTATION SUCH AS THE ODOMETER, TACHOMETER, ENGINE TEMPERATURE AND FUEL GUAGES TO BECOME ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE TO READ. I CONTACTED THE FORD CORPORATION AND THEY STATED THAT THIS DEFECT WAS NORMAL, AND THAT THE PROBLEM IS INHERENT WITHIN ALL COUGARS.*AK

FUEL SMELL WAS COMING FROM INSIDE OF VEHICLE THROUGH THE VENTS. DEALERSHIP WAS AWARE OF PROBLEM.*AK

FROM 3/29 - 10/24/2001 HAVE TAKEN CAR TO DEALER 8 TIMES, 5 OF WHICH DEALING WITH PROBLEMS WITH SHIFTING FROM ONE GEAR TO ANOTHER. DEALER COULD NEVER FIND A PROBLEM RELATING TO COMPLAINT. ON 11/16/2001 TOOK CAR IN AND WAS TOLD BY DEALER THE COST TO REPAIR WOULD BE $1,100.00. I HAD THE CAR IN THE DEALERSHIP 22 DAYS PRIOR AND THEY COULDN'T FIND ANYTHING WRONG. SERVICE MANAGER ASKED IF DRIVER KNEW HOW TO DRIVE A STICKSHIFT? ALSO STATED THE CAR HAS BEEN DRIVEN IMPROPERLY. WHY WAS THIS NEVER A QUESTION OR COMMENT BEFORE? HAVE PREVIOUSLY OWNED AND CURRENTLY OPERATE MANUAL TRANSMISSION VEHICHLES AT WORK AND FOR THE ARMY RESERVES. CALLED AND SPOKE WITH FORD CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE, SHE WAS VERY POLITE UNTIL SHE CAME BACK FROM SPEAKING WITH SERVICE DEPARTMENT. WAS TOLD FORD COULD DO NOTHING TO HELP. WENT BACK TO SPEAK WITH SOMEONE AT DEALERSHIP WAS TOLD THERE WAS NOTHING ANYONE COULD DO TO HELP. FELT THERE WAS NOTHING ELSE TO DO BUT FILE A COMPLAINT. *AK

THE TRANSMISSION "HUNTS" AS IF IT DOESN'T KNOW WHICH GEAR TO GO INTO. THIS MOSTLY OCCURS DURING OR IMMEDIATELY FOLLOWING THE 1-2 SHIFT. IT ALSO HAS HARSH SHIFTS. DEALER SAYS THEY CANNOT DUPLICATE. *AK

BRACKET THAT HELD STABILIZER BAR IN REAR BROKE WHILE CONSUMER WAS DRIVING, AND IT DROPPED WHEEL UNDER CAR. CONTACTED DEALER, AND DEALER WAS LOOKING AT VEHICLE. *AK

BOTH REAR FIRESTONE, FIREHAWK ATX TIRES SIZE: P205/75R15, DOT: UNKNOWN ON 2001, MERCURY, COUGAR DEVELOPED "FLAT SPOTS" (DEFORMATIONS) IN SIDEWALL. THERE ARE LESS THAN 50 MILES ON THE TIRES, AND THEY ARE ORIGINAL EQUIPMENT ON VEHICLE. *AK DEALER REPLACED 2 TIRES AND FIRSTONE REPLACED 1 FRONT TIRE. *YH

WHEN DRIVING AT SPEEDS IN LOW 30 MPH TRANSMISSION WILL SHIFT OUT OF GEAR, AND VEHICLE WILL SHAKE. DEALER CANNOT DUPLICATE PROBLEM, CANNOT REMEDY.*AK

DRIVER DOOR HAS A MAJOR LEAKING PROBLEM WHEN IT RAINS OR IS RUN THROUGH A CAR WASH. *AK

CONSUMER COULD SMELL GAS COMING THROUGH VENTS. FUEL WAS ALSO LEAKING ON GROUND. VEHICLE IS CURRENTLY AT DEALER, BEING INSPECTED. *AK

CONSUMER WAS DOING 65 MPH WHEN A TRUCK PULLED IN FRONT AND CONSUMER HIT TRUCK FROM THE REAR. VEHICLE WAS NOT CONSIDERED A TOTAL LOSS, AND THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. CONTACTED DEALER, AND THE DEALER SAID BUMPER DID NOT HIT HARD ENOUGH.*AK CONSUMER SUSTAINED PERMANENT INJURIES BECAUSE OF ACCIDENT. *SLC