1996 Mercury Cougar Recalls, Ratings & Complaints

Incident: February 1, 2011 · Filed: August 24, 2011

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1996 MERCURY COUGAR. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE CLIMATE CONTROL ADJUSTER FAILED. AS A RESULT, THE BLOWER WOULD ONLY FUNCTION ON HIGH AND THE CONTACT WAS UNABLE TO ADJUST THE DEFROST SYSTEM. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER TO HAVE THE FAILURE DIAGNOSED, BUT THEY WERE UNABLE TO DUPLICATE THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 61,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 62,000. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE. UPDATED 05/24/12*LJ

Incident: December 25, 2010 · Filed: January 25, 2011

TL * THE CONTACT OWNS A 1996 MERCURY COUGAR. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS LEAKING ANTI FREEZE ABNORMALLY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A LOCAL REPAIR SHOP WHERE THE CONTACT WAS ADVISED THAT THE PLASTIC INTAKE MANIFOLD WAS FRACTURED AND WOULD NEED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT CONTACTED TO REPORT THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 140,000.

Incident: July 19, 2010 · Filed: July 20, 2010

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1996 MERCURY COUGAR. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE DRIVERS SIDE FRONT DOOR AND THE PASSENGERS SIDE FRONT DOOR WOULD OPEN WHILE DRIVING AT ANY SPEED. WHEN SHE CLOSED THE DOORS THEY COULD BE PUSHED OPEN WITH LITTLE EFFORT. FORD WAS CONTACTED AND STATED THAT THERE WERE NO RECALLS. NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER: 96V070000, LATCHES, LOCKS, LINKAGES, AND DOOR LATCH WAS, ISSUED FOR HER YEAR, MAKE AND MODEL VEHICLE. THE CONTACT WAS ADVISED OF THE 10 YEAR EXPIRATION PERIOD. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE APPROXIMATELY 114,000.

Incident: September 12, 2007 · Filed: January 5, 2008

WHILE DRIVING MY 1996 COUGAR THIS PAST SEPTEMBER, WHICH HAS ONLY 40,360 MILES ON IT AND IS STORED MOST OF THE YEAR FOR THE PURPOSES OF COLLECTING AND PRESERVING THE VEHICLE INDEFINITELY, AT LOW SPEEDS I NOTICED THE OBVIOUS SIGN OF COOLANT AND THE SMELL OF COOLANT COMING FROM UP UNDER THE HOOD. I THEN SHUT THE VEHICLE DOWN RIGHT AWAY AND DISCOVERED COOLANT RUNNING ONTO THE GROUND BELOW. NOW, BEING OF AN EXPERIENCED NATURE WITH AUTOMOBILES AND USING CLOSE OBSERVATION OF THE PROBLEM IT APPEARED TO BE EMANATING FROM THE FRONT OF THE INTAKE MANIFOLD. I THEN DISCOVERED AFTER THE FACT THAT THESE 4.6 LITER ENGINES ARE NOTORIOUS FOR THIS INTAKE CRACKING PROBLEM, SO NOW I WILL BE PURCHASING AN UPGRADED AND IMPROVED INTAKE FOR AROUND $223.00 THAT IS DESIGNED AS A REPLACEMENT FOR THIS DEFECTIVE MANIFOLD. I THEN HAD MY VEHICLE TOWED TO MY PLACE OF RESIDENCE AT THE COST OF AROUND $100.00 QUESTION IS? WHY THEN AM I ONE OF THOSE OWNERS THAT WERE NOT GIVEN THE OPPORTUNITY TO GET A COVERED REPLACEMENT WHEN IT IS VERY APPARENT THAT MY YEAR 1996 MERCURY COUGAR SHOULD HAVE BEEN INCLUDED IN THE 4.6 ENGINES RECALL. THIS COULD HAVE BEEN A DISASTROUS SITUATION DAMAGING OR SHORTENING THE LIFE OF A WELL CARED FOR ENGINE. THE INTAKE MANIFOLD IS SIMPLY NOT A COMPONENT THAT SHOULD FAIL, I REALIZE THAT THIS DOESN'T APPLY TO EVERY COMPONENT ON A VEHICLES ENGINE BUT IT DOES AND SHOULD APPLY TO THIS COMPONENT BECAUSE OF THE IMPORTANCE OF THIS PART, SINCE THE POTENTIAL COST INCURRED TO AN OWNER IF IT OVERHEATS THE ENGINE COULD BE QUITE HIGH AND THIS IS COMPLETELY SOLVABLE BY PROPER COMPONENT DESIGN AS IS WELL PROVEN WITH GOOD DESIGNS IN THE MANY AUTOMOBLES PRODUCED IN PAST YEARS. *CN

Incident: April 10, 2006 · Filed: April 15, 2006

MOVEMENT OF THE FUEL LINES CAUSES THE NYLON FUEL LINE JUMPER TO CHAFE AGAINST THE FLOOR PAN. THIS WEAR CAN CAUSE A PIN HOLE IN THE FUEL LINE RESULTING IN FUEL LEAKAGE. RECALL # 97V159000 1992-93 MERCURY COUGARS...FORD RECALL LETTER TO YOU DATED 9-17-1997..MY COUGAR BUILT 4-'96...1996 WAS THE LAST YEAR FOR THIS CAR. ALL COUGARS 1992 TO 1996 SHOULD HAVE BEEN RECALLED, FOR THE CONVOLUTE COVERING PREVENTION TO BE INSTALLED AROUND THE FUEL LINES PER FORD RECALL LETTER 573.5 (C) (8) CAMPAIGN # 97S84. PURSUANT TO PART 573 OF TITLE 49 OF THE CODE OF FEDERAL REGULATIONS. *NM

Incident: April 5, 2006 · Filed: April 6, 2006

1996 MERCURY COUGAR V6 3.8 LITER ENGINE. HEAD GASKET FAILURE. THIS ENGINE HAS NEVER OVERHEATED. ROUGHLY 80,000 MILES. $1200-1500 ESTIMATE FOR REPAIR. *NM

Incident: October 2, 2005 · Filed: October 11, 2005

I WAS DRIVING AND SAW MY LOW COOLANT LIGHT WAS ON. PULLED INTO CAR PARTS COMPANY PARKING LOT. OPENED HOOD SAW COOLANT ON TOP OF MOTOR AND UNDERSIDE OF HOOD. COOLANT WAS LEAKING FROM FRONT OF THE INTAKE MANIFOLD. UPON INSPECTION REALIZED THE MANIFOLD IS MADE OF PLASTIC. I ATTEMPTED TO STOP THE LEAK WITH PLASTIC REPAIR AND A COOLANT SYSTEM REPAIR, NO USE. HAD TO LIMP THE CAR TO ZENDER FORD IN SPRUCE GROVE, ALBERTA. THEY ARE FIXING THE CAR AT AN ESTIMATED COST OF $900.00 NO WARRANTY OR RECALL. LEFT ME STRANDED 400 KM'S FROM MY HOME. *NM

Incident: May 29, 2005 · Filed: June 16, 2005

CAMPAIGN 96V007000----ON MY 96 COUGARXR7 PURCHASED IN 2001--HAD TO REPACE MOTOR DUE TO OVERHEATING--NEW MOTOR STARTED TO OVERHEAT/BLOWER CAUSED THIS OVER-HEATING--BECAUSE BLOWER CAME ON ERATICALLY MECHANIC DID NOT FIND IMMEDIATELY//CURRENTLY OUT OF POCKETEXPENSES AROUND 6000.00--DEALER SHOULD OF HAD THIS FIXED BEFORE SELLING TO ME OR AT LEAST NOTIFIED ME OF THIS RECALL

Incident: January 14, 2005 · Filed: June 2, 2005

DT: WITHOUT WARNING WHILE STEPPING ON BRAKE THE CAR WILL ACCELERATE, AND THE ENGINE WILL REV UP. CALLER HAS TO STOMP ON BRAKE HARD TO GET IT TO STAY STILL. CAR CAN BE IN GEAR OR IN PARK WHEN THIS HAPPENS. DEALER HAS NOT BEEN CONTACTED YET. MANUFACTURER HAS NOT BEEN CONTACTED YET. EVERY TIME HE HAS TAPPED THE BRAKE JUST BEFORE THIS HAPPENS.*AK

Incident: March 26, 2005 · Filed: March 29, 2005

DRIVER'S DOOR LATCH MALFUNCTIONED. THEREFORE, THE DOOR DIDN'T CLOSE FULLY, AND COULD FLY OPEN WHILE DRIVING. THE ENTIRE LATCH HAD TO BE REPLACED. *AK