Owner reports filed with NHTSA about this vehicle, newest first and reproduced as filed. They are unverified accounts: one proves nothing, and a pattern across many is the thing worth reading. Back to the full 1990 record →
THE PLASTIC LENSES IN THE HEADLIGHTS HAVE DETERIORATED TO A CLOUDY LIGHT YELLOW CONDITION. THE LIGHT HAS GRADUALLY LESSONED TO THE POINT THAT AT NIGHT, HIGH BEAMS ARE NECESSARY IN ORDER TO SEE THE ROAD. *AK
WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE OUT OF DRIVEWAY THE COMSUMER TRIED TO STOP THE VEHICLE, BUT DID NOT HAD ANY BRAKES ON VEHICLE, THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A SHOP AND MECHANIC SAID: THE PROBLEM WAS WITH THE ABS WHICH DID NOT HAVE ANY POWER. *AK
WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE ABOUT 2O MPH THE VEHICLE PULLED TO THE RIGHT WITHOUT ANY WARNING. CONSUMER HAD NO CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE, AND THE VEHICLE CRASHED INTO A PARKED VEHICLE. CONSUMER HAD THE VEHICLE REPAIRED AND THEY TOLD THE CONSUMER THAT IT WAS A FAULTY STEERING RACK. CONSUMER HAS CONTACTED THE DEALER. *AK
GASKETS DETERIORATED ON ONE PORTION WHERE THE HEAD AND GASKET MEET. REPLACED HEAD GASKETS AND BOLTS ON BOTH SIDES. *AK
CONSUMER WAS DRIVING UNDER NORMAL OPERATION WHEN THE VEHICLE CAUGHT ON FIRE IN THE FIREWALL AREA OF THE VEHICLE, CONSUMER NOTE THE FIRE SPREAD RAPIDLY, CAUSE OF THE FIRE IS UNKNOWN. *AK
FRONT PASSENGER'S MOTORIZED SAFETY BELT DOES NOT SECURE/HOLD OCCUPANTS, DEALER REMOVED PAPER STUCK INSIDE WHERE SEAT BELT COMES UP, BELT STILL HANGS LOOSE. *AK
OWNER STATES THAT HIS DRIVER'S SIDE SEAT BELT DOES NOT RETRACT AND THAT IT STICKS FROM TIME TO TIME, OWNER QUESTIONS THE SAFETY OF THIS BELT. *AK
WHEN FUEL TANK IS FULL, TOP OF GAS TANK LEAKS FUEL AND MAKES INTERIOR OF VEHICLE SMELL. *AK
HODD ASSEMBLY LATCH FAILURE, WHILE DRIVING AT SPEED 70MPH, HOOD LATCH ASSEMBLY FAILED, CAUSING WINDOWS TO CRACK. *AK
BATTERY MALFUNCTIONED 4 TIMES. *AK
BATTERY FAILURE. *AK
DRIVER'S AND PASSENGER'S SIDE DOOR HINGES ARE COMING A LOOSE AND DOORS DO NOT CLOSE RIGHTLY. PLEASE DESCRIBE . *AK
DRIVER'S SIDE SHOULDER BELT JAMS IN THE MOTOR, CAUSING THE BELT TO BECOME INOPERABLE. *AK
PROBLEMS WITH WINDOW.
THE STEERING WHEEL IS VERY LOOSE. IT ROCKS BACK AND FORTH. *AK
THROTTLE LINKAGES AND CONTROL PROBLEM. (3RD VEHICLE ON 503665/601565)
VEHICLE PARKED IN DRIVEWAY, FRIEND DROVE BY, NOTICED SMOKE COMING FROM VEHICLE, NOTIFIED FRIEND, CALLED FIRE DEPT WHO PUT FLAMES OUT. *AK
THE CAR WAS SITTING IN THE DRIVEWAY AND THE STEERING COLUMN CAUGHT ON FIRE. PLEASE DESCRIBE. THERE IS A RECALL.*AK *SLC
DRIVER ENTERED VEHICLE, PUT ON LAP/SHOULDER BELT, PUT VEHICLE IN DRIVE POSITION, SUDDENLY VEHICLE ACCELERATED AND TOOK OFF, TRIED TO APPLY BRAKES, WHICH DID NOT WORK, DRIVER STEERED VEHICLE TOWARDS A WALL, VEHICLE WAS TOTALED.*AK
VEHICLE CONSTANTLY SURGES, DIFFICULT TO STOP VEHICLE. *AK
GAS PEDAL STUCK, CAUSING VEHICLE TO SUDDENLY ACCELERATE/ACCIDENT. *AW
THE SEAT BELTS DID NOT HOLD THE DRIVER PROPERLY IN A REAR END ACCIDENT.PLEASE DESCRIBE. TT
DEFECTIVE KEY ASSEMBLY CAUSES FACTORY INSTALLED ALARM TO MALFUNCTON/VEHICLE WILL NOT START/STALLS.
THE ENGINE SUDDENLY ACCELERATED AND STAYED IN ACTIVE POSITION. TT *SLC
FRONT MOTORBELTS FAILED. *DSH
PASSENGER AND DRIVER SEAT BELT RETRACTORS DO NOT LOCK UP WHEN BRAKES APPLIED. TT
THE FRONT PASSENGER AND DRIVER SIDE SEAT BELT BUCKLES BROKE . TT
WHILE DRIVING, THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY ACCELERATED. *AK
VEHICLES ABS BRAKING SYSTEM FAILED 2 TIMES WARNING LIGHT CAME ON. TT
HOOD LATCH FAILED ALLOWING HOOD TO POP UP BLINDING VISION @ 55 MPH. DRIVER CAME TO AN EMERGENCY STOP MANUVERING TRUCK. PLEASE DESCRIBE DETAILS. TT
WITH FOOT ON BRAKE AND REAR ENDED, DRIVERS LAP BELT BUTTON IS STUCK WITH LATCH SEPARATING AND SHOULDER BELT DIDN'T RESTRAIN FROM HITTING STEERING WHEEL. TT
REAR BRAKE SHOES CRACKED, CAUSING SHOES TO SLIDE DOWN AND PUSH CYLINDER OUT OF PLACE/BRAKE FLUID TO LEAK. *SKD
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM MALUFUNCTION CAUSING THE ODOMETER READING TO BE INADEQUATE. TT
APPLY THE BRAKES AND BEFORE COMING TO A STOP ACCELERATES 3,000RPM. PLEASE EXPLAIN FURTHER. TT
DRIVER SEAT BELT IS NOT FUNCTIONING. TT
VEHICLE ACCELERATES BY ITSELF. TT
NHTSA publishes every complaint as the owner wrote it and investigates only a fraction. Spelling, capitalisation and judgement are the filer’s own. What carries weight is repetition: the same component failing the same way across many filings, and whether the manufacturer eventually opened a recall for it.
Full record for the 1990 Mercury Cougar → · Every Cougar year → · How the figures are calculated →