1993 Mercury Cougar complaints

FORD EXTENDED WARRANTIES FOR 1994 & 1995 3.8L ENGINE BECAUSE ADMITTEDLY, FAULTY HEAD GASKETS. THIS WAS OFFERED TO OWNERS OF MUSTANGS, THUNDERBIRDS AND THUNDERBIRD SUPERCOUPS FOR 100,000 MILES. I'VE CONTACTED FORD FOR THE SAME OFFER AS I PAID OUT-OF-POCKET FOR MY BLOWN HEAD GASKETS, ALSO TOWING. *AK

TEMPERATURE GOES UP AND DOWN, THERE'S WATER IN OIL, AND CAR SPUTTERS. IT IS HEAD GASKET. CONSUMER WAS TOLD BY DEALER THAT CERTAIN MODELS WERE RECALLED FOR HEAD ENGINE, CONSUMER'S VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED DUE TO VIN. *AK *JB

WITHIN 81,000 MILES ENGINE HEAD GASKETS ARE LEAKING BECAUS ETHEY HAVE PREMATURELY BLOWNOUT. PLEASE GIVE ANY FURTHER DETAILS.*AK

VEHICLE EXPERIENCED A PROBLEM WITH LOSS OF COOLANT, AND 3.8L V6 ENGINE OVERHEATED. VEHICLE TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT REPAIR SHOP, AND INFORMED CONSUMER OF A HEAD GASKET FAILURE,. ALSO MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED, AND INFORMED CONSUMER THAT VEHICLE WAS NOT COVERED UNDER MANUFACTURER'S EXTENDED WARRANTY. *AK *JB

ENGINE HEAD GASKETS BLEWOUT WHILE DRIVING. DEALER HAS REPAIRED VEHICLE.*AK *JB

THERE WAS NO HEAT IN VEHICLE. CONSUMER TOOK VEHICLE TO A CERTIFIED MECHANIC THAT DETERMINED THE PROBLEM TO BE A HEAD GASKET THAT WAS LEAKING ANTIFREEZE. HAD TO REPLACE HEAD GASKET AT OWNERS EXPENSE FOR $1200.00. *AK *SLC

HEAD GASKET BLEW AT 67,000 MILES , ANTI FREEZE WAS GETTING INTO ENGINE. REPORTED TO DEALER WHO SAID IT WAS NO LONGER UNDER WARRANTY. THAT IT WAS MY RESPONSIBILITY AND A TWO TO THREE THOUSAND DOLLAR REPAIR. I TOOK THE CAR TO AN INDEPENDENT GARAGE AND HAD THE HEADS REWORKED AND HEAD GASKET REPLACED. IT COST ME $1000.00 OUT OF MY POCKET. *AK

WHILE DRIVING ABOUT 35 MPH ENGINE STARTED OVERHEATING. THEN, HAD TO PARK VEHICLE AND REFILL WATER. HAD TAKEN VEHICLE TO A MECHANIC, AND MECHANIC SAID THAT ENGINE HEAD GASKET HAD BLOWNOUT. *AK

ENGINE IS STALLING, AND AT SOME INTERSECTIONS IT WILL CUT OFF.*AK

THE FUEL LINE ASSEMBLY CHAFFED THROUGH. THIS PROBLEM WAS SUPPOSED TO HAVE BEEN FIXED WITH NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID 97V159000. FORD DOESN'T WANT TO KNOW ANYTHING, SAYS IT WAS FIXED IN 1999 ON THIS CAR. I HAVE THE PART AND IT IS WORN THRU FROM CHAFFING THE FLOOR PAN JUST LIKE THE RECALL SAID. FUEL LEAKED OUT UNDER PRESSURE AND I'M LUCKY NO FIRE DEVELOPED. I FEEL THIS RECALL WAS EITHER NOT DONE OR NOT DONE PROPERLY, THERE WAS NOT CHAFF MATERIAL ON THE LINES AS MENTIONED IN THE RECALL.

KNOWN PROBLEM WITH 3.8 ENGINE.. RECALL ON 94'S AND 95'S BUT NONE ON 93'S. I'VE RECEIVED A COPY OF THE RECALL FORD SENT OUT CONCERNING THE 3.8 LITER ENGINE WITH FAULTY HEAD GASKETS. BOTH OF MINE HAD TO BE REPLACED AT A SIGNIFICANT COST.*AK

THE HEAD GASKET FAILED CAUSING THE ENGINE TO SIEZE UP AND BE DESTROYED, AN EXTENDED WARRANTY WAS PROVIDED FOR THE 1994 MODEL WITH THE SAME EXACT ENGINE AND SAME PROBLEM. NLM

LOOK AT ALL THE 3.8L HEAD GASKET COMPLAINTS - WHY NO RECALL OR ACTION FROM YOU? *AK

THE HEAD GASKET BLEW DAMAGING THE ENTIRE ENGINE, THE MANUFACTURER EXTENED THE WARRANTY FOR 1994-1995 MODEL VEHICLES BUT NOT THE 1994 COUGAR ALTHOUGH IT HAS THE SAME V6 3.8 ENGINE. NLM

TRAVELING 35MPH WHEN TEMPERATURE LIGHT WOULD GO TO HOT. THIS CAUSED VEHICLE TO STALL OUT. HAVE TAKEN TO MECHANIC, AND WAS INFORMED THAT HEAD GASKETS HAD BLOWN. CONTACTED MANUFACTURER, AND NOTHING COULD BE DONE ABOUT HEAD GASKETS. *AK

HEAD GASKET BLOWN DUE TO MANUFACTOR DEFECT. *AK

AIR CONDITIONER SWITCH THAT CONTROLED HEATING AIR MALFUNCTIONED, AND IT MELTED, EXPOSING A POSITIVE TERMINAL. THIS COULD CAUSE A FIRE HAZARD. ALSO, SEAT BELT ON PASSENGER'S SIDE WAS NOT OPERABLE. *AK

ENGINE HEAD GASKET REPLACED, 2/7/01 TIMING COVER GASKET REPLACED, VEHICLE BEGAN TO EXHIBIT SAME PROBLEM, ENGINE SMELLING HOT AND SWEET, COOLANT RESERVE TANK NOT HOLDING ANTIFREEZE, IDLE ROUGH AND HESITATION OCCURRING WHEN ACCLERATING/DECELERATING, VEHICLE ONLY DRIVEN 4,000 MILES SINCE HEAD GASKET REPAIR, SERVICE PROGRAM 99B29 DOES NOT INCLUDE 1993 COUGARS. CJ

HAVE SEEN MANY OTHER COMPLAINTS GO UNANSWERED. NO SAFETY DEFECT LISTED WITHIN SUMMARY. *AK

ON FEBRUARY 5, 2001 AFTER PREVIOUSLY PAYING CROSSROADS LINCOLN MERCURY DEALER IN INDIANAPOLIS IN JANUARY OF 2000 $1140.82 FOR HEAD GASKET REPAIR AT 59039 MILES, NOW MY CAR WITH 62913 MILES IS BACK AT THE SAME DEALER FOR ANOTHER COOLANT LEAK. THE DEALER HAS CONFIRMED IT IS THE ENGINE FRONT COVER GASKET LEAKING. I DISCOVERED FORD HAS RECALLED 1996 AND 1997 COUGARS FOR THIS SAME PROBLEM BUT NOT 1993 COUGARS. SAME STORY WITH THE HEAD GASKET REPAIR NOT BEING COVERED BY FORD'S EXTENDED WARRANTY ON THE 3.8L V-6 ENGINES FOR 1993 OWNERS. I AM IN THE PROCESS OF SENDING A LETTER TO WILLIAM FORD AT FORD MOTOR COMPANY ALONG WITH THE ATTORNEY GENERAL OF INDIANA. I WILL BE SENDING COPIES TO YOUR ORGANIZATION AND THE CENTER FOR AUTO SAFETY.*AK

NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE. *AK

IN FALL OF 1999, TOOK CAR TO TWO DIFFERENT LOCAL MECHANICS WITH TEMPTERATURE GAUGE GETTING HOT, LEAKING ANTIFREEZE, ROUGH IDLING, WHITE SMOKE. SPENT OVER $800 FOR TUNE UP, NEW PARTS, WINTERIZING AND SO FORTH. IN JANUARY, 2000 SYMPTONS REOCCURED UNTIL ENGINE LOCKED UP - TOOK TO CROSSROADS LINCOLN MERCURY - CHARGED $1200 FOR HEAD GASKET REPAIR. DEALER INFORMED ME MANY COUGARS HAVE BEEN COMING IN WITH SAME PROBLEM BUT NO RECALL HAS BEEN ISSUED. I WAS GIVEN A 12 MONTH, 12,000 MILE WARRANTY (WHICHEVER COMES FIRST) AND NOW ON JANUARY 30TH, 2001 NOTICED THE SAME SYMPTONS AGAIN. HAVE ONLY DRIVEN CAR APPROX 5,000 MILES SINCE FIRST REPAIR BUT MY 12 MONTHS EXPIRED BY A WEEK. NOW CAR HAS SAME SYMTPONS AND AGAIN WILL COST ME $1200 TO HAVE SAME PROBLEM REMEDIED. HAVE TRIED TO SEE IF RECALL IS IN EFFECT BUT CAN NOT FIND ANY INFO ON IT. I FEEL FORD SHOULD BE HELD RESPONSIBLE FOR A RECALL CONSIDERING THE NUMBER OF COMPLAINTS LISTED IN THIS COMPLAINT DATABASE CONCERNING BLOWN HEAD GASKETS. *AK

VEHICLE STALLED AND TEMPERATURE GAUGE WAS ON H, DEALER STATED ANTI-FREEZE WAS LOW AND REPLACED IGNITION, HOWEVER PROBLEM OCCURRED AGAIN AND THIS TIME BOTH HEAD GASKETS WERE FOUND LEAKING INTERNALLY, DEALER REPLACED BOTH HEAD GASKETS, THERE IS A RECALL, HOWEVER CONSUMER'S VIN IS NOT INCLUDED, CONSUMER REQUESTS REIMBURSEMENT. *SLC

ENGINE HEAD GASKET WAS REPLACED FOR SECOND TIME.*AK

I'VE BEEN TOLD THAT I NEED TO REPLACE MY HEAD GASKETS. AFTER SPEAKING TO SEVERAL SERVICE STATIONS AND LOOKING THIS UP ON THE WEB, I'VE DISCOVERED THAT THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH COUGARS AS WELL AS WINDSTARS, MUSTANGS, TAURUS', SABLES, ETC. FORD EXTENDED THE WARRANTY ON THE 94/95 COUGARS TO COVER THIS PROBLEM, BUT WILL NOT REPAIR MINE. THIS IS OBVIOUSLY A DEFFECTIVE PART AND A MAJOR PROBLEM. PLEASE ADVISE WHAT OPTIONS I HAVE. THANK YOU. *AK

HEAD GASKET FAILURE AT 38,500 MILES. WAS TOLD BY DEALER THAT THE 3.8 ENGINE HAD ALUMINUN HEADS CAUSING THE PROBLEMS WITH MANY 1993 COUGARS. NO RECALL AND NO LIABILITY FROM FORD MOTOR COMPANY. *AK

CONSUMER WAS TRAVELING ABOUT 25MPH ON SIDE STREET, AND WHITE SMOKE WAS COMING FROM UNDERNEATH VEHICLE. VEHICLE WAS HESITATING, AND THEN VEHICLE HAD TO BE TOWED. MECHANIC TOLD HIM THAT ENGINE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. DEALERSHIP WILL BE NOTIFIED.*AK

NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOV EVEHICLE. *AK

HEAD GASKET BLEW ON ENGINE FOR NO APPARENT REASON. I UNDERSTAND THIS HAS BEEN A BIG PROBLEM IN THE 3.8L V-6 BUT MY CAR IS NOT COVERED BY A RECALL. IT IS ADMITTEDLY A FACTORY DEFECT. I THINK FORD SHOULD BE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE COST OF REPAIR.

3 INDEPENDENT MECHANICS ALL CONFIRM THAT THE 3.8L ALUMINUM ENGINE IS PRONE TO BLOW A HEADGASKET DUE TO FAULTY DESIGN BY THE MANUFACTURER. *AK

HEAD GASKET FAILURE/COMMON PROBLEM WITH 93 COURGAR/ALUM HEAD. *AK

HEAD GASKET FAILURE AT 69,000 MILE ON 3.8L ENGINE. TAKEN VEHICLE TO AN INDEPENDENT REPAIR SHOP. ALSO, MANUFACTURER NOTIFIED, AND INFORMED CONSUMER THAT VEHICLE WAS NOT COVERED UNDER EXTENDED WARRANTY. PLEASE FEEL FREE TO PROVIDE ANY FURTHER DETAILS ON THIS MATTER. *AK

HAD TO REPLACE ENGINE HEAD GASKETS EVERY 25,000 MILES.*AK

ANTI-FREEZE WAS LEAKING, AND VEHICLE WAS SMOKING VERY BADLY. CONSUMER HAD TO PULL OVER AND PARK CAR. *AK

3.8L ENGINE; THE HEAD GASKETS BLEW . THE HEAT INDICATOR LIGHT WOULD GO OVER TO HOT. THE THERMOSTAT WAS CHANGED. THE FORD DEALER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED.THE MANUFACTURER HAS EXTENDED THE WARRANTY ON THE 1994-1995 VEHICLES WITH THIS SAME ENGINE.*AK *SLC

FAILURE OF HEAD GASKETS. *AK

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.

MY ENGINE DEVELOPED A HEAD GASKET LEAK, WHICH CAUSED THE ENGINE TO SEIZE. I ASKED THE AUTO MECHANIC, WHY THIS HAPPENED, AND HE TOLD ME THAT BECAUSE OF THE ALUMINUM HEADS, IT IS A COMMON OCCURENCE, AROUND 75,000 MILES. *AK

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

THE HEADLIGHTS START TO FLICKER, FLASH ON AND OFF, WHEN THE AMBIENT TEMPERATURE RISES ABOVE ABOUT 90 DEGREES. THESE SYMPTOMS ARE QUITE SIMILAR TO THOSE DESCRIBED BY RECALL 99V275000, BUT MY CAR DOES NOT HAVE FOG LIGHTS, SO IT DOES NOT QUALIFY. THIS ESPECIALLY HAPPENS, WHEN I AM USING MY BRIGHTS (HIGH BEAMS).*AK

THE POWER DOOR LOCK SWITCH HAS BECOME VERY TEMPERAMENTAL (ESPECIALLY AT HIGH AMBIENT TEMPERATURES (ABOVE 90 DEGREES)), IT ACTS LIKE THERE IS A CIRCUIT BREAKER OPENING AND CLOSING, BECAUSE SOMETIMES IT WORKS, SOMETIMES IT DOESN'T. WHEN IT DOESN'T, BECAUSE THE ACTUAL LOCKS ARE CYLINDRICAL, THEY CAN NOT BE OPENED BY FINGERS, SO ONE HAS TO OPEN THE WINDOW, AND USE THE CAR KEYS ON THE OUTSIDE OF THE DOOR, TO UNLOCK THE DOOR. *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.

WHEN I PURCHASED THE CAR NEW, IT HAD A REAL HARD PULL TO RIGHT. I TOOK IT BACK TO THE DEALER TO CHECK OUT. THEY ALIGNED THE FRONT END , STILL HARD PULL . THEY SENT ME TO THE SAME FIRESTONE DEALER. THEY SAID IT WAS IN THE ALIGNMENT (11,200MI) AFTER THE ALIGNMENT($100) THE MECHANIC PUT BACK ON RACK TO ROTATE TIRES , I WOULD NOT AGREE TO THAT, SO I WENT TO TIRE AMERICA TO BUY NEW TIRES,(MICHELIN) AND THE HARD PULL WENT AWAY. SO FIRESTONE HAS MADE JUNK TIRES FOR SOMETIME!! I DON'T WANT NOTHING FROM FIRESTONE!! THEY WOULDN'T HELP WHEN THEY SHOULD HAVE!!!DON'T THINK THAT I AM JUST JUMPING ON THE BAND WAGON, JUST WANT TO TELL MY SIDE OF THE STORY, FORD AND FIRESTONE WOULDN'T LISTEN. THANKS!!!UNK T( DOT NUMBER: TIRE SIZE: P215/70R15 )