1994 Mercury Cougar

TAKATA RECALL.... JUST LOOKING FOR ANY RECALLS ON MY CAR,,,,WHOLE FRONT END FELL OUT..

TRANSMISSION FAILURE, NUMEROUS TIMES. *JB

3RD BRAKE LIGHT/HIGH MOUNT STOP LAMP IN THE REAR WINDOW. THE EXCESSIVE HEAT FROM THE BULBS THAT ARE USED CAUSED THE PLASTIC HOUSING THAT THE BULBS ARE IN TO MELT AROUND THE BULB ALONG WITH THE ACTUAL HARNESS THAT THE BULB IS PLUGGED INTO. SINCE I AM NOT THE FIRST OWNER OF MY CAR, I'M SURE THE INCIDENT DATE IS NOT TODAY BUT HAS BEEN AN ONGOING PROBLEM. *JB

I BOUGHT A 1994 MERCURY COUGAR VIN# [XXX]. I WAS THE SECOND OWNER AND IT HAD ONLY 29K ON IT BACK IN JULY 1997. WELL MY TRANSMISSION WENT OUT BEFORE 68K AND THE COUGAR IS RATTLING APART. I HEARD LATER THAT THERE WAS A RECALL ON THE 3.8 MOTOR FOR THE BLOWER BY WHICH I'M HAVING NOW BUT BEING OVER 100K THEY SAID IT HAD TO BE BY A CERTAIN DATE AND UNDER 100K BUT I WAS NEVER TOLD OR NOTIFIED. FOUND OUT FROM A MECHANIC FRIEND. DON'T KNOW WHAT I CAN DO ABOUT IT. I HAD TO REPLACE THE TRANSMISSION COMPLETELY BECAUSE THE LOW END SHIFT PLATE WAS FAULTY ON THOSE MODELS TOO. ENGINE KEEPS GETTING HOT AND BURNING OFF RADIATOR FLUID. *JB UPDATED 07/16/2012 *JS INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

DT: ON 6/21/2005 WHILE DRIVING AT NIGHT IN CLEAR CONDITIONS ON DRY PAVEMENT THE VEHICLE STALLED AND CAUGHT ON FIRE. THE SPEED WAS ABOUT 5-7 MPH. THERE WERE NO BRAKES, NO ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, NO POWER STEERING, NO ENGINE SOUND, NO LIFE IN THE VEHILCE AT ALL. THERE WAS NO WARNING LIGHTS THAT CAME ON. THE VEHILCLE HAD BEEN DRIVEN FOR ABOUT 45 MINUTES AND 40 MILES BEFORE THIS OCCURRED. THEN, THE VEHICLE SAT FOR ABOUT 2 HOURS.THE VEHICLE WAS DRIVING FINE, AND WAS SERVICED A A WEEK PRIOR TO THE INCIDENT. THE VEHICLE WAS PUT ON THE DIAGNOSTIC THAT DAY AND EVERYTHING LOOKED FINE, BESIDES THE BRAKE LIGHTS HAD TO BE REPAIRED, BUT IT WAS NOT THE FUSE THAT HAD TO BE REPAIRED, OWNER WAS UNSURE WHAT COMPONENT CAUSED THE BRAKE LIGHTS TTO FAIL. THERE WERE ALSO NO TAIL LIGHTS .EITHER.THE BACK LIGHTS WERE COMPLETELY OUT. AFTER REPAIR EVERYTHING WAS FINE UNTIL FIRE. WHEN THE CAR STALLED ON 6/21/05, THE VEHICLE STOPPED ON THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. THERE WAS SMOKE COMING FROM HOOD, THEN THERE WAS A MAN WHO CAME TO HELP AND SPRAYED THE FIRE WITH EXTINGUISHER. .*AK

THE VEHICLE FAILED TO START DUE TO A FAILURE IN THE IGNITION STARTER SYSTEM. THE STARTER WAS REMOVED AND INSPECTED BY A STARTER SPECIALIST, HOWEVER NO PROBLEM WAS FOUND. THE STARTER WAS REINSTALLED. THE VEHICLE STILL FAILED TO START. THE IGNITION CYLINDER TURNS ALL THE WAY AROUND ALSO. THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN SITTING IN THE GARAGE FOR A YEAR DUE TO THIS PROBLEM BECAUSE THE CAUSE COULDN'T BE FOUND. *JB

THE FRONT COIL SPRINGS BROKE WITHOUT WARNING. AS A RESULT WHEN DRIVING AT ANY SPEED THE VEHICLE VEERED TO THE RIGHT. *JB

AFTER STARTING THE VEHICLE THE CONSUMER HEARD A LOUD BEEPING NOISE COMING FROM THE PASSENGER SIDE AIR BAG COMPARTMENT. DEALERSHIP WAS NOTIFIED, BUT DID NOT RESOLVE THE PROBLEM. *AK *NM

CAR OVERHEATS DUE TO A BAD HEAD GASKET. PER FORD'S TSB 00M10, THIS IS A KNOWN DESIGN ISSUE THAT THEY FIXED ONLY IF THERE WAS A PROBLE DURING THE FIRST 7 YEARS AFTER THE WARRANTY INCEPTION DATE FOR 1994 AND 1995 VEHICLES WITH A 3.8L ENGINE. THIS DEFECT CAN EASILY RESULT IN A SAFETY CONCERN DUE TO THE POSSIBILITY OF AN ENGINE FIRE DUE TO THE EXTREME HEAT IF OIL LEAKS ON THE ENGINE WHEN THE GASKET FAILS. *AK

THE TRANSMISSION ON MY VEHICLE WAS REBUILT IN OCTOBER 2001 @ 120000 MILES BECAUSE IT JUMPED OUT OF GEAR DURING ACCELERATION AND WOULD NOT ENGAGE. SINCE THE REBUILD, THE CAR HAS CONTINUED TO HAVE TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS SUCH AS SELF-ACCELERATION WHEN CURSE CONTROL IS ENGAGED, SLIPPING OUT OF GEAR AND NOT REENGAGING, OR DOWNSHIFTING DURING ACCELERATION. THE CAR HAS BEEN TAKEN INTO THREE DIFFERENT TRANSMISSION SHOPS EACH BEING UNABLE TO DUPLICATE OR CORRECT THE PROBLEM. THE CAR HAS NOT BEEN TO A FORD DEALERSHIP BUT, HAS BEEN WELL MAINTAINED. I WOULD LIKE TO KEEP THE CAR AS A WORK VEHICLE, NOW @ 137K MILES, BUT REFUSE TO CONTINUE TO DEAL WITH THE TRANSMISSION SLIPPAGE.*AK

WE BOUGHT A MERCURY COUGAR 1994 AND DISCOVERED WE HAVE A BLOWN HEAD GASKET. WE JUST FOUND OUT THAT IT IS VIRTUALLY IMPOSSIBLE TO FIND AN ENGINE FOR THE V6 MODEL AT A REASONABLE PRICE. WE ALSO FOUND OUT THAT THIS 1994 MODEL IS FAMOUS FOR BLOWN HEAD GASKETS. *LA

ENGINE WAS REPLACED AT 87,000 MILES UNDER RECALL FOR HEAD GASKET FAILURE. 30,000 MILES LATER ENGINE HEAD BLEW UP AGAIN DUE TO THE PLACEMENT OF A HELICOIL IN THE RE-MANUFACTURED ENGINE. THIS HELICOIL WAS PRESENT IN THE RE-MANUFACTURED ENGINE FROM THE FACTORY. I CONSIDER THIS TO BE A DEFECT IN THE RE-MANUFACTURED ENGINE, AS THE HEAD SHOULD HAVE BEEN MACHINED BY THE FACTORY NOT JUST HAVE A HELICOIL STUFFED IN. THIS IIS THE CAUSE OF THE NEW FAILURE AND FOR REFUSES TO REPAIR. *NLM

ENGINE WAS REPLACED AT 87,000 MILES UNDER A RECALL. DUE TO A SPARK PLUG THAT BUSTED THROUGH THE ENGINE. 30,000 MILES LATER, ENGINE NEEDED REPLACEMENT AGAIN. *AK

THE HEAD GASKET BLEW DUE TO A FAILED PART IN THE ENGINE. *JB PH *JB

AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION REPAIRED THREE TIMES & NEEDS TO BE REPAIRED AGAIN. HELP P.S NO ONE TAKES BETTER CARE OF A CAR THEN ME. *AK

THE ENGINE HAD MAJOR PROBLEMS WITH HEAD GASKET. THIS PROBLEM WAS THE SUBJECT OF A RECALL AND THE WARRANTY WAS EXTENDED. THE CONSUMER NEVER RECEIVED ANY INFORMATION ABOUT THE RECALL. *CB *NLM

THE VEHICLES IGNITION SWITCH BROKE. *NLM

WHEN THE CAR IS COLD, THE TRANSMISSION DOES NOT RESPOND TO MODERATE TO EXTREME ACCELERATOR PEDAL DEPRESSION. IT DOES NOT MATTER IF I AM IN FIRST OR 4TH GEAR OR THE SPEED. THE ENGINE IS SLOW TO RESPOND IN RPMS WHEN I ASK FOR IT, THEN GOES TO 2,000, THEN TO 3,000, BUT WITH NO CHANGE IN VEHICLE VELOCITY. THE CAR RESPONDS RELATIVELY WELL WITH LIGHT, INCREASING DEPRESSION TO THE PEDAL, BUT NOT TO ANYTHING THAT WOULD CAUSE A DOWN SHIFT. THE PROBLEM GOES AWAY AFTER 8 MILES OR SO OF CITY DRIVING. *JB

THE ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AND THEN THE VEHICLE OVER HEATED. WHICH WAS CAUSED BY A BLOWN HEAD GASKET. *JB

I AM THE ORIGINAL OWNER OF THIS 1994 MERCURY COUGAR WITH 33,465 MILES AS OF MAR 4, 2002. AND THERE WAS A GENERAL RECALL ISSUED ON THE PROBLEM IN QUESTION WHICH INVOLVES THE POTENTIAL FOR A PREMATURE FAILURE OF THE ENGINE HEAD GASKET(S).AT THE TIME OF THE NOTICE THIS CONDITION WAS NOT EXPERIENCED AND NO ACTION WAS TAKEN. HOWEVER THIS CONDITION HAS NOW DEVELOPED AND IS CAUSING SEVERE ENGINE OVER HEATING. I HAVE BROUGHT THIS VEHICLE INTO THE LOCAL MERCURY DEALER AND THIS HEAD GASKET FAILURE DIAGNOSIS HAS BEEN CONFIRMED WITH THE REPAIR REQUIRING A COMPLETE HEAD GASKET REPLACEMENT AND ENGINE TAKE DOWN AND REBUILD COSTING 1400. AS OF THIS WRITING MY EFFORTS TO HAVE FORD MOTOR CO TO AGREE TO PICK-UP AND/OR AT LEAST ASSIST WITH THE PAYMENT OF THESE RELATED REPAIR FEES HAS BEEN DENIED. AND I WOULD VERY MUCH APPRECIATE YOUR REVIEW AND ASSISTANCE IN THIS MATTER.*JB

NO SUMMARY. DT

THE CONSUMER RECEIVED A RECALL NOTICE BUT FAILED TO TAKE THE VEHICLE FOR SERVICE SINCE THE SYMPTOMS INDICATED DID NOT EXIST. AFTER TWO YEARS THE VEHICLE'S LOW COOLANT LIGHT HAD COME ON. THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT HAD COME ON AND THE DIAGNOSIS SHOWED THAT THE HEAD GASKET HAD FAILED PREMATURELY. THE CONSUMER REQUESTED TO BE REIMBURSED FOR THE MONIES SPENT ON REPAIRS. *YH THE WATER PUMP AND THE RADIATOR HAD LEAKED. *SCC

THE HEADLIGHT LENSES ARE PLASTIC AND ARE NOW SEVERLY CRAZED AND YELLOWED TO A POINT THAT DRIVING AT NIGHT IS A VERY DEFINITE HAZARD. I AM REPLACING THEM BECAUSE OF THIS HAZARD. THERE IS NO WAY THAT THIS PART SHOULD HAVE FAILED IN SUCH A SHORT TIME SPAN.*AK

HEAD GASKET FAILURE CAUSING ANTIFREEZE TO LEAK IN CRANKSHAFT, CAUSING ENGINE FAILURE. FORD REFUSED TO PAY FOR ENGINE REPLACEMENT. TIMING COVER GASKET FAILED PAID OUT OF POCKET OONLY TO FIND OUT RECAL 99B29. YOUR WEBSITE SHOWED TSB # 00M10 SEQUENCE # 625 - INFO REGARDING ENGINE REPLACEMENTS WARRANTY EXTENSION PROGRAM*YH. *AK

AT 23922 MI. (10/28/1997) DEALER REPLACED TRANSMISSION FLUID TO "FIX" RUMBLE STRIP EFFECT WHEN ACCELERATING AT 35-40 MPH (1.5-2 RPM). FLUID AGAIN CHANGED AT 53591 (02/13/2001) TO TRY TO FIX SAME PROBLEM. TRANSMISSION FLUID CHANGED AGAIN AT 63677 (2/27/2002). A SMALL LEAK WAS MENTIONED BY MECHANIC. THE RUMBLE SOUND HAS NOW BEEN REPLACED WITH THE TRANSMISSION NOT ENGAGING...THE ENGINE REVS, BUT NO ACCELERATION BETWEEN 40-50 MPH. THE PROBLEM IS INTERMITENT. THIS COULD LEAD TO A REAR-END COLLISON. CANNOT RELY ON CAR!*AK

VEHICLE BEGAN SPONTANEOUS ACCELERATION WHILE IDLE AND STOPPED ON 10 OCCASIONS SINCE 5/1/2002. IT TOOK ALL OF MY STRENGTH TO DEPRESS THE BRAKE TO KEEP THE CAR FROM JOLTING FORWARD AT A HIGH SPEED. WHILE PULLING INTO MY GARAGE TODAY, TRAVELLING AT LESS THAT 1 MPH, THE CAR ACCELEARATED ON ITS OWN AND I HAD TO SLAM ON THE BRAKE TO PREVENT FROM CRASHING INTO A HEATING OIL TANK. VEHICLE HAS BEGUN TO RANDOMLY SHUDDER WHEN APPLYING BRAKES AT VARIOUS SPEEDS FROM 10 TO 65 MPH. THIS IS NOT A CONSISTENT PROBLEM BUT VERY DANGEROUS WHEN IT OCCURRED ON HIGHWAY YESTERDAY. POWER WINDOW ON DRIVER SIDE NOW RANDOMLY SHUDDERS WHEN LOWERING. THIS IS NOT A CONSISTENT PROBLEM AND IS NEW. THE PASSENGER POWER WINDOW IS INOPERABLE AND TOO EXPENSIVE FOR ME TO HAVE FIXED. THIS APPEARS TO BE A VERY COMMON PROBLEM WITH OTHER OWNERS OF THIS VEHICLE. THE "CHECK ENGINE" LIGHT HAS BEEN ON SINCE 1997 AND THIS IS ALSO A COMMON PROBLEM WITH THIS CAR, FROM WHAT I UNDERSTAND. I WAS TOLD THAT IT WOULD COST ME $150 TO FIX AND THAT IT IS MERELY A SENSOR DEFECT AND NOT A AFETY ISSUE. HOWEVER, IF THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM, FORD SHOULD OVER THE COST FOR REPAIR, NOT THE CONSUMER.

FRONT PASSENGER SIDE SEAT BELT RELEASE BUCKLE FAILED TO LATCH, GAVE FALSE LATCH, THEN FAILED COMPLETELY. BUCKLE WAR ORIGINAL EQUIPMENT. REPAIR COST WAS $140.00. *AK

NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE. *AK

LANDUA LIGHTS RUSTED CAUSING SHORT IN TAIL, AND DASH LIGHTS. ALSO, DOOR LOCKS AND INTERIOR LIGHT FUSE KEEPS BLOWING. AND UNKNOWN CAUSING LEAK ON THE FRNT PASSENGER SIDE FLOOR.

ON DECEMBER 23 MY WIFE WAS DRIVING MY 1994 MERCURY COUGAR AND SHE EXPERIENCED SUDDEN ACCELERATION. *AK,

ENGINE IDLES ROUGHLY AND SURGES AT STOP LIGHTS, DEALERS HAVE STATED THAT THERE ARE NO PROBLEMS AND THAT ALL MERCURYS ACT THIS WAY. *JG

COOLANT LIGHT COMES ON MOST OF THE TIME, TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALER, AND DEALER DIDN'T CORRECT THE PROBLEM. *AK

DEALER SAID ENGINE COULD CUT OFF WHEN THE VIBRATION OCCURS IN DRIVING. THIS WILL BE AN $1300 CAR REPAIR BILL!*AK

AFTER TALKING TO THE MECHANIC AND FINDING OUT THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM FOR THIS MOTOR 92-96, I LOOKED ONLINE AND FOUNS A RECALL ON THIS ENGINE FOR SIMILAR MAKES (WINSTAR,ETC..) I BELIEVE FORD RECOGNIZES THIS COMMON DEFECT BUT WILL NOT ADDRESS IT. IT IS MY OPINION THIS SHOULD BE A RECALL ITEM.

CONSUMER WAS TRAVELING ABOUT 65MPH ON HIGHWAY AND ENGINE OVERHEATED. SHE PULLED INTO A GASOLINE STATION, AND VEHICLE WOULDN'T START UP. VEHICLE HAD TO BE TOWED TO DEALERSHIP, AND MECHANIC TOLD HIM THAT HEAD GASKET WAS BLOWN.*AK

TRANSMISSION CAN JUMP OUT OF GEAR WHENEVER CONSUMER SLOWS DOWN OR IS GOING AT SPEEDS ABOVE 50 MPH. CONTACTED DEALER, AND DEALER SAID THERE WAS NOTHING WRONG. BUT WHEN TAKEN VEHICLE TO A INDEPENDENT MECHANIC, HE NOTED THAT TRANSMISSION NEEDED TO BE REBUILT.*AK

ALL FOUR COIL SPRINGS ARE BROKEN, THE CAR IS NOT SAFE TO OPERATE,IT HAS NEVER BEEN TOWED OR TOWED ANYTHING. IT HAS NEVER BEEN OVERLOADED. IT HAS NEVER BEEN RACED OR ABUSED. I FIND IT HARD TO BELIEVE THAT ALL FOUR COIL SPRINGS WOULD FAIL AT THE SAME TIME, OTHER THAN BY FAULTY MANUFACTURING . THEY MUST HAVE NOT BEEN HEAT TREATED PROPERLY.*AK

COOLANT LIGHT STARTED STAYING ON. VEHICLE WOULD HESITATE BEFORE CUTTING OFF. SERVICE WAS KEPT UP. A RECALL LETTER WAS RECEIVED FOR HEAD GASKET PROBLEM. DEALER DIDN'T GIVE OKAY FOR RECALL REPAIRS BECAUSE MILEAGE HAD EXCEEDED 100,000 MILES. *AK *SLC

I RECEIVED SERVICE BULLETIN #00M10 FROM FORD MOTOR COMPANY IN JULY 2000. I WAS ALREADY OVER THE ALLOTTED MILEAGE ALLOWED TO HAVE THE HEAD GASKET REPAIRED FREE OF CHARGE. I DON'T BELIEVE THAT I WAS NOTIFIED IN TIME TO HAVE THIS KNOWN FAILURE REPAIRED IN THE ALLOTTED TIME FRAME. I CONTACTED THE DEALER REGARDING THIS PROBLEM 2/13/01 AND THEY BASICALLY TOLD ME "TOO BAD". I ALSO CONTACTED THE DEALER REGARDING THE SUSPENSION PROBLEM WHEN IT FIRST OCCURRED AND WAS NEVER NOTIFIED ABOUT SERVICE BULLETIN #BC0962941001. THEY TOLD ME TO BRING IT IN FOR INSPECTION THAT WOULD COST $150.00. *AK

VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED UNDER EXTENDED WARRANTY FOR ENGINE HEAD GASKETS, AND REMEDY HAS FAILED.*AK THE VEHICLE WAS FIXED RECENTLY FOR RECALL ON POSSIBLE HEAD GASKET/LOW COOLANT PROBLEM.

RECALL # NOT AVAILABLE. CONSUMER HAD OVER 100,000 MILES ON VEHICLE AND VEHICLE WAS ALMOST 7 YEARS OLD. DEALER COULD NOT FIX PROBLEM FOR RECALL. *AK

RADIATOR FAILED BETWEEN PLASTIC SIDES AND ALUMINUM CORE. THIS IS THE FIFTH FORD RADIATOR OF THE SAME CONSTRUCTION IN THE 1994-1995 MODEL YEARS I HAVE HAD FAIL. *AK

NO SUMMARY

REPORTING VEHICLE WOULD INTERMITTENTLY SLIP OUT OF GEAR AND RE-ENGAGE. DEALER/MANUFACTURER WERE NOT CONTACTED AT THIS TIME. PLEASE FEEL FREE TO PROVIDE ANY FURTHER DETAILS. *AK

CONSUMER WAS COMIMG OUT OF A PARKING LOT AND APPLIED BRAKES, PEDAL WENT ALL THE WAY TO THE FLOOR. SHE PULLED THE EMERGENCY BRAKES, AND THERE WAS NO BRAKIN GPOWER. SHE TURNED VEHICLE OFF, AND CALLED DEALERSHIP. *AK

ENGINE CHECK LIGHT GOES ON AND OFF ,WAS TOLD IT REQUIRED TWO SENSORS-/ SOMETHING IS WRONG WITH THE WIRING, AUTOMATIC DOOR LOCKS WORK SOMETIMES AND THE CLOCKS GOES ON & OFF NEVER KEEPING THE CORRECT TIME/ LOST EMERGENCY BRAKE/ AND SPIDER CRACKS IN THE BLACK CLEARCOART ON ROOF, HOOD, AND TRUNK. *AK

FORD SENT LETTER STATING THAT HEAD GASKETS MAY HAVE DEFECT AND CAUSE ENGINE FAILURE COSTING $3,000 TO $4,OOO TO REPAIR. FORD HAS GIVEN ME FIVE MONTHS FOR THE CAR TO FAIL OR BUY A NEW FORD, FORD WILL NOT COMPENSATE FOR THE DEVALUATION OF THE CAR DUE TO THIS LETTER AT TIME OF TRADE IN. *AK

ENGINE HEAD GASKET FAILED WHILE TRAVELING. REPAIRS WERE DONE AT AN INDEPENDENT REPAIR SHOP. A FORD EXTENDED WARRANTY FOR 3.8L ENGINE HEAD GASKET WAS RECEIVED. CONTACTED MANUFACTURER. MANUFACTURER INFORMED CONSUMER THAT VEHICLE WAS NOT COVERED BECAUSE IT WAS OVER THE 100,000 MILE LIMIT BY 11 MILES. SEEKING HELP FROM NHTSA IN THIS MATTER. *AK

CONSUMER HAD A FRONT END COLLISION, AND NEITHER AIR BAG DEPLOYED. DRIVER SUSTAINED HEAD INJURY. *AK

WHILE DRIVING ABOUT 60 MPH ENGINE HEAD GASKET BLEW WITHOUT PRIOR WARNING. AFTER MUCH TIME HAD PASSED AND THE VEHICLE HAD ALREADY BEEN REPAIRED, OWNER RECEIVED A LETTER FROM FORD ABOUT AN EXTENDED WARRANTY COVERING HEAD GASKET FAILURES. *AK *ML