2000 Mercury Cougar review from North America
"Stupid location for the alternator"
What things have gone wrong with the car?
Alternator fix.
General comments?
Ford put the alternator near the drive shaft on the underside of the engine. Very stupid place, because all of the road dirt and oil flies into the alternator, causing alternator failure within six months of replacement. Some owners have replaced the alternator as many as eight times.
I have replaced it three times in less than two years, because of dirty engine oil leaks being spun into the alternator. The fix is to keep the engine area as clean as possible. Most car builders keep the alternator at the top of the engine bay away from the road filth. I understand that the four-banger also has similar problems.
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| It has bugs, but work them out and you will never regret the plus side of this car |
|
| Disappointing and expensive to maintain in the long run |
| Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? | No |
| Model year | 2000 |
| Year of manufacture | 1999 |
| First year of ownership | 2000 |
| Most recent year of ownership | 2008 |
| Engine and transmission | 2.5 Duratec Manual |
| Performance marks | 2 / 10 |
| Reliability marks | 2 / 10 |
| Comfort marks | 2 / 10 |
| Dealer Service marks | 0 / 10 |
| Running Costs (higher is cheaper) | 6 / 10 |
| Overall marks (average of all marks) | |
| Distance when acquired | 45 miles |
| Most recent distance | 150000 miles |
| Previous car | Volkswagen Golf |
| Date of Entry | 24th January, 2008 |