1978 Mercury Cougar XR-7 from North America - Comments

The engine blew up three months after I got the car despite all attempts to save it. After I put a new Ford factory 302 back in it I've changed the oil every 2500 or so miles and nothing has gone wrong with the engine in the last 120,000 miles (still runs like new).

I have had problems with the light switch, the headlights used to flicker out on me, so it's been replaced twice.

The fuel pump went out twice, and the ignition module went out twice.

The master cylinder was replaced once and the brakes pull and vibrate badly (rotors), twice replaced. No other trouble.

The car has been with me through all kinds of weather and terrain, always handled well. Very comfortable and safe feeling.

This car was a graduation gift for me, and most of my single life's memories involve that car, it's never let me down without warning.

I bought a parts car to help resore it to perfection, but I can't bear to tear that one down, it's got ALL the options. Now I have two, and one mad wife.

My 78 Cougar also had light switch problems. Problem solved by putting the driving lights on a separate toggle.

Check the hi-beam switch on the floor. The headlights are grounded through this, by the screw going through the floorboard, and if any corrosion is present between this screw and the sheetmetal of the floorboard it will cause intermittent operation of the headlamps (even in low beam). Next time it happens, hit the switch with your foot, I'll bet they'll go back on. Cleaning this ground screw and the base of the headlamp light switch should solve your problems. I doubt the headlamp switch itself was actually ever at fault.

Kevin

http://landyachts.homestead.com/startpage.html

Hey, I also have a 1978 Mercury Cougar, got it for 700 bucks, it runs great, never had any problems, except for the headlights flickering, my dad fixed this by attaching a toggle switch, nothing has gone wrong since.

I have a mercury cougar 78 xr7 I "crashed" with the medium division on the road because I had no lights the thing was just the foot switch which cost me 60 pesos like 5 bucks and again it works very well no more problems only maintenance because I think its last owner gave no love to my cougar.