1999 Mercury Cougar from North America - Comments

People with their Cougar running rough at park/stop lights etc. The OVERDRIVE button gets stuck in the transmission if you push it, and it runs rough and starts out slow. So have that fixed.

My Cougar is a 99 and has 146,000 miles on it, and really I have just minor problems like the sunroof and the air conditioner when I turn it on it loses power, that's most likely the fuel pump or battery wiring. But if you have any questions, email me at c_sills_89@hotmail.com and I'll help you. Also you can help me if I need anything.

Just bought a 1999 Cougar for $2000.00, engine light on, I'll have it checked. Paint chipping off under both doors near fenders, runs great, wish me luck, Dave.

I have had the same problem with the check engine light on... I am pretty sure its because the car has a vacuum seal problem. It usually happens when I get gas, check my oil, etc. If you put it on tighter, it will be less likely to break the vacuum. Now to fix the blinkers...

Not to sound repetitive, but I feel better knowing it's not just my 99 Cougar with all the problems...

Since I bought it about a month and a half ago... the check engine light is always on... smell of burnt oil... some sort of surging or jerking or I don't know what it is...

When I get up to speed, around 50 or 60 my RPMs will rev up if I have my foot on the gas, or drop if I don't... so I am assuming it's the transmission... or it could be one of the recalls, or the oil leaking - I don't know... but I don't have the money to fix it other than the transmission, which is currently under warranty from the dealer, so that may be my first step...

Also the weird noise when I am trying to start it happens sometimes... it's like a squealing or something, I don't know... anyway, let me know if anyone has some advice on what could be causing the problems.

Peace.

Just bought a 99 Cougar about a month and a half ago.

Tonight, while on the way home, the car just shuts off while driving down the road! No lights, no nothing! My husband kept hitting something under the hood with a stick and the car would crank back up and take us about fifty feet down the road and then it would happen again.

If anyone knows what this is, can you please email me?? harmonypaigesmith@yahoo.com

I am going to test drive a 1999 Cougar tomorrow evening. It has 175,000 miles on it. Is that pushing the limit on these cars? How long do they last before becoming extreme problems?

I can't afford to put thousands of dollars into a car each year. I'm only offering $1500 for it. If my boyfriend gives me the OK, which he is very picky, I am planning on buying it.

I'm nervous now after reading all these reviews, but I'm only in college and this would be a major upgrade from my 1994 Chevy Corsica with 290,000 miles! Let me know if it's a good car for this price!

Hello! I've had my '99 Cougar for 5 years and haven't had any problems until the last two years...

I had the same issue many are having, the check engine light was on. Had O2 sensors replaced, ran diagnostic checks on it. Finally found out, three years later, what the check engine light meant - my catalytic converters were going. My auto center didn't catch it until all three converters were shot and causing the car to run erratically (using high RPM for slight acceleration, shaking while idling, reving of the engine while braking). Replaced all three (ouch!) but the check engine light hasn't been on for over a year now.

Had a few minor problems since, replaced a rotor earlier this summer and last night my alternator went bad, but all in all nothing you wouldn't expect from a 10 year old car.

All in all, I love how this car drives! It's a great car and I'm willing to put in the money for maintenance just to keep my Cougar on the road.

OK, I own a 99 Mercury Cougar, and I have been having some trouble with it. Any ideas would be greatly appreciated!!!

The headlights on my car and the dash lights have been pulsating for 2 years now, I bought a new battery about a year ago… my battery light started coming on about 6 months ago when I accelerated, I took it to 2 different places to test it to see if it was the battery or the alternator, but both places said everything was fine…

My battery light continued to flash off and on one night I was driving along, and my battery light came on and stayed on (it had not stayed on before, it just flashed off and on), but after driving a few minutes, my headlights got very dim and all my dash lights came on, and my battery died after driving a few miles.. I had to call someone to get a boost…

After I got the boost, everything was fine… then a few days later the light came on again and stayed on… I realized that if I turned my car off then back on, the battery light would go off and my lights would be just as bright as ever until the battery light came back on after going up a steep hill or accelerating (but turning the car off and then back on would help every time, which began to get very old!)

Then a few months ago, my battery light stopped coming on and now my brake light on my dash flashes off and on. My head lights and dash lights are still pulsating, but have no clue what’s going on. If anyone knows what this is or has had this problem, please let me know. Thanks!!

If you have changed your battery and also checked your alternator, I would also have the wiring harness checked.

As there maybe a short somewhere.

Man, you guys have me scared. I'm suppose to get a Cougar tomorrow. I test drove it today and loved it. The steering was nice and tight, the pick up is fast, not to mention the car is a cute, sporty look that I just love.

I'm going from a 2005 Dodge Neon, which was a great car, but unfortunately for me, I wasn't the only one who thought so, and it was stolen and crashed the beginning of this year (2009). So this car is the only used car I felt was good for the price.

I too am a college student and don't have $1000 to put in a car every year on top of that. I already have to get new rear shocks, new radio, and new backseat speakers for the car. There also isn't a cover over the gear shift either, but I figured I could get one of them from Walmart or something, but all-in-all, is it worth it in the end? Because this car is going to be my car for a good while until I can get my lawsuit money and get another car, because my other one was stolen and totaled.

I am so scared. I found a 1999 with only 69,000 miles on it. I was thinking this is great, but now I am scared? Please I need some advice. I don't have that kind of money to keep spending on a car... It's going to cost me 3 grand, that is ALL I have. Should I keep looking. Send me an email stephanieward81@yahoo.com

Interesting reading here. I'm 54, just bought a 99 Cougar, 70k miles.. and boy what an eye opener. As someone who does their own maintenance and most repairs... working in that engine compartment is a bear!

I have the flickering light problem... the only complaint or issue I have with mine so far. Researching the fix on the internet hasn't solved my problem. I would like to know if there's a genuine solution. Alternators, batteries, headlight switches have all been suggested. But none seem to really fix the problem. Anyone know of what will REALLY fix the problem? Doesn't seem to be an issue as far as operation of the vehicle... just one of those annoying situations that I'd like to remedy. Recall on the battery re-route has been performed.

Also... reading most of the comments here.. I'd suggest for most people to study their owner's manuals... For example... it is recommended when disconnecting the battery.. that you leave the the battery disconnected for a minimum of 20 minutes to allow the cars computer to reset itself. Thereafter it says it takes three driving sessions for the computer to relearn what's it supposed to do. I found that out after having issues with fast idle/slow idle after messing around with my flickering headlights/battery connections.

If anyone has the real cure for the flickering headlights... I'd love to hear from you... you can E-Mail me at Mzinzer@Comcast.net.

Thanks!

Flickering light can result from a cracked circuit board. The vibration will result in flickering. To check this requires disassembly of the dash cluster and visual inspection. It can also result from a loose connection or broken wire. I would check with Ford (not a Dealer, it is not in their best interest to tell you how to find/fix problems) and insist on talking to a tech.