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Overall the Cougar should be quite reliable. The 2.5 V-6 engine will run FOREVER if well maintained. Just run it with about 6 qts of oil. Outstanding cars for the shade tree mechanic.
The problems are generally minor and common for a car that is getting older. Control arms are about $55 each and include new ball joints. Labor is the big issue there. Sun roof gears are a common problem in LOTS of cars - even my BMW E30.
The EGR code is usually either the need to clean the EGR passages behind the throttle body ($5 do it yourself job) or sometimes combined with a new DPFE sensor ($30 dealer part) that can be replaced in minutes. The EGR valve seldom fails.
The only real $$$ issue these have is the alternator. Costs about $350 to hire it done. Typically, if you replace it once with a unit from the dealer, you'll never be bothered by it again.
Since the Cougar is essentially the SAME platform as the Contour/Mystique/Mondeo, I STRONGLY suggest you all visit contour. org or some cougar forum & learn about the car. You'll be pleased to find a wealth of knowledge that will help you maintain & enjoy your car for years to come. You'll also learn to save lots of cash to diagnose & repair simple, common issues yourself. Many forum members are very willing to help, so search, then ask if you have questions or need a hand doing the maintenance/repair.
Regarding this post:
31st Mar 2007, 01:12.
"My engine light has been on for approx 3 to 4 years. I was told it was the catalytic converter. I was also told not to worry about it until it started to give me problems. Well, the problems have arrived!! The vacuum hose has popped off because of the back pressure from the catalytic converters. Yes, plural!! I took the car to my mechanic (who doesn't charge to check it out) and he took it to a muffler shop because when he tried to replace the vacuum hose it just popped right back off on acceleration. Muffler shop said that my car has THREE catalytic converters and they all three need to be replaced!! They can't figure out which one is causing the problem and they want $1,500 to replace them!"
Same issue on the 1999 Cougar V6 auto: Catalytic converter plugged up. Bought free flow cat (from TruBentz) for $115, 5 bolts (cut the old ones off), easy insall if on jacks.
As to 3 cats? There is one catalytic converter on the 2.5 liter V6, right after the y pip and the flex pipe. Plus muffler in the back and a resonator.
I'm afraid there are 3 cats on all v6 duratec's this is to help it round emissions in the eu.
There are 2 smallish pre-cats directly after the manifold 1 per bank, and then the main cat.
I took both mine off and replaced with normal pipe, car passed emissions test absolutely fine and freed up a lot of extra power it was hiding there.
My 99 Cougar just broke down on me when I was going up camping.
The battery light came on so, I stopped at a shop, and they tested the battery, and said it was bad. I bought a new one, and as soon as they started to hook it up it, started to smoke from the other side of the car. They unhooked the battery, did some more tests on it, and the alternator was the problem; shorting out the battery. The weird thing is that the alternator was just replaced a year ago!!
My check engine light is always on. My mechanic can't find anything wrong with that. Sometimes you put supreme gas in it and the light goes off.
The battery has been replaced twice now.
All together the Mercury Cougar is a bad design, but I LOVE MY COUGAR!
Hello all. HOW DO YOU KNOW IF YOUR CLUTCH IS BAD?
I have a 99 V6 Cougar with 100,000 miles.
I love my cougar... but like many of you I am experiencing the problems with the battery cable and alternator. the altenator was replaced a short time before I got it. I was wondering if anybody has a problem with they're car dying while driving?
I got my car for 3 years now, it's a cougar 99 2.5L V6
Odometer 80,000 Km
and I think the only part a didn't change are the engine and the body...
What I've change...
-Alternator
-Battery twice
-Starter
-The bottom of my fuse box (I've got a short in my fuse box in the hood.. it was melting the plastic box and short and my car just stall... really frustrating when your are trying to get out of a shopping mall parking..)
-Problems with relay
-Spark plug and spark plug cable
-Fog light didn't work the switch seem to be stuck...
-problem with the coolant light..
-change transmission.
I Probably miss some of, but you got the picture...
Don't buy this car it's a ticking time bomb!
Sorry for my English, but it wort the effort to prevent other to buy this car.
C'ya!
Bob.
Oh yeah, I forgot the radio cassette and the CD player...
Bob.
Hello all, I too have a 99 Mercury Cougar V6 2.5 and bought the car in 2002 when 3 years old and paid off this year in June. I have had all the same problems as mentioned:
Altinator, when took to dealership a month to figure out
now my engine light is on took to autozone same crap catalytc converter. I am at a crossroads with the car only has 82,000 miles on it. Basic maintence I have been keeping up with. oil, flushes... I think I break the record with tires repair and rims. uggg! I have had to replace 1 rim and about a good 8 tires. I am scard to take to the dealership because of the costs I always told myself if the repair is in the thousands I am trading the car in and leasing a new car. I like a little financial freedom, but this car is a money pit~~~DO NOT BUY CARRI.
The 1999 Mercury Cougar V6, with auto transmission (sold at 91,000 miles, bought used at 15,000 miles) had the following problems:
-Oil leaks on the intake manifold
-Faulty battery cable which could cause engine fires (replaced free at Ford/Mercury Dealership)
-Check engine light keeps going on and off due to catalytic converter problems (oil)
-Disk brakes squeak even when using Motorcraft (Ford) parts/brake pads
-Transmission whining until it warms up after 5 minutes on the road
-Firestone tires made especially for this model car lasts only 15K to 20K miles. Good handling tire, but rough on the ride and bumps on the road!
-Trunk latch on hatchback always need alignment to open properly
-AM/FM/CD unit burned out after 70K miles
-Various check engine "codes" have stumped the certified Ford and Goodyear techs. At times, they could not find anything wrong. They reset the unit to clear the codes.
Bottom line, if you have at least $1,000 per year budget to spend on maintaining this Cougar model, buy it. If you don't, spend your dollars on a sporty 2 door Honda, Toyota, Nissan, or Acura. They are designed better and will last many more miles than the 1999 Cougar!
Alright, first of all, no matter what year, make and model you type into Google and search, you will find a large quantity of negative feedbacks --- try it!
Anyways I am a master tech and I have owned a 99 Mercury Cougar since 2001. I bought the car with 52k on it, and currently the odometer reads 150k, and I am still putting 100 miles on a day.
The majority of these issues most of you are having is HACKS. That is the term used to describe a individual that knows just enough about a car to get themselves into trouble. I know it is not cheap to get a quality diagnostic, but remember you get what you pay for! If you are depending on the local flunky working at Autozone to diag your car, then that is a big no no! They are not trained to do this, and in many states they have had legal battles in the courts to continue to do this. They do it for free because they know you will buy the part they tell you to buy! In turn they have no legal obligation to be right! Just ask them, they will tell you. The problem is no one asks them!
Also don't take your car to the local redneck and expect him to diag it with a Haynes manual and a voltage meter; it's not going to happen! Suck it up, pay the money and have it diagnosed correctly! If the repair doesn't fix the problem, take it back to them and tell them to keep it until they get it right. If they won't, call the state you live in and ask for the automotive repair bureau. Also you could call the BBB (Better Business Bureau). I hate HACKS; they give the rest of us a bad name.
By the way my car, has no light on and no drivability issues whatsoever. If any of you need help, I am willing to answer your questions; Email them to me at JKAITLYN03@msn.com. That is a zero before the three.
I bought my 1999 Cougar brand new. I have had it for 7 years now. I have had the same problems as everyone else:
I have had to replace the alternator only once.
New battery once.
A lot of tires.
I also have the flickering lights.
Lately it feels like the transmission is slipping. Has anyone had to have this fixed? It would be nice if I knew what was causing the slippage before I take it in.
Oh, and of course my check engine light is always on...
if you can help me, e-mail gogo7882003@yahoo.com
Hello everybody, I recently bought a Cougar 1999 V6 2.5L with 103k on it. Everything works fine inside cd player, A/C, etc.. Only problem is that the check engine light is on, and that the head lights and all other lights in the car pulse and flicker when the car is on..
Oh and the most important problem that I am having is that I fill my tank up and it burns fuel like crazy; it doesn't last me at all. The gas to empty display reduces about 6-7 miles for every actual mile that I drive..
PLEASE, if anyone can help me with any of the problems that I have mentioned, please contact me as soon as possible, I would highly appreciate it.. Thank you.
Lokinho_mateus@hotmail.com
Once again, thank you!
I have a 1999 4cyl (2.0 I think) and I have no big problems.
1- blinkers are acting up.. the control module keeps coming loose. No big deal.
2- sunroof doesn't work. Going to take it to a glass shop and have them take out the metal panel and replace it with glass. I don't need it to open so it should be cheaper to fix. Right now its closed and its fine.
The most serious and most confusing.. NEED INPUT!!!
3- You have 3 dials on the dash. *heat control on the left *Vent selector in the middle * and fan speed.
I have no heat.. well kind of. If you crank up the heat to max and turn fans on, but keep the fan selector OFF... and turn it on when the car heats up, I have heat for about a minute.. You have to keep turning it off and on again and the heat only lasts about a minute.
Any ideas.
Rad hoses are hot. Engine temp is hot. Rad is topped up and clean.
I live in Ontario and winter is here.. please hurry!!!
Daughter just called; her gauges are flickering and her battery light is on. I just had a new battery put in 6 months ago. As with the rest of you, the engine light stays on, so one quick repair is a small piece of black electrical tape to cover the light ~ :). I'm going to check www.recalls.gov to see if there is another option there. Alternator installation can run to over $400.00 due to the design, and the need to go under the car for removal. Not a horrible car - I just wish she had never traded her 1991 Honda Accord.