1999 Mercury Cougar V6 from North America - Comments

Intake Manifold Runner Control Valve went at 70000. Had to Be special ordered from Ford at $500.

Trunk latch sticks.

Fan only works on high setting only. I replaced the fan switch, but it still only works on 4.

My hood latch broke and needed to be replaced at a cost of $150.

The is a design flaw in the fuel filler pipe which poses a filling problem.

This car eats tires and they are expensive.

The windows are sluggish and squeal.

Weatherstripping has started to leak and stripping in rear tail lamp has dry rotted.

Power steering squeals.

Sometimes starts and quickly dies.

Aside from these small problems there is one terrible problem. I must keep this car above a half a tank of fuel. If you let it fall under a half a tank and try to make a left turn the engine dies. This also occurs under heavy acceleration. I was almost killed last week when I went under a half a tank and turned left against oncoming traffic because of this problem. I have talked to both dealer and my private mechanic and the both have no clue what causes this problem. My mechanic suggested that the cougars fuel tank was poorly designed. However it could cost up to $2000 and that would be guessing on whats wrong.

I love this cars styling, handling, and interior design. The V6 engine is quick, but lags in the upper power band. The only problem is with its creator, Ford Motor Company. This car was sloppily design and with all its engine failures and electrical failures is probably to blame for most deaths caused by this vehicle. I would love to sell this car however I couldn't get I dime for it with all these problems. Funny thing is the car was fine when I bought it, other than previously having three safety recalls. Boy do I feel sorry for those who are having trouble at 30,000 miles.

Check your fuel filter/ fuel lines not to be clogged and the delivery pressure of your fuel pump.

I have a 1999 Mercury Cougar (I bought it new) and all of the comments above are true with me as well with the exception of the car going dead with a gas tank half full. I have not experienced this problem. The others are too true, although it makes me feel better to know I'm not the only one:

1) The tires wear out too quickly and the tires are hard to find due to a special size. This, of course, makes the tires expensive to replace. My rims tend to be easily damaged, too.

2) The intake valve on the gas tank has a problem which causes some gas pumps to stop pumping gas. This makes it difficult to fill the car with gas. After a while, you will get to know exactly how to hold the pump, so it's not a major problem.

3) The electrical system is faulty as fas as the dashboard warning lights are concerned. The light within the gearshift box comes on once in every 9 or 10 attempts. Other warning lights will come on and go off even though the warnings they indicate are not there.

4) The plastic covering in front of the speedometer melted in the Summer and is difficult to see through. The cost to fix this is astronomical.

5) The hatchback door sometimes gets stuck.

6) The jack that holds the hood up (if you are brave enough to look under the hood) broke off with little effort. I could pay about $150 to have it fixed. I just used a little duck tape and lived with it.

7) The cup holder doesn't work. It tends to throw the glass or cup if you should decide to actually turn the car.

8) If you go to a dealer to get things fixed, don't expect to be treated very well. Most Mercury dealerships are also Lincoln affiliates. They see your "under-$20,000" Cougar and figure you're not worth their time.

I could go on, but it's mostly little problems. Overall I love the car. It has a lot of power considering the size of the engine and the handling around corners is great. The designers did a great job with the styling of the car body. It is the typical American car even though it was mostly designed in Europe. It has a great engine and great outer body styling, but everything else was ignored.

Well well where to start, I own a 2000 mercury cougar and I too have nothing, but problems. First off I replaced 3 alternators, fuelpump, both outertye rods witch caused my brand new tires I just, but on ruined, the welds on the power window motor broke witch caused window to slam down and shatter, hood latch and trunk latch broke both broke, and last, but not least after 50 000 km transmission went. I also think there was more, but after something goes wrong every week or so you kind of forget everything.

I've experienced the same problem with the trunk latch. It's just a loose spring. Add some adhesive stick-ons to the bottom of the spring so when it releases the spring is already pushed up far enough so it won't stick.

I live with it.

Otherwise, concerning the car dying during left hand turns. Have you run it out of gas before? Or have you put fuel tank cleaner in or even yet injector cleaner?

I've had no problem with mine dying in left hand turns.

Mine started going haywire after 60,0000, too numerous to mention, but most of above sounds right. Ford should recall all the cougars 1999 and up. nice car when I first bought it, but I've heard nothing, but horror stories. And I'm starting a book of horror stories of my own. Time to trade it in. Won't be buying ford anymore.

I have a 1999 Mercury Mystic and have had the less-than-full tank syndrome and stalling when making a sharp turn. The fix - strangely enough - is to replace the fuel pump.

The dealer, in trying to diagnose the above symptoms replaced the fuel tank and more without fixing the problem. Then is desperation the dealer replaced the fuel pump and all the symptoms disappeared. However, they reappear at about 20,000 miles and the pump is replaced again. So far, I am on the 8th pump.

I am going to try an after-market pump next time. Keeping in mind that it is very hard to find a fuel pump for Mystiques manufactured after April 1999.

The problem with the fan blower speed only work on 4 is due to a burnt power resistor located inside the air duct on the left hand side passenger foot-well.

I bought my 2000 Cougar at 22,000 miles, now at 30,000 I am having problems. The dealer said it's my coil, they'll need to reprogram the computer and clear the codes and do a fuel injector service. Maybe I should sell it once it gets running again??

I have had tons of problems too. I bought mine at 26,000 miles and several months later I had to replace the starter and some thing else and it ended up taking the dealership over a month to do because it was still under warranty. And by the way, they aren't the nicest people. Then later I had to have the front bumper replaced because it keep tilting. The air filer must be replaced with every oil change, along with my wind shield wipers. I change my tires all the time it seems and they are so over priced since they only make the tire to fit a 2000 mercury cougar. My gas hand moves, sometimes its correct sometimes its not. Yesterday morning it wouldn't start and they said something wasn't screwed in right. It ran for one day and now it's sitting in my yard, dead! I just heard there was a recall so hopefully that is what is wrong with it. I want to trade, but I owe so much money on it that I'll loose my butt. I would never recommend someone buy a mercury cougar.

Same as the rest of you. I cannot even count the problems I have had with my 1999 cougar. fuel pump had to be replaced three times. trunk does not alway open. sun roof will no longer open. and now my air is blowing hot air. last, but not least my car now makes a very loud noise when I am driving and when I stop.

I too have a 1999 Mercury Cougar. About a week after I bought it, the starter got caught on the starter and ripped about 5 or 6 teeth off of the flywheel. So now, the starter sqeals loudly when you try to start the car. There are faulty designs all over this car. The cup holder likes to dump your drinks on you when you make turns. There are electrical problems with anything and everything in your dash. My radio sometimes works, and sometimes doesn't. When you turn on the headlights, there is a low pitched humming noise coming through the speakers, YES, THE SPEAKERS!! When I tried to have this problem fixed, they told me they would have to do a wiring diagnosis over the whole car which would take about 16 hours @ $65 and hour. Whatever!! Guys & Gals, I cannot stress enough to you all thinking about buying a Cougar, DON'T DO IT!! Ford really screwed up when they came out with the 99's and later. They put no time or effort into this car and really have changed a lot of people's minds about buying a Ford ever again. Just read the rest of these columns and you will know. DON'T BUY IT!!

I have a 1999 Mercury Cougar, and it was great up until 60,000 miles. Then I started getting a whole assortment of pretty lights on my dash, which apparently cannot be fixed. The codes I keep getting are for the dpfe sensor and egr flow excessive. First the starter was messed up, so I went to have it replaced. It was fine for about two weeks, then the car went dead one day. The dealership said it was the motherboard, and replaced it. Well, just now, it went dead again. I think its just a piece of junk Ford product. I would like to tie a rope to it and use it as an ancor for my boat!! I absolutely positively do not recommend buying a cougar, even though I'm going to have a heck of a time trading it in!!

More than agree. Lots of problems with my 1999 Cougar - including the steering wheel locking when driving through a puddle. I only had 40k miles on it because I'm mostly a city driver - and I just traded it in for $5500 this weekend. I was shocked I was able to get that much! I nicknamed the car the "ticking time-bomb". So glad it's gone.

I bought my '99 Cougar used. I've had nothing, but problems since I got it. In the three months of owning it I've had to replace two tires, put in a new starter, replace the flywheel, get new spark plug wires, new spark plugs, new windshield wipers, new filters, and now I think I need a new fuel pump. I can relate with the half of a tank thing too. Sometimes when I am driving the car will star jolting and then die. Last week is when the starter was replaced and two days ago I had a tune-up where they replaced the spark plugs and wires and today it is sitting outside and will not start. I would not suggest anybody to buy this car.

My daughter purchased a used 1999 Cougar (what she had to have) - all the same problems from above: spark plug wires, numerously new tires, now out of alignment - maybe this is a continuous problem causing tires to be replaced, cup holder broken/not work, I am sure she knows all the rest of the problems. Did yall know the fuel pump was recalled. Maybe that's all yalls other problems. We received a recall letter. But now her check engine light has come on after the fuel pumped was fixed on the recall issue. Has anyone else had the light come on? She is a college student and if the replacement of the fuel pump caused this problem Ford next to pay. She cannot afford to continue this problem car.