Comments: 1-15, 16-30, 31-45, 46-50
The check engine light is almost always on.
To open the trunk, you have to pull up on it while you're pushing the button, whether you're inside the car or using the remote.
The seats aren't the most comfortable in the world.
The low coolant light has been on for 3 months now, and the coolant is completely full.
The tires suck. I slide going around corners at 30 mph without it raining or snowing.
I merely tapped a snowbank in February and the bumper cracked a horizontal line halfway through it that will cost me $800.00 to repair.
I purchased my Cougar a year and 6 months ago. At first, I loved it. It is a hot car and I looked good in it. However, the love quickly died. After just a few short months of owning it, it started smelling like rotten eggs when I accelerated quickly. The service shop employees at the dealership thought it was the catalytic converter, but they weren't sure. So, we ignored it. Now it just smells every once in a while.
1st thing fixed - The moonroof motor broke when I drove through a sudden downpour. It was stuck half open. It took the dealership a week to fix it, luckily it happened less than 3 months of having it so it was fixed free of charge.
#2 - New brakes (pads, shoes, rotors, the works) around 35000 miles.
#3 - New tie-rod and drums at 40000 miles.
#4 - New alternator at around 43000 miles.
#5 - New starter just last week at 48000 miles. The dealership kept my car for 3 days. They told me that in order to put in the newer model starter that you HAVE to change the flywheel as well. Well, my warranty won't cover the flywheel because there is nothing wrong with the one I have. They will only pay for the starter itself because that is the actual failed component. So for me to get the new starter and fly wheel they wanted to charge me $600.00. I told them to figure out a way to just put the starter in and leave my flywheel alone because I'm not paying it. So they did. And nothing has changed... The car still doesn't start all the time.
I think the only good thing about Cougars is their appearance. I get lots of attention when I'm driving down the road. At first I thought it was because I'm a good-looking 21 year old driving a black sports car with the sunroof open and music blasting. More realistically, though, the people looking at me are probably just former Cougar owners who know the hell I'm going through and are saying a silent prayer as I drive by. I know that's what I'll be doing when I see you.
I just hope other people are smarter than me and are reading these reviews BEFORE they buy the car. If not, good luck. You'll need it.
I agree with your comments. I have a 2000 Cougar. Great car aesthetically, but I have already had a catalytic converter replaced, a recall on the brakes, a new alternator 3 months ago, and was just told today that I needed another catalytic converter (there are 2 in this car you know)! This catalytic converter and catalytic monitor including the diagnostic test will cost $855. Outrageous! I am very disappointed with the maintenance of this car!
I agree as well I have a 2001 black c2 cougar,
when I first got the car I loved it, the look of it is good and the inside mine was the sport package 6 CD changer all blue inside very sporty, well the first day I got the car the cruise control got stuck and I was going like 60 in a 30 until I pulled the keys out, the dealership came and fixed the problem, the about a couple weeks later my coolant light came on, but it is full, then about a day or two I noticed my tires were cracking on the wall side so I had to replace them as being the cheapest I could find were 120.00 each and now my engine light is on... and nothing seems to be wrong with it I read the manual and it said it could be a bad tank of gas so I did a gas treatment and as being in south Florida gas is like 2.00 a gallon for regular I put premium gas in it and still the light is on, i drove it 800 miles in one day to see some family I had no problems, but being I'm on line looking at reviews and I haven't read one good one its scary I wish I would have read this before I went and got this car...
I have a 1999 Cougar V6 automatic. I also have problems occasionally with the coolant light. Mine comes on when the car is parked on an incline. When I leave, I'll wait until I am on a flat surface, turn off the car and wait for a few seconds and start it again. That fixes the problem for me. You might want to try it. It is still not right that the light comes on when the coolant is full, but it works for me.
Your vehicle recommended fuel octane is 89 at max. Do not exceed this or it could cause your alternator to surge due to increased hp. Alternators on 99cougars are monsters and are designed to put out plenty of spark with 89 octane. If you use a gasoline with a higher octaine than 89, the damage to your alternator will not be noticeable at first, but in time will short out the regulator (this is more evident in alternators with built in regulators), wich in turn will cause the alternator to put out excessive power and burn ittself out. Once the alternator is shorted, the battery will die out which may leave you stranded.
If a new alternator is neede, a grounding cable addition needs to be installed with it. Not adding the grounding cable, could result in misswireing of the new alternator unit and future electrical problems. This is extremely important. Do not let your technician install new alternator without added grounding cable unit.
Thank you for the hilarious previous comment about high octane gas causing alternators to burn themselves out (because of the greater hp from higher octane)
Funniest thing I have seen on this site!
I own a 99 Cougar. The check engine light came on about three months after I purchased it. The dealership told me it was because the gas cap was not on tight. I have had to change the alternator 3 times. The driver side window won't go down. The air conditioner won't work. If you are interested in purchasing a great car, buy a cougar.
I bought a 99 Cougar about almost 2 months ago now... no real problems with it... I took it to an automatic carwash and while sitting idoling the engine light came on. I panicked and shut it off, when I turned it back on it was off. The only problems I really have with her is that when I am accelerating past 40 she starts to shake and shimmer... I am going to get it checked out soon, but I don't know what it is.
I think that this all is hilarious. When you think your the only one here comes 20 more. Within not even 3 months my moonroof doesn't open-I had to get new brakes, battery, and starter. My check engine just came on the other day and the dealership said I might need a new O2 sensor (warranty doesn't cover it-imagine that). I bought a red fully loaded cougar and thought that I was getting a great sports vehicle. But like you guys sadi it looks good and that's it. GO COUGARS!!!
I agree with you all too. My girlfriend bought a 99 cougar a year ago. Her starter has already gone bad (60k Mi). So of course I changed the starter and the car still doesn't start up right away, instead it continues to grind against the flywheel. Now I really look forward to trying to pull a flywheel out of a car where everything is jammed under the hood like that thing is. Yes, like was just said... GO COUGARS!
I also own a 2000 V6 Cougar.
First off, my transmission, tie rods, bearings and axles all went around 45k, then my alternator (whitch is very hard to replace).
Then small stuff started to go like passenger door handle, locks, windshield wipers (mechanical).
Now at 75k my starter went out, so I replaced it and the same problem everyone else is having, it's grinding against the old fly wheel.
I'm looking for a new truck or car right now. Not to my surprise, my highest offer for the Cougar is $2,500 because of the fly wheel. I'm going to take it because I could not sell it to someone private and sleep at night knowing they are going to go through the same problems I had to go thru.
Good luck everyone else. My advice would be to just sell it and get a new car with a warranty like I'm going to do.
My wife's 99 Cougar V6 is undoubtedly the worst made piece of crap I've ever laid eyes on. Replaced: tranny, alternator twice, all sorts of ancillary electrical problems, hood latch broke, wheels rusted/fused to mounts. Mercury should voluntarily recall all of these cars and crush them immediately. Poor design and cheap, unreliable parts lead to a nightmare for owners.
I bought my Daughter a new 1999 Cougar after she practised on n old Subaru for a year after turning 16. I begged her not to get the Cougar, I am all too familiar with the Ford family of fine automobiles and didn't want the possible future headaches. This has been the most frustrating disappointing piece of fertilizer I have ever experienced. It has the V6 and the auto transmission needs to have the fluid changed. You would think "no problem", but I find out that replacing the fluid along with the filter is impossible. To replace the filter you have to remove the transmission and take it completely apart. Aside from that fact, it has been a great car with all of the previously mentioned problems. Example, engine light, low coolant light, windows and sun roof with a mind of their own, noises rattles, incredibly lousy tires from the manufacturer. She now understands my disdain for any Ford product. The only other vehicle that I have found which was as bad or worse was our 2001 Audi TT, thank God for a great warranty on that worthless pile of junk.
I am the not so proud owner of a 2000 red cougar, and I too have all the same problems with my beauty. I wanted this car for appearance of course since they came out, but did not get it until it was already 6 years old. in the year I've had it I have put all new tires on it twice! because they keep wearing uneven, 4 sets of wheel bearings, an alternator, my engine light is on for a catalytic converter, and my low coolant light is on even though I have plenty of fluid!, my transmisson leaks slowly, and its road noise is a nightmare, my windows all leak in a car wash and yes the infamous trunk which won't open unless pulled on in conjunction with the key. All this and its not even fast.. total rip off oh yeah and all my paint on the bottom is starting to peel off. If your considering a cougar do not buy one for more than say 100 dollars, its just not worth the headache!
You guys have me worried. I leased a 99 cougar & never had any problems. It was fine. Not the best at anything, but fast enough to get me in trouble. I liked it so much I bought a 2001 blue C2. Aus. headlights, smoked side markers & tail light covers are subtle changes, but it looks a lot better w/o any orange on it. It been fine except for the cheap, now broken sunroof. My sunroof won't slide back, at least it goes up & down helps vent the car. Also, the engine bogs down when I give it the gas going down a 1 ft sloping drive way down to the street. Anybody got a thought on that? otherwise It's been soild.
I have a 99 and at the moment it is sitting in the driveway collecting dust and nothing more. The alternator went out. Then the starter, then the converters. Almost all the engine lights are on all the time. Even after replacing all these parts I am afraid to drive it as it may end up costing me even more. I just want someone to buy it. Want to buy it? :)