IllustrationWHILE DRIVING AT 30MPH THE VEHICLE HAD AN OUTBURST OF SUDDEN ACCELERATION. CONSUMER TRIED AND STOPPED VEHICLE, IT WAS PLACED IN REVERSE AND ALSO PARK, BUT THE VEHICLE KEPT ON GOING. TO STOP VEHICLE CONSUMER HAD TO SHUT THE ENGINE OFF, AND COASTED THE VEHICLE TO A STOP. DEALER WAS CONTACTED. *AK
1991 Mercury Cougar
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
Limited comparison data
There is not enough comparable history to draw a useful model-year comparison.
About this comparison →How this year compares
Owner complaints by model year
Compare all Cougar years →Counts vary with age, sales and reporting. They are not failure rates.
What owners reported most
All reported categories
Tap a category to read its complaints. One report may name several components.
When problems were reported
Mileage at the reported incident
Limited mileage data: 5 of 73 reports include usable mileage. There isn’t enough coverage to show a useful chart.
NHTSA’s mileage field refers to the reported incident, not necessarily the filing date. This shows report counts, not the likelihood of a failure.
What to inspect
Issues worth paying extra attention to based on owner reports.
- Engine And Engine Cooling. Review the 17 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Electrical System. Review the 11 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Service Brakes, Hydraulic. Review the 11 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
4 crash reports6 fire reports5 injury reports
What owners actually said
73 reportsCONSUMER EXPERIENCING ONGOING PROBLEM WITH FRONT BRAKE ROTORS WARPING. CONSUMER HAS REPLACED ROTORS ON FOUR OCCASIONS, SINCE NOVEMBER 96 UP TO THE PRESENT TIME. DEALER/MFR. NOTIFIED.*AK RECALL 92B11 - FRONT DISC ROUGNESS, BRAKE SHUDDER INFORMATION ATTACHED, ALSO THE CALIPERS WERE REPLACED. *TT
AFTER DRIVING FOR 25 MINUTES THE HEADLIGNTS START FLASHING ON AND OFF. THE BULBS AND FUSES ARE GOOD. I HAVE DESCOVERED THAT THE MERCURY SABLE HAS THE SAME PROBLEM AND HAD A RECALL FOR A FAILED HEADLIGHT SWITCH WHICH INCORPORATES A CIRCUIT BREAKER. WHEN THE HEADLIGHTS HEAT UP THE CIRCUIT OPENS. RECALL WAS MADE APRIL 15, 1998…
Read full complaint
AFTER DRIVING FOR 25 MINUTES THE HEADLIGNTS START FLASHING ON AND OFF. THE BULBS AND FUSES ARE GOOD. I HAVE DESCOVERED THAT THE MERCURY SABLE HAS THE SAME PROBLEM AND HAD A RECALL FOR A FAILED HEADLIGHT SWITCH WHICH INCORPORATES A CIRCUIT BREAKER. WHEN THE HEADLIGHTS HEAT UP THE CIRCUIT OPENS. RECALL WAS MADE APRIL 15, 1998 FOR SABLES MADE DEC. 1992 TO SEPT. 1993. NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 98V009000. ALL VEHICLES WITH SAME PROBLEM AND RISK OF A CRASH SHOULD BE REPAIRED IN THE SAME MANNER.
THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS COME ON WITHOUT TURNING ON THE WIPER SWITCH, AND WHEN THE WIPERS ARE NEEDED THEY WILL NOT COME ON AT ALL. *AK
FUEL TANK SENDER/PUMP LEAKS AT SOLDERED TUBE, CAUSING FUMES.
LOOOSE SUB-FRAME BOLT, CAUSING FRONT END VIBRATION. *AK
DRIVING AT ANY VARIOUS SPEED HEADLIGHTS WILL TURN OFF AND ON, CAUSING THE CONSUMER TO DRIVE SOMETIMES WITHOUT HEADLIGHT UNEXPECTEDLY,WHICH MAY RESULT IN AN ACCIDENT.DEALER HAS REPLACED HEADLIGHTS 4 TIMES, BUT DEFECT IS STILL OCCURRING. *AK
EGR VALVE AND SENSOR FAILED. NLM
MADE A SUDDEN STOP ON DRY PAVEMENT THE VEHICLE SKIDDED 100 FEET, HIT A CURVE, THE VEHICLE HYDROPLANED. OCCUPANT HAD AUTOMATIC SHOULDER BELT ON, DRIVER WAS EJECTED OUT OF THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE FLIPPED OVER, LANDING ON THE OCCUPANT. *AK
THE THROTTLE LINKAGE BROKE IN OPEN POSITION, CAUSING UNWANTED ACCELERATION AND OVERRIDING THE BRAKING SYSTEM. *AK
Official recalls
396V071000 · Electrical System:ignition
Apr 25, 1996
THE IGNITION SWITCH COULD EXPERIENCE AN INTERNAL SHORT CIRCUIT.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: THIS CONDITION COULD CAUSE OVERHEATING, SMOKE, AND POSSIBLY FIRE IN THE STEERING COLUMN AREA OF THE VEHICLE.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE IGNITION SWITCH.
91V076000 · Visibility:windshield Wiper/washer:motor
May 6, 1991
THE NUTS WHICH HOLD WINDSHIELD WIPER MOTOR TO THE WIPER MODULE MAY NOT HAVE BEEN SUFFICIENTLY TIGHTENED AND MAY LOOSEN OR COME OFF. THIS CAUSES CHANGED WIPER PATTERNS, OR THE WIPERS MAY JAM IF TWO OF THE THREE NUTS COME OFF.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: CHANGES IN THE WIPER PATTERN OR JAMMING OF THE WIPERSWOULD RESULT IN REDUCED DRIVER VISIBILTY IN INCLEMENT WEATHER CONDITIONS.
Remedy: APPLY TORQUE RETENTION MATERIAL TO WIPER MOTOR STUDS AND NUTS AND RETORQUE.
91V048000 · Power Train:automatic Transmission
Mar 18, 1991
THE PARK ROD ASSEMBLY CONTAINS A PARK CAM WITH INADEQUATE SURFACE HARDNESS, WHICH COULD LEAD TO PARK DISENGAGEMENT OR NO PARK ENGAGEMENT WHEN THE LEVER IS PLACED IN PARK.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: IF PARK IS NOT ENGAGED AND THE PARKING BRAKE IS OFF, AVEHICLE ROLL-AWAY COULD RESULT.
Remedy: REPLACE PARK ROD ASSEMBLY ON AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSIONS.
Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗
NHTSA investigations
2EA93033 · Thrttl Vlv Linkage Bushing
Opened Dec 30, 1993 · Closed Dec 30, 1994
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Vehicle Speed Control:linkages
There is no summary currently available
PE93075 · Thrttl Vlv Linkage Bushing
Opened Aug 30, 1993 · Closed Dec 30, 1993
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Vehicle Speed Control:linkages
There is no summary currently available