IllustrationBOTH HEAD GASKETS WENT OUT AT THE SAME TIME, CONTACTED M. MOTORS ABOUT IT TO SEE IF THERE WAS A RECAL BUT WAS TOLD NO THERE WAS NOT, NOTHING THEY COULD DO OTHER THAN ME REPAIR IT, TOOK TO ANOTHER MECHANIC FOR REPAIRS.
1993 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: 18 of 195 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 105 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Exterior Lighting. Review the 24 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Service Brakes, Hydraulic. Review the 20 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
6 crash reports4 fire reports2 injury reports
What owners actually said
195 reportsI SPOKE TO THE DEALER, AND THEY STATED OTHER COUGARS INCLUDING MODEL YEAR 1993 WERE BEING RECALLED. MY COUGAR WAS NOT AMONG THE ONES BEING RECALLED FOR THE HEAD GASKET PROBLEM. I WAS TOLD BY OTHERS THAT I SHOULD NOT HAVE THIS PROBLEM WITH THE LOW MILEAGE ON MY CAR.
HEAD BOLT FAILURE, SEE TSB 95-310. MERCURY DECLINES REPAIRS ON VEHICLES PRIOR TO 1995 EVEN THOUGH TSB IS LISTED FOR 1992-1995 FORD AND MERCURY CARS. *AK
YOUR SITE SAYS THERE ARE 3 RECALLS ON MY CAR BUT FORD SAYS THERE ARE NONE ON MY CAR BUT I KNOW THERES AT LEAST ONE BECAUS I HAD IT FIXED BYE THEM (THE FULE LINE RECALL I HAD FIXED BYE THEM ) THAY CLAME THE OUTHER 2 RECALLS DONT APPLIY TO MY CAR IS THIS TRUE OR ARE THAY HIDDING SOMETHING OR JUST DONT WANT TO PAY TO FIX THE RECALL…
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YOUR SITE SAYS THERE ARE 3 RECALLS ON MY CAR BUT FORD SAYS THERE ARE NONE ON MY CAR BUT I KNOW THERES AT LEAST ONE BECAUS I HAD IT FIXED BYE THEM (THE FULE LINE RECALL I HAD FIXED BYE THEM ) THAY CLAME THE OUTHER 2 RECALLS DONT APPLIY TO MY CAR IS THIS TRUE OR ARE THAY HIDDING SOMETHING OR JUST DONT WANT TO PAY TO FIX THE RECALL PLEASE LET ME KNOW THANK YOU
THE PASSENGER DOOR HINGE FAILED, NOT ALLOWING THE DOOR TO OPEN OR CLOSE PROPERLY. DEALER SENT US TO A LOCAL REPAIR SHOP (AT OUR OWN EXPENSE) AND THEY TOOK 5 DAYS TO PERFORM THIS SIMPLE REPAIR! THE DRIVER'S DOOR HAD THIS SAME PROBLEM A COUPLE YEARS AGO. THE DOORS ARE VERY HEAVY AND LONG AND JUST SEEMS TO BE BADLY DESIGNED. THE PA…
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THE PASSENGER DOOR HINGE FAILED, NOT ALLOWING THE DOOR TO OPEN OR CLOSE PROPERLY. DEALER SENT US TO A LOCAL REPAIR SHOP (AT OUR OWN EXPENSE) AND THEY TOOK 5 DAYS TO PERFORM THIS SIMPLE REPAIR! THE DRIVER'S DOOR HAD THIS SAME PROBLEM A COUPLE YEARS AGO. THE DOORS ARE VERY HEAVY AND LONG AND JUST SEEMS TO BE BADLY DESIGNED. THE PASSIVE SEAT BELT JAMMED IN THE FRAME OF THE DOOR THAT WAS FIXED. DON'T KNOW IF IT WAS RELATED SOMEHOW TO THE DOOR HINGE, BUT HAPPENED ABOUT THE SAME TIME. SHOP WAS TOLD TO FIX DOOR, AND THEY DID, BUT THE SEAT BELT DID NOT RECOVER. HAVE NOT DECIDED WHETHER OR NOT TO FIX IT YET. IT IS JAMMED AT THE BACK, SO WE CAN STILL SLIP THE HARNESS OVER OUR SHOULDERS, SO WE ARE RESTRAINED PROPERLY, BUT IT NO LONGER MOVES BACK AND FORTH ALONG THE DOOR FRAME. *AK
ENGINE STARTED SPUTTERING AND TEMP. GOT HOT IMMEDIATELY. WATER AND ANTIFREEZE STARTED COMING OUT TAIL PIPE. CAR WAS NOT DRIVEABLE EXCEPT TO GET IT TO A REPAIR SHOP AT A VERY SLOW RATE OF SPEED. *AK
NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE. *AK
NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE. *AK
CONSUMER WAS TRAVELING ABOUT 50MPH & HEAD GASKET BLEW. CONSUMER SLIGHTLY LOST CONTROL OF VEHICLE. DEALER TOLD CONSUMER THAT WOULD HAPPEN. VEHICLE WAS TAKEN PERIODICALLY TO DEALERSHIP, AND IT WAS UNCLEAR WHY THEY DIDN'T DETECT THE PROBLEM BEFORE IT HAPPENED. CONSUMER WAS CONTACTING MANUFACTURER. *AK *ML
NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE. *AK
Official recalls
399V275000 · Exterior Lighting:headlights:switch
Oct 12, 1999
VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH FOG LIGHTS, IN WHICH THE HEADLIGHTS MAY GO OUT FOR VARIOUS INTERVALS AND WHICH MAY BE PRECEDED BY FLICKERING OR BLINKING AS A RESULT OF THE CIRCUIT BREAKER OPENING.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: DRIVER'S COULD EXPERIENCE A LOSS OF VISIBILITY, INCREASING THE RISK OF A CRASH.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSTALL A HEADLIGHT SWITCH WHICH INCORPORATES A CIRCUIT BREAKER OF REVISED DESIGN, AND INSTALL A WIRING HARNESS CONNECTOR, IF NEEDED.
97V159000 · Fuel System, Gasoline:delivery:hoses, Lines/piping, And Fittings
Sep 22, 1997
VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES ORIGINALLY SOLD OR CURRENTLY REGISTERED IN THE STATES OF CONNECTICUT, DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, DELAWARE, IOWA, ILLINOIS, INDIANA, KENTUCKY, MASSACHUSETTS, MARYLAND, MAINE, MICHIGAN, MINNESOTA, MISSOURI, NEW HAMPSHIRE, NEW JERSEY, NEW YORK, OHIO, PENNSYLVANIA, RHODE ISLAND, VERMONT, WISCONSIN, AND WEST VIRGINIA. MOVEMENT OF THE FUEL LINES CAUSES THE NYLON FUEL LINE JUMPER TO CHAFE AGAINST THE FLOOR PAN. THIS WEAR CAN CAUSE A PIN HOLE IN THE FUEL LINE RESULTING IN FUEL LEAKAGE.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: THIS FUEL LEAKAGE RESULTS IN DAMPNESS AND FUEL ODOR, AND IF AN IGNITION SOURCE WAS PRESENT, A FIRE COULD RESULT.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSTALL A PLASTIC CONVOLUTE COVERING AROUND THE FUEL LINES. IF THE LINES SHOW A LEAK, THE LINES WILL BE REPLACED FIRST.
96V071000 · 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.
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
2EA99005 · Headlight Switch
Opened Jan 20, 1999 · Closed Dec 14, 1999
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Exterior Lighting
SUBJECT VEHICLES HAVE A HEADLIGHT SWITCH WITH AN INTERNAL, BIMETAL CIRCUIT BREAKER THAT CAN OPEN DUE TO OVERHEATING DURING HEADLING OPERATION.
RQ97011 · Fuel Line Jumper
Opened Sep 25, 1997 · Closed Nov 16, 1998
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Fuel System, Gasoline:delivery:hoses, Lines/piping, And Fittings
TO DETERMINE THE SCOPE OF THE ALLEGED FUEL LINE FAILURES OUTSIDE OF THE RECALL GEOGRAPHIC REGION AND IF THE RECALL SHOULD BE EXPANDED NATIONALLY