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1993 Mercury Cougar

Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations

Limited comparison data

There is not enough comparable history to draw a useful model-year comparison.

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How this year compares

Owner complaints by model year

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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 reports
Mileage unknown · Jan 6, 2000
Exterior Lighting

THE PLASTIC HEAD LIGHT COVERS HAVE YELLOWED TO THE EXTENT THAT CONSUMER HAS LOST AT LEAST 30% OF LIGHTING, DEALER CONTACTED BUT SAYS THEIRS NOTHING THEY CAN DO ABOUT IT.*ET

NHTSA ODI #783639

Mileage unknown · Dec 3, 1999
Exterior Lighting

NHTSA RECALL #99V-275 000/HEADLIGHTS: VEHICLE HAS BEEN EXPERIENCING HEADLIGHTS GOING OUT FOR VARIOUS INTERVALS PREECEDED BY FLICKING/BLICKING. DEALER NOTICED, AND INFORMED CONSUMER THAT THIS VEHICLE WAS NOT PART OF RECALL. ASKING NHTSA TO SHED SOME LIGHT ON THIS MATTER. *AK

NHTSA ODI #853652

Mileage unknown · Oct 20, 1999
Engine And Engine CoolingPower TrainService Brakes, Hydraulic

WHEN DRIVING AT ANY SPEED AND APPLYING THE BRAKES, BRAKE'S WENT STRAIGHT TO THE FLOORBOARD. ALSO, PCV VALVE WENT OUT, AND TRANSMISSION OVERFLOWED WHICH CAUSED THE TRANSMISSION FLUID TO GET ONTO TRANSMISSION AND ENGINE. CONSUMER HAD THE ENGINE REBUILT, AND TWO WATER PUMPS WERE REPLACED. ENGINE CHECK LIGHT KEPT COMING ON. *AK

NHTSA ODI #851180

Mileage unknown · Oct 6, 1999
Unknown Or Other

PAINT IS PREMATURELY FLAKING OFF OF CAR. NO SAFETY DEFECT. *AK

NHTSA ODI #712909

Mileage unknown · Sep 29, 1999
Structure

PASSENGER'S SIDE AND DRIVER SIDE DOOR HINGES AND ATTACHMENTS CAME APART, AND THE RUBBER CAME OFF THE DOOR. *AK

NHTSA ODI #849128

Mileage unknown · Aug 20, 1999
Child Seat

EVENFLO CHILD SAFETY SEAT MODEL # 205105P1, DOM 02-OCT-1997: HANDLE FAILED TO LOCK UPON PICKING UP CARRIER. IF CHILD HADN'T BEEN BUCKLED IN, WOULD HAVE FALLEN ON GROUND, AS SEAT TURNED UPSIDE DOWN.*AK

NHTSA ODI #548060

Mileage unknown · Jun 22, 1999
Exterior Lighting

THE INTENSITY OF THE MOUNTED BRAKES LIGHTS WAS SO HIGH THAT THEY MELTED THROUGH THE PLASTIC AND BURNED OUT THE WIRE, CAUSING SMOKE TO COME FORM THE REAR WINDOW. MANUFACTURER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED. *AK

NHTSA ODI #838014

Mileage unknown · May 22, 1999
Seat BeltsStructure

I HAVE BEEN TRAPPED SO TO SPEAK IN MY CAR AND HAD TO MANUALLY REMOVE THE SEAT BELT- I CAN SEE THIS BEING A VERY SERIOUS PROBLEM I HAVE ATTEMPTED TO HAVE IT TAKEN CARE OF BUT HAVE TO RETURN TO THE DEALER THAT DID THE REPAIRS - IN SAYRE , PA. -- THEY ALSO REPLACED THE HINGES ON THE DRIVER'S SIDE DOOR. *AK

NHTSA ODI #706760

Mileage unknown · May 11, 1999
Service Brakes, Hydraulic

ONGOING PROBLEM WITH ABS/ FRONT BRAKE WEARING EXCESSIVELY. ROTORS REPLACED ON THREE OCCASIONS, AND BRAKE PADS HAVE TO BE REPLACED EVERY 10,OOO MILES. DEALER NOTIFIED, AND INFORMED CONSUMER THAT WAS NORMAL FOR THIS VEHICLE. CONSUMER SEEKING HELP FROM NHTSA, AND BELIEVES THIS IS A MANUFACTURER'S DEFECT. *AK

NHTSA ODI #837784

Mileage unknown · Apr 22, 1999
Steering

POWER STEERING PUMP FAILED, CAUSING THE STEERING SYSTEM TO MALFUNCTION WHICH MAY RESULT IN LOSS OF STEERING CONTROL. STEERING PUMP HAS BEEN REPLACED 5 TIMES. DEALER CANNOT DETERMINE THE PROBLEM. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK

NHTSA ODI #837000

Official recalls

3

99V275000 · 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

2

EA99005 · 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