IllustrationHEAD GASKET FAILURE/COMMON PROBLEM WITH 93 COURGAR/ALUM HEAD. *AK
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 reportsHEAD GASKET FAILURE AT 69,000 MILE ON 3.8L ENGINE. TAKEN VEHICLE TO AN INDEPENDENT REPAIR SHOP. ALSO, MANUFACTURER NOTIFIED, AND INFORMED CONSUMER THAT VEHICLE WAS NOT COVERED UNDER EXTENDED WARRANTY. PLEASE FEEL FREE TO PROVIDE ANY FURTHER DETAILS ON THIS MATTER. *AK
HAD TO REPLACE ENGINE HEAD GASKETS EVERY 25,000 MILES.*AK
ANTI-FREEZE WAS LEAKING, AND VEHICLE WAS SMOKING VERY BADLY. CONSUMER HAD TO PULL OVER AND PARK CAR. *AK
3.8L ENGINE; THE HEAD GASKETS BLEW . THE HEAT INDICATOR LIGHT WOULD GO OVER TO HOT. THE THERMOSTAT WAS CHANGED. THE FORD DEALER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED.THE MANUFACTURER HAS EXTENDED THE WARRANTY ON THE 1994-1995 VEHICLES WITH THIS SAME ENGINE.*AK *SLC
FAILURE OF HEAD GASKETS. *AK
MY ENGINE DEVELOPED A HEAD GASKET LEAK, WHICH CAUSED THE ENGINE TO SEIZE. I ASKED THE AUTO MECHANIC, WHY THIS HAPPENED, AND HE TOLD ME THAT BECAUSE OF THE ALUMINUM HEADS, IT IS A COMMON OCCURENCE, AROUND 75,000 MILES. *AK
HEADLIGHTS STARTED FLASHING, AND BLINKING, AFTER A FEW MILES OF DRIVING. WHILE I WAS DRIVING ON A COUNTRY ROAD, THIS FLASHING ATTRACTED A DEER ONTO THE ROAD, WHICH CAUSED SOME BODY DAMAGE TO MY CAR. THE PROBLEM WAS IN THE HEADLIGHT SWITCH. MY CAR DOES NOT HAVE FOGLIGHTS, SO IT DID NOT QUALIFY FOR RECALL 99V275000, BUT WAS ACT…
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HEADLIGHTS STARTED FLASHING, AND BLINKING, AFTER A FEW MILES OF DRIVING. WHILE I WAS DRIVING ON A COUNTRY ROAD, THIS FLASHING ATTRACTED A DEER ONTO THE ROAD, WHICH CAUSED SOME BODY DAMAGE TO MY CAR. THE PROBLEM WAS IN THE HEADLIGHT SWITCH. MY CAR DOES NOT HAVE FOGLIGHTS, SO IT DID NOT QUALIFY FOR RECALL 99V275000, BUT WAS ACTING JUST THE SAME. THE REPAIR SHOP CHANGED THE HEADLAMP SWITCH, AND THE FLASHING ENDED. I WAS TOLD THE HEADLAMP SWITCH HAD A SHORT IN IT.
GREASE ON THREADS AND SELF ADJUSTING STAR GETS FULL OF BRAKE DUST, SEIZES UP AND REFUSES TO TURN, SELF ADJUSTING ARM BREAKS TEETH OFF STAR, REAR BRAKE DONT ADJUST CAUSING CAR TO STOP WITH FRONT BRAKES WHICH OVERHEAT, BRAKE FLUID TURNS TO GAS BY BOILING AND NEVER RETURNS TO LIQUID SO THE FRONT BRAKES RUB AND THE BRAKES OVERHEAT,…
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GREASE ON THREADS AND SELF ADJUSTING STAR GETS FULL OF BRAKE DUST, SEIZES UP AND REFUSES TO TURN, SELF ADJUSTING ARM BREAKS TEETH OFF STAR, REAR BRAKE DONT ADJUST CAUSING CAR TO STOP WITH FRONT BRAKES WHICH OVERHEAT, BRAKE FLUID TURNS TO GAS BY BOILING AND NEVER RETURNS TO LIQUID SO THE FRONT BRAKES RUB AND THE BRAKES OVERHEAT, REAR BRAKES CHANGED YET PROBLEM CONTINUES. NLM
ENIGINE HEAD GASKETS WENT OUT AT 62,000 MILES, CAUSING A MAJOR OIL LEAK AND ENGINE DAMAGE. DEALER HAS BEEN CONTACTED.*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