IllustrationBATTERY LIGHT IS ON AND HAS FOR AWHILE. LIGHTS KEEP BLOWING FUSES. AND TODAY I HAD TO RIP OUT A HEADLIGHT OR THE CAR WOULD HAVE SET ON FIRE. *TR
2001 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
40–25K
1325–50K
1050–75K
775–100K
10100–150K
7150K+
51 reports with mileage · 31 unknown
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.
- Fuel System, Gasoline. Review the 18 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Electrical System. Review the 12 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Engine And Engine Cooling. 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.
7 crash reports6 fire reports5 injury reports
Fuel/propulsion System complaints
6 reportsTL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 MERCURY COUGAR. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 40 MPH, THE VEHICLE DECELERATED AND STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. THE CONTACT, WITH THE HELP OF OTHER DRIVERS, HAD TO PHYSICALLY PUSH THE VEHICLE OUT OF TRAFFIC TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT …
Read full complaint
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 MERCURY COUGAR. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 40 MPH, THE VEHICLE DECELERATED AND STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. THE CONTACT, WITH THE HELP OF OTHER DRIVERS, HAD TO PHYSICALLY PUSH THE VEHICLE OUT OF TRAFFIC TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE FUEL PUMP MOTOR BURNED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 102,000.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 MERCURY COUGAR. WHILE DRIVING 45 MPH, THE VEHICLE FAILED TO ACCELERATE WHEN THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED. THE ENGINE CHECK WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE FUEL DELIVERY MODULE FAILED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHIC…
Read full complaint
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 MERCURY COUGAR. WHILE DRIVING 45 MPH, THE VEHICLE FAILED TO ACCELERATE WHEN THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED. THE ENGINE CHECK WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE FUEL DELIVERY MODULE FAILED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 04V421000(FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE). THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 59,800.
CAR STARTED HESITATING AND LOST POWER THEN STALLED OUT CAUSING TRAFFIC TO GET BACKED UP. *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 MERCURY COUGAR. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY STARTED TO HESITATE AND STALLED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIR. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE AND THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN RECALL NHTSA CAMPAIGN N…
Read full complaint
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 MERCURY COUGAR. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY STARTED TO HESITATE AND STALLED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIR. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE AND THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN RECALL NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 04V421000 (FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE). THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 151,645.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 MERCURY COUGAR. THE VEHICLE WAS INCLUDED IN THE RECALL UNDER NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER: 04V421000 (FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE) AND WAS REPAIRED. AFTER SOMETIME THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT START OR WOULD STALL INTERMITTENTLY. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAI…
Read full complaint
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 MERCURY COUGAR. THE VEHICLE WAS INCLUDED IN THE RECALL UNDER NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER: 04V421000 (FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE) AND WAS REPAIRED. AFTER SOMETIME THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT START OR WOULD STALL INTERMITTENTLY. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 250,000.
Official recalls
104V421000 · Fuel System, Gasoline
Aug 30, 2004
ON CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES, CONTAMINATION OF THE FILTER IN THE FUEL DELIVERY MODULE (FDM) CAN REDUCE, AND EVENTUALLY BLOCK, THE FLOW OF FUEL TO THE ENGINE.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: THIS MAY CAUSE ENGINE HESITATION, LOSS OF POWER, SURGING, AND OTHER SIMILAR SYMPTOMS. OVER TIME, THE FILTER MAY BECOME SUFFICIENTLY BLOCKED TO CAUSE THE ENGINE TO STALL, WHICH COULD RESULT IN A CRASH.
Remedy: THIS ACTION IS DEEMED A SAFETY IMPROVEMENT CAMPAIGN AND IS NOT BEING CONDUCTED UNDER THE SAFETY ACT. ALL OWNERS WILL BE NOTIFIED OF THE PROBLEM, AND DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE FDM WITH A NEW DESIGN AT NO CHARGE IF THE OWNER REPORTS THAT THE VEHICLE EXHIBITS ANY OF THE IDENTIFIED SYMPTOMS. THE FREE REPLACEMENT WILL BE AVAILABLE FOR A PERIOD OF 10 YEARS FOLLOWING THE ORIGINAL PURCHASE OF THE VEHICLE, WITH NO MILEAGE LIMIT. THE CAMPAIGN BEGAN ON APRIL 16, 2004. OWNERS SHOULD CONTACT FORD AT 1-800-392-3673.
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
0No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.