Mercury Cougar Problems by Year
NHTSA has 1,090 owner complaints and 9 safety recalls on file for the Mercury Cougar, across 8 model years (1995–2002). The 1999 model year has the most complaints (454). The most reported problem area overall is electrical system.
Mercury Cougar years to avoid? What the complaint data shows
These model years drew at least twice as many complaints as a typical Cougar year: 1999, 2000. Look at what owners reported before buying one, and check the VIN for open recalls.
Model years with the most complaints
- 1999 Cougar: 454 complaints, 7 recalls
- 2000 Cougar: 211 complaints, 3 recalls
- 1995 Cougar: 109 complaints, 0 recalls
Model years with the fewest complaints
- 1998 Cougar: 1 complaint, 0 recalls
- 1996 Cougar: 62 complaints, 2 recalls
- 1997 Cougar: 76 complaints, 0 recalls
Complaint counts are not adjusted for how many cars were sold or how long each year has been on the road, so newer and less popular years naturally have fewer complaints. Use them to spot problem patterns, not as a safety ranking.
Most common Mercury Cougar problems (all years)
| Problem area | Complaints | Model years | Crashes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Electrical System problems | 191 | 8 | 4 |
| Engine and Engine Cooling problems | 185 | 7 | 7 |
| Fuel System, Gasoline problems | 156 | 7 | 1 |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic problems | 139 | 7 | 14 |
| Power Train problems | 116 | 7 | 2 |
| Visibility | 94 | 7 | 0 |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 68 | 7 | 10 |
| Air Bags | 66 | 7 | 38 |
| Structure | 57 | 7 | 2 |
| Exterior Lighting | 49 | 7 | 0 |
| Tires | 47 | 6 | 2 |
| Suspension | 46 | 7 | 2 |
| Steering | 39 | 7 | 2 |
| Equipment | 31 | 7 | 0 |
| Latches/locks/linkages | 27 | 6 | 0 |
| Fuel/propulsion System | 18 | 4 | 0 |
| Seats | 18 | 4 | 2 |
| Seat Belts | 17 | 6 | 6 |
| Engine | 15 | 5 | 1 |
| Wheels | 15 | 6 | 1 |
| Fuel System, Other | 13 | 4 | 0 |
| Service Brakes, Air | 9 | 5 | 0 |
| Interior Lighting | 5 | 3 | 0 |
| Service Brakes | 4 | 3 | 0 |
| Electronic Stability Control (esc) | 3 | 2 | 0 |
| Visibility/wiper | 2 | 1 | 0 |
| Back Over Prevention | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| Parking Brake | 1 | 1 | 0 |
Mercury Cougar problems by model year
Problem areas with enough reports for their own page.
- 2000: electrical system (63)
- 1999: electrical system (99) · service brakes, hydraulic (72) · engine and engine cooling (67) · visibility (52) · power train (50)
All Mercury Cougar model years
| Model year | Complaints | Recalls | Crash rating | Top problem | Compared with other years |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2002 Cougar | 95 | 1 | — | Fuel System, Gasoline | About as many complaints as other years |
| 2001 Cougar | 82 | 1 | — | Fuel System, Gasoline | About as many complaints as other years |
| 2000 Cougar | 211 | 3 | — | Electrical System | Far more complaints than other years |
| 1999 Cougar | 454 | 7 | — | Electrical System | Far more complaints than other years |
| 1998 Cougar | 1 | 0 | — | Electrical System | |
| 1997 Cougar | 76 | 0 | — | Engine and Engine Cooling | Fewer complaints than other years |
| 1996 Cougar | 62 | 2 | — | Engine and Engine Cooling | Fewer complaints than other years |
| 1995 Cougar | 109 | 0 | — | Service Brakes, Hydraulic | More complaints than other years |
More from Mercury: all Mercury models · VIN decoder
Frequently asked questions
Which Mercury Cougar years should you stay away from?
By NHTSA complaints, 1999 (454), 2000 (211) drew at least twice as many complaints as a typical Cougar year. Counts are not adjusted for how many cars were sold, and newer years have had less time to collect complaints.
What is the biggest problem with the Mercury Cougar?
Electrical System, with 191 complaints across 8 model years.
How many recalls does the Mercury Cougar have?
9 safety recalls across all model years. Each model year page lists its recalls and fixes.