2000 Mercury Cougar Problems, Complaints & Recalls
- Compared with other Cougar years
- Far more complaints than other years 2nd of 8 for complaints
- Safety recalls
- 3 recalls: check your VIN
- NHTSA crash rating
- Not rated
Owners have filed 211 complaints with NHTSA about the 2000 Mercury Cougar. That ranks 2nd out of 8 Cougar model years for complaints. The most reported problem area is electrical system (63 complaints, 30%), typically at around 65,000 miles. Complaints mention 18 crashes, 10 fires, 17 injuries. There are 3 safety recalls covering this model year.
- 211owner complaints
- 3safety recalls
- 0NHTSA investigations
- 18complaints mentioning a crash
Complaints are unverified owner reports and are not adjusted for sales volume.
Most common 2000 Mercury Cougar problems
Complaints grouped by the part of the car owners reported, with the median mileage when the problem happened.
| Problem area | Complaints | Share | Median miles | Owners mention most | Typical repair cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Electrical System problems | 63 | 30% | 65,000 | “electrical battery cables” (14%) | $1,450 |
| Fuel System, Gasoline | 38 | 18% | 71,000 | — | — |
| Engine and Engine Cooling | 26 | 12% | 59,500 | — | — |
| Air Bags | 17 | 8% | 90,000 | — | — |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 16 | 8% | 33,000 | — | — |
| Visibility | 16 | 8% | 70,000 | — | — |
| Unknown or Other | 12 | 6% | 74,000 | — | — |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic | 10 | 5% | 46,726 | — | — |
| Power Train | 9 | 4% | 55,000 | — | — |
| Exterior Lighting | 8 | 4% | 26,000 | — | — |
| Steering | 8 | 4% | 46,726 | — | — |
| Equipment | 7 | 3% | 82,150 | — | — |
| Structure | 7 | 3% | 47,130 | — | — |
| Latches/locks/linkages | 6 | 3% | 70,000 | — | — |
| Fuel/propulsion System | 5 | 2% | 83,000 | — | — |
| Tires | 5 | 2% | — | — | — |
| Fuel System, Other | 3 | 1% | 45,000 | — | — |
| Wheels | 3 | 1% | — | — | — |
| Seat Belts | 2 | 1% | — | — | — |
| Visibility/wiper | 2 | 1% | 95,000 | — | — |
| Interior Lighting | 1 | 0% | — | — | — |
| Service Brakes | 1 | 0% | 165,000 | — | — |
| Service Brakes, Air | 1 | 0% | — | — | — |
| Suspension | 1 | 0% | — | — | — |
One complaint can list several problem areas, so shares can add up to more than 100%.
Complaints by year received
2000 Mercury Cougar recalls (3)
Tap a recall to see the problem, the risk and the fix.
Fuel system, gasoline
Problem: 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.
Risk: 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.
Fix: 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.
Electrical system:12v/24v/48v battery:cables
Problem: Vehicle description: passenger vehicles equipped with 2.5l v6 engines. The battery cable was misrouted and its attachment to the alternator cable was under-torqued. If misrouted, the cable could contact the power steering line and the insulation could wear, resulting in an electrical short.
Risk: The short could potentially result in a fire, stalling, or a no-start condition.
Fix: Dealers will inspect the battery cable to the alternator for damage and, if it is damaged, will replace the cable. Additionally, the routing of the cable will be corrected, as necessary, and a routing clip will be added. Also the torque on the alternator attachment of the cable will be checked and, as required, will be tightened to specification. Owner notification began march 22, 2001. Owners who take their vehicles to an authorized dealer on an agreed upon service date and do not receive the free remedy within a reasonable time should contact ford at 1-800-392-3673.
Service brakes, hydraulic:foundation components
Problem: Vehicle description: passenger vehicles not equipped with the anti-lock braking system (abs). A pressure conscious reducing valve (pcrv) in the rear brakes may be subject to corrosion and result in malfunction, when operated in areas that use salt compounds on the roadway for de-icing or dust control.
Risk: If both pcrv's malfunction, vehicle handling could be adversely affected during braking as a result of the rear wheels locking, increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: Dealers will install improved pcrv's in the rear brake system. This recall was expanded in september 2000 to include 1999 and 2000 ford contour, mercury mystique and cougar vehicles.
To see whether a specific car still has an open recall, enter its VIN on NHTSA's official recall lookup. You can also decode a VIN here.
Recent owner reports
Short excerpts of the latest complaints filed with NHTSA, with personal details removed. Full reports can be searched on NHTSA.gov.
Tl* the contact owns a 2000 mercury cougar. The contact stated that the battery failed and multiple warning indicators, including the check engine indicator, illuminated. The vehicle was taken to several independent mechanics to have the battery replaced. After multiple incorrect diagnostics, it…
Tl* the contact owns a 2000 mercury cougar. While driving 15 mph, the headlights failed without warning. In addition, the windows and sun roof independently rolled down. The vehicle was not diagnosed nor repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was unknown.
Takata inflatorsi have a 2000. Mercury. Coguar. When. I bought the. Car it ran tgood, then. In 2014. I had to. Pay 1000. To get a. Fuel pump put in. And. That only lasted. 2yrs. Now the fuel pump went out . I don't. Have. That kind of money .i live on as. When i pay my bills i'm. Broke. I looked up…
Having so many problems with the fuel systems. I have put fuelput a new fuel pump in gas tank 2 yes. Ago. Put fuel pressure sensor this year. Put new fuel regulator this year now when driving it will just stop. And wouldn't startup
Tl* the contact owns a 2000 mercury cougar. While refueling the vehicle, the fuel pump would only allow 1-2 gallons to enter the fuel tank before shutting off. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic who diagnosed that the fuel pump was faulty and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not…
Other Mercury Cougar years
| Year | Complaints | Recalls |
|---|---|---|
| 2002 Cougar | 95 | 1 |
| 2001 Cougar | 82 | 1 |
| 2000 | 211 | 3 |
| 1999 Cougar | 454 | 7 |
| 1998 Cougar | 1 | 0 |
| 1997 Cougar | 76 | 0 |
| 1996 Cougar | 62 | 2 |
| 1995 Cougar | 109 | 0 |
See all Mercury Cougar problems by year, every Mercury model, or the VIN decoder.
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Frequently asked questions
What are the most common problems with the 2000 Mercury Cougar?
Owners most often report electrical system, fuel system, gasoline, engine and engine cooling problems. The top one, electrical system, accounts for 63 complaints.
Was there a recall on the 2000 Mercury Cougar?
Yes, 3 safety recalls. Enter your VIN at NHTSA.gov to check whether the repairs were done on your car.
Was the 2000 Mercury Cougar a good year?
Complaint data can't fully answer that, because counts aren't adjusted for sales. Compared with other Cougar model years, the 2000 has far more complaints than most years. Always get a pre-purchase inspection and check the VIN for open recalls.