1994 Mercury Cougar problems
Owners have filed 178 complaints about the 1994 Mercury Cougar with NHTSA. Power train accounts for 20.2% of them — narrowly the most common, ahead of engine and engine cooling at 18.5%.
Complaints178
Crashes13
Fires2
Injuries15
Deaths1
What owners report breaking
Power train 20.2% · 36
Engine and engine cooling 18.5% · 33
Service brakes, hydraulic 18.5% · 33
Vehicle speed control 6.2% · 11
Air bags 5.6% · 10
Visibility 3.9% · 7
Fuel system, gasoline 3.9% · 7
Suspension 3.9% · 7
Severity
Of those complaints, 13 describe a crash, 2 describe a fire, 15 report an injury and 1 report a death.
Reading the numbers
Across the 10 model years of the Mercury Cougar in this data, 1994 sits 4th by complaint volume. 1999 draws the most.
Filings have fallen off, 6 in the last three years against 17 in the three before. That is normal as a generation leaves the road.
The median odometer reading at the time of complaint was 70,000 miles.
In owners' own words
Intermittently when vehicle is in overdrive, it will jump out of overdrive to neutral. The dealer has inspected the vehicle several times and could not duplicate the problem. *Yc dealer has replaced the mlp sensor, turbine speed sensor, 1-2 accumulator piston and spring, solenoid valve, main control valve body, sollenoid assembly, switch assembly, and vonverter assembly. Serpentine belt was replaced. *Slc Power train
The Cougar at all times refuses to upshift from 1st gear to the next higher gear unless you release the gas pedal at 3,000 rpm, and then reapply gas that seems to allow the gears to change. This also occurs when I am trying to use the passing gear, the cars transmission winds up useless I again release trhe gas and then re-aply it. That is not a very safe situation. Power train
Vehicle at 50 mph goes into neutral, engine revs far beyond normal range, but vehicle does not pick up speed. This happens erratically. At 20k miles (when problem first developed) dealer had us replace transmission fluid, this did nothing for the problem. Now dealer says we need a new transmission because transmission is no longer under warranty. Power train
Verbatim from NHTSA filings. Complaints are unverified owner reports.
Safety recalls
Checking NHTSA for open recalls…