Edmunds dealer partner, Bayway Leasing, is now offering transparent lease deals via these forums. Click here to see the latest vehicles!

Mercury Cougar

1810121314

Comments

  • carladycarlady Member Posts: 35
    Here's what our editors have to say about changes in the 2001 model year:

    Cougar - Exterior and interior changes are extensive for the Cougar. At first glance outside, you'll notice new front and rear fascias, new headlights with a projector and reflector system, a new grille, a new spoiler, new fog lights, 16-inch painted and 17-inch machined aluminum wheels. New clearcoat metallic colors include Dark Shadow Grey, Tropic Green, French Blue and Sunburst Gold. The Cougar S is finally a go for production (we hope).

    carlady
    Host
    News & Views and Hatchbacks Message Boards
  • badulahbadulah Member Posts: 961
    Um, the "S" is NOT a go for production, at least not yet. Rumors say it will be available in 2002, but no one really knows.
  • couganescouganes Member Posts: 1
    this is my first time on the message board, but I can also attest to major problems with my 1999 Cougar, I have had my car a little over 2 years and can't wait until the lease is up! I have been to the dealership more times in 2 1/2 years than I had in the previous 3 years of leasing a Mazda Mx-6. The light sensor has been on for 2 1/2 years and the dealership says it is a mechanical problem and they are waiting to find out what the fix is! My speakers also go out whenever they want and my check engine light comes on as well. The brakes used to grind very loud and I was told that is how they are supposed to sound. To top off all of the problems I have had with the car, the dealership is not very friendly. Don't mean to complain, but I WANT OUT!!!
  • badulahbadulah Member Posts: 961
    Pluskin:
    Thanks, but we already know. The CSG was the first group FMC notified. The Brand manager posted the news in our forum and I received a phone call from one of the Cougar Team members.
  • jtimkojtimko Member Posts: 2
    Replaced starter, flywheel, and alternator. Only have 35,000 miles on the car. Enough said!! I'm getting rid of this piece of trash!
  • mileskbmileskb Member Posts: 1
    My Girl friend and I bought Cougars at the same time, right when they first came out. She has the V-6 automatic and I have the V-6 5-speed. She has about 22,000 miles and I have about 65,000 miles. YES 65,000 miles. The only maintenance we've done is oil changes, and mine finally needs a tune-up. As far as annoyances hers had a noise in one of the rear shocks when we bought it which was rectified at the shop in less than an hour, and mine has an odd thing with the door-locks. If I click the remote to unlock both doors, the lock recycles and locks again. I think it's hemp related. That's it... not a squeak, peep or other nuance out of place. We love these cars. I am hoping the Sport with the bigger engine finally arrives so I can trade mine while it still has value. No one believes I have 65,000+ miles on it, as it looks brand new.
  • badulahbadulah Member Posts: 961
    You have to remember that every car line has an occasional lemon. It is unfortunate, but true.

    Both of you should check out the Cougar Support Group (CSG). We are an Edmunds based car club located in the "Owners Clubs" area of "Town Hall".

    CSG Message Boards & Weekly Chat Session

    CSG Web Site

    Both of the above links are packed full of GREAT Cougar related information. Our members are top notch and really enjoy networking with other owners. Be sure to check us out when you get a chance!!

    image
  • dasaint1dasaint1 Member Posts: 230
    What made you think you needed a tune-up at 65,000? Does the engine sound rough??

    I thought the tune-up was done at 100,000 mile intervals.
  • smc7smc7 Member Posts: 12
    Hi,
    I'm in the market for the Cougar Sport model. Does any one know when these will be available? I'm in the Raleigh, NC area.

    Thanks in advance.
    smc7
  • fish8fish8 Member Posts: 2,282
    The Cougar S has been cancelled. Mercury decided not to produce this version of the Cougar. Why? I have no earthly idea!!!
  • smc7smc7 Member Posts: 12
    fish8, thanks for the response.

    I had not seen this info released anywhere (re: Cougar S cancellation). The brochure for the Cougar that I picked up 2 weeks ago said it was scheduled for First Quarter 2001. I didn't talk to a dealer about it. Where can I read more about this cancellation?

    Because of your (sad) news, I went to mercuryvehicles.com and 'built' a V6 with the sport group options. I am now considering this version of Cougar. I'm a little disappointed with the cancellation of the S but I think I'm still willing to get one of these.

    Thanks again
    smc7
  • fish8fish8 Member Posts: 2,282
    If you go back and read the "chats On" section(maybe 100-150 post back) you will see MWS0520 state that all plans for the "S" have been scrapped. MWS is the Brand Mgr(I believe) for Mercury. He has been very helpful in answering most of our questions. I hope this helps!!
  • pocahontaspocahontas Member Posts: 802
    According to Edmunds' Future Telling, Mercury is to release the Cougar S version in 2002.


    For future reference, you'll find this section via Edmunds' editorial section link on the front page. Once you're in the main editorial section, look for future telling in the right hand column. Good luck. ;-)


    Pocahontas
    Host
    Hatchbacks Message Board

  • stageleftstageleft Member Posts: 391
    Pocohantas:

    When was that "prediction" made though? I've been all around the block with future Cougars, and "what might be's" and every prediction in there has been scrapped. What you don't predict, however, is that the Mercury Cougar is possibly not even going to be produced past 2002 ... Sad though that may be.

    It was almost nice to have a light at the end of the tunnel, but the 3.0L was scrapped more than a year ago, the S was officially scrapped in February. The only logical next step for Mercury to do at this point is adopt a version of the Focus. That's my prediction!

    Thanks for the update though, it's funny to see some of the things that have been predicted in the automotive world.
  • pocahontaspocahontas Member Posts: 802
    I'm not sure actually when that info was published. Feel free to send an email to Edmunds management for more information, or if you feel it needs to be updated/corrected. I appreciate your input! ;-)


    Pocahontas
    Host
    Hatchbacks Message Board

  • kaw6kaw6 Member Posts: 2
    Am I the only having a tremendous amount of problems with my 1999 Mercury Cougar?? I have never been so disappointed with a car before. It has been in the shop close to 10 times and the dealership has not been at all helpful. I plan on getting rid of it this spring, I don't think I will ever buy a Ford product again.
  • jdbishopjdbishop Member Posts: 36
    I have had only one problem with my 99 and that was fixed by the dealership after they ordered a new part. Problem diagnosed and fixed with true professionalism. My 99 is V6, MTX, Sport & Convenience Groups. It will be 2 years old next month and it has 29,768 miles. I couldn't be happier with it.
  • stageleftstageleft Member Posts: 391
    Yeah! Another happy owner!

    But kaw6, seriously, there are actually a lot of other owners who have had serious problems with thier Cougars, so don't feel left out. Of course I don't know what solace that will provide knowing that your Cougar is still on the outs. Have you tried a different dealer in your area? Maybe one that might care about the customer (because it sounds like the one your taking it to doesn't care).

    I don't blame you, however, for wanting to ditch a bum product, but perhaps if you can find a place to diagnose and fix the problems with your Cat, you'll remember why you bought it in the first place, and decide otherwise -- IF it's running properly, of course.

    Good luck, and let us know what's wrong with your car, maybe another member has had a similar problem and can point you in the right direction to getting it resolved.

    Take care!
  • hbund216hbund216 Member Posts: 162
    There is a TSB on the locks malfunctioning (unlocking and locking). My sister had the same problem and the dealer fixed it. So far so good. I did have to contact Mercury since the dealer was not aware of the TSB.
  • gregtalgregtal Member Posts: 12
    I have a '99 Cougar V6 Auto (purchased 9/98) with over 50,000 miles and like milesKB (post #458) haven't had any trouble at all. In fact, I just ordered an '01 Cougar (we'll be a two Cougar family now), only this time I went with my heart's desire, a V6 stick. I realize that you never quite know what you're going to get (I really sympathize with those of you who have reported reported recurring problems with your Cougars - I have a '90 Lumina APV that has gone through 3 engines, while it seems that hardly anyone else has had a problem), but I can only hope it is just as well put together as my '99. I wanted the S model but, just to confirm everything you have already heard but didn't want to believe, the S has in fact been cancelled. I truly hope it was due to technical issues and not some self-defeating decision by the Mercury group. I must also toot my dealer's horn, Stadium Lincoln -Mercury in Tampa., FL. A great bunch of people, both sales and service.
  • fish8fish8 Member Posts: 2,282
    Has anyone seen the most recent Consumer Reports Car issue? The '99 and '00 Cougar received the WORST reliability rating. So, all of these problem reports are not unfounded. Good luck to everyone with problems.
  • stageleftstageleft Member Posts: 391
    Gregtal:

    Actually, it wasn't any technical problems nor was it a defacing move from the folks at Mercury. Ford Motor Company still pulls the strings on the Mercury puppet, and would not allow Mercury to come out with the S to boost it's flagging sales or promote return customers. They simply killed the project - after printing it up in all those dealership brochures - because. That may not sound like any kind of excuse, but that's the only reason they gave. Unfortunatly, we all found out that Ford announced the availability of the Focus SVT ONE DAY before officially cancelling the S model. You figure it out, I think they did it on purpose so they wouldn't be competing with themselves - little did they know that the Focus doesn't compete with the Cougar, nor do any Cougar owners that I know of have any interest in "downgrading" to a Focus. We've got bigger pies in the skies - like BMWs!
  • kaw6kaw6 Member Posts: 2
    Some of the problems I have experienced include: rear hub replaced twice, new transmission installed, new moonroof installed, airbag safety light flashing, engine light on, fog lights repeatedly blowing the fuse (close to every week),the drivers side front window sometimes gets stuck going up, 2nd set of new tires in 6 months-the alignment gets getting messed up even though I have an alignment performed every other oil change (I know there's more problems-I've tried to block them out!) I also know of two people who have had to replace the entire electrical system.

    As for going to a different dealership, I have been to three now. In fact, I got into it with two service managers at one place that I was asked to not bring the car back there. I now try to deal exclusively with the Ford rep. I am so disgusted with this car! The longer I have the car, the more that just falls apart on it. And this was rather unsettling, during a recent phone conversation with a Ford mechanic I was telling him how upset I have been with all the repairs, his reply "What do you expect, it's a cougar"
    I only hope for everyone else's sake that the newer models are made better (I bought mine in August of 98 when they first came out)
  • hbund216hbund216 Member Posts: 162
    Ford killed the S after customer expectations were not met and sales began to drop significantly after initial introduction. They must have thought the S would not bring enough customers to justify the production cost. And I have to say with the SUV craze they are correct. A good source of Ford news is www.blueovalnews.com.
  • fish8fish8 Member Posts: 2,282
    I have always taken all information on blueovalnews with a grain of salt.
  • dasaint1dasaint1 Member Posts: 230
    Fish8:

    Yeah, I've seen the new CR magazine. And the Cougar's reliability is not pretty. I guess in a few years, when you see CR publish their Used Cars to Avoid list--the '99-'00 Cougar will be highlighted and pictured on it.

    It's a good thing for Ford I already bought the Cougar. If I was shopping for a car now, I wouldn't buy the Cougar because of the CR's rating. CR is the only car magazine out there that really looks out for consumers. Instead of focusing or glorifying 0-60 or quarter-mile results that the average driver will never attain, they focus on safety, convenience and reliability.

    However, my '00 Cougar has just hit 1-year old last week and has 12,000 miles on it. So far no problems other than replacing the driver seat assembly. I hope and pray she continues to be nice to me and give me many years of trouble free driving experience. I still love my Cat.
  • louf22louf22 Member Posts: 18
    My '01 cat just turned 1 month old and so far no problems. Getting a respectable 23mpg in city driving. Soon I'm going to get the front end aligned. I've bought 4 previous Ford products new, and on 3 I had premature tire wear because they were misaligned when I got them from the dealer. One mechanic told me that the way that Ford vehicles are shipped by rail causes the misalignment.

    I figure I better check so I won't wear out my Comp T/As early!

    Lou
  • fish8fish8 Member Posts: 2,282
    dasaint: Actually, The '99 & '00 Cougras are already on the Consumer Reports Used Car Avoid list.

    louf22: Since the day I bought my Cougar(June'99) I have experienced excess tire wear on my front tires. I wish this was only caused by the rail shipping. I am on my second set of tires with only 22,600 miles on my car. The dealer states that the wear on my front tires is normal and they can't find anything wrong. So, good luck with your alignment. I wish it were that simple for me.
  • louf22louf22 Member Posts: 18
    Fish8:
    Thanks. I wish I had known about CR putting the Cougars on the avoid list; I might have kept my 98 Contour, which was a very good reliable car. I used last year's CR recommendation as a reason to buy my 01 Cougar. What's funny about the CR avoid list, last year's list had all Contours except the 98, now this year's includes the 98 as well.

    What tires came on your Cougar originally? I hope you have better luck on the second set. I've seen that other Cougar owners have had problems with original Firestones.

    Lou
  • fish8fish8 Member Posts: 2,282
    louf22: If I were you, I would not be worried about your Cougar's reliability. It should be fine. My Cat has never left me stranded. The only sort of major problems I have experienced is AC problems. On long trips at steady speeds(75-85mph) my Ac would basically stop working. This has happened about 3 times. I get the car home and let is sit for a little while and the AC will work fine. The bad part about this is that when I take the car to the dealer they are unable to find anything wrong. I am going to Florida in April, so I will see how my AC holds up.

    Regarding the tires: My car came with the Firestones GTA02's. I got Pirelli P6000 Sport Veloce at about 19,500 miles because my Firestones were wearing terribly. I have had these tires rotated and balanced and aligned about 3 times since they were new. I now have 22,600 miles on my car and my front tires(outside edges) are still wearing bad. I am planning on getting them rotated and balanced for my trip down to Florida in Apr.
  • gustafscgustafsc Member Posts: 361
    I'll have to admit that I find the need for multiple alignments puzzling. In all the years I've pounded suspensions in Chicagoland potholes (including some that took out wheels & tires) I've never had a car go out of alignment. That includes the Cougar!!!!

    As for early or uneven tire wear, I would suspect two things:

    1. Incorrect tire pressure. As shipped, the tires were set up like rocks & needed to be bled down a little. I finally settled on 36psi as a compromise between ride softness and good handling.

    2. The weight distribution of the Cougar. Heavy forward bias, and, when driven aggressively, the need to overcome the natural understeer by adding tire slip angle by turning the wheel a little more. If the tires are a little soft, they'll tend to roll under, increasing edge wear. There might also be a little more toe-in by spec to increase straight line stability. This might also scrub the outer edge of the tire. Also, sporting tires have a softer compound than the average tire, and are more susceptable to wear.

    My Comp T/A's are wearing pretty well, being over 20Kmi with at least another 10K before I'll worry about replacement. But with the Cougar's heavy nose, frequent rotation is a must, especially if you drive a little more aggressively (or should I call that enthusiastically?).

    My A/C is working fine since it was correctly charged per tech notice last spring. Of course I havn't had much use for it the last few months :(

    Skip G.
  • fish8fish8 Member Posts: 2,282
    Skip: That was the best explanation for my tire wear yet. THANKS!!! I know it's not my tire pressure(32psi) because I check the pressure at least twice a week. I am thinking I will have to live with this until I give my car back in about two years(lease). I will just rotate and balance often. Thanks again Skip.
  • gustafscgustafsc Member Posts: 361
    I think that 32psi is too low for the low profile performance tires.

    Set that soft, I know that they're rolling under on every turn that you make!!!!!!

    I know that you'd have to give up the softer ride, but I think you'll like the faster steering response and I know that the tire wear will improve. In addition, the whole thing gets more resistant to pothole damage. If you should happen to hit one with a sharp edge at any kind of speed, the tire at 32psi won't have enough rigidity to protect itself and the wheel. I blew one unit even with things set @ 36psi.

    Skip G.
  • gustafscgustafsc Member Posts: 361
    I think that 32psi is too low for the low profile performance tires.

    Set that soft, I know that they're rolling under on every turn that you make!!!!!!

    I know that you'd have to give up the softer ride, but I think you'll like the faster steering response and I know that the tire wear will improve. In addition, the whole thing gets more resistant to pothole damage. If you should happen to hit one with a sharp edge at any kind of speed, the tire at 32psi won't have enough rigidity to protect itself and the wheel. I blew one unit even with things set @ 36psi.

    By the way, an easy check for alignment is to drive down a flat road, let go of the wheel. If it keeps going straight, the alignment is OK. If the road is crowned, it will want to go to the downhill side. On the interstate, I've driven for miles @ speed without touching the wheel or drifting out of my lane (Ohio's especially good for that).

    Skip G.
  • gustafscgustafsc Member Posts: 361
    Skip G.
  • fish8fish8 Member Posts: 2,282
    32psi is what the manufacturer(Pirelli) recommends. Though, I will raise them to 35-36 and see if that helps. I'm willing to try anything at this point.
  • badulahbadulah Member Posts: 961
    how will over inflating them effect the wear? I once over inflated the tires on my Camaro and they wore unevenly.
  • fish8fish8 Member Posts: 2,282
    I actually think my tires are at 35psi. It rained today, so when I wash my car tomorrow I will check the pressure.
  • gregtalgregtal Member Posts: 12
    When I bought my Cougar, it had American Racer Custom wheels on it and Comp T/As. Other than the fact I had three blowouts early on (due to road debris), they are still going strong. Yes, there is some wear on the outside of the tires, but then again, I drive rather aggressively (enthusiastically :-) ). If the car ships with Firestones, I'll probably go ahead and get Comp T/As put on. Also, I keep them inflated to the maximum tire pressure which, as I recall (someone out there correct me if I'm wrong, since I'm not standing next to my car as a write this), is 42 PSI.

    P.S. - I wonder if car trouble is linked to some cosmic balance thing....see my earlier comments
  • fredlyfredly Member Posts: 201
    44psi is the max recommended I wouldn't recommend it on the comp T/A's I would run 36-38 for best wear.

    Over-Inflate the centers of the tread will wear
    Underinflate the shoulders of the tread will wear
  • gustafscgustafsc Member Posts: 361
    And at 42psi, your teeth and kidneys are in mortal danger.

    Skip G.
  • fish8fish8 Member Posts: 2,282
    The tire pressure that is stated on the side of the tire is no the correct pressure. It is the MAX pressure the tire can safley handle. I usually go by the pressure sated on the door jam.
  • luvmycougarluvmycougar Member Posts: 1
    I have noticed a lot of people complaining about their Cougar's and must say I love mine. It is a 00' V6 automatic. I haven't had one problem since it was bought in 08/00. The passagener window squeaks when put up or down, but that is not anything big and has not really bother me. (I am sure my dealership will fix it without any problems when I get the time to take it in.) It handles well and the ride is smooth. Also, I feel very safe in my Cougar and would not trade it for anything. The first month I had it I backed into a Chevy Cavalier and put a rather expensive dent in the side of the Chevy while my Cougar's bumper was only slightly scratched. I love my Cougar and am glad that I chose it over the many other cars I considered.
  • mduncanmduncan Member Posts: 1
    I have a '99 Mercury Cougar and I was wondering what type of Car Seat I can use. Will be needing one in 3 months. Please reply at mduncan@neocomm.net
    can't afford to purchase another vehicle, but really I can't bare to sell my Cougar.
  • gustafscgustafsc Member Posts: 361
    True, the mfg. recommended pressure is on the door jamb.

    But, it should only be considered a basic guideline as it was selected by engineering as what they thought the customer would like in ride quality. Considering that it was Mercury, I feel that they were still thinking soft & cushy, not crisp and responsive.

    To me, putting the pressure @ 36psi makes the car come alive. Much more responsive in turn-in response, and no wallow in tighter turns. Anything above that gets a little harsh on rough surfaces and tends to vibrate these old bones too much.

    My $0.02, tune the ride any way that you want. You can even tune the handling by changing the front/back pressures around.

    Skip G.
  • fish8fish8 Member Posts: 2,282
    I also have a baby coming. My baby will be here sometime in Aug(18). I have thought about putting a baby seat in my Cougar, but my wife says we will use her car('98 Accord) to carry the baby in. My car is a lease and I will be returning it about 1 after the birth of the baby. So, I will probably just bare with my car until I get a new one. Sorry I couldn't help further.
  • welshluvrwelshluvr Member Posts: 3
    I was told that they ordered the part that would fix the problem with charging. the battery discharged until there was nothing left and I was stranded at 1:30 am.. Roadside assistance. Right. I got home after 3 am.. Both times it was due to dealer incompetency.
    The first time I Mercury. Had to call them twice. My friend from work left work to come out and wait for the tow truck. she had to use her cell phone twice for service.
    another co-worker went in to have their oil changed and asked about the recall. They told them they were in luck. Normally they would have to wait for two weeks for the part, but luckily they had the part on hand. Last Monday they had no part and said they would call me when it came in. Guess who got my part installed in their car. Meanwhile the battery is still discharging down to nothing again. Struck out with two dealers who stranded me late at night/early morning.
  • badulahbadulah Member Posts: 961
    I got so fed up with the local Mercury dealership that I actually take my Cougar to a Ford dealership for service. There seem to be a lot more Ford Dealerships than Mercury dealerships, so this should give you a bigger selection to choose from. Hopefully there is a competent Ford Dealership in your area that can better suit your needs.

    -Rob
  • genajgenaj Member Posts: 5
    I HAVE HAD MY COUGAR FOR ONE MONTH & I LOVE IT. I GET A LOT OF ATTENTION WITH THIS CAR. I DID HAVE A PROBLEM WITH THE MOON RUFF LEAKING BUT THE DEALERSHIP FIXED THIS ON THE FIRST TRY. THE OTHER THING IS I HAVE A SLIGHT VIBRATION I' NOT SURE WHAT THIS PROBLEM COULD BE. THE DEALERSHIP BALANCE THE TIRES AND PUT THE PROPER AIR PRESSURE IN THEM BUT IT STILL VIBRATES. I AM HOPEING WHEN I GET A NEW SET OF TIRES THIS WILL STOP. ANY WAY GOTTA GO JUST WANTED TO SAY I LOVE MY KAT!
This discussion has been closed.