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Cougar Support Group - Chats On...

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Comments

  • badulahbadulah Member Posts: 961
    Morning all!! I hope everyone had a great weekend.

    Last night while paying my bills I noticed that Ford Motor Credit decided to up my payment by $0.50 this month. I plan to call today and complain about this. I know it's only a measly $0.50, but it's the principle of the matter. Hopefully they will not give my any trouble and force me to go in to my "breach of contract" speech. Has this happened to anyone else?
  • stageleftstageleft Member Posts: 391
    Fish8: You mean Dunlop's? :^)

    Coolchick: Good suggestion! That should work for me too!

    Benisem: How's your Cat?

    Malibu: [wipes the sweat from brow] that sounds like it was a close one! I'm happy you're safe, and so is your Cat. Can't say the same about the guy behind you, but at least it sounds as if he walked away without personal injury.

    Skip:

    That's cool, at least you know our tax money is going to a good cause! I hope you get back online through your office soon though, as I'm sure it's not as convenient to go to the library every time you have something to post.

    All:

    Well, my Cat's in the shop today to have some things taken care of, hopefully they get everything done so I can have my Cougar parked outside my house again soon. The list is:

    1) Driver's side driving light replacement (just the bulb)
    2) Driver's side door speaker is intermittently cutting out. (I'll keep everyone posted on the status of this repair, as I know several of you are experiencing the same thing.)
    3) Rear window lower seal (on the outside, 5th time's a charm! I hope)
    4) Hatch pull strap (2nd time for this one, darn thing keeps coming loose)
    5) Oil change
    6) Cabin air filter replacement. (I asked them to keep it so I can see what one looks like after 30K miles - especially since it was supposed to be replaced at 15K)

    Take care everyone, and Happy Cougaring!
  • krnchkrnch Member Posts: 127
    Tuesdays at 7 pm EST is fine with me, except I can't make it this Tuesday.

    krnch
  • badulahbadulah Member Posts: 961
    Normally Tuesday is guys night out, but I think I can delay it until 8pm. It should'nt be a problem.
  • harbachjharbachj Member Posts: 51
    I've noticed several posts regarding speakers cutting out. I've been having the same problem with my "premium sound" cassette unit. It seems to be a problem with the volume control especially at lower volumes as "spinning" it restores the sound to the speakers. Haven't had it checked out by the dealer yet, so am curious if anyone with a similar problem has had any luck in having it fixed and what the solution was. At this point I am going to ask that the head unit be replaced.

    Jim H.
  • badulahbadulah Member Posts: 961
    harbachj:
    I would recommend you take the car to the service department, have the head unit replaced, and have them check the wiring & connections to the specific speaker.
  • badulahbadulah Member Posts: 961
    All:
    How does everyone feel about holding the first chat session on Tuesday, January 9th, 2001 at 7:00pm est? December is a CRAZY month for me, and I won't be able to commit to this until the New Year.

    Is this a problem? Please let me know.
  • coolchickcoolchick Member Posts: 174
    Jan.9 works for me :)
  • stageleftstageleft Member Posts: 391
    Jim H.:

    I spoke with the guys at my dealership this afternoon, and they were able to correct all of my issues except the speaker problem. Mondays even happen to be the days that my dealer brings in a special technician that only handles stereo issues, and he couldn't find the problem. As I mentioned, this is the second headunit I've had in there, but it could very well be that, still. I suggest taking it to the dealer, as you had intentions to do so, and get it replaced to give it a shot. Good luck, let us know the outcome - if whatever your dealer does, if they fix it, maybe I can point my dealership in another direction to correct mine.

    Take care everyone, and Happy Cougaring!
  • lmigliorelmigliore Member Posts: 148
    My speakers have occasionally "dropped out" ever since I got the car, but now it's gotten a lot worse. I brought it in to the dealer once to have them look at it, but of course it worked perfectly in the shop.

    Now that the problem is more severe, I'm bringing it in again. It seems to me to be related to corrosion in the connections. Turning up the volume fixes it because it punches up the voltage, which temporarily breaks down the oxide. I just haven't felt like tearing the car apart and replacing all the connectors with gold-plated ones.
  • stageleftstageleft Member Posts: 391
    That's actually a good theory. So many of our members here who have upgraded to an aftermarket stereo system are not experiencing this problem because typically the connectors for the aftermarket speakers are of a higher quality than those in the OEM application? Makes sense.

    I wonder if this is ultimately related to how water is dispursed through the door channels during rain storms? Hmmm.

    I know several of you all have complained in the past about faulty weather seals, I wonder if this has anything to do with this, and why would it only occur in the driver's door?

    Lmigliore:

    Is this occurring in your driver's speaker or passenger speaker or both? I wonder what the catalyst for this problem might be ....

    Perplexing, really.

    MWS:

    Any of your engineers know anything about this, perhaps?
  • jimbo_gjimbo_g Member Posts: 53
    That theory makes almost too much sense to be wrong.... I'd be willing to bet you guys hit the nail square on the head. If i were you i'd bring up the theory the next time you have your service team look at it.

    Kudos to Lefty and Imigliore for using their "noodles"!! ;^)

    Jimbo_G

    P.S. Even if it is wrong, it may point them in the right direction to find the real cause....
  • badulahbadulah Member Posts: 961
    I think I might have an idea of what Kate is getting me for Christmas. I think she may be sending me to Skip Barber's Racing/Driving School in CT. This would be an AWESOME gift!!!!! I'm trying not to get my hopes up just in case I am wrong, but it's hard not to.

    If this actually comes true, it would be GREAT to have a few of you attend as well.
  • fish8fish8 Member Posts: 2,282
    You are correct...they are Dunlops. How do you all feel about Pirelli P6000's? Any info on these? I have priced these out and they seem like good tires.

    My left front speaker also cuts out every once in a while. Though, it hasn't happened in over 2 monthes. My rear hatch is starting to act up again. The remote will work in opening the rear, but the inside switch rarely ever works anymore. I will have the dealer look at this during my next service in Jan.
  • badulahbadulah Member Posts: 961
    I believe my good friend has a new set of these on his Altima GXE. He raves about them, and I can feel the difference in the handling of his car, even as a passenger. After driving his car and then mine, he said that if he had the chance to buy tires again, he might have gotten the Dunlop's over the P6000's.

    Although, the Cougar has better handling then the Altima to begin with, regardless of the tires.
  • coolchickcoolchick Member Posts: 174
    Was at the grocery store today, of course parked at the end of the lot with no one within about a 100-foot radius.

    As I was returning to my car after shopping, a fellow with a silver Special Edition kitty pulled in next to me -- leaving a respectful empty space between us, of course.

    We exchanged compliments on each other's cars. He didn't know about Edmunds.com, so I invited him to join us here. Hope we get another WDC area Cougar owner assimilated....because, as we know, resistance if futile :D
  • coolchickcoolchick Member Posts: 174
    Ummm...

    That would be resistance is futile.
  • lmigliorelmigliore Member Posts: 148
    As far as I can tell, all the speakers cut out occasionally these days. The drivers' door speaker is the worst, but the passenger door also goes out and I believe the rear speakers don't work 100 percent of the time. The ping-ponging is awesome.
  • stageleftstageleft Member Posts: 391
    That's just FMC's new "Full 3D Surround Sound" system incorporated into their newer head units. They used the Cougar as a test vehicle because the accoustics were right on the inside of the cabin. LOL!
  • krnchkrnch Member Posts: 127
    fish8: I seem to experience the hatch problem you described every winter. Both the remote and the interior button work great in above freezing temperatures, but not so well when the temperature dips (especially the interior button). I think it has something to do with the hydraulic hatch supports (name?) not working as well in the cold. Someone (I think Skip) suggested stretching the springs near the rear hatch latch. This seems to help a bit. Otherwise, I find if I pull up on the bottom of the hatch while depressing the remote button, it opens fine. Hope this helps!

    krnch.
  • daspafdaspaf Member Posts: 5
    You know those little felt things you put on the bottom of chair legs so they don't scratch the floor? Well, someone suggested putting these on the rubber ends of the springs. These rubber ends may be acting as suction cups, thus keeping the hatch from releasing properly (it's a theory). I haven't tried this yet, but he claims to have eliminated the problem by doing this.

    Paul.
  • gustafscgustafsc Member Posts: 361
    Yeah, I did suggest stretching the spring a little.

    I don't know how reliable a fix that would be. I've done mine, and it seemed to help a little, and the dealer replaced the gas struts (right name) per a TSB.

    Still unreliable!!!! :-(

    I think another part of the problem might be the seal being sticky after the hatch has been shut for a day or two. This would hold the hatch down as the relay operates. I discussed this problem with MWS at Cougarfest and he told me that one of the engineers had found the real cause for the problem. I personally think that it's a problem with the solenoid not having enough travel to pull the latch completely clear of the hook, or that the solenoid doesn't have enough hold time for the latch to completely clear and allow the hatch to pop completely open.

    My next trick will be coating the seal gasket with WD-40 to see if that will eliminate the tacky action against the hatch surface. If that doesn''t work, I'll try talc powder.

    Badulah:

    Skip Barber school? That would be a lot of fun. It's at Lime Rock, right? Beautiful road course.

    Personally, I'd like to go to one of the sprint car schools, just to see what 650-700hp in an 1100lb machine feels like. That would be a rush!!!!

    Skip G.
  • ciaraciara Member Posts: 9
    Well, my micron air filter got changed out in all of 10 minutes. The service advisor was very apologetic about the moron that told me I did not have a cabin filter. I was curious about how dirty it was, and yes, it was gross!!

    I too had problems with the driver side speaker when I first got the car, they ended up replacing the speaker and I ended up replacing that sorry factory sound system and I haven't had a problem since.
  • badulahbadulah Member Posts: 961
    Skip, AKA "gustafsc"
    The SB School uses several cars for several different classes. They use everything from Neon RT's to Viper RTs, and they also use Indy cars. There is another school in the area, but I am unsure of the name. I saw them on the Discovery channel a few months back. They have two courses. One is with Indy cars, and the other is with orange Mustangs. I heard, UM HUM, I mean, my sources over heard a conversation that included the following words (at random): "Skip Barber, Orange Fords, thats a lot".
  • dasaint1dasaint1 Member Posts: 230
    I have a '00 Cat, and from time to time, I'll experience wierd things with the hatch.

    At my job, sometimes the guards check the trunk of the cars leaving the site. So every now and then, I have to pop the trunk for inspection. Usually, what happens is that the trunk release won't pop open the trunk. I've tried hitting twice and then some more to no avail. The weird thing is that when I open the driver side door, and then hit the trunk release button, the hatch opens. It always does when I open the door.

    Has anyone else have a similar experience? Is that a design feature on the '00 Cat?
  • benisembenisem Member Posts: 30
    dasaint1 - If you have the door locked, the interior hatch release will not work. When you open your door, you unlock it and then the hatch works. Try having the car unlocked and using the interior hatch, that should solve your problem.
  • fish8fish8 Member Posts: 2,282
    I am getting my new tires on Friday of this week. I decided on the Pirelli P6000's. I will let everyone know how I like them once I get some miles accumulated.

    As far as the hatch goes, I will have the dealer look at it again. I figure as long as my car is still under warranty(I have +/-19,000) I will have Ford foot the bill for the fix. Maybe they will replace my struts or possibly add an additional spring. Whatever they do I hope it get fixed once and for all.

    It seems as if MWS has left us for good!!!!! Too bad!!!

    How many miles does everyone have on their Cats now?
  • dgeminidgemini Member Posts: 161
    MY CAR BROKE DOWN TODAY!

    I was driving to work and I was one intersection away from being at work when my Cougar's accelerator went to the floor, and would not lift up!

    I had been noticing that my car's gas pedal had been feeling a little stiff, but I thought it was from the cold.

    After pushing the car to the long driveway that leads up to where I work (think God I was that close) I popped my hood.

    I looked at my throttle and saw that it had broken!

    I have never even heard of a broken throttle before, and now I had one!

    The worst thing of all is that my car just went over 36,000 miles! Fortunately I have an extended warranty, however I still have to pay a 100.00 dollar deductible.

    One good thing to come out of this is that my car had become contaminated with the wrong kind of coolant ( I mentioned this earlier) and my coolant reservoir was filled with sediment.

    The guy at the dealership is going to replace the reservoir under warranty, and replace the coolant.

    He also told me that the Cougar wasn't designed to be flushed since it was designed to run with DEXCOOL coolant. This design however really sucks when and idiot at Wal Mart or Jiffy Lube tops of your car with the wrong stuff!

    Too make a long story short I will wind up paying close to 200.00 out the pocket. This includes the deductible, the price to get the coolant replaced, and a rush order on the new throttle components.

    Thank God for extended warranties!
  • fish8fish8 Member Posts: 2,282
    Sorry to hear about you car. Good luck with the fix.

    Did you replace all your coolant with the wrong stuff or did you just top it off?
  • stageleftstageleft Member Posts: 391
    Just broke 30K ...

    Question for the folks who have the hatch release problem: Is the temerature control setting in the "off" position? I'm thinking that it might be a case of vaporlock, but since I've never asked this question before, and it seems so silly after all this time you all have been having problems, it's probably very unlikely.

    Dgemini:

    Dang! Did the throttle linkage just break or did the throttle body crack or something?
  • coolchickcoolchick Member Posts: 174
    dgemini:
    That's awful what happened to your car. Thank goodness you weren't driving in high speed traffic at the time!

    lefty:
    I've had my hatch not completely release a couple of times now and both times were on days when I had the heat off completely...and once the driver's door was wide open, so I don't think that vaporlock theory is going to fly.
  • dgeminidgemini Member Posts: 161
    Stageleft:

    I think some of the linkage broke. I looked at it and found where it had broken.

    fish8:

    I had prevously drained the car the best I could, but a lot of the sediment and stuff was stuck in the reservoir, and I couldn't get it out.

    coolchick:

    Thanks for the encouragement, I should get my car back Friday.

    I am really bummed that something like this happened to my car. I had previously been praising this car, and I hope this isn't an indication of future problems.

    I am just glad it happened now if it was going to happen. I am going to be driving to Arizona in about two months and I would have hated for something like this to have happened somewhere on the Interstate 20 in the middle of God knows where Texas.
  • scratch3scratch3 Member Posts: 8
    I have sold my V6 Cougar after just 5800 miles. This has to go down as one of the most visually exciting cars ever designed. Unfortunately the performance does not match the looks. I had owned a 3.0L V6 probe for six years which had terrific reliability and excellent road handling and acceleration. I looked at the Cougar as the closest replacement, test drove one in Jan and bought over the web in March. The car performed OK at first until temperatures rose to the level where the AC was required. Turning on the AC in this car is equivalent to driving with the hand brake on. What modest acceleration the car has disappears with the AC on. Also the manual transmission has to be one of the worst I have driven. Mercury royally screwed up not putting a decent size engine in the Cougar. I suspect the cars days are numbered. What a shame for such a beautifully looking vehicle.
  • burnsmr4burnsmr4 Member Posts: 318
    Security guards checking the trunk? dasaint -- are you the next James Bond? No more BMWs? All Cougars for 007 from now on?

    :-)
  • burnsmr4burnsmr4 Member Posts: 318
    Hatch from Hades

    The hatch don't like the cold. Period. When it frosts overnight, it just clicks and screams for help. I've used the key to open the trunk the past three mornings after overnight frost.

    Source for Pirelli P6000 tires

    fish8, where are you getting your Pirellis? I looked at those, in addition to the Dunlops badulah mentioned. The Dunlops turned out to be, from a tire place in Tucker, GA, special order tires at $100/tire. YIKES!

    Are you getting yours from NTB or a local place like Kauffman tire? Let me know what you're paying too. Be sure to mention what you're getting for the per-tire price. I've held off on a recommended rotation in the interest of just getting new tires.

    Later,
    burnsmr
  • badulahbadulah Member Posts: 961
    dgemini:
    In order to avoid the coolant problem, I plan to apply a decal to the coolant tank that says "DEXCOOL coolant only". You might want to do the same.

    Sorry to hear about your problem. It sounds like the cable snapped. Although this is a serious pain in the butt, I wouldn't worry about future problems. Unfortunately cables snap from time to time. My Camaro had the same problem once, and so did my Brother's MX6. Hopefully you will have your Cat back sometime very soon.

    fish8:
    Good luck with the new tires. If you don't mind me asking, where are you getting them and how much are you are you paying? If you would like, please feel free to write a review of them for the web page. We would be more than happy to post it.

    scratch3:
    Why do you dislike the manual trans? What car did you trade it in for? and what year was your Probe?

    all:
    I just hit 40,000 on my Cat!!

    After looking over a few of the upcoming updates for the page, I realized that I would like to post more reviews, articles, and general information from other members. If you would like to see something posted on the page, either tell us about it, or feel free to write/draw something up and send it in.

    The weather forecast is calling for around 4 inches of snow tonight. I'm looking forward to seeing how the new tires hold up. I'll be sure to let everyone know.
  • badulahbadulah Member Posts: 961
    burnsmr4:
    I paid a total of $125 per tire. That included mounting, balancing, stems/caps, tire disposal, and tax. They are a little more than other tires, but so far I consider them to be well worth it.

    Also, I upgraded to a 225 series. If you sick with the stock 215, you should be able to get them slightly cheaper than I did.
  • badulahbadulah Member Posts: 961
    All:
    Is everyone aware that we have a pictures topic? It is Clubs topic #38. If you would like to post some pics, this is the place to do it!!
  • gustafscgustafsc Member Posts: 361
    2 years old today, 17,800mi.

    Still happy! ;-)

    Skip G.

    P.S. Remember Pearl Harbor!!!!
  • badulahbadulah Member Posts: 961
    2 years and only 17,800 miles?!! Sheesh, must be nice!!

    Yes, I do remember Pearl Harbor. I remember hearing about it for the first time back in 5th or 6th grade history class.

    >8-)
  • malibumalibu Member Posts: 155
    Morning all! 4,200 miles! 3 1/2 months old. Carpooling really helps with the miles, but all day I miss my kitty! It has to be a sickness, no one should be this attached to a car!

    Scratch3: do you think that your expectations might have been too high when you purchased your cougar? I think sometimes people expect more and the salesmen talk up whatever car your interested in to convince you that your getting more car than you really are. I have never owned anything but toyotas, mtx, and I was prepared to be disapointed buying an "american car" I even told the salesman I was buying for the looks and knew it wouldn't last over 5 years. But I bought it anyway and I actually haven't been disappointed at all I think the mtx is awesome. Every car has its little quirks, problems or disapointments but thats why there are so many to choose from. Please don't group all cougars with your experience, it just wasn't the car for you and thats okay because there are many to choose from and I hope you find one you are happy with. Good luck.
  • badulahbadulah Member Posts: 961
    Fish8:
    I wonder if the chip would raise your top speed?
  • fish8fish8 Member Posts: 2,282
    ?
  • malibumalibu Member Posts: 155
    I just looked up the Borla website, saw that they are in Oxnard which is only 1 1/2 hr. away. I called and they are sending me a catalog for free, if you order it online it's $2.00. She also said I can save shipping and handling by picking it up down there and they do installation. They have a huge outlet mall just across the highway from their shop so I could leave my car, have the exhaust put on it and go across the street to shop! It doesn't get much better than that!
  • badulahbadulah Member Posts: 961
    Malibu:
    Sheesh, must be nice to live so close to them. How much will they charge for the install?

    Fish8:
    I'll send Warren at KKM an email about the chip, but I don't know if he will respond. I think I have worn out my welcome with him. I guess after receiving a zillion emails containing technical questions, he has had enough of "Badulah".

    >8-)
  • malibumalibu Member Posts: 155
    I had no idea they were so close, I just brought up the website to get some prices (I'm working on my husband to get the exhaust for my christmas present) when I noticed the address, when I called the girl couldn't give me prices, she said I would have to talk to the service dept. and they were busy. But as soon as I know I'll post it.
  • dasaint1dasaint1 Member Posts: 230
    Benisem:

    Thanks for the reply. I'll try it later, but what you say makes sense. All these little details they've added to new cars nowadays, it's kinda hard to keep up with it. That's why every car owner should belong to a car chat group like CSG.

    burnsmr4:

    I work for the Dept. of Labor. I'm not quite in the same league as 007. I don't think anyone in their right mind would want to break in here or hack into our computers to steal the info that we have.
  • gambit293gambit293 Member Posts: 406
    rattles, squeaks, buzzes, groans, other weird noises, wacko thermometers, speakers cutting out, check engine lights, coolant lights, leaky window seals, AC hiccups, rear hatch release, bad alternator, bad caty. converter, odd electrical quirks, random engine problems, stalling, completely dying on the road....

    Hello all,

    I've spent time over the past week reading CSG archives from June up until now (and quite a bit before that too). I've seen your trials, your triumphs, your laughter, your tears. I've read the excitement and ecstasy of new owners who've waited weeks for their new cats. I followed you through Cougarfest. I read your tech talk. I read your meaningless banter. I've seen you come together to share some shining moments and support each other during tragedies. I've seen the good, the bad, and the ugly on this board.

    I've also been reading a lot about the Cougar ever since August. If there is a review of the Cougar out there somewhere on the net, chances are good that I've read it at least twice. I've read reviews in Motortrend, Consumer's Reports, R&T, C&D, among others. And I've read countless consumer reviews as well.

    My question then, to you, the hardcore cougarers and cougarettes who are so passionate about your phatcats:

    Is the New Edge Mercury Cougar a reliable vehicle?

    Be honest now. The number of you who once used to brag about "no problems at all" has shrunk considerably over the months. Most of you have had numerous things go wrong with your car, some small, others a bit more serious.

    It's true that EVERY car has problems. Even the best Japanese makers grow some lemons and have unsatisfied customers. But browsing through the CSG can be downright depressing, especially considering that you folks are the HAPPY customers. Is this how a car that is only several months old (as many of yours are) should be? As someone mentioned before, what happens once your warranty runs out? How much money are you willing to put into your cougar before you just give up and let it degenerate into an old, beatup, dysfunctional, rattly junkmobile? Is its 3-4 thousand dollar advantage over other sport coupes erased by constant repair and inconvenience?

    I don't know if this has been mentioned here before, but Consumer Reports has downgraded the Cougar's reliability from 'average' to 'poor'(black circle) for its 2001 car guide. I know CR isn't perfect, but they remain one of the best guides for reliability.

    I've had my eye on the Cougar for quite some time. I decided to discount the C&D coupe comparison that placed the cat 7th out of 7 sport coupes. I've been ignoring friends and families who tell me I will regret getting the Cougar. I WANT to love this car like you all love your cats.

    However, you can't love a cat that's always at the vet licking its paw.

    So lay it on me. What's your verdict? Thanks for reading.
  • fish8fish8 Member Posts: 2,282
    Well.......where do I start.....

    I have a 1999 Mercury Cougar V6. I picked up my Cat on June 28, 1999. I just ticked over 19,000 miles. Now for the details!!

    As everyone on this thread nows, I have had some problems with my Cougar. Here is a quick list: AC, rattles(still) and rear liftgate. I probably had a couple of other items that I forgot about but that about it. The biggest achilles heal has been my dealer. Usually, while trying to fix or repair something on my car, they end up breaking something else and causing more damage. The good part about this is that all dealers are not bad. It just depends on where you live.

    I LOVE my Cougar!!!! THOUGH, if I had not leased my car, I probably would of bought another non-american(ie: VW or Honda)car. The reason I say this is I am not comfortable that I would not have hefty out of pocket expenses once my car exceeds 36,000. The one quality that sold me on the Cougar was it's styling and price range. Would I buy this car again. ABSOLUTELY!!!! I LOVE THIS CAR!!!! The minor problems I have had were not bad enough to scare me away. To your point about all cars have their problems, that is totally true. Here is a brief personal experience my Dad is going through: My Dad drives a 1998 Lexus GS400. He has brought his car into the dealer for numerous problems: Rattles(minor) and the car is currently at the Lexus dealer because he was experiencing bad gas mileage and his idle was down to 400 when stopped. They replaced his main computer($3,000 under warranty). He picked the car up and it ran fine for about 2 blocks. Lexus had to call in Engineers from Ca to diagnose the problem. They are still baffled by this problem. The good part about this situation is that his dealer is GREAT. They will do practically anything to find a fix. He always gets a loaner car and they have offered him a loaner until they find the problem(which could be weeks). Sorry this was so long but the point is that ALL cars have problems and I don't think the '01 COugar is any worse than other cars on the market.

    Bottom line: Buy the Cougar!!!
  • fish8fish8 Member Posts: 2,282
    By the way, whats the Cougar R?
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