Problems · NHTSA complaints

1996 Mercury Cougar problems

Owners filed 67 complaints about the 1996 Mercury Cougar with NHTSA between Aug 1996 and Aug 2011. The most-cited component is engine and engine cooling (20).

Complaints
67
Filed with NHTSA
Crashes
3
Reported by owners
Fires
0
Reported by owners
Injuries
4
People reported injured
Deaths
0
Reported to NHTSA
01 —By component

Complaints by component

One complaint can cite several components
  1. Engine and engine cooling20
  2. Service brakes, hydraulic6
  3. Vehicle speed control6
  4. Visibility4
  5. Structure4
  6. Power train4
  7. Tires4
  8. Latches/locks/linkages3
  9. Fuel system, gasoline3
  10. Electrical system3
  11. Suspension3
  12. Air bags3
  13. Seat belts3
  14. Equipment2

Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.

Data from NHTSA Complaints API · synced Nov 9, 2026NHTSA vehicle page
02 —Trend

When complaints were filed

Does it get worse with age? Complaints per calendar year filed
View as table
Model yearComplaints filed per calendar year
19965
199711
19983
19994
200010
20015
20026
20034
20048
20055
20062
20070
20081
20090
20101
20112

Mileage at failure isn’t a structured field in NHTSA complaint data, so we don’t chart it. Some owners mention it in their reports below.

03 —Owner reports

Top problems in owners’ words

Verbatim from NHTSA complaints, newest first

Engine and engine cooling

20 reports
“TL * THE CONTACT OWNS A 1996 MERCURY COUGAR. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS LEAKING ANTI FREEZE ABNORMALLY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A LOCAL REPAIR SHOP WHERE THE CONTACT WAS ADVISED THAT THE PLASTIC INTAKE MANIFOLD WAS FRACTURED AND WOULD NEED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT CONTACTED TO REPORT THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 140,000.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jan 25, 2011Engine and engine coolingODI 10378684

Service brakes, hydraulic

6 reports
“DT: WITHOUT WARNING WHILE STEPPING ON BRAKE THE CAR WILL ACCELERATE, AND THE ENGINE WILL REV UP. CALLER HAS TO STOMP ON BRAKE HARD TO GET IT TO STAY STILL. CAR CAN BE IN GEAR OR IN PARK WHEN THIS HAPPENS. DEALER HAS NOT BEEN CONTACTED YET. MANUFACTURER HAS NOT BEEN CONTACTED YET. EVERY TIME HE HAS TAPPED THE BRAKE JUST BEFORE THIS HAPPENS.*AK”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jun 2, 2005Service brakes, hydraulic, Unknown or otherODI 10123922

Vehicle speed control

6 reports
“ON FIVE OCCASIONS WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE STARTED TO ACCELERATE INTERMITTENTLY. VEHICLE BEEN TO DEALER ON TWO OCCASIONS, AND THEY COULD NOT DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM. FEEL FREE TO PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION.*AK”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Apr 11, 2002Vehicle speed controlODI 8007418

Visibility

4 reports
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1996 MERCURY COUGAR. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE CLIMATE CONTROL ADJUSTER FAILED. AS A RESULT, THE BLOWER WOULD ONLY FUNCTION ON HIGH AND THE CONTACT WAS UNABLE TO ADJUST THE DEFROST SYSTEM. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER TO HAVE THE FAILURE DIAGNOSED, BUT THEY WERE UNABLE TO DUPLICATE THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 61,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 62,000. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE. UPDATED 05/24/12*LJ”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Aug 24, 2011VisibilityODI 10421395

Structure

4 reports
“CHECK FOR COOLANT LEAK AT INTAKE MANIFOLD. REPLACED INTAKE MANIFOLD. THERE WERE REGULAR OIL CHANGES AND TIRE ROTATION. *BF THE ENGINE LIGHT HAD COME ON, AND THE COOLANT LIGHT WOULD COME ON AND OFF. THE DEALER HAD TO REPLACE THE ENGINE SENSOR LIGHT AND ADDED A CUP OF WATER. THE CONSUMER'S SON IN LAW WAS DRIVING THE VEHICLE AND WHITE SMOKE COMING FROM UNDER THE VEHICLE, THE RUBBER STRIP ON THE INSIDE OF THE VEHICLE WAS COMING OFF, THE RIGHT REAR TRIM PANEL COMING LOOSE, THE BRAKES MADE RUBBING NOISE INTERMITTENTLY, GLOVE BOX DOOR WON'T SHUT, THE AIR BAG WOULD RATTLE, THE RIGHT FRONT DOOR RATTLED WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS IN MOTION, AND THE DOOR SWITCH TRIM PANEL WAS DISCOLORED. *SC”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Nov 30, 2004Service brakes, hydraulic, Engine and engine cooling, StructureODI 10101992

Power train

4 reports1 crash
“HEADLIGHT SWITCH HAS SHORTED OUT MANY TIMES. LOCAL DELARSHIP KNOWS THE PROBLEM AND I HAVE HAD IT REPLACED BY A LOCAL SHOP THREE TIMES. FOD HAD CHECKED FOR ELECTRICAL SHORTS AND SAID THEY WERE ALL FINE.*AK AUTOMATIC TRANSMISION WENT OUT BECAUSE THE FILTER WASNT GETTING ENOUGH FLUID BECAUSE THE FILTER WASNT CLOSE ENOUGH TO THE BOTTOM OF THE FAN 96 COUGAR 41,000 ORIGINAL MILES”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Feb 13, 2004Power train, Electrical system, EquipmentCrash reportedODI 10057124
Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Nov 9, 2026

Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.