1999 Mercury Cougar fuel system, gasoline problems

“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 MERCURY COUGAR. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 70 MPH, THE VEHICLE BECAME HESITANT TO ACCELERATION ATTEMPTS BEFORE STALLING. THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ILLUMINATED AFTER THE FAILURE OCCURRED. THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO RESTART THE VEHICLE AS IT RETURNED TO NORMAL FUNCTION. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A LOCAL MECHANIC WHO PERFORMED A DIAGNOSTIC AND LOCATED THE FAILURE AT THE FUEL PUMP. THE MECHANIC ADVISED THAT THE FUEL PUMP WAS NOT RECEIVING THE CORRECT FUEL LEVEL. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 88,700 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 88,800.”

“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 MERCURY COUGAR. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ILLUMINATED UPON STARTING THE VEHICLE. IN ADDITION, THE ENGINE EXHIBITED A LOSS OF POWER. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT REPAIR SHOP AND THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE FAILURE RECURRED APPROXIMATELY ELEVEN MONTHS LATER. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN BACK TO THE REPAIR SHOP AND THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE SAME REPAIRS WOULD BE NEEDED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE AND THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL ASSOCIATED WITH NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 04V42100(FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE). THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 125,000. UPDATED 03/14/12 *BF”

“1999 MERCURY COUGAR - RIGHT FUEL TANK STRAP FAILURE. WHILE TRAVELING AT HIGHWAY SPEED, I SUDDENLY HEARD A NOISE OF SOMETHING METALLIC SLAPPING AGAINST THE UNDERSIDE OF THE VEHICLE. AFTER PULLING OVER TO INVESTIGATE, I DISCOVERED THAT THE RIGHT SIDE FUEL TANK STRAP HAD COMPLETELY CORRODED THRU AND HAD BROKEN, ALLOWING THE FUEL TANK TO DROP DOWN SLIGHTLY ON THE PASSENGER SIDE. ONCE I WAS ABLE TO JACK UP THE CAR TO EXAMINE, I DISCOVERED THAT THE COATING ON THE METAL STRAP HAD CRACKED OFF AND THAT THE METAL STRAP WAS CORRODED SO BADLY THAT THE METAL STRAP HAD TORN FROM THE WEIGHT OF THE FUEL TANK, ALLOWING THE STRAP TO DROP TO THE PAVEMENT. I REPLACED THE STRAP WITH A UNIVERSAL REPLACEMENT STRAP BECAUSE I WAS TOLD THAT THE ITEM WOULD BE A SPECIAL ORDER ITEM AND THAT I COULD NOT BE GUARANTEED AS TO WHEN IT WOULD BE RECEIVED. TO PREVENT CORROSION OF THE REPLACEMENT STRAP, I PRIMED AND PAINTED IT WITH A RUST INHIBITING PAINT. I FEAR THAT IF I HAD BACKED UP WHILE THE STRAP HAD BEEN BROKEN (IF I HAD BEEN UNAWARE OF THE CONDITION) THAT THE STRAP COULD HAVE CAUGHT ON THE PAVEMENT AND BEEN FORCED UP INTO THE GAS TANK, POSSIBLY PUNCTURING IT, OR THAT THE GAS TANK COULD HAVE…”

“TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 MERCURY COUGAR. WHILE DRIVING 30 MPH THE VEHICLE STARTED TO SURGE BACK AND FORTH AND THEN THE SHUT OFF. HE HAD TO WAIT APPROXIMATELY 15 MINUTES BEFORE HE WAS ABLE TO RESTART THE VEHICLE. HE ALSO STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT ACCELERATE BEYOND 25 MPH WITHOUT SHUTTING OFF. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE FUEL DELIVERY MODULE FAILED AND ADVISED HIM THAT THE REPAIR COST WOULD BE APPROXIMATELY $200. NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER: 04V421000 COMPONENT: FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE IS RELATED TO THE FAILURE; HOWEVER, THE DEALER STATED THAT HIS VEHICLES IDENTIFICATION NUMBER NUMBER WAS NOT INCLUDED. THE VEHICLE WILL BE REPAIRED AT THE OWNERS EXPENSE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 100,000 AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 105,000.”

“I'VE GOT A REPEATABLE FAILURE THAT HAPPENS WHEN I MAKE A LEFT TURN OR GO UP AN INCLINE WHILE I HAVE LESS THAN A QUARTER OF A TANK OF GAS IN MY VEHICLE. THE CAR WILL LOSE POWER AND START TO STUTTER, AND HAS COMPLETELY STALLED A COUPLE TIMES. I HAVEN'T HAD ANY PARTS REPLACED YET, BUT I FOUND OTHER PEOPLE WITH THIS PROBLEM AND AN EXTENDED COVERAGE PROGRAM OFFERED BY THE MANUFACTURER THAT THEY SAY DOESN'T APPLY TO MY VEHICLE. THIS HAS ALSO BEEN NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID AS WELL. ACCORDING TO THE EMAILS WITH CUSTOMER SERVICE THE PROGRAM WAS FOR CARS MANUFACTURED MAY 25, 1999 THROUGH NOVEMBER 30, 2001. MY CAR WAS MANUFACTURED ON MAY 24, 1999. I QUESTIONED IF THE ONE DAY DIFFERENCE IN MANUFACTURE COULD ACTUALLY EXCLUDE MY VEHICLE, IF MY VEHICLE COULD ACTUALLY BE AFFECTED, AND WHETHER THERE WAS SOME WAY TO TELL IF THE AFFECTED PART WAS INSTALLED IN MY VEHICLE (POSSIBLY BY PART NUMBER OR SERIAL NUMBER OF THE INSTALLED PART). THERE ARE APPARENTLY AT LEAST SEVERAL DIFFERENT PARTS (THE PRE EXTENDED PROGRAM PART, THE BAD PART BEING REPLACED DURING THE PROGRAM, AND THE ONE REPLACING THE BAD PART. I HAVE REQUESTED BUT NOT BEEN GIVEN A WAY TO TELL THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE DIFFERENT PARTS. *TR”

“TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 MERCURY COUGAR. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE ENGINE WOULD HESITATE AND STALL INTERMITTENTLY. THE VEHICLE WOULD ALSO LOSE POWER AND SURGE AS IF IT WOULD FAIL WHILE DRIVING. WHILE DRIVING UPHILL AT 65 MPH, THE VEHICLE WOULD APPEAR SLUGGISH AND THEN OPERATE NORMALLY AGAIN. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE EXHIBITED THE SAME FAILURES AS DESCRIBED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 04V421000 (FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE). THE DEALER STATED THAT THERE WERE NO RECALLS, AND THE CONTACT WOULD BE CHARGED FOR A DIAGNOSTIC. THE PURCHASE DATE WAS UNKNOWN. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 126,325 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 121,000.”