Problems · by component

1999 Mercury Cougar service brakes, hydraulic problems

63 owner complaints to NHTSA about the 1999 Mercury Cougar cite service brakes, hydraulic, 14% of all 454 complaints for this model year. NHTSA also lists 2 recalls on this component.

Complaints
63
14% of all complaints
Crashes
5
Reported by owners
Fires
0
Reported by owners
Injuries
3
Reported by owners
01 —Owner reports

What owners say about the service brakes, hydraulic

Verbatim from NHTSA complaints, newest first
“BOUGHT CAR AT DEALER ON 02/05/01 SINCE THEN I'VE HAD TO REPAIR CAR ON TOO MANY OCCASIONS. HERE SOME OF THE REPAIRS I'VE HAD TO DO ON THIS CAR EVER SINCE I BOUGHT IT. ON 3/01: BRAKES, 10/01: DEALERSHIP REPLACED BATTERY AND PERFORMED A RECALL,12/01: DEALERSHIP REPLACED ALTERNATOR, 05/02: BRAKE PADS, 04/04: WATER PUMP BELT, 09/04: REPLACED BATTER, 10/11/04: REPLACED ALTERNATOR AND BELT, 10/14/04: REPLACED POSITIVE BATTERY TERMINAL, 12/04: REPLACED RADIO, 02/06: REPLACED MOTOR MOUNT, 01/07:REPLACED BATTERY, 02/07: REPLACED STRUT, 02/08: REPLACED SHOCK ABSORBER, 10/08: REPLACED BATTERY, 04/09: REPLACED BEARING, TRANSMISSION & ANCHOR ENGINE MOUNT AND DON'T HAVE THE DATE BUT ALSO HAD TO REPLACE THE WINDSHIELD WIPER MOTOR. THESE REPAIRS ARE WHAT I HAVE IN RECEIPTS YET FOR EXAMPLE I HAVE REPLACED THE MOTOR MOUNTS MORE THAN ONCE. CURRENTLY THE FOLLOWING AREAS OF MY VEHICLE DO NOT FUNCTION: THE HORN NO LONGER WORKS, CRUISE CONTROL IS NOT FUNCTIONING, THE AIR CONDITIONER NO LONGER HEATS, & THE BRAKE LIGHT OF MY VEHICLE REMAINED LIT WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS ON AND NOW HAVE FAILED TO TURN OUT (LAMP SOCKET IS BURNT). *TR”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Dec 7, 2009Suspension, Service brakes, hydraulic, Engine and engine cooling, Power train, Electrical system, Exterior lighting, Electronic stability control (esc)ODI 10294762
“BRAKES CONTINUE TO GRIND EVEN AFTER REPLACEMENT. TRANSMISSION SURGES AND HESITATES UPON ACCELERATION CAUSING UNEXPECTED INCREASES IN SPEED. TRANSMISSION ALSO SLIPS IN AND OUT OF GEARS RANDOMLY. ALL OF THESE PROBLEMS COULD LEAD TO A SERIOUS ACCIDENT. *TR”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Oct 13, 2007Service brakes, hydraulic, Power trainODI 10205576
“RECALL OF BRAKE PRESSURE CONTROL. FORD SERVICE CENTER STATES REPAIR WAS DONE ON 12-19-2000, BUT THERE IS NO RECORDS TO CONFIRM. IN ADDITION, THE FUEL SYSTEM RECALL, FORD STATES THAT THERE ISN'T ONE ON MY VEHICLE, HOWEVER, MY VECHICLE DISPLAYS THE SAME SYMPTOMS DESCRIBED UNDER RECALL 04V421000 AND THE CONTINUOUS CHECK ENGINE LIGHT. I HAVE HAD ALL SENSORS REPAIRED THAT CAME UP IN ENGINE DIAGNOSTIC TESTING . ACCORDING TO LAST TEST DONE, READS FUEL IS RUNNING LEAN BUT CAN'T REPAIR BECAUSE NO CODE APPEARS FOR THAT TO SHOW WHERE PROBLEM LIES. I HAVE HAD FUEL SYSTEM FLUSHED TO HELP REMEDY PROBLEM. STILL HAVING ISSUES. *TR”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled May 3, 2007Service brakes, hydraulic, Engine and engine cooling, Fuel system, gasolineODI 10189652
“THIS IS THE SECOND TIME I FILED A COMPLAINT, I HAVE HEARD NOTHING BACK ! I STARTED HAVING PROBLEMS WITH THE BRAKING SYSTEM ITS BUMPING THE GAS PEDAL UP AND DOWN WHEN TRYING TO STOP WHICH IN TURN CAUSED ME TO BE IN A CAR CRASH IN DECEMBER 2006 IN CLINTON COUNTY, OHIO. THERE IS A RECALL AND IT NEEDS TO BE FIXED ASAP~! I ALSO FEEL THAT SOMEONE SHOULD CONTACT MY HOME PHONE LISTED ON CONTACT FORM AND LET ME KNOW WHAT'S GOING ON WITH THIS MESS~! YOU CAN DRIVE THE DUMB CAR AND SEE WHAT I AM TALKING ABOUT FOR ALL I CARE, JUST PLEASE CONTACT ME EITHER BY PHONE OR BY EMAIL AT LEAST . THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR TIME. *JB”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Mar 10, 2007Service brakes, hydraulicCrash reportedODI 10184695
“I BOUGHT A 199 FORD MERCURY COUGAR AND WAS IN AN ACCIDENT ON DEC. 8TH, 2006 WHEN I TRIED TO APPLY BRAKES THEY STARTED MOVING ON THEIR OWN AND THE MOVEMENT WAS BRAKING UP AND DOWN I WAS UNABLE TO STOP AND WRECKED AND I BOUGHT THIS VEHICLE FROM A CAR LOT. THIS CAR CONSTANTLY WHEN COLD DOES THIS AND IT ALSO SQUEAKS LIKE THERE IS TOO MUCH PRESSURE ON THE WHOLE CAR, THE BRAKES ARE STILL HAVING THAT SHUTTERING PROBLEM. CAN THIS BE FIXED?-I BOUGHT THE VEHICLE AT THE END OF LAST YEAR... IT HAS SINCE DONE THE SAME THINGS WITH THE BRAKING AGAIN AND IT SCARES ME BUT IT ONLY DOES IT WHEN IT IS COLD OUT ... *NM UPDATED”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Feb 1, 2007Service brakes, hydraulicCrash reportedODI 10181377
“DT*: THE CONSUMER STATED WHILE DRIVING ON AN ICY ROAD, THE REAR BRAKES FAILED AND THE CONSUMER HIT INTO A CURB. THE THROTTLE HAS STUCK INTERMITTENTLY SINCE AUGUST OF 2005. THE DEALERSHIP WAS UNABLE TO DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM. THERE ARE TWO RECALLS, #00V075000 REGARDING THE SERVICE BRAKES AND #99V194000 REGARDING THE VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL. THE VEHICLE HAS THE SAME PROBLEMS AS INDICATED IN THE RECALL; HOWEVER IT IS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL DUE TO THE VIN. *JB”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jan 17, 2006Service brakes, hydraulic, Vehicle speed controlCrash reportedODI 10147933

Showing 6 of 63 reports. Read every report on NHTSA.gov.

Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Nov 9, 2026NHTSA vehicle page
02 —Related recalls

2 recalls on this component

Service brakes, hydraulic

Free remedy

CERTAIN AFTERMARKET BRAKE HYDRAULIC MASTER CYLINDERS SOLD AS REPLACEMENT BRAKE CYLINDERS FOR CERTAIN FORD, DAIMLERCHRYSLER, AND JEEP PASSENGER VEHICLES. THESE BRAKE CYLINDERS WERE SOLD UNDER THE BRAND NAMES OF NAPA, RAYBESTOS, AIMCO, AC DELCO, CARQUEST, BENDIX, AND WAGNER. ONLY PRODUCTS THAT WERE MANUFACTURED FROM JULY 27, 2005 THROUGH JANUARY 17, 2006 (DATE CODES 0529 THROUGH 0602) ARE SUBJECT TO THIS RECALL. WHEN SUBJECT TO VERY COLD TEMPERATURES, AN INTERNAL SEAL IN THE MASTER CYLINDER COULD LOSE FLEXIBILITY AND MAY CAUSE BRAKE FLUID TO LEAK.

Service brakes, hydraulicReported Mar 13, 2006NHTSA 06E022000

Service brakes

Free remedy

VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES NOT EQUIPPED WITH THE ANTI-LOCK BRAKING SYSTEM (ABS). A PRESSURE CONSCIOUS REDUCING VALVE (PCRV) IN THE REAR BRAKES MAY BE SUBJECT TO CORROSION AND RESULT IN MALFUNCTION, WHEN OPERATED IN AREAS THAT USE SALT COMPOUNDS ON THE ROADWAY FOR DE-ICING OR DUST CONTROL.

Service brakes, hydraulicReported Mar 9, 2000NHTSA 00V075000
Data from NHTSA Recalls API · synced Nov 9, 2026

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