2000 Mercury Cougar engine and engine cooling problems

“THE VEHICLE, 2000 MERCURY COUGAR, BEGINS JERKING AS IT IS BEING DRIVEN AT ANY SPEED, AND RESULTS IN COMPLETE SHUT DOWN OF ENGINE. SOMETIMES THE ENGINE WILL RESTART AFTER WAITING SEVERAL MINUTES, AND WILL NOT RESTART AT TIMES; REQUIRING TOWING. I TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE LOCAL DEALER, AND AN EMPLOYEE STATED THAT IT WAS KNOWN BY THE MANUFACTURER TO BE A DESIGN FLAW IN THAT YEAR VEHICLE. ANOTHER EMPLOYEE TOOK HIM TO THE SIDE AND SCOULDED HIM FOR THE DISCLOSURE. THEY WOULD NOT DISCUSS IT FURTHER, EVEN THOUGH I CONTINUED TO QUESTION WHAT THEY WERE DOING TO CORRECT THIS KNOWN DEFECT IN WORKMANSHIP. TO THIS DAY THE VEHICLE CONTINUED TO REPEAT THE SAME FAILURE. I HAD THE FUEL FILTER REPLACED TWICE. FINALLY A MECHANIC REPLACED THE CAM SHAFT SENSOR (HE STATED THAT HE HAD SEEN THIS PROBLEM WITH THE CAR MANY TIMES) AND KNEW THAT WAS THE PROBLEM. EVEN THOUGH THE SENSOR WAS REPLACED, THE CAR WORKED WITHOUT SHUT DOWN FOR APPROXIMATELY 4 MONTHS, BUT BEGAN THE SAME SEQUENCE OF SHUT DOWNS ALL OVER AGAIN. THE DESIGN FLAW SHOULD BE RECALLED OR CONSUMERS SHOULD BE REIMBURSED FOR PURCHASE OF A KNOWN DEFECTIVE VEHICLE BY IT'S MANUFACTURER AND DESIGNER. IT IS A SHAME TO GET "STUCK"…”

“TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2000 MERCURY COUGAR. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FUEL PUMP FAILED ON HER VEHICLE. FORD INFORMED HER THAT A RECALL REPAIR WAS PREVIOUSLY PERFORMED ON THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT WENT TO THE CORPORATE FORD OFFICE AND WAS INFORMED THAT THE REPAIR HAD NOT BEEN PERFORMED. SHE ALSO STATED THAT THE ENGINE OCCASIONALLY STALLED AND ONE OF THE STRUTS FAILED DURING A TEST DRIVE AT 60 MPH. THE VEHICLE WAS EVENTUALLY TOWED. THE PURCHASE DATE WAS UNKNOWN. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 110,125 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 110,000.”

“DT: 2000 MERCURY COUGAR. THE CONSUMER FOUND RECALL 01V031000 FOR THE ELECTRIC BATTERY AND ALTERNATOR. THE BATTERY HAS BEEN REPLACED THREE TIMES IN THE LAST WEEK, AND THE ALTERNATOR HAS BEEN REPLACED ONCE. HOWEVER, PROBLEM RECURRED. . WHEN SHE CONTACTED MERCURY THEY STATED THIS VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL DUE TO VIN. THE VEHICLE WILL START. BUT WHEN SHE TURNED ON THE AIR CONDITIONER OR RADIO THE VEHICLE STALLED. BOTH THE BATTERY AND ALTERNATOR HAVE BEEN CHECKED TO SEE IF THEY WERE THE PROBLEM. TWO MECHANICS STATED THE BATTERY AND ALTERNATOR WERE FINE. IT WAS AN ELECTRICAL PROBLEM. THE EMISSION SYSTEM LIGHT ON THE VEHICLE KEPT COMING ON. FORD STATED THEY KNEW OF THIS PROBLEM AND THAT COULD BE CHECKED. *AK”

“WHILE DRIVING 55 MPH DRIVER HEARD A LOUD KNOCKING NOISE COMING FROM THE FRONT. DRIVER NOTICED FLUID LEAKING FROM UNDERNEATH THE VEHICLE. DRIVER TOOK VEHICLE TO A GARAGE FOR INSPECTION, AND MECHANIC DETERMINED THAT INTAKE MANIFOLD NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. *AK”

“VEHICLE WILL STALL AND THEN LOSE POWER WHILE DRIVING OR HESITATING. THEN JERK FORWARD WHILE IDLING. THERE IS NO WARNING WHEN EITHER OF THESE FAILURES OCCUR. THE FUEL PUMP/MASSIVE FLOW SENSOR WERE REPLACED TWICE, BUT FAILURES RECURRED. *AK”

“WHILE DRIVING AT 45 MPH VEHICLE STALLED. THIS CAUSED THE LOSS OF STEERING AND BRAKES. AS RESULT, CONSUMER WAS INVOLVED A COLLISION, WHERE THE VEHICLE WAS TOTALED. DEALER NOTIFIED. *AK”