Recalls
| Campaign | Manufacturer | Manufacturing date | Type | # of units affected | Date Owner notified Mfg | Recall Initiated by | Manufacturers of recalled vehicles/products | Report Recieved Date | Record Creation Date | Regulation Part Number | FMVSS Number | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM - BATTERY - CABLES | ||||||||||||||||
| 01V031000 | FORD MOTOR COMPANY | from 12/06/1997 to 09/18/2000 | V (Vehicle) | 120000 | 03/22/2001 | MFR | FORD MOTOR COMPANY | 02/06/2001 | 02/09/2001 | |||||||
| Defect Summary | Vehicle description: passenger vehicles equipped with 2.5l v6 engines. the battery cable was misrouted and its attachment to the alternator cable was under-torqued. if misrouted, the cable could contact the power steering line and the insulation could wear, resulting in an electrical short. | |||||||||||||||
| Consequence Summary | The short could potentially result in a fire, stalling, or a no-start condition. | |||||||||||||||
| Corrective Summary | Dealers will inspect the battery cable to the alternator for damage and, if it is damaged, will replace the cable. additionally, the routing of the cable will be corrected, as necessary, and a routing clip will be added. also the torque on the alternator attachment of the cable will be checked and, as required, will be tightened to specification. owner notification began march 22, 2001. owners who take their vehicles to an authorized dealer on an agreed upon service date and do not receive the free remedy within a reasonable time should contact ford at 1-800-392-3673. | |||||||||||||||
| Notes | Also contact the national highway traffic safety administration's auto safety hotline at 1-888-dash-2-dot (1-888-327-4236). | |||||||||||||||
Bulletins
| Bulletin | Bulletin date | Replacement Bulletin | Item no. | Summary | Added |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM | |||||
| 04174 | 09/06/2004 | 10013116 | Malfunction indicator lamp (mil) illuminated - system lean diagnostic trouble codes (dtc's) - service tips. various models including 2004 f-series. *tt | 04/08/2005 | |
| 04104 | 05/21/2004 | 10008993 | Malfunction indicator lamp illuminated with diagnostic trouble code p0420 and/or p0430/ 2.5l engine only. *tt | 09/07/2004 | |
| 03203 | 10/13/2003 | 0398 | 10004886 | Malfunction indicator lamp illuminated with diagnostic trouble codes (dtcs) p0442, p0455, p0456, p0457 or p1442 or a check fuel cap lamp illuminated with dtc p0457 for the evaporative emission system. *tt | 01/14/2004 |
| 03181 | 09/15/2003 | 10004027 | Remote keyless entry (rke) - service tips. *tt | 11/14/2003 | |
| 0135 | 02/19/2001 | 619149 | Some vehicles not equipped with side airbags may exhibit a condition where the airbag warning lamp is illuminated with diagnostic trouble codes (dtcs) u2017 and / or u2018. *tt | 05/16/2001 | |
| 00256 | 12/11/2000 | 616823 | Some vehicles equipped with a v6 engine may exhibit a flickering condition of the headlamp, instrument cluster, radio, and interior lights during engine start-up and may continue during the first several minutes of engine idle. | 03/13/2001 | |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM - BATTERY | |||||
| 15830 | 04/01/2002 | 637575 | Battery lamp on, however the charging system is functioning properly. *tt | 12/03/2002 | |
| 0245 | 03/04/2002 | 636065 | Information regarding discharged battery charging service tips and guidelines. *tt | 11/05/2002 | |
| 13936 | 03/01/2000 | 612930 | Some vehicles may exhibit the battery warning lamp illuminating due to fuse 2 or 7 blowing. *tt | 06/14/2000 | |
| 8262 | 03/01/2000 | 612693 | Some vehicles may exhibit the battery warning lamp illuminating due to fuse 2 or 7 blowing. *tt | 06/12/2000 | |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM - FUSES AND CIRCUIT BREAKERS | |||||
| 8218 | 02/01/2000 | 612417 | Experiencing the battery warning lamp illuminating due to fuse 2 blowing intermittently. *tt | 06/08/2000 | |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM - IGNITION - ANTI-THEFT CONTROLLER | |||||
| 0162 | 04/02/2001 | 619266 | Vehicles equipped with passive anti-theft system (pats) may not start or crank. *tt | 05/22/2001 | |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM - IGNITION - MODULE | |||||
| 15828 | 04/01/2002 | 637571 | Some vehicles may exhibit diagnostic trouble code b1213, b1342, b1601, b2431. *tt | 12/03/2002 | |
| 15020 | 06/01/2001 | 622837 | Some vehicles equipped with 2.5l engines may exhibit multiple misfire diagnostic trouble codes with no driveability concern noted. *tt | 10/23/2001 | |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM - WIRING | |||||
| 99222 | 10/18/1999 | 6089681 | Subject on a wire harness terminal repair kit available for repairing electrical wiring harnesses. *tt | 02/11/2000 | |
Consumer Complaints
| Fail date | miles | occurences | Purchase date |
|---|---|---|---|
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM | |||
| 11/28/2010 | 75000 | ||
| Tl* the contact owns a 2000 mercury cougar. the contact stated that while driving approximately 25 mph, the battery warning light illuminated on the instrument panel and there was burning odor emitted inside of the vehicle. the vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic for a diagnostic test. the mechanic stated that the battery and alternator would have replaced. the failure occurred a second time after the repair. the vehicle was not taken back to be repaired again. there was a recall under nhtsa campaign id number 01v031000 (electrical system:battery:cables), that may be related to the failure. the manufacturer was made aware of the failure and stated that the vin was not included in the recall. the approximate failure mileage was 75,000. | |||
| 11/28/2010 | 75000 | ||
| Tl-the contact owns a 2000 mercury cougar. the contact stated that while driving approximately 25 mph, the battery warning light illuminated on the instrument panel and there was burning odor emitted inside of the vehicle. the vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic for a diagnostic test. the mechanic stated that the battery and alternator would have replaced. the failure occurred a second time after the repair. the vehicle was not taken back to be repaired again. there was a recall under nhtsa campaign id number 01v031000 (electrical system:battery:cables), that may be related to the failure. the manufacturer was made aware of the failure and stated that the vin was not included in the recall. the approximate failure mileage was 75,000. sm. | |||
| 11/28/2010 | 75000 | ||
| Tl- the contact owns a 2000 mercury cougar. while driving at approximately 25 mph the battery warning light illuminated on the instrument panel and there was burning odor in the vehicle. the vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic for diagnostic. the mechanic stated the battery and the alternator would have replaced. after the repair the failure occurred a second time. the vehicle was not repaired. there was a recall under nhtsa campaign id number: 01v031000 (electrical system:battery:cables) that may be related to the failure. the manufacturer was made aware of the failure and stated the vin was not included in the recall. the approximate failure mileage was 75,000. ds | |||
| 10/10/2011 | 135288 | ||
| Tl* the contact owns a 2000 mercury cougar. the contact stated that while driving 65 mph, the vehicle suddenly stalled as the wheel locked and the radio shut off, similar to the failure listed under nhtsa campaign id number: 01v031000 ( electrical system:battery:cables). the contact was unable to restart the vehicle without a jump. the manufacturer was not notified nor was the vehicle diagnosed or repaired. the current and failure mileages were 135,288. | |||
| 10/10/2011 | 135288 | ||
| Tl-the contact owns a 2000 mercury cougar. the contact stated that while driving 65 mph, the vehicle suddenly stalled as the wheel locked and the radio shut off, similar to the failure listed under nhtsa campaign id number: 01v031000 ( electrical system:battery:cables). the contact was unable to restart the vehicle without a jump. the manufacturer was not notified nor was the vehicle diagnosed or repaired. the current and failure mileages were 135,288. kmj | |||
| 10/10/2011 | 135288 | ||
| Tl-the contact owns a 2000 mercury cougar. the contact stated that while driving 65 mph, the vehicle suddenly stalled when the wheel locked and the radio shut off similar to nhtsa campaign id number: 01v031000 ( electrical system:battery:cables). she was unable to restart the vehicle without a jump start. the dealer did not offer any assistance. the manufacturer had not been notified nor was the vehicle diagnosed or repaired. the current and failure mileages were 135,288. bw | |||
| 07/01/2008 | |||
| There is an electrical issue that is effecting my vehicle. i have a v6 engine, and the instrument cluster, radio, interior lights, and head lights flicker when i start up my car and continue to do so. i went online to look at possibly recalls and saw that there was one decribing the exact issue i have. i called the ford dealership in huntley, illinois and talked to a guy in the service department, named mike. he told me that the recall only affected certain mercury cougars from certain plants.... i am alson having issues with the transmission range sensor. | |||
| 08/15/2009 | 98000 | ||
| Tl-the contact owns a 2000 mercury cougar. while the vehicle was parked he attempted to start the vehicle and the vehicle would not start. he checked the battery and replaced it. he jumped the vehicle and the vehicle started. after the vehicle started it stalled again. the vehicle was taken to a local mechanic and he was advised that the alternator needed to be replaced. the local mechanic replaced the alternator. he stated the vehicle was driveable but he experienced electrical problem. he stated the front headlights would dim out. he referenced recall nhtsa campaign id number: 01v031000, electrical system:battery:cables and was advised by the dealer and the manufacture that his vehicle was not part of the recall. the contact stated he had been experiencing the failure for approximately 2 years. he also stated recently he had a failure with the fuel system. he stated fuel was not getting to the engine. he stated before the failure the vehicle would hesitate but now the vehicle will not start. he reference recall nhtsa campaign id number: 04v421000, fuel system, gasoline and was advised by the dealer and the manufacture that his vehicle was not part of the recall. the vehicle was not repaired. the failure mileage was 98,000 and the current mileage was 100,000. vwb | |||
| 07/19/2009 | 92788 | ||
| My car stalled while in the middle of a busy intersection while in motion. later find out that i need a new fuel pump. was not aware it was under recall. paid to have it fixed in july of 2009. repair shop failed to put my vin, mileage, and correct year of vehicle on invoice resulting in not being able to get my money back from ford. recall was good through january 31, 2010. my car once again stalled while at a stop light sparks and small flames when attempting to start after stalling. electrical problem, and ford is doing nothing about it. i replaced the battery and still no crank or clicking. also listed as a recall. spend $651.02 to have fuel pump fixed and now can't get my money back because repair shop did not fill out invoice correctly. now will have to possibly pay over a $1,000.00 to fix the electrical issue... when the fuel pump was fixed, the shop failed to secure the gas tank correclty causing fuel to pour out while driving at a rate of a gallon per minute. ford is now doing everything they can to avoid paying me back for tehe recall services after i was informed by a ford customer service rep that i would be paid back. i have been back and forth for weeks now to the dealership and i have been told over and over again with a new excuse everytime as to why they can not repay me... | |||
| 01/03/2010 | 90000 | 1 | |
| Flashing battery light. lights would dim during accelerations or revving of engine. alternator fails causing vehicle to stall in the middle of the road. safety issue, i have taken the car to repair shop, mechanic states he has researched this and says this seems to be an on going problem with this model of car. battery light still stays on and lights dim on acceleration after replaced alternator. *tr | |||
| 09/08/2009 | 55000 | 1 | |
| 2000 mercury cougar v 6 auto -55000 mi - steady state cruising after 10 mi 'warm up' - a frequent , problem - like ok for 3 or 4 mile , then 2 or 3 times will jerk or shudder , then ok for 3 or 4 mi - hard jerk , engine tach jumps from 2800 > 4000 rpm , back to 2800. seems mostly at steady 70 mph or so , does do it sometimes at 40. seems hardly ever on short drive , like 8 mi to work in morning. trans can't find correct gear ? computer ? dealer , aftermarket shop couldn't find anything. new fuel filter , trans oil. *tr | |||
| 08/25/2009 | 80000 | 1 | |
| The lights on the interior and exterior of my car have been flickering since i purchased the car from an individual a few years ago. last week i smelled burning wires while driving and me and my husband pulled off the road and he investigated the problem as to where the smell was coming from. he noticed the battery cables were hot and melted insulation on them at the battery posts. now instead of a flickering alternator light,headlights,and dash lights, i have an alternator light that stays on and everything else is still flickering. we took the car to a mechanic because the car quit running,apparently because the battery went dead. they replaced the battery and the alternator which cost me 320.00. i still have flickering lights and the alternator light is still on. i took it to have the alternator checked even though it was brand new,just to be sure and was told that there was a wiring problem,that the charge from the alternator was not getting back to the battery. all fuses were checked and to my understanding my car is not involved in any recalls according to the vin i furnished ford. i want this fixed ,and i see on all the research i have done checking the web for similar problems,that i am not the only mercury cougar owner of this year model that can't seem to get any help with an apparent safety issue. also i have a sunroof that has to be taped down to keep it from blowing out of the car and leaks when it rains if it doesn't have tape on the seams. *tr | |||
| 04/18/2004 | 52000 | ||
| Tl*the contact owns a 2000 mercury cougar. the contact stated that the battery cables leading from the battery to the alternator caused shortages. all of the electrical components flickered inside and outside the vehicle. he took the vehicle to a certified mechanic, who confirmed that there was a short somewhere in the vehicle. in addition, he noticed a failure within the fuel injection system. the rpm's would rev to a high degree and then decrease very quickly, which occasionally caused the vehicle to stall. the rpm's fluctuated when shutting off the vehicle or revving. the vehicle has not been taken to the dealer. the manufacturer stated that the vin was excluded from nhtsa campaign id numbers 01v031000 (electrical system:battery:cables) and 04v421000 (fuel system, gasoline). the current mileage was approximately 106,000 and failure mileage was approximately 52,000. | |||
| 06/05/2007 | 62000 | ||
| Tl*the contact owns a 2000 mercury cougar. while driving approximately 45 mph on normal road conditions, the warning indicators illuminated on the instrument panel. there was a moderate loss of power in the vehicle and a burning odor. the vehicle was taken to an independent repair shop and they stated that the failure was related to the alternator battery cable. the vehicle was repaired. recently,the contact observed an excessively high temperature reading from the voltage of the alternator. on three separate occasions, the vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic for the identical failures. there were no resolutions. the contact experienced failures identical to the ones mentioned in nhtsa campaign id number 01v031000 (electrical system:battery:cables). the failure mileage was 62,000 and current mileage was 68,000. | |||
| 07/03/2006 | 5 | 06/02/2000 | |
| With no warning, my car's electrical system will start failing. lights will dim, rpm and speed gauges reset and the car stalls with in a matter of minutes. the vehicle will not start again and has to be towed to the dealership. vehicle has left me stranded 5+ times because of this. the failure is in the alternator to the car and possibly the battery as well which both have only ever been the manufacturers parts. i have had to have my battery replaced 4 times and my alternator 5+ times it is obvious that there is a substantial problem with this car's electrical system. the car is not dependable at all and causes more stress, money,& time than it is worth. these issues should be addressed by the ford motor company. *jb | |||
| 01/23/2006 | 2 | ||
| My daughter's car is having electrical problems. it is exactly as mentioned in nhtsa recall campaign 01v031000. the dealer won't fix the problem as a recall because is was supposedly fixed at the time of the recall before my daughter bought the car. it is a 2000 mercury cougar. ford has told her it was repaired and what dealer repaired it in new jersey. she is in south carolina in college , and took vehicle to a dealer there. they said they didn't do recall repairs. she called the dealer in new jersey that ford told her did the work, and they told her that sometimes recall work has to be redone, but the warranty was only for one year. i don't feel she should have to pay to have the work done if it is a known problem with mercury cougars, and her car was one that was included in that recall. i wish ford could at least help her partially with the repairs. the recall said the car might catch on fire. i hope this never happens to her or anyone owning a cougar.*ak | |||
| 10/01/2005 | 1 | 07/24/2004 | |
| Interior lights, headlights and gauges dim and brighten while the vehicle is being driven. *ts on one occasion the consumer's wife couldn't see a curb due to the light flickering. as a result she ran over the curb which caused a flat tire and resulted in the vehicle running into a ditch. *nm | |||
| 08/13/2005 | 11/03/2004 | ||
| 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 | |||
| 08/08/2004 | 70000 | 2 | 08/01/2003 |
| Vehicle lost power while driving down highway. replaced the battery and took to shop to have alternator and whatever else looked at. mechanic could not find anything wrong. battery light still flashing. i'm scared this will happen again and leave me stranded. also have had same electrical problems (power windows) as everyone else, as well as spending $600 on brakes, and trunk latch won't work. radio works off and on. also had to replace bumper as it was ripped off while pulling out of parking space. (not negligenc). *jb | |||
| 07/12/2004 | 4 | 06/11/2000 | |
| For the last 18 month the head lights and dash lights have flickered. i have taken it to the dealer 4 or 5 times. twice before the warranty ran out. the problem was never fixed and the dealer alway told me the electrical system checked out find. the problem has gotten worse and now the alternator has failed twice in 30 days. this was my third and last mercury. *la | |||
| 02/05/2004 | 43000 | 01/01/2001 | |
| Car experiences engine misfire and will not start after driving thru a one inch deep puddle of rain water. possible timing chain failure due to engine misfire caused by malfunction. auto has 43,000 miles on it. | |||
| 2 | |||
| While driving 55 mph, consumer noticed the dash lights and head lights dimming flowing engine hesitation which resulted in the engine stalling. the consumer restarted the vehicle and returned to normal driving. the dealership serviced the vehicle and replaced the alternator and battery, however the problem return. please provide further information. *jb | |||
| 01/16/2001 | 19 | 11/01/2000 | |
| Problems with odometer, gas gauge, turn signals,windows, radio, hazard lights, air bag lights, speedometer.*mr. the mileage and clock were no longer visible. a new battery and alternator were installed prior to the incident. the sun roof leaked constantly and was also fixed prior to the incident. the battery and wrench light were constantly illuminated. this vehicle had been repaired over and over again. consumer had to exit and barely made it home when she entered the driveway, the vehicle completely died. *ph. the air condition was not cold enough, the cigarette lighter was broke, the brakes made a grinding noise, the door locks/latches were inoperative, and the vehicle had a transmission leak. *jb | |||
| 02/08/2001 | 2 | 10/01/2000 | |
| Lights flickering, loss of electrical power, alternator needs replacement part, emission system malfunction, malfunctioning ignition. received poor service from dealer.*ak | |||
| 10/07/2000 | 4 | 06/01/2000 | |
| Lights flicker, then loses electrical power. alternator, 2 batteries, wiper motor, sensor, windshield (stress crack from bottom) replaced. requested on several occasions from bob site lincoln mercury service department that the mercury factory zone manager be contacted, and to have the zone manager contact me. each request was denied. i contacted mercury customer assistance and was told that only the dealership could contact the factory zone managers.*ak | |||
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM - ALTERNATOR/GENERATOR/REGULATOR | |||
| 11/02/2007 | 129900 | 11 | 10/31/2006 |
| Engine light came on, them battery light. a new battery was installed but after a few days the battery and engine light came on again. alternator was checked and found to be in perfect order. eventually one day all the panel lights just went dim and the car shut off totally. car was towed to dealer where i was told that i needed an alternator at the cost of $550. i agreed. got the car drove it from the dealer the engine lights and battery lights came back on that very same day. called the dealership and was told that it takes time for the electrical system to adjust. i drove it for one week and the car shut off again. i had it towed again. dealer said it was fixed and that i should not have any problems with it. it's has happened over and over again since them. i don't know what else to do. *tr | |||
| 11/01/2004 | 65000 | 9 | 09/20/1999 |
| Went out to go to work one morning and car would not start, all systems completely dead, jumped car off next day and barely made it to garage, replaced battery 11/04, problems ever since with battery light constantly flashing as well as all interior and exterior lights flashing bright to dim day or night, was told 11/04 needed a new alternator, still have not gotten a new alternator and do not plan to at this point, received the recall on battery cable and rerouting and had that done, if this is a consistent problem with v-6 2000 mercury cougars the company should take care of this problem immediately, if driving at night and car completely stalls, all lights and controls are inoperable which will cause accident to self and/or others, this is a scary thought for a single female driving at night and in areas where cell phone doesn't always have a signal, ford should fix this battery/alternator problem asap before someone gets hurt and sues. *jb | |||
| 11/30/2005 | 59875 | 4 | 10/28/2003 |
| Mercury cougar 2000 started to give me problems within the last week: lights flickering,loss of power, stalling. currently in a garage getting a new alternator installed. not under warranty. i fortunately found on the web that there is a recall for an electrical problem, but don't believe this will resolve the issue as it hasn't for anyone else. i read countless reports of this same problem on the web. *nm | |||
| 11/29/2004 | 2 | 04/01/2000 | |
| Vehicle interior and headlights constantly brighten and dim when brake or gas pedal is applied. brought it in to dealer on 11/26/04, alternator was replaced (100 dollars spent). alternator had previously been replaced due to complete failure on christmas eve 2001. now on third alternator. on monday november 29, car began exhibited the same brightening and dimming effects. brought to dealer and was informed that the wire between the battery and alternator could potentially have a problem. dealer was nice enough to fix it for free. i have contacted mercury corporate several times and asked to speak with someone who can actualy help me and and always told that i can't speak to anyone else. there are so many more things that have gone wrong with this car i dont even know where to begin.*ak | |||
| 09/04/2004 | 36000 | 3 | |
| The lights on my dashboard kept diming when ever i had hit the gas. did inform l/m of problem and had made an appointment for them to look at it. they informed me there was no problem. that this does happen on some cougars but not to worry about it. i bought it in again for something and mention the diming again and they said the same thing to me. on the way home from work one day my car started to loss power and by the time i got home i didn't have any power. i called l/m and told them of the problem. i was told to bring my car in.they inform me it was my alternator. i had 3/36 warr on it & i had not even 37,000 on it and l/m told me it wasn't cover under warr and wanted to charge me over $1000.00. that was on 12/19/2002...on 9/4/2004 i was driving and car went out on me and i bought it to firestone and they my battery was so dead and they couldn't even finish the testing after putting in a new battery they told me it was my alterntor.this is the 3rd one since i purchase my car. i was told that the diming which is still happening wasn't a problem and now i am on my 3 rd altertner. even i know there is problem. this shouln't been happening on a car less then 5 yrs old and it 3rd alternator. *ak | |||
| 07/12/2004 | 66000 | 3 | 07/18/2000 |
| I have a 2000 mercury cougar that i bought brand new and has been service faithfully by a dealership. but recently in the past 2 months there have been 3 alternators put on my car all resulting from the same problem. the console lights flicker and dim, the headlights flicker and dim, the battery light flashes and eventually it stays lighted and the gauges zero out and the car shuts down starting with the radio and eventually the light goes out and the car dies. this has happened 3 times to me within the past month all while driving in lot's of traffic. the last time i was able to pull over to a parking lot. i've seen that there are many other cougar owners with the same year as mine that are continuously having the same problem over and over. why? a brand new car should not be doing this and to completely break down in rush hour traffic is definitely horrifying. the dealership has just put the 4th alternator on and says they had to rewire a harness but didn't say to what or for what. it's costing me $700 and how am i to believe that it won't break down again with the same problem. how come ford doesn't issue a recall for the alternator/battery/wiring problem. a brand new car is not supposed to break down before it's paid for. i'm definitely not buying another mercury product again.*ak | |||
| 07/10/2004 | 80100 | 3 | 10/29/1999 |
| With little or no warning, my car's electrical system will start failing. lights will dim, rpm and speed gages reset and the car stalls. the vehicle will not start again and has to be towed to the shop. vehicle has left me stranded 3 times because of this. the failure is in the alternator to the car and possibly the battery as well which has only ever been the original ford batteries. i have had to have my battery replaced 3 times and my alternator 3 times. this has all occurred within the last 2 1/2 years. after reading information from other mercury cougar owners on the website www.fastcougar.org, it is obvious that there is a substantial problem with this car's alternator and should be addressed by the ford motor company.*ak | |||
| 04/18/2003 | 35900 | 2 | 04/20/2002 |
| Power windows didn't work as fast, and eventually the car wouldn't start. the same thing happened not two months later. it took eight days to fix the alternator, which had been repaired by that same dealer before and only took 2 days. the day i got it out of the shop the sunroof broke. and then on march 29, on my way to work in the morning, as i was exiting the ramp onto the highway the rpms shot way up and the car lurched a few times before finally dying. i pulled over to the side of the road and called a wrecker. once at the repair shop it was diagnosed as being low in gas, causing the fuel pump to overheat. they also found that the bolt holding the motor to the motorcarriage was missing, but i haven't heard back from them on why. the car presently only has 44,376 miles on it, and one complaint has already been filed with ford.*ak | |||
| 06/15/2003 | 5 | ||
| Hi. i am from canada and hope that everyone that reads this never buys one of this pieces of junk cougars that ford is selling.the name speaks for it self fix or repair daily - drivers window assemby broke $100.00 to fix - feul pump at 56,000 km $500.00- window stress cracked at 60,000 km not fixed yet- transmission replaced at 70,000 km $2500.00 - two ball joints and alternator replaced at 72,000 km $400.00- rearhatch will not open from inside not fixed yet- lights flicker on dash alternator again at 85,000km but did not help so put in new battery but didn,t help no sense of phoning ford they don,t give a damn $18,500 for this junk and by time it is paid off $24,000 plus all the repairs best place for all the ford junk is form the plant to the scrap yard so nobody has to put up with all these problems after reading all this you still go out an buy a ford as the saying goes there is a sucker born every day. *ak | |||
| 08/30/2003 | 60000 | 1 | 08/01/2000 |
| Alternator in my 2000 mercury cougar failed for the third time. the car is now out of warranty and i am stuck with the bill. failure was followed by smoking in the engine compartment which steadily increased, small fire evolved soon afterward. was able to put it out with a bottle of coke (a brand that has never let me down). i was assured by the dealership that this issue was taken care of some time ago. i have hated this car for all of its problems and have successfully steered people away from ford products. i will never purchase another domestic vehicle for as long as i live. *ak | |||
| 08/20/2003 | 4 | 04/10/2000 | |
| Vehicle shut off after being driven for half hour, and failed to start. the dealer replaced battery/alternator/ ignition switch, and relay, but the problem continued. *ak after all repairs were made, problems continued to exist. *ph. also the ball joint was replaced, the trunk release did not work. *jb | |||
| 07/13/2003 | 54500 | 1 | 01/17/2000 |
| This is the 2nd time that i am replacing an alternator on my 2000 mercury cougar. this time, it's been less than a year since i replaced the old one. this seems to be an ongoing problem with the 2000 cougar, and mercury/ford have no intentions on recalling the vehicle for this problem. it's extremely frustrating that the alternator keeps going on this vehicle. of course it keeps happening after the warranty is up, causing you to have to shell out hundreds of dollars over and over again. this last time, not only did i have to replace the alternator, but i had to pay $175.00 for towing because i was 75 miles away from home. this is ridiculous, and i am considering getting rid of this car once it is paid off next year. and since there are other people who are having the same problem, and mercury/ford does not want to recall this vehicle, i will never purchase a car from this company again. clearly there is something causing the alternator on the 2000 mercury cougar to keep going, but the maker will not recall the vehicle.*ak | |||
| 02/04/2003 | 47000 | 10/08/2000 | |
| Vehicle had loss of power and lights were flickering. wiring harness, alternator and voltage regulator need replaced.vehicle has 47000 miles on it. dealer said it was 4th cougar with exact same problem but yet no recall. cost of repair is at least $800.00. | |||
| 11/14/2002 | 2 | 06/01/2000 | |
| Same as previously recorded issue, however, this time the replaced part (alternator) fails after one day of operation. vehicle broke down again, while approaching traffic light. all lights went out, gauges were not responding, radio shut off etc. again, possible failure reported in warranty period, however, dealer and manufacturer refuse to repair. 11/12/2002 repair appears to have not been working. will never buy fomoco product again. contemplating contacting attorney and resolve situation with fomoco. dt | |||
| 11/12/2001 | 4 | 06/01/2000 | |
| Prior to faillure, dealership and manufacturer were contacted regarding the flashing battery light. lights would dim during accelerations or reving of engine. prior to final warrenty check (@ 35.800 miles), notified dealership that alternator probably needed replacement. this was denied by dealership. now, 1500 miles later, and out of warranty, alternator fails causing vehicle to stall in the middle of the road. safety issue, since many more fomoco vehicles (cougars, contours) have been experiencing this same problem. however fomoco refuses to issue recall total repair cost $700. dt | |||
| Consumer called complaining about having problems with the alternator blowing out while driving the vehicle.dealer has been contacted and has fix the problem with the vehicle. mr | |||
| 11/12/1999 | 6 | 11/01/1999 | |
| The vehicle has been taken in several times for these ongoing problems. the problems have occurred since the first week of having the vehicle. arbitration papers were filed but request was denied due to dealership not registering problems as well as indicating a part capable of fixing the problem, however the part did not. vehicle was taken to a new dealership who registered the compliants. dealership replaced the ignition switch but problems still remain. dealership told owners it was an electrical problem that would be to complicated to find. the vehicle is a lease and is used for traveling back and forth for a college student on highways where the vehicle has failed several times. *ak | |||
| 02/08/2001 | 2 | 10/01/2000 | |
| Lights flickering, loss of electrical power, alternator needs replacement part, emission system malfunction, malfunctioning ignition. received poor service from dealer.*ak | |||
| 09/12/2000 | 2 | 07/01/2000 | |
| The first incident with the mercury cougar was on the date listed. nom safety defect listed in summary. *ak | |||
| 10/07/2000 | 4 | 06/01/2000 | |
| Lights flicker, then loses electrical power. alternator, 2 batteries, wiper motor, sensor, windshield (stress crack from bottom) replaced. requested on several occasions from bob site lincoln mercury service department that the mercury factory zone manager be contacted, and to have the zone manager contact me. each request was denied. i contacted mercury customer assistance and was told that only the dealership could contact the factory zone managers.*ak | |||
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM - BATTERY | |||
| 09/24/2004 | 3 | ||
| While driving headlights flashed on and off intermittently. consumer pulled over. the lights came back on fifteen minutes later. then, consumer drove vehicle to the dealer, and mechanic determined that battery needed to be replaced. . but the problem recurred the next day. then, mechanic analyzed the problem, and informed consumer that the voltage sensor circuit needed to be replaced. *ak | |||
| 08/20/2003 | 4 | 04/10/2000 | |
| Vehicle shut off after being driven for half hour, and failed to start. the dealer replaced battery/alternator/ ignition switch, and relay, but the problem continued. *ak after all repairs were made, problems continued to exist. *ph. also the ball joint was replaced, the trunk release did not work. *jb | |||
| 10/07/2000 | 4 | 06/01/2000 | |
| Lights flicker, then loses electrical power. alternator, 2 batteries, wiper motor, sensor, windshield (stress crack from bottom) replaced. requested on several occasions from bob site lincoln mercury service department that the mercury factory zone manager be contacted, and to have the zone manager contact me. each request was denied. i contacted mercury customer assistance and was told that only the dealership could contact the factory zone managers.*ak | |||
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM - BATTERY - CABLES | |||
| 10/16/2009 | 110000 | ||
| Tl* the contact owns a 2000 mercury cougar. while attempting to proceed from a stop sign, the vehicle stalled. upon further inspection he noticed that the battery cables were melted. the vehicle was towed to a local repair facility. a mechanic concluded that the cable made contact with the power steering line which caused the insulation to wear, and thus an an electrical short. the dealer was contacted in reference to recall # 01v031000 (electrical system:battery:cables). since his vehicle identification number was excluded from the recall, he was ineligible for a free remedy. no repairs were made. the manufacturer was notified, and he was in the process of sending them correspondence. the failure and current mileages were 110,000. | |||
| 02/06/2008 | 67000 | 3 | 07/04/2007 |
| Tl*the contact owns a 2000 mercury cougar. while driving between 55-60 mph, all of the vehicle lights began flickering. the vehicle failed three times and was towed to a mechanic. the mechanic stated that the alternator needed to be replaced. when the alternator was replaced, the vehicle lights still flickered. the contact was informed that his vin was not included in nhtsa campaign id number 01v031000 (electrical system: battery: cables). the powertrain was unknown. the current and failure mileages were 67,000. | |||
| 10/29/2007 | 118000 | 1 | 04/26/2007 |
| Tl*the contact owns a 2000 mercury cougar. the vehicle would not start and it was jumped by aaa. the vehicle was driven to the repair shop and they stated that the cable that connected the battery to the alternator needed to be replaced. the manufacturer stated that the vin was not included in nhtsa campaign id number 01v031000 (electrical system:battery:cables), even though the vehicle was manufactured within the manufacture dates. the vehicle was manufactured in april of 2000. the current and failure mileages were 118,000. | |||
| 09/15/2007 | 65000 | 3 | 07/17/2007 |
| Tl*the contact owns a 2000 mercury cougar. the contact stated that there was a recall on the alternator battery cable. when the battery shorts out, it catches fire and also shorts out the alternator. while driving 35 mph, the cable caught fire, but it extinguished on its own. he took the vehicle to the dealer and they stated that his vin was not included in any recalls. the contact paid for the repair and wants to be reimbursed. ford refuses to reimburse him and advised him to call nhtsa. the current and failure mileages were 65,000. | |||
| 11/01/2004 | 65000 | 9 | 09/20/1999 |
| Went out to go to work one morning and car would not start, all systems completely dead, jumped car off next day and barely made it to garage, replaced battery 11/04, problems ever since with battery light constantly flashing as well as all interior and exterior lights flashing bright to dim day or night, was told 11/04 needed a new alternator, still have not gotten a new alternator and do not plan to at this point, received the recall on battery cable and rerouting and had that done, if this is a consistent problem with v-6 2000 mercury cougars the company should take care of this problem immediately, if driving at night and car completely stalls, all lights and controls are inoperable which will cause accident to self and/or others, this is a scary thought for a single female driving at night and in areas where cell phone doesn't always have a signal, ford should fix this battery/alternator problem asap before someone gets hurt and sues. *jb | |||
| 07/10/2006 | 122000 | 12 | 08/04/2003 |
| My 2000 mercury cougar has a problem with the battery light flashing intermittently and the head lights and interior lights flickering consistently. first i took it to two local repair shops who found no charging problems. the second shop provided me with a recall and recommended that i take it to the dealer. i took it to the ford dealer(with the recall paper work) and they first replaced the alternator (which didn't fix the problem) then replaced a connector (which didn't fix my problem). when i asked them to replace the battery cable to the alternator which is mentioned in the recall the service manager told me that he would have to replace a $1,900.00 wiring harness to do that. he recommended that i trade my car in. so i went out and bought a consumer reports used car buying guide to look for a reliable used car and i found a section in the back for recalls. under the '99-00 mercury cougar section it references this recall and says if necessary, replace the battery cable. i have filed a complaint with ford and plan to call the attorney generals consumer affairs division next. *jb | |||
| 01/30/2006 | 82000 | 1 | 01/14/2006 |
| Dt: the contact stated while driving at 50mph the vehicle stalled without warning. the vehicle was towed to the dealership. upon inspection the dealer found the battery wire had came loose from the alternator. the problem returned a second time under a similar circumstance, but the vehicle was driven to the dealer. the battery wire was reattached the second time. the contact found there was a previous recall for the battery cables, nhtsa campaign id # 01v031000. the vehicle was inspected on october 15, 2001 and there was no problem found. according to the records the recall is closed. | |||
| 08/01/2002 | 25000 | 4 | 01/25/2002 |
| Recall campaign 01v031000 concerning battery cable routing. consumer vehicle is experiencing intermittent problem with the hesitation and stalling. dealer replaced alternator twice, and repair shop once. however, the problem recurred. *ak | |||
| 12/15/2000 | |||
| When turning key to start vehicle there is a loud noise, not clicking sound, vehicle will not start. consumer has to take key out of ignition and try again, a couple of times before vehicle will start. to dealer who found nothing wrong. could be recall on battery cable routing.*ak | |||
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM - FUSES AND CIRCUIT BREAKERS | |||
| 09/24/2004 | 3 | ||
| While driving headlights flashed on and off intermittently. consumer pulled over. the lights came back on fifteen minutes later. then, consumer drove vehicle to the dealer, and mechanic determined that battery needed to be replaced. . but the problem recurred the next day. then, mechanic analyzed the problem, and informed consumer that the voltage sensor circuit needed to be replaced. *ak | |||
| 10/07/2000 | 4 | 06/01/2000 | |
| Lights flicker, then loses electrical power. alternator, 2 batteries, wiper motor, sensor, windshield (stress crack from bottom) replaced. requested on several occasions from bob site lincoln mercury service department that the mercury factory zone manager be contacted, and to have the zone manager contact me. each request was denied. i contacted mercury customer assistance and was told that only the dealership could contact the factory zone managers.*ak | |||
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM - IGNITION | |||
| 03/30/2004 | 4 | 02/21/2004 | |
| The car would stall without warning one time leaving me in the middle of a busy intersection. this time on a slight hill i sat stalled with hazard lights & headlights on but got rear ended by a motorist traveling 50 mph. had problem looked at & thought it was repaired but happened again. car is now totaled. air bag did not deploy and gas shut off valve didn't work because much later at tow yard car was started. it could of been my death! 6 days in hospital & no car.*ak | |||
| 23000 | 1 | ||
| Engine dies and vehicle loses power at anytime without warning. when this occurs power steering and brakes fail. *ak | |||
| 08/20/2003 | 4 | 04/10/2000 | |
| Vehicle shut off after being driven for half hour, and failed to start. the dealer replaced battery/alternator/ ignition switch, and relay, but the problem continued. *ak after all repairs were made, problems continued to exist. *ph. also the ball joint was replaced, the trunk release did not work. *jb | |||
| 02/08/2001 | 2 | 10/01/2000 | |
| Lights flickering, loss of electrical power, alternator needs replacement part, emission system malfunction, malfunctioning ignition. received poor service from dealer.*ak | |||
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM - IGNITION - SWITCH | |||
| 11/12/1999 | 6 | 11/01/1999 | |
| The vehicle has been taken in several times for these ongoing problems. the problems have occurred since the first week of having the vehicle. arbitration papers were filed but request was denied due to dealership not registering problems as well as indicating a part capable of fixing the problem, however the part did not. vehicle was taken to a new dealership who registered the compliants. dealership replaced the ignition switch but problems still remain. dealership told owners it was an electrical problem that would be to complicated to find. the vehicle is a lease and is used for traveling back and forth for a college student on highways where the vehicle has failed several times. *ak | |||
| 12/15/2000 | |||
| When turning key to start vehicle there is a loud noise, not clicking sound, vehicle will not start. consumer has to take key out of ignition and try again, a couple of times before vehicle will start. to dealer who found nothing wrong. could be recall on battery cable routing.*ak | |||
| 10/14/2000 | 1 | 05/01/2000 | |
| First noticed that hatchback indicator tone would not go off. then when key is put in ignition it won't turn sometimes. when clutch is engaged rpms will go as high as 4000. engine stalled while driving at 50 mph. took to dealership and was told they could find nothing wrong. | |||
| 03/02/2000 | |||
| At 2600 miles engine check light and airbag light came on, and key in ignition switch wasn't working. *ak | |||
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM - STARTER ASSEMBLY | |||
| 07/20/2000 | 1 | ||
| While driving at 55-60 mph consumer turned on air conditioner, then smelled smoke. turned air conditioner off. went to pull over, and brakes had failed. when vehicle came to stop, consumer opened hood and saw flames. put fire out, and had vehicle towed to dealer. dealer stated that starter had caused fire and replaced starter.*ak | |||
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM - WIRING | |||
| 01/07/2004 | 1 | ||
| Consumer stated that while driving down a hill vehicle died, and could not get it restarted. consumer had to coast down a hill into a gasoline station in order to stop and hit a pillar. vehicle was towed to a lincoln-mercury dealer, who told consumer that the problem was the fuel pump. also, after contacting the manufacturer they told the mechanic that there was a recall on consumer's vehicle concerning an electrical cable which caused the power to fail. *ak | |||
| 35000 | |||
| While driving at 30 mph the vehicle shut down and the consumer hit the curb. dealer contacted. please provide additional information. | |||
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM - WIRING - FRONT UNDERHOOD | |||
| 08/01/2000 | |||
| I have brought my car back to the dealership 5 times and no repairs have changed the problems on my car - now i received a recall notice on the v-6 engine having an electrical problem - if you are not the company i need to place my complaint with, please advise correct e-mail address, phone number, or address - thank you. *ak | |||
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM - WIRING - INTERIOR/UNDER DASH | |||
| 07/01/2000 | 1 | 11/01/1999 | |
| I feel the first problem i had resulted in the continuing degradation of this vehicle. no safety defect. *ak | |||