10.0
really awful- Crashes / Fires:
- 2 / 0
- Injuries / Deaths:
- 0 / 0
- Average Mileage:
- 2,006 miles
About These NHTSA Complaints:
The NHTSA is the US gov't agency tasked with vehicle safety. Complaints can be spread across multiple & redundant categories, & are not organized by problem. See the Back button — blue bar at the very top of the page — to explore more.
« Read the previous 20 complaints
Rear brakes have been replaced 3 times within 10 months.
- Rock Port, MO, USA
Front brakes squeak and rear brakes groan, tsb issued a statement about replacing the rotors and brake pads, brakes still squeak after repair.
- Ben Lomond, CA, USA
Ive had problems with this car since I drove it off the lot almost every month it is in the shop for the same reasons first the radio has been fixed twice and then finally replaced the speakers have been replaced and that has yet to solve the problem, my trunk release on my car has been worked on atleast 4 times and they still think it is not a problem but they dont open it every day either, starting in January of 2000 I called the dealership 6 or more times complaining about the brakes and every time they worked on it they said all brakes pulsate and squeek a little but low and behold a recall letter suprised me in the mail today, my sunroof was in the shop dont know the date because it was squeeking and the panel that surround the keys was loose they"fixed" but the day I got it out of the shop for getting the radio replaced the sunroof quit totally, just talked to them today and they said they have had several people with the same problem it appears that the wiring in the sunroof it worn out I asked if this was normal for a car that was a year old and they said it was just from being opened and closed but im sorry its only a year old they said it is a $1200 dollar problem to fix without labor and couldnt garuantee that it wouldnt have to be replaced next year again. The alarm system randomly goes off and wont shut off its actually called a panic system but goes off like an alarm system after asking other Cougar owners about theirs and comparing notes looks like we have all had the same things going wrong except a friend of mine has already had her engine rebuilt at 20,000 miles ------help me before mine goes out to. Thank you
- New Albany, IN, USA
On 8-01-00, with a California highway patrolman as a witness, the brakes on my grand daughters car failed completely (pedal to floor), upon pumping the pedal the brakes then locked up and the car went into an uncontrolled skid striking a stopped vehicle. This happened on the freeway in a construction zone and we are unsure of the vehicle speed at the time of impact. She was traveling at approximately 45 mph at the time of the initial brake failure. Fortunately no one was injured (although my grand daughter's head did strike the windshield) and very little damage was done to either vehicle. Both front tires now have severe cuts and abrasions across their width, approximately 6 to 8 inches long, where the newly formed grooves in the highway shredded the tires upon brake lockup. Failed components: 1) brakes - complete failure, then severe lockup. 2) air bags - neither the driver nor passenger air bags deployed upon impact. 3) selt belts - seat belts failed to lockup upon impact. The chp officer, who was sitting in the construction zone area, stated that he saw the entire incident and expressed his concern that with the severity of the impact that the air bags had not deployed. The brake rotors, calipers and pads on this vehicle were replaced and/or rebuilt by Ford under warranty at 32K miles. We have so far been unsuccessful in contacting Ford/Mercury about these problems, and the dealers seem to be at a loss on how to check the failed components. Their attitude is one of disbelief since the cars were not severly damaged. When will it happen again?
- Poway, CA, USA
Consumer was traveling 40mph & had brake failure. Consumer had to use the emergency brake & move off of expressway. Dealer determined the ABS pump module sprung a leak & lost of all hyfraulic brake fluid. The warranty expired because of mileage. ABS booster pump, master cylinder and other components also replaced. Vehicle had to return for repairs within 24 hours of picking up vehicle after initial repairs.
- Bartlett, IL, USA
Within one month of ownership brakes and rotors failed (May 5, 1999) and again in (July 1999). Mjs
- College Park, GA, USA
Brakes continually make grinding noise since ownership, several repairs and inspections to vehicle with no remedy, consumer almost in vehicle accident due to loss of brake ability, however no remedy at this time for brake failure and noise.
- Suitland, MD, USA
Brakes failed. Mjs
- Detroit, MI, USA
When putting vehicle into reverse and applying the brakes, there is a loud squeaking noise coming from the vehicle.
- Red Oak, IA, USA
Since purchase of vehicle brakes have continually experienced squeaking and grinding noise, tsb #12260 states the cause may be from the silver dacromet coating on the rotors, which are embedding itself into the pads, no current repairs to rectify at this time.
- Decatur, GA, USA
- Peoria, IL, USA