My 2000 Cougar only starts when it's warm outside. During the winter the starter spins but won't actually turn the engine over. The only way I can get it to work is trying it several times in a row, or sometimes shifting through gears or moving the car.

On several occasions it has left me stranded after refusing to start.

The only thing that helped was getting a new starter, but for most people that isn't an option. Starters are expensive, and on the Cougar it is very difficult to switch out; I also don't know if replacing the starter will permanently fix anything because a friend of mine had the same problem with her Cougar and she had to replace it again a couple years later

only starts when its warm outside, only in summer

it only starts when it wants to, it cranks over fine, but when it does not want to start it wont, in some cases it will start if i unplug the massive air flow sensor, after starting i plug it back in, in other cases if i turn the ignition on and off a few times rapidly, then turn it over it has started, in an other case i pumped the gas peddal to the floor once and it started, but it usally starts when its 60 or warmer outside. i have takin it in to a few places to be repaired, with no luck, cost me money to have it looked at, but nobody has figured it out yet, one place even put a new fuel pump and fuel filter in it costing $630.30, it still has the same problem, anyway here i sit.