Model year record
1994 Mercury Cougar recalls & problems
The 1994 Mercury Cougar has no safety recalls on file with NHTSA, and 137 owner complaints. The most-reported problem area is power train (36 complaints).
Safety recalls
No safety recalls have been filed for the 1994 Mercury Cougar.
Recall repairs are free at any authorised dealer. A recall listed here may already have been fixed on a particular car: enter its 17-character VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls to see open recalls.
Crash test ratings
1994 Mercury Cougar 2-DR.
| Frontal crash | Not Rated |
|---|---|
| Side crash | Not Rated |
| Rollover | Not Rated |
NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings (New Car Assessment Program). Ratings are comparable only between vehicles of similar size and weight, and ratings from 2011 on use tougher tests than earlier years. Photos: NHTSA.
Fuel economy
Cougar
| City / highway | 17 / 24 mpg |
|---|---|
| Fuel | Regular Gasoline |
3.8 L · 6 cyl · Automatic 4-spd · Rear-Wheel Drive · about $3,550/year to fuel
Cougar
| City / highway | 16 / 23 mpg |
|---|---|
| Fuel | Regular Gasoline |
4.6 L · 8 cyl · Automatic 4-spd · Rear-Wheel Drive · about $3,700/year to fuel
EPA estimates from fueleconomy.gov for each engine and transmission sold. Annual cost is the EPA's estimate for 15,000 miles a year at its current fuel and electricity price assumptions. Your results will vary.
What owners report
| Problem area | Complaints | Typical mileage* |
|---|---|---|
| Power trainAutomatic transmission; Automatic transmission › Torque converter | 36 | 89,500 mi |
| Service brakes, hydraulicAntilock/traction control/electronic limited slip; Foundation components › Disc › Rotor | 33 | — |
| Engine and engine coolingEngine; Engine › Gasoline | 33 | 73,500 mi |
| Vehicle speed controlAccelerator pedal; Cruise control | 11 | — |
| Air bagsFrontal | 10 | — |
| VisibilityPower window devices and controls; Windshield | 7 | — |
| Fuel system, gasolineDelivery › Fuel pump; Carburetor system | 7 | — |
| SuspensionFront › Springs › Coil springs; Front | 7 | — |
| Electrical systemIgnition › Switch; Wiring › Fuses and circuit breakers | 6 | — |
| StructureBody; Body › Door | 5 | — |
| Unknown or other | 5 | — |
| Seat beltsFront › Buckle assembly; Front › Retractor | 4 | — |
*Median odometer reading when the problem happened, where owners gave one. One complaint can name several problem areas.
Recent owner complaints
- Air bags
TAKATA RECALL.... JUST LOOKING FOR ANY RECALLS ON MY CAR,,,,WHOLE FRONT END FELL OUT..
- Power train › Automatic transmission
TRANSMISSION FAILURE, NUMEROUS TIMES. *JB
- Exterior lighting › Brake lights
3RD BRAKE LIGHT/HIGH MOUNT STOP LAMP IN THE REAR WINDOW. THE EXCESSIVE HEAT FROM THE BULBS THAT ARE USED CAUSED THE PLASTIC HOUSING THAT THE BULBS ARE IN TO MELT AROUND THE BULB ALONG WITH THE ACTUAL HARNESS THAT THE BULB IS PLUGGED INTO. SINCE I AM NOT THE FIRST OWNER OF MY CAR, I'M SURE THE INCIDENT DATE IS NOT TODAY BUT HAS BEEN AN ONGOING PROBLEM. *JB
- Power train › Automatic transmission
I BOUGHT A 1994 MERCURY COUGAR VIN# [XXX]. I WAS THE SECOND OWNER AND IT HAD ONLY 29K ON IT BACK IN JULY 1997. WELL MY TRANSMISSION WENT OUT BEFORE 68K AND THE COUGAR IS RATTLING APART. I HEARD LATER THAT THERE WAS A RECALL ON THE 3.8 MOTOR FOR THE BLOWER BY WHICH I'M HAVING NOW BUT BEING OVER 100K THEY SAID IT HAD TO BE BY A CERTAIN DATE AND UNDER 100K BUT I WAS NEVER TOLD OR NOTIFIED. FOUND OUT FROM A MECHANIC FRIEND. DON'T KNOW WHAT I CAN DO ABOUT IT. I HAD TO REPLACE THE TRANSMISSION COMPLETELY BECAUSE THE LOW END SHIFT PLATE WAS FAULTY ON THOSE MODELS TOO. ENGINE KEEPS GETTING HOT AND BURNING OFF RADIATOR FLUID. *JB UPDATED 07/16/2012 *JS INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF…
- Electrical system › Wiring › Front underhoodFire
DT: ON 6/21/2005 WHILE DRIVING AT NIGHT IN CLEAR CONDITIONS ON DRY PAVEMENT THE VEHICLE STALLED AND CAUGHT ON FIRE. THE SPEED WAS ABOUT 5-7 MPH. THERE WERE NO BRAKES, NO ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, NO POWER STEERING, NO ENGINE SOUND, NO LIFE IN THE VEHILCE AT ALL. THERE WAS NO WARNING LIGHTS THAT CAME ON. THE VEHILCLE HAD BEEN DRIVEN FOR ABOUT 45 MINUTES AND 40 MILES BEFORE THIS OCCURRED. THEN, THE VEHICLE SAT FOR ABOUT 2 HOURS.THE VEHICLE WAS DRIVING FINE, AND WAS SERVICED A A WEEK PRIOR TO THE INCIDENT. THE VEHICLE WAS PUT ON THE DIAGNOSTIC THAT DAY AND EVERYTHING LOOKED FINE, BESIDES THE BRAKE LIGHTS HAD TO BE REPAIRED, BUT IT WAS NOT THE FUSE THAT HAD TO BE REPAIRED, OWNER WAS UNSURE WHAT…
- Electrical system › Ignition
THE VEHICLE FAILED TO START DUE TO A FAILURE IN THE IGNITION STARTER SYSTEM. THE STARTER WAS REMOVED AND INSPECTED BY A STARTER SPECIALIST, HOWEVER NO PROBLEM WAS FOUND. THE STARTER WAS REINSTALLED. THE VEHICLE STILL FAILED TO START. THE IGNITION CYLINDER TURNS ALL THE WAY AROUND ALSO. THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN SITTING IN THE GARAGE FOR A YEAR DUE TO THIS PROBLEM BECAUSE THE CAUSE COULDN'T BE FOUND. *JB
- Suspension › Front › Springs › Coil springs
THE FRONT COIL SPRINGS BROKE WITHOUT WARNING. AS A RESULT WHEN DRIVING AT ANY SPEED THE VEHICLE VEERED TO THE RIGHT. *JB
- Air bags
AFTER STARTING THE VEHICLE THE CONSUMER HEARD A LOUD BEEPING NOISE COMING FROM THE PASSENGER SIDE AIR BAG COMPARTMENT. DEALERSHIP WAS NOTIFIED, BUT DID NOT RESOLVE THE PROBLEM. *AK *NM
Owner complaints are submitted to NHTSA by the public and are not verified. Shown as filed (NHTSA removes personal details); long reports are shortened.
NHTSA defect investigations
- ENGINE COMPARTMENT FIREClosed
There is no summary currently available