Problems owners report
Complaints filed with NHTSA about the 2002 Mercury Cougar, by the system named in each complaint. One complaint can name several.
- Fuel system, gasoline41
- Engine and engine cooling11
- Power train10
- Engine9
- Air bags7
- Visibility6
- Vehicle speed control4
- Electrical system4
- Fuel/propulsion system4
- Fuel system, other4
NHTSA ODI complaints (public domain) · updated 23 Oct 2026 · 12 injuries and 0 deaths reported
Compared with other years
NHTSA ODI complaints by model year
Fatal crashes in the US
From 2020 to 2023, 3 2002 Cougar vehicles were involved in crashes on US public roads in which someone died; 5 people died inside them, and 2 of the vehicles rolled over. This is a count, not a crash rate: it grows with the number of cars on the road.
NHTSA Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS), crash years 2020–2023 (public domain)
New York safety inspections
At its first New York inspection the 2002 Mercury Cougar failed the safety check 3.33% of the time — 66% more often than the average 2002 passenger car (2.00%). Median odometer at inspection: 98,891 miles.
NY DMV Vehicle Inspections (vezn-fmmk), initial inspections since Aug 2021 · how we count
Recalls
ON CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES, CONTAMINATION OF THE FILTER IN THE FUEL DELIVERY MODULE (FDM) CAN REDUCE, AND EVENTUALLY BLOCK, THE FLOW OF FUEL TO THE ENGINE.
Whether a recall was fixed on a particular car is known only to the manufacturer: check the VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
NHTSA recalls · summaries in NHTSA's own words
Service bulletins
What Mercury told its dealers about the 2002 Mercury Cougar: known faults, fixes and updates.
| Bulletin | Summary |
|---|---|
| 637798 | SUBJECT REGARDING WIPER BLADE EDGE GUARD PROTECTORS. *TT |
| 637575 | BATTERY LAMP ON, HOWEVER THE CHARGING SYSTEM IS FUNCTIONING PROPERLY. *TT |
| 637571 | SOME VEHICLES MAY EXHIBIT DIAGNOSTIC TROUBLE CODE B1213, B1342, B1601, B2431. *TT |
| 637515 | SOME VEHICLES MAY EXHIBIT A BUZZING NOISE COMING FROM THE DASH NEAR THE CLIMATE CONTROL SYSTEM WITH LESS THAN 6 MONTHS OF SERVICE. *TT |
| 636386 | SOME COUGARS MAY EXHIBIT HIGHER THAN NORMAL STEERING EFFORTS AND / OR STEERING SYSTEM LEAKS. *TT |
| 636219 | SOME VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH A 2.5L ENGINE MAY EXHIBIT MULTIPLE MISFIRE DIAGNOSTIC TROUBLE CODES WITH NO DRIVEABILITY CONCERNS NOTED. *TT |
| 636065 | INFORMATION REGARDING DISCHARGED BATTERY CHARGING SERVICE TIPS AND GUIDELINES. *TT |
| 636049 | THIS BULLETIN INVOLVES PROPER PROCEDURES FOR PREPARATION OF SERVICE SHEET METAL PARTS COATED WITH ELECTRO DEPOSITION PRIMER (E-COAT). *TT |
| 630685 | CONCERN WITH HEADLAMPS AND/OR INSTRUMENT PANEL LAMPS DIMMING SLIGHTLY AT IDLE. *TT |
| 630631 | SOME VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH THE CD4E TRANSAXLE MAY EXHIBIT HARSH AND DELAYED 1-2/2-3 UPSHIFTS AFTER TRANSAXLE OR TURBINE SHAFT SPEED SENSOR REPLACEMENT, POSSIBLE DIAGNOSTIC TROUBLE CODES 628, 642, 645, 646, 647, 648, P0731, P0732, P0734, P0741 AND P01744. *TT |
| 630589 | SOME VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH A DURATEC ENGINE MAY EXPERIENCE ENGINE DAMAGE AS A RESULT OF MICROSCOPIC INTERNAL CRACKS IN A BATCH OF INTAKE VALVES. *TT |
| 630515 | ENGINE OIL SYSTEM PRIMING PROCEDURES, SERVICE TIPS FOR REPORTS OF PREMATURE ENGINE FAILURE. *TT |
| 630327 | SOME VEHICLES MAY EXHIBIT A CONDITION WHERE THE DEFROSTER GRILLE EDGES LIFT OUT OF THE DASH PAD. *TT |
| 630001 | SOME ENGINE ASSEMBLIES WITH ALUMINUM CYLINDER HEADS REPAIRED IN-VEHILE HAVE BEEN FOUND TO LEAK COOLANT AND/OR OIL FROM THE CYLINDER HEAD GASKET AREA. *TT |
| 627927 | SOME VEHICLES MAY EXHIBIT VACUUM OR AIR LEAKS IN THE INTAKE MANIFOLD AND / OR ENGINE SYSTEM CAUSING DIAGNOSTIC TROUBLE CODES P0171 AND OR P0174. *TT |
| 627754 | SOME VEHICLES MAY EXHIBIT CONDENSATION IN THE HEADLAMPS. *TT |
| 625715 | BRAKE SHIFT INTERLOCK.*JB |
| 623988 | INFORMATION REGARDING TRANSMISSION FLUID USAGE CHARTS. *SLC |
| 623944 | SOME VEHICLES MAY EXHIBIT HEATER CORE LEAKS. *SLC |
| 10014086 | GENERAL (PCM) POWER TRAIN CONTROL MODULE PROGRAMMING PROCEDURES. *TT |
| 10013369 | GENERAL POWER TRAIN CONTROL MODULE (PCM) PROGRAMMING PROCEDURES. *TT |
| 10013116 | MALFUNCTION INDICATOR LAMP (MIL) ILLUMINATED - SYSTEM LEAN DIAGNOSTIC TROUBLE CODES (DTC'S) - SERVICE TIPS. VARIOUS MODELS INCLUDING 2004 F-SERIES. *TT |
| 10013115 | STEERING COLUMN SHIPPED WITHOUT CRUSH PAD - REUSE ORIGINAL CRUSH PAD IF NOT DAMAGED. *TT |
| 10013076 | COOLANT LAMP ILLUMINATED AFTER CLUSTER REPLACEMENT. *TT |
| 10013060 | CLIMATE CONTROL A/C SERVICE TECH TIPS. *EH |
NHTSA manufacturer communications (public domain)