no report yet
Electrical system: ignition
Risk. THIS CONDITION COULD CAUSE OVERHEATING, SMOKE, AND POSSIBLY FIRE IN THE STEERING COLUMN AREA OF THE VEHICLE.
1991 Mercury CougarProblems, recalls & complaints
NHTSA has logged 73 owner complaints about the 1991 Mercury Cougar, most often about the engine and engine cooling. It is covered by 3 safety recalls.
Source: NHTSA complaints, recalls, investigations and manufacturer recall reports, through January 14, 2009. Updated daily.
Complaints by system
Where the 1991 Mercury Cougar has problems
73 complaints grouped by the system owners reported.
17Engine and engine cooling1 crash/fire/injury
11Electrical system7 crash/fire/injury
11Service brakes, hydraulic1 crash/fire/injury
9Seat belts3 crash/fire/injury
9Vehicle speed control1 crash/fire/injury
8Exterior lighting1 crash/fire/injury
6Visibility1 crash/fire/injury
5Fuel system, gasoline
4Suspension
97 other systems3 crash/fire/injury
| System | Complaints | Crash, fire or injury |
|---|---|---|
| Engine and engine cooling | 17 | 1 |
| Electrical system | 11 | 7 |
| Service brakes, hydraulic | 11 | 1 |
| Seat belts | 9 | 3 |
| Vehicle speed control | 9 | 1 |
| Exterior lighting | 8 | 1 |
| Visibility | 6 | 1 |
| Fuel system, gasoline | 5 | 1 |
| Suspension | 4 | 0 |
| 7 other systems | 9 | 3 |
Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation. Complaints are submitted by the public and are not verified by NHTSA.
3 recalls
1991 Mercury Cougar recalls and how many were fixed
Each ring shows the share of affected cars repaired, from the manufacturer’s latest quarterly report to NHTSA. Recall repairs are free at authorized dealers.
no report yet
Windshield wiper/washer: motor
Risk. CHANGES IN THE WIPER PATTERN OR JAMMING OF THE WIPERSWOULD RESULT IN REDUCED DRIVER VISIBILTY IN INCLEMENT WEATHER CONDITIONS.
no report yet
Power train: automatic transmission
Risk. IF PARK IS NOT ENGAGED AND THE PARKING BRAKE IS OFF, AVEHICLE ROLL-AWAY COULD RESULT.
Recalls apply to specific cars. To see whether a recall is still open on yours, enter the 17-character VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls or with Mercury.
Best & worst years
1991 vs. every other Cougar year
Bars show complaints per model year. Colors show the CarFlaw verdict: complaints weighted for crashes, fires and injuries, adjusted for years on the road and compared with the Cougar median. How we score
'67'68'69'70'71'72'73'74'75'76'77'78'79'80'82'83'84'85'86'87'88'89'90'91'92'93'94'95'96'97'98'99'00'01'02
- Avoid
- Caution
- Solid
- Best
- Not rated
NHTSA crash tests
1991 Mercury Cougar safety ratings
1991 Mercury Cougar 2-DR. in NHTSA's New Car Assessment Program. Photos are from NHTSA's crash tests.
- Stability control: No
- Forward collision warning: No
- Lane departure warning: No
2 investigations
NHTSA defect investigations
Federal investigations that included the 1991 Mercury Cougar, and the recalls they led to.
- THRTTL VLV LINKAGE BUSHINGNo recall
- THRTTL VLV LINKAGE BUSHINGNo recall
In owners' words
What Cougar owners report
Recent engine and engine cooling complaints filed with NHTSA, shortened. Personal details are removed.
THE CAR STARTS AND RUNS WELL. BUT EVER SO OFTEN WITHOUT ANY WARNING THE ENGINE WILL STALL, AND THEN IT WILL CRANK RIGHT UP. LUCKY FOR ME IT HASN'T STALLED WHILE I WAS MAKING A LEFT TURN WITH A SEMI BARRELING DOWN ON ME.
VEHICLE WAS ACTING SLUGGISH AND WHITE MOKE CAME FORM TAILPIPE. VEHICLE WAS GOING 35MPH AND OVERHEATED, CAUSING DRIVER TO PULL OVER. CONSUMER INDICATED THAT CONTINUING TO DRIVE WILL CAUSE HEAD TO WARP. DEALER WAS NOTIFIED. *AK *TT
WHILE DRIVING 15-20 MPH VEHICLE BEGAN TO OVERHEAT, CONSUMER PULLED INTO SERVICE STATION TO HAVE VEHICLE INSPECTED, THE SERVICE MECHANIC STATED THAT THE HEAD GASKETS HAD BLOWN. DEALER HAS YET TO BE CONTATCED. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER DETAILS. *AK
Own a 1991 Cougar?
Decode your VIN to see the recalls for your exact car, then confirm open recalls with NHTSA.