no report yet
Doors: latch
Risk. THE DRIVER'S DOOR, WHEN CLOSED ONLY TO THE SECONDARY LATCHED POSITION, MAY NOT SUSTAIN A 1,000 POUND TRANSVERSE LOAD.
1996 Mercury CougarProblems, recalls & complaints
NHTSA has logged 62 owner complaints about the 1996 Mercury Cougar, most often about the engine and engine cooling. It is covered by 2 safety recalls.
Source: NHTSA complaints, recalls, investigations and manufacturer recall reports, through August 24, 2011. Updated daily.
Complaints by system
Where the 1996 Mercury Cougar has problems
62 complaints grouped by the system owners reported.
21Engine and engine cooling
6Service brakes, hydraulic
5Structure
5Vehicle speed control
5Visibility
4Power train
4Tires
3Seat belts
3Electrical system
147 other systems1 crash/fire/injury
| System | Complaints | Crash, fire or injury |
|---|---|---|
| Engine and engine cooling | 21 | 0 |
| Service brakes, hydraulic | 6 | 0 |
| Structure | 5 | 0 |
| Vehicle speed control | 5 | 0 |
| Visibility | 5 | 0 |
| Power train | 4 | 1 |
| Tires | 4 | 0 |
| Seat belts | 3 | 1 |
| Electrical system | 3 | 1 |
| 7 other systems | 14 | 1 |
Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation. Complaints are submitted by the public and are not verified by NHTSA.
2 recalls
1996 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
Appliance: air conditioner
Risk. BLOWER MALFUNCTIONS LIMITING OR STOPPING OUTPUT CAN ADVERSELY AFFECT WINDSHIELD DEFROSTING AND DEFOGGING PERFORMANCE INCREASING THE POTENTIAL FOR A VEHICLE…
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
1996 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
1996 Mercury Cougar safety ratings
1996 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
1 investigation
NHTSA defect investigations
Federal investigations that included the 1996 Mercury Cougar, and the recalls they led to.
- BLOWER SWITCH/RESISTOR OR WIRING HARNESSLed to recall 01I009000
In owners' words
What Cougar owners report
Recent engine and engine cooling complaints filed with NHTSA, shortened. Personal details are removed.
TL * THE CONTACT OWNS A 1996 MERCURY COUGAR. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS LEAKING ANTI FREEZE ABNORMALLY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A LOCAL REPAIR SHOP WHERE THE CONTACT WAS ADVISED THAT THE PLASTIC INTAKE MANIFOLD WAS FRACTURED AND WOULD NEED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED.…
WHILE DRIVING MY 1996 COUGAR THIS PAST SEPTEMBER, WHICH HAS ONLY 40,360 MILES ON IT AND IS STORED MOST OF THE YEAR FOR THE PURPOSES OF COLLECTING AND PRESERVING THE VEHICLE INDEFINITELY, AT LOW SPEEDS I NOTICED THE OBVIOUS SIGN OF COOLANT AND THE SMELL OF COOLANT COMING FROM UP UNDER THE HOOD. I…
1996 MERCURY COUGAR V6 3.8 LITER ENGINE. HEAD GASKET FAILURE. THIS ENGINE HAS NEVER OVERHEATED. ROUGHLY 80,000 MILES. $1200-1500 ESTIMATE FOR REPAIR. *NM
Own a 1996 Cougar?
Decode your VIN to see the recalls for your exact car, then confirm open recalls with NHTSA.