RecallMyCar

1999 Mercury Cougar Recalls, Complaints & Specs

7 safety recalls list the 1999 Mercury Cougar, and owners have filed 454 complaints with NHTSA. Check your own VIN below.

7
safety recalls
454
owner complaints to NHTSA
23 / 3
complaints citing a crash / fire
20–25
MPG combined (EPA)

7 safety recalls for the 1999 Mercury Cougar

Most recent first. Recall repairs are free at any authorised dealer. Click a recall for the full defect, consequence and remedy text.

  1. Fuel system, gasoline

    NHTSA 04V421000 Reported 88,600 vehicles potentially affected FORD MOTOR COMPANY

    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.

    Remedy: This action is deemed a safety improvement campaign and is not being conducted under the safety act. All owners will be notified of the problem, and dealers will replace the fdm with a new design at no charge if the…

  2. Electrical system

    NHTSA 01V230000 Reported 342,962 vehicles potentially affected FORD MOTOR COMPANY

    On certain my 1996-1998 passenger vehicles built at the kansas city, cuautitlan assembly plants or on my 1999 passenger vehcles built at the automotive alliance international assembly plants, the rough surface of the heater blower resistor's stainless steel blades can damage the copper surface of the wiring harness connector. The damage…

    Remedy: Dealers will install a new heater blower resistor and a new wire jumper harness. Owner notification began august 29, 2001. Owners who take their vehicles to an authorized dealer on an agreed upon service date and do…

  3. Cables (electrical system)

    NHTSA 01V031000 Reported 120,000 vehicles potentially affected FORD MOTOR COMPANY

    Vehicle description: passenger vehicles equipped with 2.5l v6 engines. The battery cable was misrouted and its attachment to the alternator cable was under-torqued. If misrouted, the cable could contact the power steering line and the insulation could wear, resulting in an electrical short.

    Remedy: Dealers will inspect the battery cable to the alternator for damage and, if it is damaged, will replace the cable. Additionally, the routing of the cable will be corrected, as necessary, and a routing clip will be…

  4. Switch (exterior lighting)

    NHTSA 01V032000 Reported 33,000 vehicles potentially affected FORD MOTOR COMPANY

    Vehicle description: passenger vehicles. The brake lamp switch terminals could overheat.

    Remedy: Dealers will install a new stop lamp extension harness with bronze terminals at the brake lamp switch connector, and also inspect the brake lamp switch for signs of overheating and replace, as required. Owner…

  5. Foundation components (service brakes)

    NHTSA 00V075000 Reported 436,200 vehicles potentially affected FORD MOTOR COMPANY

    Vehicle description: passenger vehicles not equipped with the anti-lock braking system (ABS). A pressure conscious reducing valve (pcrv) in the rear brakes may be subject to corrosion and result in malfunction, when operated in areas that use salt compounds on the roadway for de-icing or dust control.

    Remedy: Dealers will install improved pcrv's in the rear brake system. This recall was expanded in september 2000 to include 1999 and 2000 ford contour, mercury mystique and cougar vehicles.

  6. Latch (latches/locks/linkages)

    NHTSA 99V226000 Reported 10,011 vehicles potentially affected FORD MOTOR COMPANY

    Vehicle description: passenger vehicles. The door latch may have been manufactured with a latch pawl that has a coating which will swell in high humidity conditions. The latch pawl may then stick in the open or unlatched position.

    Remedy: Dealers will install a revised side door latch.

  7. Vehicle speed control

    NHTSA 99V194000 Reported 159,565 vehicles potentially affected FORD MOTOR COMPANY

    Vehicle description: passenger vehicles. The accelerator cable may have been manufactured with a burr on or near the end of the cable sleeve interior. This burr could fray the core wire resulting in the accelerator not returning to idle when the accelerator is released.

    Remedy: Dealers will install a revised accelerator cable that has a flared conduit sleeve end and molded on end fitting.

454 owner complaints filed with NHTSA

Owners of the 1999 Mercury Cougar have filed 454 complaints with NHTSA; 23 describe a crash and 3 describe a fire. Reports cite 27 injuries and 1 death. The average mileage at failure in those reports is 74,100 miles. Complaints peaked in 2000 with 81 filed that year.

Most-reported components

What owners are reporting

“Yes, i purchased my vehicle in july of 2017. When i test drove the vehicle, everything seemed perfectly fine. Yet, the day i received it, i went to the gas station to fill up. Upon returning home, 1 m”

Owner complaint to NHTSA, December 12, 2017 · Fuel/propulsion system

“I got in my car one day after work in the parking lot and started my car and my AIRBAG light was on. It stayed on for three days and is no longer on. It seems like no one wants to take account or prov”

Owner complaint to NHTSA, January 25, 2017 · Air bags

Fuel economy and specs

EPA ratings for the 1999 Mercury Cougar. Ranges cover every tested configuration.

Combined20–25 mpg
City / Highway17–21 / 26–31
FuelRegular
EPA classCompact Cars
Engine4/6 cyl, 2/2.5 L
TransmissionAutomatic 4-spd; Manual 5-spd

Compare Mercury Cougar model years

Recall and complaint counts for every Mercury Cougar model year in NHTSA's database.

Model yearRecallsComplaints
1962 Mercury Cougar01
1967 Mercury Cougar20
1968 Mercury Cougar10
1969 Mercury Cougar40
1970 Mercury Cougar10
1971 Mercury Cougar10
1972 Mercury Cougar10
1973 Mercury Cougar02
1974 Mercury Cougar20
1975 Mercury Cougar20
1976 Mercury Cougar10
1977 Mercury Cougar30
1978 Mercury Cougar12
1979 Mercury Cougar20
1980 Mercury Cougar12
1982 Mercury Cougar32
1983 Mercury Cougar22
1984 Mercury Cougar117
1985 Mercury Cougar110
1986 Mercury Cougar213
1987 Mercury Cougar133
1988 Mercury Cougar155
1989 Mercury Cougar481
1990 Mercury Cougar386
1991 Mercury Cougar373
1992 Mercury Cougar392
1993 Mercury Cougar3195
1994 Mercury Cougar0137
1995 Mercury Cougar0109
1996 Mercury Cougar262
1997 Mercury Cougar076
1998 Mercury Cougar01
1999 Mercury Cougar7454
2000 Mercury Cougar3211
2001 Mercury Cougar182
2002 Mercury Cougar195

Checking a specific 1999 Mercury Cougar

How do I know if my 1999 Mercury Cougar has an open recall?

Enter your 17-character VIN above. The VIN is on the driver's side dashboard (visible through the windshield), the driver's door jamb sticker, and your registration or insurance card. The check runs against NHTSA's live database and tells you which campaigns list your vehicle. 7 campaigns currently list the 1999 Mercury Cougar; your car may already have been repaired under some of them.

Is the recall repair free?

Yes. Under federal law, manufacturers must fix safety recalls at no charge for vehicles up to 15 years old from the date of sale to the first owner. Contact any authorised Mercury dealer with your VIN and the NHTSA campaign number (for example 00V075000).

What is the difference between a recall and a complaint?

A recall is a safety campaign filed by the manufacturer or ordered by NHTSA, with a defined defect and remedy. A complaint is a report an owner sent to NHTSA; it is not verified, but patterns of complaints are what trigger NHTSA investigations and, eventually, recalls.

Other Mercury models

Source: NHTSA recall and complaint databases and EPA fuel economy data, October 2026. Complaint counts are owner reports to NHTSA, not verified defects. Recall counts are safety campaigns that list this model year; whether a particular car was already repaired depends on its VIN. How this data is compiled.