Faults:

The fuel pump.

Transmission at 35,000 miles.

The toe right after I got it.

My heater would only work on the highest setting which is 4.

The steering wheel always wants to go to the left when I stop.

Engine makes a knocking noise.

Engine makes a loud humming noise once in a while.

Catalytic converters at 68,000 miles.

Dome lights fades from bright to dim.

Check engine light always on, goes on a few hours after I have it serviced.

Air bag light flashes.

A/C stopped working at 30,000 miles.

Brake lights stay on permanently even when my headlights are not on.

General Comments:

The car handles very good.

Fast for a little car that is stock.

The dims on the headlights aren't very bright.

A lot has gone wrong with this car, the first week I had it, it was in the shop, a lot of things go wrong with this type of car.

Faults:

Name it. I replaced the exhaust system at 52,980 miles, I replaced the fuel pump at 54,000, battery and alternator at 58,500, and all the fuses last week. Now, the car will not even start.

General Comments:

Buying this car was the biggest mistake of my life. If I could do things over, I would have kept the '92 Jeep I had. It had 275,000 miles and I only had to do maintenance once on the harmonic balancer. This car doesn't wait for the first repair before the next issue comes up. I'll bless the day I wave goodbye to that curse.

Faults:

I too have had problems with the car stopping especially when idling. The dealer said it was a computer problem and was finally resolved at about 15,000 miles.

I have had the alternator replaced twice (10,000 and 39,000).

The water pump was replaced at 35,978 (barely under the warranty).

The transmission (manual) is starting to stick. Sometimes, it will not allow me to shift into first gear when completed stopped. The mechanic said it is a $900 fix. I'm driving it until it won't go anymore.

It is acting up again at 51,000 making me wonder whether a new water pump is in the near future.

I too have had problems with the trunk latch sticking and the radio plate popping out. Annoyances to be sure, but not that big of a deal.

General Comments:

Disappointing overall. To have 3 major repairs in 4.5 years with two more lurking on the horizon is disappointing especially given the quality of the Mercury Lynx I owned before this Cougar.

Excellent styling and very fun to drive, especially in the curves.

Faults:

The only problem that I have had was a malfunctioning trunk release button. This happened two weeks after I purchased the car. The warranty of course fixed it. I have not had any mechanical problems since 1999.

General Comments:

I have customized my car by adding larger size wheels and tires, which increased the overall performance of the car. I have also added exterior modifications pin striping, and layered paint. I am very happy with my Cougar. I must have gotten a diamond in the rough. If people would take care of their vehicles; they might find out that the vehicle will perform as it is specified to do so.

I have been stopped numerous times by people asking the question. What type of car that is. They do not believe it is a Cougar. I keep all of my cars in custom shape. When I do sell it. Someone will definitely enjoy this car.

I cannot speak for other Cougar owners, but I would definitely recommend the vehicle if you are looking for a dependable road vehicle. If you want performance; buy a Corvette or better yet a Viper. I plan to sell mine soon, or keep it since Ford discontinued the Cougar. Why? Please bring back the redesigned Cougar. Mustang is going back to its previous 1960 root design. Cougar should follow. Trust me on this comment.

My car has excellent acceleration. It will do the quarter in 12.24 seconds. Anyone that is familiar with Cougars of this particular model will find that to be excellent. Of course it is not a 10 second car. It is only a 4 Cylinder with huge modifications.