Faults:

Beside the Common Mossing problem (the loud noise from intake valve motor) that I fixed for $300 - Witch came back 2 months later, its been pretty trouble free till the Manual Transmission started giving me trouble, it makes a ticking noise on Idle, (the noise goes away as I push the clutch in) the dealer says I need a transmission over haul ($1400).

General Comments:

My Boyfriend likes it a lot, and so do I, I had an Eclipse before buying my cougar, and I did not like Mitsubishi at all, the Cougar is more roomier, and does not feel cheap made and by no means light like the Eclipse did. I think it's a good car, I just have bad luck with cars as my boyfriend says.

Faults:

As everyone knows the trunk latch doesn't work.

It is dangerous on slippery roads.

The fuel pump quit (replaced and then costs refunded after recall)

The heat is very poor, have to wear winter boots and parka in it while driving.

Sometimes will not start on a hot day and you will be left stranded somewhere.

Tires only last 50,000 km (30,000 miles)

Drafty interior and hatch. Dust collects in hatch and interior and drafty in winter.

You can't adjust the radio/cd volume to a suitable level. The range between selections is too great and even level 1 is too loud if you just want it to be in the background as you are sitting waiting for something.

General Comments:

Okay car when it is not a really cold day, or a moderately hot day.

If you think you should slow down to 80 km/r on a somewhat slippery road in winter, slow down to about 60 km/r. I have put on expensive winter tires and that does improve it quite a bit. I have about one million kms under my belt and this car is not for winter!

Lots of power and fun to drive (on dry roads), and the fuel economy is really good.

Comfortable to drive.

Frustrating at times because once in a while it just won't start - and you have to wait 10 or 20 or 30 minutes and suddenly it will start. When this problem shows up and you turn the key, nothing happens. No ignition, no nothing! Wait until the car cools off and somehow it will engage the ignition again.

I would like to know if anyone else has experienced this problem and what it may be. This has happenned to me about a dozen times when it is above 20C or 70F.

Faults:

Fuel pump replaced.

General Comments:

Replaced 2000 cougar factory fuel pump with aftermarket pump for $100 and pump is now 50,000 miles old. mercury sent me recall notice on pump after warranty expired. aftermarket pump is still pumping.

Faults:

At 110,000 miles, let's just say I've had a lot of problems.

I've suffered the infamous trunk hatch problem. In order to open the trunk, someone has to open it while the button is pressed inside or use the key. After numerous visits to the dealer, it still hasn't been fixed properly.

My check engine light is always on.. the code it always reads according to my mechanic "low voltage". Has had three new batteries and wiring replaced and a new alternator. I have come to accept it now.

Lights flicker under hard acceleration, no fix for that.

Sunroof broke around 108000 miles (I never used it until recently); dealer wants $1425 to fix, even though it's a common problem.

The tape double sided adhesive that the spoiler sits on started coming off after 10,000 miles. Dealer blamed it on something hitting the spoiler, causing it to lose "grip", even though there was no sign of damage to the spoiler. Took it to 2 different body shops and all agreed... "the glue gave up". Fixed it myself.

The car suffers from a weird electrical short, where all the gauges except the speedometer revert to their inactive state, so the fuel gauge reads empty, temp reads cold, tach reads zero, and the trip computer always reads 0 miles to empty, even when the tank is full.

Gas light comes on when the tank is full.

Was suckered into buying the extended warranty with the "touch of class" paint job. Got a rock chip in the front bumper at 45,8 -- the paint on the bumper had peeled almost completely off. The car has "flexi-paint"; it's supposed to flex and give way without cracking or peeling.

Bumper was repainted under warranty, but after the warranty expired, I was on my own. Bought a bra to cover the front. No more peeling.

I have a faulty mirror control; it was replaced.

The passenger's window is slow to go up and down when controlled from the driver's side. Have gone through 4 sets of tires already, due to uneven tire wear on the driver's side.

The driver's mat holder (pre-tensioner) broke off after 70,000 miles. Now the mat will not stay in place.

Cup holder by the driver doesn't hold drinks well around freeway on ramps or curves. Drinks always come flying into the driver's lap (mine!). Only use the rear cup holder now.

Seats are nearly impossible to keep clean, as well as the floor. Some stains are there to stay.

A/C system has had two separate holes in it. Fixed both times, and each time the A/C works worse than before; have given up on fixing it.

There are other things that went wrong with the Cougar, but why only talk about the bad.

General Comments:

Gas mileage has been OK... around 21 mpg, which is not that great.

Dealer service is not all that great. I'd rather take it to a local shop and get the service done in 4 hours rather than 3 days plus.