Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (service brakes, ABS, rotors and pads, parking brake).
Mileage when the problem started
Owner reports
Selected complaints filed with NHTSA by 1999 Mercury Cougar owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
To whom it May concern: (management) I was driving on a residential street and was honked at by another driver who told me that my brakes lights were not working. I had a friend of mine that is a certified repair person look at it and he said it wasn't the light or the fuse or the brake switch under the pedal and that he was 95% sure it was the stop lamp extension harness that has bronze terminals at the brake lamp switch connector. I bought this car in 2004 and under a recall had the blower switch resistor repaired under the recall. The reason the recalls for this car are not showing up is because the recalls are more than 15 years old & they don't keep track after that. I have never had this problem with this car before but I have had over $9,000 worth of repairs on it since I've owned it not including the normal oil changes and tune up. …
This is the second time I filed a complaint, I have heard nothing back ! I started having problems with the braking system its bumping the gas pedal up and down when trying to stop which in turn caused me to be in a car crash in December 2006 in clinton county, ohio. There is a recall and it needs to be fixed asap~! I also feel that someone should contact my home phone listed on contact form and let me know what's going on with this mess~! You can drive the dumb car and see what I am talking about for all I care, just please contact me either by phone or by email at least . Thank you very much for your time.
Dt*: the consumer stated while driving on an icy road, the rear brakes failed and the consumer hit into a curb. The throttle has stuck intermittently since August of 2005. The dealership was unable to duplicate the problem. There are two recalls, #00V075000 regarding the service brakes and #99V194000 regarding the vehicle speed control. The vehicle has the same problems as indicated in the recall; however it is not included in the recall due to the VIN.
On 8-01-00, with a california highway patrolman as a witness, the brakes on my grand daughters car failed completely (pedal to floor), upon pumping the pedal the brakes then locked up and the car went into an uncontrolled skid striking a stopped vehicle. This happened on the freeway in a construction zone and we are unsure of the vehicle speed at the time of impact. She was traveling at approximately 45 MPH at the time of the initial brake failure. Fortunately no one was injured (although my grand daughter's head did strike the windshield) and very little damage was done to either vehicle. Both front tires now have severe cuts and abrasions across their width, approximately 6 to 8 inches long, where the newly formed grooves in the highway shredded the tires upon brake lockup. Failed components: 1) brakes - complete failure, then severe lockup. …
Purchased car new, in 57000 miles we have had to replace, 2 alternators, 1 starter, 2 batteries, entire rack and pinion, power steering pump, transmission torque converter, 4 set of brakes, 4 sets of tires plus two individual tires all with sidewall blow outs except one puncture and 2 headlight switches, 2 cig lighters. The entire upper engine gasket set had to be replaced to get to an intake leak. The head lights and foglights work itermittantly, engine warning lights are constantly going on and off. Currently one headlight is out (lamp is good) fog lights are not working (today) and an engine warning light is indicating a problem again.
I bought a 199 Ford Mercury Cougar and was in an accident on dec. 8th, 2006 when I tried to apply brakes they started moving on their own and the movement was braking up and down I was unable to stop and wrecked and I bought this vehicle from a car lot. This car constantly when cold does this and it also squeaks like there is too much pressure on the whole car, the brakes are still having that shuttering problem. Can this be fixed?-I bought the vehicle at the end of last year... It has since done the same things with the braking again and it scares me but it only does it when it is cold out ... Updated
My car is a lemon. Have had a new engine put in it 2 times because the rods spun. I have had the brake lights "fixed" 3 times, the alternator replaced 3 times, new catalytic converters twice. New power steering. Transmission done 3 times. Theres definantly more I just cant think of alllllll my repairs on this 1999 Cougar. I bought it used and it has now 98000 miles cause I drive out of state.
While driving on a 4-lane highway, lights on the dashboard lit up and engine died. Then, consumer lost control of the vehicle. With no brakes or steering vehicle started to spin out of control and hit a guardrail at about 55mph. Consumer said it was a engine problem. Airbags did not deploy.
The front and rear brake disc's are nothing but a total problem. Rear brakes were replaced at 30000 miles. The front at 38000 miles. Now the fronts have to be replaced again at 52000 miles. It is about time for Ford to build a reliable car or just quit making cars.
Brakes continue to grind even after replacement. Transmission surges and hesitates upon acceleration causing unexpected increases in speed. Transmission also slips in and out of gears randomly. All of these problems could lead to a serious accident.
Related recalls
Service brakes, hydraulic › Foundation components
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.
Brake complaints in other Cougar years
Frequently asked questions
How common are brake problems on the 1999 Mercury Cougar?
NHTSA has 77 complaints about the brakes of the 1999 Mercury Cougar, 17% of the model year's 454 complaints. The component named most often is foundation components (31 mentions).
Is there a recall for 1999 Mercury Cougar brake problems?
Yes — NHTSA recall 00V-075 (foundation components, Mar 9, 2000). Recall repairs are free at authorized dealers.
At what mileage do 1999 Mercury Cougar brake problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 73,000 miles, and 10% before 25,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 5 crashes, 0 fires and 3 injuries to brakes problems on this model year. If you notice symptoms, have the car checked before driving further.
Source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) — owner complaints through October 20, 2026, recalls and defect investigations; fuel economy from the EPA. Complaints are unverified reports and are not proof of a defect. How we rate model years.