Most common 2000 Mercury Cougar problems
Share of the 211 complaints; one complaint can involve more than one system. "~" is the median mileage when the problem started.
Mercury Cougar complaints by model year
Best Cougar years: 1996, 2001, 1997. Years to avoid: 1999, 2000, 1995. Compare all years →
2000 Mercury Cougar recalls (3)
Fuel system, gasoline
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…
Electrical system › 12V/24V/48V battery › Cables
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…
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.
What 2000 Mercury Cougar owners say
Electrical system all 63 →
The lights on the interior and exterior of my car have been flickering since I purchased the car from an individual a few years ago. Last week I smelled burning wires while driving and me and my husband pulled off the road and he investigated the problem as to where the smell was coming from. He noticed the battery cables were hot and melted insulation on them at the battery posts. Now instead of a flickering alternator light,headlights,and dash lights, I have an alternator light that stays on and everything else is still flickering. We took the car to a mechanic because the car quit running,apparently because the battery went dead. They replaced the battery and the alternator which cost me 320.00. I still have flickering lights and the alternator light is still on. …
My car stalled while in the middle of a busy intersection while in motion. Later find out that I need a new fuel pump. Was not aware it was under recall. Paid to have it fixed in July of 2009. Repair shop failed to put my VIN, mileage, and correct year of vehicle on invoice resulting in not being able to get my money back from Ford. Recall was good through January 31, 2010. My car once again stalled while at a stop light sparks and small flames when attempting to start after stalling. Electrical problem, and Ford is doing nothing about it. I replaced the battery and still no crank or clicking. Also listed as a recall. Spend $651.02 to have fuel pump fixed and now can't get my money back because repair shop did not fill out invoice correctly. Now will have to possibly pay over a $1,000.00 to fix the electrical issue... …
Fuel & propulsion system all 46 →
My car stalled while in the middle of a busy intersection while in motion. Later find out that I need a new fuel pump. Was not aware it was under recall. Paid to have it fixed in July of 2009. Repair shop failed to put my VIN, mileage, and correct year of vehicle on invoice resulting in not being able to get my money back from Ford. Recall was good through January 31, 2010. My car once again stalled while at a stop light sparks and small flames when attempting to start after stalling. Electrical problem, and Ford is doing nothing about it. I replaced the battery and still no crank or clicking. Also listed as a recall. Spend $651.02 to have fuel pump fixed and now can't get my money back because repair shop did not fill out invoice correctly. Now will have to possibly pay over a $1,000.00 to fix the electrical issue... …
Takata inflatorsi have a 2000. Mercury. Coguar. When. I bought the. Car it ran tgood, then. In 2014. I had to. Pay 1000. To get a. Fuel pump put in. And. That only lasted. 2yrs. Now the fuel pump went out . I don't. Have. That kind of money .I live on as. When I pay my bills I'm. Broke. I looked up recalls. And its the fuel system on the car. It just stops. Even in traffic. I don't see what my credit. Has anything. To do with getting help. Fixing my car if it has a recall. On the fuel system.
Engine & cooling all 26 →
The vehicle, 2000 Mercury Cougar, begins jerking as it is being driven at any speed, and results in complete shut down of engine. Sometimes the engine will restart after waiting several minutes, and will not restart at times; requiring towing. I took the vehicle to the local dealer, and an employee stated that it was known by the manufacturer to be a design flaw in that year vehicle. Another employee took him to the side and scoulded him for the disclosure. They would not discuss it further, even though I continued to question what they were doing to correct this known defect in workmanship. To this day the vehicle continued to repeat the same failure. I had the fuel filter replaced twice. Finally a mechanic replaced the cam shaft sensor (he stated that he had seen this problem with the car many times) and knew that was the problem. …
I have a 2000 Mercury Cougar that once warmed up accelerates 3000 to 3500 RPM and will not slow down until I come to a dead stop. I had it in for this problem at least 6 times and they can't fix it. I called the Ford/Mercury service hot line to see if something could be done about this. When I called about this I thought that a Mercury rep. Would get a hold of the car dealership were I got the car (johnson Ford Lincoln/ Mercury in pittsfield, ma) and then get a hold of me. I called in jan. Thats not what happened, when I called I found out that johnson Ford told them, they did not experience the problem. That's an out right lie. Dom kellog head of johnson service drove it and experienced it and on another time one of the mechanics riding with me also experienced it. What can I do about this. …
2000 Mercury Cougar engines & fuel economy
| Engine | Transmission | Drive | MPG city / hwy / combined |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2.0L 4-cyl | 5-speed manual | FWD | 21 / 31 / 25 |
| 2.5L 6-cyl | 4-speed automatic | FWD | 18 / 26 / 21 |
| 2.5L 6-cyl | 5-speed manual | FWD | 18 / 26 / 21 |
EPA ratings. Class: Compact car.
Frequently asked questions
Is the 2000 Mercury Cougar a good car?
Based on 211 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the 2000 Cougar rates avoid: 2.6× as many complaints as a typical year of the Cougar at the same age. It is one of the Cougar years we suggest avoiding. Complaint counts don't account for sales volume or individual maintenance, so have any used car inspected before buying.
What is the most common problem with the 2000 Mercury Cougar?
The electrical system — 63 complaints, 30% of all complaints for this model year, most often about alternator/generator/regulator. Next are the fuel & propulsion system (46) and engine & cooling (26).
How many recalls does the 2000 Mercury Cougar have?
There are 3 recalls for the 2000 Mercury Cougar, the most recent from August 30, 2004 (fuel system, gasoline). Recall repairs are free at any authorized dealer — check whether yours has been done with the VIN recall check.
What are the best and worst years of the Mercury Cougar?
The best years by complaints, compared at the same age, are 1996, 2001 and 1997. Years to avoid or approach with caution: 1999, 2000 and 1995. See the full Mercury Cougar years comparison.
At what mileage do 2000 Mercury Cougar problems happen?
The median mileage reported in complaints is about 65,000 miles; 33% of problems with a recorded mileage started before 50,000 miles.
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.