Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (fuel pump, injectors, fuel tank, hybrid and EV propulsion).
Mileage when the problem started
Owner reports
Selected complaints filed with NHTSA by 2002 Mercury Cougar owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
NHTSA campaign number:04V421000 manufacturer Ford motor company was driving on a main city st. My auto stopped with no power in the left lane of busy 4 lane st. Would not start in neutral or park, man pushed it into the ctr. Lane out of traffic area. Policeman came after I called 911, after a few minutes he suggested taking key out stepping on brake then inserting key back in ignition, did that and it started right up, and he followed me to my st. And I got safely home. Prior to this shut down incident it had stalled going down a hill however put it in neutral and it started up again. This incident could have caused a serious accident, prior to this incident it had been cutting out for a couple of months which I thought was cheap gas, so changed to tectron. …
I am currently having problems with the fuel pump driver module. I reported the problem to Ford in oct 2018. Ford stated that the 10 year recall ended and per their records the issue was resolved as fuel module was replaced by dealer don knott Ford, carson, ca. Don knott Ford is no longer in business. The aforementioned dealer I believe was involved in unethical business practices. I was never informed of such a recall and dealer never changed module, I do not have documentation & would like such for my records. I am original owner of vehicle and the periodic inadvertent surging of vehicle when stopped/stationary at a street light began 6 months ago. I cannot 100% safely drive this vehicle at this time. Ford has not provided me documentation of the alleged repair and/or documentation informing me of recall. …
Tl* the contact owns a 2002 Mercury Cougar. The contact stated while driving approximately 50 MPH, she was notified by another driver that the front of the vehicle was engulfed in flames. The contact began to coast onto the emergency lane and removed a child passenger from the vehicle however, the vehicle stalled. There were no injuries due to the failure. The fire department was contacted and extinguished the fire. The vehicle was towed to a junk facility. The failure was not diagnosed to determine the cause of the failure. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and informed the contact that the vehicle was not included in NHTSA campaign 04V421000 (fuel system, gasoline). The approximate failure mileage was 142,000.
Since purchasing 2002 Mercury Cougar in January 2010 the vehicle hesitates, surges, and stalls at any rate of speed. Initially the problem was rare, then gradually occurred more frequently. This now happens at least weekly, sometimes several times per day. This issue has endangered me more times than I can currently recall. Replaced alternator, battery, EGR valve and sensor, iac valve, and catalytic converter. The issue persists.
My daughter has a 2002 Mercury Cougar and is risking her life as well as others lives every time she gets inside that car. Her Cougar her been having issues for months now, and even though we have spent hundreds of dollars trying to make the car safer for her, nothing is working. Our last straw was three days ago, when the car stalled on her on the highway. She was traveling about 45 miles per hour, when the car stalled and shut off leaving her stranded waiting for the tow truck. Her car, for months, has been surging while at complete stops, and has been shutting off while at a stand still. We've tried fixing many things, but nothing seems to be fixing the issue. After doing extensive research, I have come to realize that many others are having the same issues. Can someone do something about this please?? Its clearly an on-going issue and is costing people lots of money. …
Tl contact owns a 2002 Mercury Cougar. The contact stated that the vehicle began to lose power while driving, which made it difficult to steer the vehicle. He experienced difficultly pulling the vehicle to the side of the road. After approximately 15 minutes, the vehicle was able to be restarted and operated normally. He drove the vehicle home and later called the dealer. The dealer advised him to bring in the vehicle and they made repairs at the cost of $697. The failure was identified as being included in NHTSA campaign id number 04V421000 (fuel system, gasoline). The failure could cause engine hesitation, loss of power, surging, and other similar symptoms. Over time, the filter May become sufficiently blocked and cause the engine to stall. The failure mileage was 84,000 and current mileage was 86,000. Updated 07/16/08 the bushings and clutch were worn. …
Tl* the contact owns a 2002 Mercury Cougar. The contact was driving approximately 60-65 MPH when the vehicle became hesitant and would decelerate independently. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where he was advised that the air conditioning clutch would need to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired yet the failure persisted. The vehicle was taken to a second dealer where unknown repairs were made. The vehicle was repaired several times but to no avail. Most recently, the contact was advised that the fuel pump would need replacing. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact referenced NHTSA campaign id number: 04V421000 (fuel system, gasoline) and was advised by the dealer and the manufacturer that his vehicle was not included. The contact stated the consequence stated in the recall was the same exact failure he had experienced since 2003. …
Tl contact owns a 2002 Mercury Cougar. While idling, the engine revs and the vehicle accelerates on its own. The dealer stated that no recalls were available; however, the contact discovered NHTSA campaign id number 99V194000 (vehicle speed control). In addition, the check engine light remains illuminated for weeks at a time. NHTSA campaign id number 04V421000 (fuel system, gasoline) was referenced. The contact stated that when the vehicle is started and the doors are shut, the power door locks automatically lock. Also, the doors automatically lock while driving. The contact referenced NHTSA campaign id number 99V226000 (latches/locks/linkages: doors:latch). The current mileage was 114,000 and failure mileage was approximately 50,000.
Dt: the consumer owns a 2002 Mercury Cougar. The consumer stated that the vehicle hesitated intermittently followed by a loss of power. While the consumer's daughter was driving the vehicle it stalled in the middle of traffic. None of the warning indicators informed the consumer's daughter that the engine was going to stall. The vehicle would not restart, it was towed home. The vehicle was later towed to a local repair shop ,and the mechanic determined that the fuel pump needed to be replaced, and there was no gasoline flowing to the engine. Recall 04V421000 had been issued for this year, make, and model, but the consumer's vehicle was not included due to VIN. The consumer would have to pay to have the vehicle repaired.
Tl contact owns a 2002 Mercury Cougar. While driving approximately 45 MPH on normal road conditions, the contact heard a loud noise and experienced a low power response when the accelerator pedal was depressed. There was also engine hesitation and the check engine warning indicator illuminated intermittently on the instrument panel. The vehicle was taken to an authorized dealer for diagnostic testing and they stated that the fuel delivery module failed. The technician stated that the VIN was excluded from NHTSA campaign id number 04V421000 (fuel system, gasoline), although the failures were identical. The vehicle has not been repaired. The VIN was unknown. The failure mileage was 88,500 and current mileage was 89,000.
Related recalls
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…
Fuel System complaints in other Cougar years
Frequently asked questions
How common are fuel system problems on the 2002 Mercury Cougar?
NHTSA has 49 complaints about the fuel & propulsion system of the 2002 Mercury Cougar, 52% of the model year's 95 complaints. The component named most often is delivery › fuel pump (17 mentions).
Is there a recall for 2002 Mercury Cougar fuel system problems?
Yes — NHTSA recall 04V-421 (fuel system, gasoline, Aug 30, 2004). Recall repairs are free at authorized dealers.
At what mileage do 2002 Mercury Cougar fuel system problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 77,000 miles, and 12% before 25,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 1 crash, 1 fire and 2 injuries to fuel & propulsion system 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.