Body complaints by model year
Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (doors, hood, frame, rust, paint and trim).
Mileage when the problem started
What owners report
I opened my moonroof one day and it made a noise so I looked at it and it looked to be off track on the drivers side so we tried to shut it and it would not shut all the way so when it rained, it rained in my car. Finally took it to a repair shop and they said that the plastic clip was broke and had to force it closed so now when I go down the road it opens some and could eventually fly off, it is a distraction when I am driving because it makes noise and right now it is cold out and it rains in it. The repair guy told me that several other people have came in for the same reasons this could cause a problem and needs to be taken care of. These company's now days make their parts so cheap and then sale them for a lot of money, they need to re-think what they are doing before they loose all of their customers, no wonder there are several places having to close. …
The metal sunroof on my 2001 Mercury Cougar broke free on the passenger side while driving. Ford apparently used plastic parts in the assembly which holds the metal sunroof to the car. These parts failed after only 26,500 miles. If the driver side assembly had also broken, the metal roof could have flown off the car and hit another vehicle. A complaint website (www.cougarsunroof.com) contains approximately 800 complaints of 1999-02 Cougar metal sunroof's failing in a similar fashion. Several of these complaints note that the metal sunroof actually flew off the car on the highway. Ford customer representatives have been notified of this potentially hazardous defect, but no recall or service bulletin has been issued. Does someone have to be injured or die in an accident caused by these defective metal sunroof's before a recall is issued?
Vehicle lost power while driving down highway. Replaced the battery and took to shop to have alternator and whatever else looked at. Mechanic could not find anything wrong. Battery light still flashing. I'm scared this will happen again and leave me stranded. Also have had same electrical problems (power windows) as everyone else, as well as spending $600 on brakes, and trunk latch won't work. Radio works off and on. Also had to replace bumper as it was ripped off while pulling out of parking space. (not negligenc).
The front bumper is so low it drags out of driveways, shopping center parking blocks and so on. Because of this, the whole fender has torn off on both sides of car. The full fender and lower section where fog lights would go is torn off too. Incident date was last time, this problem happens everytime the car is driven.
I have always had my car washed and rust proofed during the winter ever 2 weeks. Last December the paint under the bottom of both the drivers and passenger doors started having the paint bubble up on both rocker panels. It started bubbling up then curling and the pain started coming off. Ive seen many other cougars with this same problem and feel it is due to a defect in the paint that was used or something missing from the paint job that was done
I own a 1999 Mercury Cougar. I just bought the car in January of 2003 with 32,000 miles on the car. Two weeks after purchasing the car the alternator died, which is a common problem with this car, and the dealership replaced the alternator. But two or three weeks after that, my power sunroof broke, which is also a very common problem, and because the car was not under warranty anymore it cost me over $1200.00 with labor to fix. I have since learned that there are many Cougar owners that have had the sunroof break because the 1999 and 2000 cougars were made with plastic rails that easily break. The 2001 and 2002 cougars were made with metal rails and work fine. …
Check for coolant leak at intake manifold. Replaced intake manifold. There were regular oil changes and tire rotation. The engine light had come on, and the coolant light would come on and off. The dealer had to replace the engine sensor light and added a cup of water. The consumer's son in law was driving the vehicle and white smoke coming from under the vehicle, the rubber strip on the inside of the vehicle was coming off, the right rear trim panel coming loose, the brakes made rubbing noise intermittently, glove box door won't shut, the air bag would rattle, the right front door rattled while the vehicle was in motion, and the door switch trim panel was discolored.
Frequently asked questions
Which Mercury Cougar years have body problems?
By NHTSA complaints, the 1999 (34), 2000 (7), 1996 (5) and 2001 (5) model years. Body complaints make up 7% of all complaints for the 1999.
Is there a recall for Mercury Cougar body problems?
No. NHTSA lists no body & structure recall for any Mercury Cougar model year. A widespread problem may still be covered by an extended warranty or a manufacturer service bulletin, so ask a dealer.
At what mileage do Mercury Cougar body problems start?
Across all years, half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 84,000 miles; 36% happened before 50,000 miles.
What part fails most often?
Owners most often name the body (15 mentions), followed by the body › door (13).
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.