Window & Wiper complaints by model year
Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (power windows, windshield, wipers, mirrors, sunroof).
Mileage when the problem started
What owners report
Tl* the contact owns a 2002 Mercury Cougar. The contact stated that she opened the sun roof and was unable to get the sun roof to close. The vehicle was taken to a personal mechanic for diagnosis and the sun roof was closed. The contact was told by the mechanic that the motor was fine but she needed to replace the switch. The switch was replaced and one week after having it repaired, the sun roof would not close. The dealer was notified but offered no assistance. The failure mileage was 59,000 and the current mileage was 63,000. Updated 8/24/12
Tl* the contact owns a 2002 Mercury Cougar. The contact opened her sunroof and the lift on the passenger side did not open. The contact informed the dealer and they stated that she would have to have the liner and motor repaired. After researching the problem she has found several consumers that has experienced the same failure. The manufacturer was not contacted as of yet. The vehicle had not been repaired. The approximate failure mileage was 141000 and the approximate current mileage was 144500.
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?
Tl* the contact owns a 2001 Mercury Cougar. The contact stated that the vehicle stalled while driving 60 MPH. The vehicle restarted after waiting a few moments. The failure recurred on an intermittent basis and occurred more frequently over time. The vehicle was taken to an authorized dealer and was repaired under the recall associated with NHTSA campaign id number 04V421000 (fuel system, gasoline). The failure began to recur approximately three months later. The vehicle had not been taken back for additional repairs. The contact also stated that fuel system failures LED to an alternator failure, which drained the vehicle's battery. In addition, the contact stated that the sunroof was jammed and would not longer open. The manufacturer was made aware of the failures and offered no assistance. The failure mileage was 90,000.
My year 2000 Mercury Cougar just reached 70,000 miles last week. I went to open my sunroof yesterday and heard a loud cracking noise after pressing the button. The rear end of the sunroof was ajar and the sunroof motor was still in working condition but I could not get the roof to close all of the way. I took it to a private auto repair shop where they took the sunroof apart and found a piece of cracked plastic on the driver's side. They got the roof to close as best as they could, however it still remains ajar and runs the risk of leaking. I was told by the auto repair shop that this could cost me anywhere between $1,000-$2,000 to fix. …
2000 Mercury Cougar with 76,000 miles on it and the sunroof has failed completely. Took the car back to don thompson Lincoln Mercury and they made me aware that the sunroof was built with a plastic rail to open it, this plastic is to weak for the metal roof it holds and cannot sustain the weight. It was mentioned this has been a common problem, and the price too fix it was $1300 just for the parts. After contacting fod directly they told me nothing could be done because the warranty was no longer in effect, and they apologized for me being stuck with this. Still not fixed and when driving over 55 MPH the sunroof flies open, causing a loud sound to produce distracting me from driving. The button to open it no longer works, leaks on heavy rainy night which is ruining the interior which will cost more money that I don't have, as it is I can't afford to fix the sunroof. …
The issue is with the design flaw for a sunroof on the 1999 Ford Mercury Cougar, which happened about a month ago when trying to open one day. I bought the car with low mileage of 53000, sunroof one of main reason for purchase. Did some research, there is great website that shows thousand plus owners who have had same problem and no help from Ford. Problem is small plastic piece in design of sunroof cannot support roof, therefore breaks and entire roof must be replaced even though part cost a few dollars. The cost to fix vehicle from Ford with labor has been quoted between 1500-2500 dollars, unbelievable for design flaw. Also causes safety issue for some as sunroof is loose on top of roof and will not shut all the way for many owners, but since no injuries have been reported yet, Ford has not recalled faulty design. …
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. …
Frequently asked questions
Which Mercury Cougar years have window & wiper problems?
By NHTSA complaints, the 1999 (46), 2000 (18), 2001 (7) and 1995 (5) model years. Window & Wiper complaints make up 10% of all complaints for the 1999.
Is there a recall for Mercury Cougar window & wiper problems?
No. NHTSA lists no windows, wipers & sunroof 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 window & wiper problems start?
Across all years, half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 69,000 miles; 33% happened before 50,000 miles.
What part fails most often?
Owners most often name the sun/moon roof assembly (52 mentions), followed by the windshield (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.