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1994 Mercury Cougar problems

The most common problem on the 1994 Mercury Cougar is transmission and drivetrain. It has 1.4 times the complaints of a typical Cougar model year.

Typical year1.4x the typical complaints
Owner complaints
137
Recalls
0
Service bulletins
94
Worst area
Transmission
Fuel economy
18-19mpg

The worst 1994 Mercury Cougar problems

Ranked by number of owner complaints. Mileage and cost come from what owners wrote.

Problems by type

Tap a problem to see which part fails, at what mileage and in which other years.

Specific symptoms reported on the 1994 Mercury Cougar

Shudder 9Transmission failure 9ABS 7Brake failure 5Slipping 5

Recalls

No recalls on record for this model year.

Defect investigations

Engine compartment fireOpened July 6, 1994, closed September 22, 1994

There is no summary currently available

DP94005

Technical service bulletins for the 1994 Mercury Cougar 94

Bulletins tell dealers how to fix known problems. A warranty extension means the manufacturer pays for that repair for longer.

See all 94 bulletins for the 1994 Mercury Cougar

1994 Mercury Cougar fuel economy

Official EPA estimates in miles per gallon (MPGe for electric). Ranges cover trims that share the same engine.

EngineDriveCityHighwayCombined
3.8L 6‑cylRWD172419
4.6L 8‑cylRWD162318

What 1994 Mercury Cougar owners say

Most recent owner complaints, unedited.

Filed Apr 7, 2016 · Airbags, Seats · 45,000 miles · AR

Takata recall.... Just looking for any recalls on my car,,,,whole front end fell out..

Filed Jan 5, 2007 · Transmission · 69,000 miles · PA

Transmission failure, numerous times.

Filed Jun 30, 2006 · Lights · WI

3rd brake light/high mount stop lamp in the rear window. The excessive heat from the bulbs that are used caused the plastic housing that the bulbs are in to melt around the bulb along with the actual harness that the bulb is plugged into. Since I am not the first owner of my car, I'm sure the incident date is not today but has been an ongoing problem.

Filed May 13, 2006 · Transmission · 68,500 miles · OH

I bought a 1994 mercury cougar VIN# [xxx]. I was the second owner and it had only 29k on it back in july 1997. Well my transmission went out before 68k and the cougar is rattling apart. I heard later that there was a recall on the 3.8 motor for the blower by which I'm having now but being over 100k they said it had to be by a certain date and under 100k but I was never told or notified. Found out from a mechanic friend. Don't know what I can do about it. I had to replace the transmission completely because the low end shift plate was faulty on those models too. Engine keeps getting hot and burning off radiator fluid. *jb updated 07/16/2012 *js information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u.s.c. 552(b)(6)

Filed Jun 22, 2005 · Electrical · 170,000 miles · GA · fire

Dt: on 6/21/2005 while driving at night in clear conditions on dry pavement the vehicle stalled and caught on fire. The speed was about 5-7 MPH. There were no brakes, no electrical system, no power steering, no engine sound, no life in the vehilce at all. There was no warning lights that came on. The vehilcle had been driven for about 45 minutes and 40 miles before this occurred. Then, the vehicle sat for about 2 hours.the vehicle was driving fine, and was serviced a a week prior to the incident. The vehicle was put on the diagnostic that day and everything looked fine, besides the brake lights had to be repaired, but it was not the fuse that had to be repaired, owner was unsure what component caused the brake lights tto fail. There were also no tail lights .either.the back lights were completely out. After repair everything was fine until fire. When the car stalled on 6/21/05, the vehicle stopped on the side of the road. There was smoke coming from hood, then there was a man who came to help and sprayed the fire with extinguisher. .

Filed Dec 22, 2004 · Electrical · 75,000 miles · TN

The vehicle failed to start due to a failure in the ignition starter system. The starter was removed and inspected by a starter specialist, however no problem was found. The starter was reinstalled. The vehicle still failed to start. The ignition cylinder turns all the way around also. The vehicle has been sitting in the garage for a year due to this problem because the cause couldn't be found.

Filed Sep 7, 2004 · Suspension · 115,000 miles · AZ

The front coil springs broke without warning. As a result when driving at any speed the vehicle veered to the right.

Filed Jun 4, 2004 · Airbags · 49,000 miles · FL

After starting the vehicle the consumer heard a loud beeping noise coming from the passenger side air bag compartment. Dealership was notified, but did not resolve the problem. *ak

Filed Feb 27, 2004 · Engine · 76,000 miles · PA

Car overheats due to a bad head gasket. Per ford's tsb 00m10, this is a known design issue that they fixed only if there was a proble during the first 7 years after the warranty inception date for 1994 and 1995 vehicles with a 3.8l engine. This defect can easily result in a safety concern due to the possibility of an engine fire due to the extreme heat if oil leaks on the engine when the gasket fails.

Filed Dec 11, 2003 · Transmission · 120,000 miles · AR

The transmission on my vehicle was rebuilt in october 2001 @ 120000 miles because it jumped out of gear during acceleration and would not engage. Since the rebuild, the car has continued to have transmission problems such as self-acceleration when curse control is engaged, slipping out of gear and not reengaging, or downshifting during acceleration. The car has been taken into three different transmission shops each being unable to duplicate or correct the problem. The car has not been to a ford dealership but, has been well maintained. I would like to keep the car as a work vehicle, now @ 137k miles, but refuse to continue to deal with the transmission slippage.

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Compare the 1994 Mercury Cougar

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Questions about the 1994 Mercury Cougar

Is the 1994 Mercury Cougar reliable?

Owners have filed 137 complaints about the 1994 Mercury Cougar, 1.4 times a typical Cougar model year.

What is the most common problem with the 1994 Mercury Cougar?

Transmission and drivetrain, with 36 complaints. Next is engine (32).

How many recalls does the 1994 Mercury Cougar have?

No recalls on record.

What year does the Mercury Cougar have bad transmission?

The Mercury Cougar model years with the most transmission complaints are 1999 (50 complaints), 1994 (36 complaints) and 1995 (23 complaints).

What gas mileage does the 1994 Mercury Cougar get?

Official estimates for the 1994 Mercury Cougar range from 18 to 19 mpg combined. The most efficient version (3.8L 6-cyl, RWD) gets 17 city and 24 highway.

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