2001 Mercury Cougar: hesitation when accelerating

7 of the 82 complaints about the 2001 Mercury Cougar describe hesitation when accelerating.

owner complaints: 7
of this car's complaints: 9%
typical mileage: 136,000
recalls: 0

Is there a fix? 8 service bulletins cover this area of the car. See below

Hesitation when accelerating by model year

2002
22
2001
7
2000
12
1999
18
1994
2
1993
2

What owners say

Filed Jul 30, 2020 · Fuel system · 136,000 miles · OR

Tl* the contact owns a 2001 mercury cougar. The contact stated that once the fuel level reached a half tank of gasoline, the vehicle hesitated and loss motive power with the accelerator pedal depressed. The contact stated that the trans axle and check engine warning lights were illuminated. Columbia ford lincoln hyundai (700 7th ave, longview, wa 98632) was notified of the failure. The contact was informed that the vehicle was not subjected to a recall. The manufacturer was contacted and notified of the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 136,000.

Filed Apr 16, 2015 · Engine, Fuel system · 159,000 miles · WV

Car started hesitating and lost power then stalled out causing traffic to get backed up.

Filed Jul 10, 2014 · Fuel system · 151,645 miles · FL

Tl* the contact owns a 2001 mercury cougar. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the vehicle suddenly started to hesitate and stalled. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repair. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and the contact was informed that the vehicle was not included in recall the federal safety agency campaign number: 04v421000 (fuel system, gasoline). The failure mileage was 151,645.

Filed Jul 23, 2007 · Engine · 78,000 miles · FL

I have a smell in the car after aggressive driving, and the tsb # is 00252 and the federal safety agency is 616819. What is causing this smell, it just started. Also what is the federal safety agency # 10004066 tsb # 17174. Hesitation I know, what is making it hesitate.

Filed May 14, 2007 · Fuel system, Transmission · MN

After all the problems with my 2001 cougar I wish I would have made a better choice in what vehicle I bought. The one recall that they had on the fuel pump I had to have that replaced, but I am not sure they really fixed it because it still hesitated when I accelerating . The low coolant light on the dash went on in the winter time when I first started the car. After I driving a bit the light will just turn off. So how the am I suppose to know when there really was a coolant problem if the light just went on. Then, the transmission went out at 94,000 miles with no signs of it going out. I was driving on the highway at 70 MPH when I pressed on the gas pedal and nothing happened, like the car was in neutral. I tried different gears and nothing. I was able to coast to the shoulder of the road and had to call a tow truck to bring the car home and cost $300.00. I had to find a place to bring the car to get a new transmission which was at a ford dealership. They said it would take about 3 days to have it done, and turned out taking 2 weeks because they didn't know how to put the correct transmission in the box. They sent two wrong transmissions before ford finally got the correct transmission for the car to the shop. This cost me $3,235.00. Transmissions failing at 94,000 miles was ridiculous considering all proper maintenance was done when it was needed. There were still other problems with the car, but I could not fit all the words on this form. I did not believe anything was done at all, and customer service from ford was terrible. The next vehicle I buy most definitely will not be a ford and probably not an american vehicle either. Word of mouth is very powerfully and people that I talk to about cougar problems will never be buying a ford. If only ford would care a little and not be afraid to spend some money to make their customers a little more pleased with their purchase then maybe people wouldn't look down so much on ford products.

Filed Dec 29, 2004 · Engine · 23,144 miles · DE

While driving 15 MPH, the vehicle began to hesitate and then it stalled, the consumer was unable to restart the vehicle. The vehicle was towed to the dealer. The dealer was unable to duplicate the problem.

Filed May 25, 2004 · Fuel system · 33,000 miles · OH

I have experienced loss of power as if my car was not getting gas several times in the past 1 1/2 years. Dealer replaced the dpfe unit. Good for 4 months. Stalled out. We replaced the fuel filter. Did not work, still experienced the problem. Stalled out on the road again, had to be towed. Took to dealer again. They replaced the dpfe unit again. Still experiencing the problem. Also, experienced a problem with the fuel registering after filling the car up, it still read empty. Still having the problem with hesitation and stalling out. The dealer is going to replace the fuel pump. Since I received the letter of recall.