AI Damage1989 Mercury Cougar: common problems
Owners of the 1989 Mercury Cougar filed 81 complaints with NHTSA, most often about vehicle speed control and seat belts. Details by component below, with sources.
Key figures
- Owner complaints
- 81
- involving a crash
- 14
What fails most often
- 1 Vehicle speed control 26% of all complaints
- 2 Seat belts 21% of all complaints
- 3 Electrical system 15% of all complaints
- 4 Service brakes 12% of all complaints
- 5 Engine and cooling 11% of all complaints
- 6 Equipment 7% of all complaints
- 7 Powertrain 7% of all complaints
- 8 Steering 5% of all complaints
- Vehicle speed control: 21 complaints (26% of all), 10 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
- Seat belts: 17 complaints (21% of all), 1 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
- Electrical system: 12 complaints (15% of all).
- Service brakes: 10 complaints (12% of all), 2 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
- Engine and cooling: 9 complaints (11% of all), 1 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
Engines and transmissions
US-market versions per EPA. On the right: how many NHTSA complaints name this engine or transmission type.
- 3.8 L · petrol · 6 cyl
- 3.8 L · petrol · turbo · 6 cyl
- automatic, 4-speed
- manual, 5-speed
Drive: RWD
Symptoms owners describe
How many of the 81 NHTSA complaints mention each symptom (automatic count from complaint text; one complaint can mention several).
Components owners complain about
| Component | Owner complaints | involving a crash | Technical service bulletins (TSB) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Vehicle speed control | 21 | 10 | 0 |
| Seat belts | 17 | 1 | 0 |
| Electrical system | 12 | 0 | 0 |
| Service brakes | 10 | 2 | 0 |
| Engine and cooling | 9 | 1 | 0 |
| Equipment | 6 | 0 | 0 |
| Powertrain | 6 | 1 | 0 |
| Steering | 4 | 1 | 0 |
| Exterior lighting | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| Suspension | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| Visibility | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Fuel system | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Latches, locks, linkages | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Seats | 1 | 0 | 0 |
What owners report
Short excerpts of NHTSA complaints in the original wording. These are owner statements not verified by NHTSA; personal data removed.
Consumer slightly depressed gas pedal while idling and vehicle suddenly accelerated crashing into a retainer wall. Consumer sustained serious injuries. Ts
When putting the car into reverse the transmission malfunctioned, causing loud noises and the vehicle accelorated at full speed,colliding with other vehicles. A cable came disconnected from the accelerator linkage system and lodged the accelerator open.
When applying the gas the car whips around and cause loss of control and an accident. Please describe. Tt
It sounded like it's coming from the center of the car, and the battery light came on warning of very low battery, but no other warning lights. I saw smoke coming out the back (rearview and side mirrors) and it smells like something synthetic is burning (this all happens in seconds time); so, I pull over, park, turn…
Then digital dashboard lights went out. Maybe cause by electrical system failure.
I have tried twice to ask ford to resolve the issue of seatbelt failure in the cougar. They have stated that "although it is a vital safety component there is no recall and my warranty has expired.
The consumer has experienced a rereated brake problem; when slightly pressing the brake pedal to slow down, during high/low speeds, city/highway driving, the brake pedal continues to depress on its own until it comes to a complete stop, then slaps the consumers foot as it comes back up to normal position, when the a/c…
The abs system failed on my 1989 cougar while traveling at approximately 50 mph. The car came to a stop in a small ditch with no other vehicle involved. Attempted to get the abs system repaired but the repair shop indicated that it would cost in excess of $4000 to repair. Spent over $100 for diagnostic check.
When owners complained
NHTSA complaints by filing year. The peak shows at what age the problems show up most.
Comparison
By complaint count this model year ranks 4,046 of 36,656 model years in the NHTSA data (top 11% most complained about).
On average one model year of the Cougar has 73 complaints (26 years in the data). This year has 81, about average.
What to check before buying
- Vehicle speed control. Accelerator pedal, cruise control, throttle codes.
- Seat belts. Belt pretensioners after airbag deployment, SRS codes.
- Electrical system. Scan all modules, test the battery and alternator, inspect connectors near the impact zone.
- Service brakes. Pedal feel, ABS operation, leaks, discs and hoses.
Other years of this model
- Cougar 198417 sources
- Cougar 198510 sources
- Cougar 198613 sources
- Cougar 198733 sources
- Cougar 198855 sources
- Cougar 199086 sources
- Cougar 199173 sources
- Cougar 199292 sources
- Cougar 1993195 sources
- Cougar 1994137 sources
- Cougar 1995109 sources
- Cougar 199662 sources
- Cougar 199776 sources
- Cougar 1999454 sources
- Cougar 2000211 sources
- Cougar 200182 sources
- Cougar 200295 sources
- Cougar 99994 sources
Questions and answers
What are the most common problems with the 1989 Mercury Cougar?
Owner complaints to NHTSA most often mention: vehicle speed control, seat belts, electrical system. Total complaints: 81. The most frequent symptoms in complaint texts: seat belts (17%), smoke, burning smell, fire (11%), unintended acceleration (6%).
How many service bulletins (TSB) were issued for the 1989 Mercury Cougar?
NHTSA lists 0 manufacturer service bulletins for this year. A bulletin tells dealers how to diagnose or fix a known issue; it is not a recall.
Should I buy a 1989 Mercury Cougar from a US auction?
Owner complaints describe defects, not crash damage. Before bidding, check the components listed above and review the lot photos: VinWind builds a report of visible and hidden damage by VIN.
Other 1989 models
Read also
Sources: public NHTSA data (USA): service bulletins and owner complaints; YouTube: links to videos credited to their authors. Complaints are owner statements not verified by NHTSA, and describe defects rather than crash damage. Data updated 2026-11-05.