While driving the vehicle @ 30 mph the car suddenly stalled out and I almost cause a very serious accident because the car would not steer nor brake. Ford has a recall on the 1999 Mercury Cougar replacement program 04N02 but Ford says my car is not included in this program. Please help.

- Zanesville, OH, USA

I would like to complain about my Cougar. I cannot pass the il. Emissions tests, due to the fact that the O2 sensors are defective. My engine light is constantly on. I have had my car serviced for the engine light, alone, 8 different times. Eight! this is incredible. Also, my car makes a loud screeching noise when I attempt to start it. -if it starts at all.- I have had my starter replaced twice. Twice!!! this car is a lemon. Nothing but a lemon. How could Mercury sale such crap and get away with it. My drivers' license will be suspended because I cannot pass the emissions test. If I can even get my car to the testing facility. I have had the alternator changed, the fuel pump, the electrical wiring changed, sunroof, turning signal, even the radio was defective. I sincerely hope that there is a class-action lawsuit against Mercury, because I will be the first one in line to sue.

- Orland Hills, IL, USA

I am the owner of a 1999 Mercury Cougar. I purchased the vechicle new and have maintained all service requirements. At this point, the vechicle still has less than 45,000 miles (I do not drive all that much). However, since purchasing this car I have had to replace twice the alternator and battery, all the brakes, tires, and now the fuel pump has gone out. I understand that there is a recall on the fuel pumps, so I contacted Ford, but they informed me that my Cougar is not in among those on the list. However, my car has the exact symptoms that are listed by Ford; it stalls and will not run. In Ford's statement, they indicate that they will replace the failed fuel pump, but they are not willing to do that for me. Becuase of this failed fuel pump situation, I have had to have my car towed twice and have been stuck in some very inclement winter weather situations. I am now facing a $640 fuel replacement bill which I do not feel that I should have to pay given the current recall. I have never before complained about what I consider to be excessive repairs, but this latest failure has me livid. I do hope that others do not face this same situtaion and that Ford will reconsider its position to not cover the cost of my fule pump replacement.

- Indianapolis, IN, USA

I was commuting to work in mountainous terrain and while traveling uphill, the car lost power and then the engine quit completely. I was barely able to roll the car out of the highway before another vehicle approached the blind curve from my rear and swerved to avoid the broken down car and myself. I conducted an internet search after finally getting the car restarted and returning to home that evening and discovered that Ford Motor Co. Had initiated a program to alleviate the symptoms the car was experiencing. Although the car behaved exactly as described under the manufacturers description of potential problems(including surging, hesitation, loss of power, and engine stalling), I was told after contacting the selling dealer and Ford that my car did not qualify for any assistance because it fell outside of the production window of the vehicles they had identified as having similar problems. This problem has recurred 4 times since the initial incident while driving on inclined surfaces but I do not attempt to drive the car on the mountain roads. The extended coverage program 04N02 is the program I referred to when contacting both the dealer and Ford Motor Company. As a result of this, I am unable to use this car to commute to work and have resorted to the use of rental or borrowed vehicles.

- Lexington, VA, USA

The car stalled in the middle of the street and engine could not be started. It had to be towed in to the nearest dealership. Diagnosis: Fuel pump failure. Cost: $500. Two weeks later I found out that Mercury had a recall on fuel pumps, however my VIN number was not included in the recall. I suppose it's just a big coincidence that my car experienced the same exact symptoms and the fuel pump failed at the same time as the recall. Mercury to this date has not reimbursed me the $500.

- Carol Stream, IL, USA

There is a pin in my passenger door that falls out every few months or so. (about 3-5 times since it first happened) we just hold the door up and hammer the pin back into place when it happens and it stays for a few months. We've tried a few different kinds of clips to hold it in place to no avail. The door falls 1/2 way off and just hangs there. It hasn't happened while the car is moving...just when the car is parked and a passenger opens the door. The car was also sold to me with a bad bearing on the rear passenger tire...not sure if that's normal either around 40,000 miles. Also, my fuel pump burned out around 46,000 miles...not sure if that's normal for a car or not.

- Burnsville, MN, USA

21,210 miles-brake rotor and pad failure, sunroof inoperable, passenger window inoperable-warranty 47,823 miles-complete charging system failure-warranty trunk has never opened correctly from inside-no solution 87,000 miles- starter motor failed-$250 91,519 miles-2 radiator hoses failed-$240 93,000 miles-manual transmission failed, differential gears -$2440 now I am having problems with my fuel pump. Throughout the life of this car there have been numerous problems cars don't receive until after 100,000 miles. In my eyes, it is simply a 100,000 mile lemon!

- Farmingdale, NY, USA

Fuel pump failure is similar to the one on the recalled focuses. I had my fuel pump fail on the highway going 70 miles an hour and was almost run over. After looking at some car forums I have come to find that this is not an uncommon problem for this car. Some people have replaced this pump 2-3 times before breaking 100K miles.

- Elon, NC, USA

While driving vehicle stalled. Dealer told the consumer to keep the fuel tank at least half full until the fuel pump could be be replaced.

- Cheltenham, PA, USA

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 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 Cougar were made with plastic rails that easily break. The 2001 and 2002 Cougar were made with metal rails and work fine. The parts that you order now for the 1999 and 2000 Cougar are metal, so my question is, why wasn't this a recall, and why should we all have to pay for a defective part that is very expensive and breaks only because it is poorly manufactured? when I bought the car I had no idea how much money I would have to put into fixing the stock parts, such as the alternator, sun roof, and fuel pump, and rear hatch door, which are also very common problems.

- Philipsburg, PA, USA

Gas guage and digital mile readout fluctuating. Sending unit possibly causing too much pressure in tank not allowing the input of gas into tank. Nlm

- Raynham, MA, USA

The fuel pump has failed twice already within 6 months, and today is another possible failure. Twice while parked and once while driving the vehicle

- Whitehall, PA, USA