2000 Mercury Cougar Fuel system Problems
- Complaints
- 46about this part
- Share
- 22%of 211 total for the year
- Median mileage
- 72,500miles
- Trend
- StableComplaints filed in the last 3 full calendar years are within 25% of the 3 years before.
NHTSA recorded 46 complaints about the fuel system of the 2000 Mercury Cougar, 22% of the 211 complaints for this model year. Where a mileage was given, the median is 72,500 miles. 1 a fire, according to the filers. 1 recall campaign on record is filed under a similar system.
Example complaints
Selected from NHTSA records; personal details are removed. They are consumer reports, not findings.
“Takata inflatorsi have a 2000. Mercury. Coguar. When. I bought the. Car it ran tgood, then. In 2014. I had to. Pay 1000. To get a. Fuel pump put in. And. That only lasted. 2yrs. Now the fuel pump went out . I don't. Have. That kind of money .I live on as. When I pay my bills I'm. Broke. I looked up recalls. And its the fuel system on the car. It just stops. Even in traffic. I don't see what my credit. Has anything. To do with getting help. Fixing my car if it has a recall. On the fuel system.”
NHTSA complaint #10864259, filed 2016-05, 74,000 miles“My 2000 Mercury Cougar suddenly started sputtering, bucking, and in less than two minutes stopped in traffic. It would crank but not start. I had to have it pushed off the road out of traffic. It was taken to a repair shop where the mechanic told me it was a faulty fuel pump system. When looking online for recalls or safety improvement campaigns, on the ford website, they acknowledged that cougars have had problems with the fuel pump system. The website did not specify any model year. …”
NHTSA complaint #10417139, filed 2011-08, 92,500 miles“I was driving my 2000 Mercury Cougar v6 and the fuel pump caused power hesitation and surging when I pulled into the left lane to make a pass. I had to swerve back into the right lane and nearly caused an accident with the oncoming vehicle. I then replaced the fuel pump shortly thereafter and the problem went away.”
NHTSA complaint #10050980, filed 2003-12, 39,000 miles“My car stalled while in the middle of a busy intersection while in motion. Later find out that I need a new fuel pump. Was not aware it was under recall. Paid to have it fixed in july of 2009. Repair shop failed to put my VIN, mileage, and correct year of vehicle on invoice resulting in not being able to get my money back from ford. Recall was good through january 31, 2010. My car once again stalled while at a stop light sparks and small flames when attempting to start after stalling. Electrical problem, and ford is doing nothing about it. I replaced the battery and still no crank or clicking. …”
NHTSA complaint #10336479, filed 2010-06, 92,788 miles“Mercury Cougar 2000 after after driving for an hour or more with outside temperature in the high 90s or low 100s begin surging and stuttering and stops running. After the car cools it will restart and run. After talking to several service managers at several dealerships the consensus is that the fuel pump overheats and stops working. Ford/Mercury when contacted denied that there was a pervassive problem but all of the dealerships that I have talked to and brought my car into to be fixed have seen this problem.”
NHTSA complaint #10031149, filed 2003-08, 6,000 milesRelated recalls
- 04V421000Aug 30, 2004On certain passenger vehicles, contamination of the filter in the fuel delivery module (fdm) can reduce, and eventually block, the flow of fuel to the engine.Covers: Mercury Cougar 1999–2002
Fuel system: other model years
| Year | Complaints | Share of year |
|---|---|---|
| 2002 | 49 | 52% |
| 2001 | 26 | 32% |
| 2000 | 46 | 22% |
| 1999 | 46 | 10% |
| 1997 | 8 | 11% |
| 1996 | 3 | 5% |
| 1995 | 9 | 8% |
| 1994 | 5 | 4% |
| 1993 | 10 | 5% |
| 1992 | 9 | 10% |
| 1991 | 6 | 8% |
| 1990 | 5 | 6% |
| 1989 | 1 | 1% |
| 1987 | 2 | 6% |
| 1986 | 1 | 8% |
| 1984 | 1 | 6% |
Other parts of the 2000 Mercury Cougar
63 complaintsEngine cooling
26 complaintsVisibility (wipers, defrost, mirrors)
18 complaintsAir bags
17 complaintsVehicle speed control
16 complaintsBrakes
12 complaintsOther or unknown
12 complaintsTransmission and drivetrain
9 complaintsExterior lighting
8 complaintsSteering
8 complaintsEquipment
7 complaintsBody and structure
7 complaints
← All problems reported for the 2000 Mercury Cougar
About this data. Data from NHTSA (ODI) complaints, recalls, TSBs and investigations, updated Oct 30, 2026. Complaints are unverified consumer reports and may be duplicated or inaccurate.
To check a specific vehicle for open recalls, use its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls. Methodology