1996 Mercury Cougar: Reliability Data

Source: NHTSA — 77 complaints
77
Total Complaints
61,000mi
Median Mileage
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:EXHAUST SYSTEM:MANIFOLD/HEADER/MUFFLER/TAIL PIPE
Top Issue
4
Crash Reports

When Do Complaints Happen?

Distribution of NHTSA complaints by vehicle mileage at time of report.

40,454 25th Percentile
61,000 Median Mileage
97,554 75th Percentile

What Fails?

Most reported component issues from NHTSA complaints.

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:EXHAUST SYSTEM:MANIFOLD/HEADER/MUFFLER/TAIL PIPE
5
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE
5
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
5
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
4
SEAT BELTS:FRONT:ANCHORAGE
3
TIRES
3
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE
3
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:COOLING SYSTEM
3
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
3
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DISC:ROTOR
3

Severity Assessment

4
Crashes
0
Fires
5
Injuries
0
Deaths

Sample Complaint Reports

"TRANSMISSION DOES NOT SHIFT PROPERLY."
"THE BRAKE ROTORS HAVE RUSTED, RESULTING IN CAR MAKING NOISES AND AFTER THE BRAKES WERE APPLIED, THE STEERING WHEEL VIBRATED. PLEASE GIVE MORE DETAIL INFORMATON. *AK"
"WHEN APPLYING THE BRAKES ON DRY BUMPY PAVEMENT THE BRAKES WILL FAIL, CAUSING LOSS OF VEHICLE CONTROL. PLEASE GIVE FURTHER DETAILS. *AK"

Source: NHTSA ODI Complaints Database. Names and identifying details omitted.

Data source: View this vehicle on NHTSA.gov | NHTSA ODI Complaints Database. Public domain.

Methodology: Complaint counts and mileage distributions are computed directly from consumer-reported NHTSA complaints. This data represents reported issues, not failure rates — vehicles without complaints are not represented. Full methodology.

Data through: 2026-03-28