NHTSA Complaint #10108317 — 1995 MERCURY COUGAR

ONE DAY I WENT OUT TO MY CAR TO GO TO WORK AND THERE WAS A STRONG ODOR OF GASOLINE APPARENT. I PROCEEDED TO START MY CAR AND FOUND IT SLOW TO START THOUGH IT DID START UP AFTER A BIT.THAT EVENING AFTER WORK AGAIN THERE WAS A GAS SMELL AND AGAIN IT TOOK LONGER TO FIRE UP.UPON ARRIVING HOME THERE WAS A BIG WET SPOT ON MY GARAGE FLOOR WHICH WAS OBVIOUSLY GASOLINE AND AT WORK THE NEXT DAY ANOTHER PUDDLE OF GAS WHERE I NORMALLY PARK. I TOOK THE CAR TO MY REPAIR FACILITY WHERE THEY TOLD ME MY FUEL LINES HAD WORN THROUGH [CHAFED] IF YOU WILL BY IMPROPER INSTALLATION. BEING THE FUEL SYSTEM IS UNDER PRESSURE AND THE LINE WORE THROUGH THIS IS THE REASON THE CAR STARTED SLOWER THAN NORMAL ANDWHY THERE WAS A GASOLINE SMELL.LUCKILY THIS FAILURE DIDN'T CAUSE A FIRE IN MY CAR ESPECIALLY SINCE IT WAS IN MY GARAGE THOUGH THE MECHANIC SAID IT COULD HAVE. THE FUEL TANK HAD TO BE REMOVED AND REINSTALLED ALONG WITH THE PURCHASE AND REPLACEMENT OF THE ENTIRE FUEL LINES FROM THE FUEL TANK TO THE ENGINE AT AN UNNECESSARY EXPENSE TO ME. I READ A CONSUMER REPORTS ARTICLE ABOUT RECALLS FOR 92 -93 MERCURY COUGARS AND ANOTHER ONE FOR 97 COUGARS AND AM REPORTING THIS SAME PROBLEM ON MY 1995 COUGAR.*AK