NHTSA Complaint #10197835 — 2001 MERCURY COUGAR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 MERCURY COUGAR. WHILE DRIVING 55 MPH, THE ENGINE BEGAN MAKING A KNOCKING SOUND AND EVENTUALLY FAILED. NO WARNING LIGHTS ILLUMINATED AND THE TEMPERATURE GAUGE DID NOT INDICATE ANYTHING ABNORMAL. THE VEHICLE BEGAN SMOKING ONCE THE CONTACT PULLED OVER AND SHE NOTICED RADIATOR FLUID LEAKING. AFTER RESTARTING THE VEHICLE, ALL OF THE INSTRUMENT PANEL WARNING LIGHTS ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO A MECHANIC AND THEY STATED THAT A NEW ENGINE WAS NEEDED. SHE TOOK THE VEHICLE TO MIDAS FOR A SECOND OPINION AND WAS INFORMED AGAIN THAT HER VEHICLE NEEDED A NEW ENGINE. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 75,000. UPDATED 02/01/08. *LJ THE HEAD GASKETS WERE LEAKING WHICH ALLOWED RADIATOR FLUID TO MIX WITH THE OIL.