NHTSA Complaint #10417139 — 2000 MERCURY COUGAR

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. WHEN LOOKING ON ANOTHER WEBSITE AND SEARCHING RECALLS, THE 2000 COUGAR HAD NO RECALLS OR SAFETY IMPROVEMENT CAMPAIGNS. WHAT IS INTERESTING TO ME IS THAT THE OTHER THREE MODEL YEARS, 1999, 2001, AND 2002, ALL HAD RECALLS ON THE FUEL PUMP SYSTEM. FORD MOTOR COMPANY ISSUED AN EXTENDED MANUFACTURER'S WARRANTY ON THE FUEL PUMP SYSTEM FOR THOSE THREE MODEL YEARS UNTIL DECEMBER 2010. MY HUSBAND AND I BOTH CALLED FORD MOTOR COMPANY REGARDING OUR PROBLEM AND WERE TOLD THAT WE WERE SENT A NOTICE REGARDING THE EXTENDED WARRANTY AND WE SHOULD HAVE HAD IT FIXED BEFORE THE WARRANTY ENDED. OUR CAR WAS NOT COVERED UNDER THE WARRANTY THEREFORE WE DID NOT RECEIVE A NOTICE. THEY BASICALLY SAID SORRY, YOU ARE ON YOUR OWN FOR THE $600+ REPAIR BILL AND HAVE A GREAT DAY. WHEN A CAR IS ONLY MADE FOR FOUR YEARS AND THREE OF THOSE FOUR HAVE A SAFETY PROBLEM THAT CAUSES THE CAR TO STOP SUDDENLY IT STANDS TO REASON THAT THE FOURTH MODEL YEAR MADE WITH THE SAME PARTS WOULD HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM. *TR