NHTSA Complaint #752996 — 2000 MERCURY COUGAR

RPMS ON ENGINE DO NOT DROP WHEN CLUTCH PRESSED. RPMS GO UP SOMETIME 1500 RPMS. CAR LURCHES WHEN DOWNSHIFTING INTO 2ND UNLESS WAITING 5-20 SECONDS FOR RPMS TO FINALLY DROP. HAPPENS EVERY DAY IF VEHICLE IS WARM (DRIVEN OVER 25 MILES). FORD SAYS IT IS DESIGNED THIS WAY. PROBLEM DIDN'T SHOW UP FOR AT LEAST 12,000 MILES. PROBLEM DISAPPEARED AFTER 800 MILE DRIVE, BUT REOCCURRED AFTER 1 WEEK. CAR HAS ACCELERATED IN 2ND GEAR WITHOUT MY INTERVENTION ONCE. THAT IS ENOUGH TO CAUSE ME GREAT CONCERN FOR MY SAFETY. I CANNOT DRIVE THIS CAR WITH NORMAL DRIVING HABITS, I COULD ORGINALLY, NOT NOW. THE PROBLEM IS GETTING PROGRESSIVELY WORSE. THE DEALER SAYS I HAVE NO RECORSE AND IT IS NOT A PROBLEM ACCORDING TO FORD. IT IS A PROBLEM. I FEEL UNSAFE, AND IT COULD ENDANGER OTHER PEOPLE.*AK