1985 Mercury Cougar
Safety record from NHTSA: recalls, owner complaints, investigations and service bulletins.
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Vehicles › Mercury › Cougar › 1985
These records cover every 1985 Mercury Cougar. To see whether one car still needs a recall repair, decode its VIN or check it with NHTSA.
Recalls
1 recall names the 1985 Mercury Cougar. Newest first.
Brake master cylinders may have improperly anodized internal surfaces causing accelerated wear of a piston seal. consequence of defect: one portion of the split brake system would become ineffective resulting in increased stopping distance which…
Risk and remedy
Remedy
Master cylinders built on january 9, 1985 will be replaced.
Owner complaints
10 complaints1 involved a fire1 injuries
What owners report most
Latest complaints
- Electrical system › Ignition › Module · Electrical system › Starter assembly · Electrical system › Starter assembly › Solenoid · Tires · Vehicle speed control
Starter and solenoid burned out. *slc
- Electrical system › Ignition
While trying to start vehicle it would not start. *ak
- Engine and engine cooling › Engine › Gasoline
While driving at any speed vehicle stalls. when consumer reaches to 60 mph vehicle will shutdown, and the consumer has to coast off the highway to get to the side of the road. Vehicle has been in the repair shop, and dealer can't determine the problem. *ak
- Vehicle speed control
Driving at various speeds vehicle would surge & accelerate; would have foot on brakes at time to slow down. after driving a while would pull off road & turn vehicle off & then restart; no sign of surging/accelerating; problem IS intermittent. took to dealer & could not find problem. *ak
- Electrical system › Ignition › Switch
Basically the ignition switch failed, when switch was removed by owner the switch was charged and burned. Also some wiring was burned. *ak
- Latches/locks/linkages › Hood › Latch · Structure › Body
Roof lining falling apart, interfering with drivers vision. *Dsh
- Electrical system › Ignition › Switch
Electrical short in the ignition switch, smoke IS coming from the steering column. *ak
- Electrical system › Ignition › Switch
When she put the key into ignition, the car streted to get filled with smoke from the steering column. Please describe. *ak
- Electrical system › Ignition › Switch
Electrical short or shock, causing the vehicle to catch on fire, engine compartmnet fire. *ak
- Seat belts › Front › Buckle assembly
Drivers seat belt buckle on a few occasions will not latch or unlatch. Please describe details. tt
Defect investigations
NHTSA’s Office of Defects Investigation opened these reviews into vehicles including this one.
- Seatback failure
Summary of information from manufacturer:ford believes that the al-leged defect only occurs in a small number of the subject vehicles andrecalled about 195,732 1984 tempo/topaz vehicles in june 1986.analysis: vehicles potentially involved include tempo/topaz, escort/lynx/exp, mustang/capri, ltd/marquis, and…
Summary of information from manufacturer:ford believes that the al-leged defect only occurs in a small number of the subject vehicles andrecalled about 195,732 1984 tempo/topaz vehicles in june 1986.analysis: vehicles potentially involved include tempo/topaz, escort/lynx/exp, mustang/capri, ltd/marquis, and thunderbird/cougar.ford sold about 110,000 replacement mio bolts, mainly for 1983 and 1984models. Low clamping force appears to be a large part of the problem.ford increased the torque requirements and required the use of a manualtorque tool in march and september 1985 production changes. 1987 modelswill be produced with a longer M10 bolt and a nut to increase and main-tain clamping force. Bolts were formerly self tapping. Reports listedabove specifically state that the bolt broke. None refer simply toseat back collapse alone.status:ford reply to odi ir dated 2/2/87.ford recalled 195,7321984 tempo/topaz vehicles in june 1986 (86v-082). Analyzing reponse,monitoring canadian progress. Response to 4/6/87 letter to fordreceived 7/15/87. Will probably close after canada completes theiractions.===
Service bulletins
Technical service bulletins and other communications the manufacturer sent dealers about this vehicle. Ask a dealer for the full document by its number.
- 6090087Information on identifying non-approved / alternate refrigerants which could cause safety, and performance concerns if installed in ford a/c systems.
- 6089681Subject on a wire harness terminal repair kit available for repairing electrical wiring harnesses.
- 3030300Unknown
- 623988Information regarding transmission fluid usage charts. *Slc
- 623944Some vehicles may exhibit heater core leaks. *Slc
- 612203Information regarding the new transmission cooler flusher- service tip. *Mjs
- 608431Information on the new flush and fill tool available through rotunda.
- 601343A new silicone gasket and sealant.
- 601290Information on tire company telephone numbers for customer assistance.
- 601012The use of petroleum-based grease as a lubricant in servicing disc brakes IS no longer acceptable.
- 51945Fluid- transmission fluid usage charts.
- 50997Transaxle - torque converter replacement guidelines and torque converter/transaxle cooling system cleaning procedures - service tip.
- 50940Windshield and interior glass - fog/film.
- 50908Torque converter - leak test procedure - service tip.
- 50905Wiring - electrical diode identification and service replacements.
- 46478The use of petroleum-based grease as a lubricant in servicing disc brakes IS no longer acceptable because it may be incompatible with the rubber material used in the disc brake system. If petroleum-based grease IS used to lubricate any part of the disc brake system, it could cause rubber parts to swell if lubricant contacts the rubber material.
- 39900Roughness concern during brake application.
Every Mercury Cougar model year
Bars are owner complaints, dots mark years with recalls. Select a year to open its report.