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exact model and see every recall for it.
Recalls are issued for a make, model and model year. Whether the repair has already been done on one specific car is known only to its manufacturer and dealers. Check your vehicle's official status at nhtsa.gov/recalls or with a dealer.
US recalls (1)
Fuel system, gasoline
ON CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES, CONTAMINATION OF THE FILTER IN THE FUEL DELIVERY MODULE (FDM) CAN REDUCE, AND EVENTUALLY BLOCK, THE FLOW OF FUEL TO THE ENGINE.
Risk and remedy
Risk: THIS MAY CAUSE ENGINE HESITATION, LOSS OF POWER, SURGING, AND OTHER SIMILAR SYMPTOMS. OVER TIME, THE FILTER MAY BECOME SUFFICIENTLY BLOCKED TO CAUSE THE ENGINE TO STALL, WHICH COULD RESULT IN A CRASH.
Remedy: THIS ACTION IS DEEMED A SAFETY IMPROVEMENT CAMPAIGN AND IS NOT BEING CONDUCTED UNDER THE SAFETY ACT. ALL OWNERS WILL BE NOTIFIED OF THE PROBLEM, AND DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE FDM WITH A NEW DESIGN AT NO CHARGE IF THE OWNER REPORTS THAT THE VEHICLE EXHIBITS ANY OF THE IDENTIFIED SYMPTOMS. THE FREE REPLACEMENT WILL BE AVAILABLE FOR A PERIOD OF 10 YEARS FOLLOWING THE ORIGINAL PURCHASE OF THE VEHICLE, WITH NO MILEAGE LIMIT. THE CAMPAIGN BEGAN ON APRIL 16, 2004. OWNERS SHOULD CONTACT FORD AT 1-800-392-3673.
Owner complaints (95)
Owners filed 95 complaints with NHTSA about the 2002 Mercury Cougar (9 crashes, 1 fires, 12 injuries reported). Among 25 model years of this model, it ranks #6 for the most complaints (median 62).
| Most-reported problem | Complaints | |
|---|
| Fuel system, gasoline | 41 | |
| Engine and engine cooling | 11 | |
| Power train | 10 | |
| Engine | 9 | |
| Air bags | 7 | |
| Visibility | 6 | |
| Electrical system | 4 | |
| Vehicle speed control | 4 | |
Crash test ratings
NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings for the 2002 Mercury Cougar.
| Version | Overall | Frontal | Side | Rollover |
|---|
| 2002 Mercury Cougar 2-DR. | – | – | – | – |
Fuel economy
EPA ratings for each 2002 Mercury Cougar version.
| Version | City MPG | Highway MPG | Combined | Yearly fuel cost |
|---|
| Cougar 2.0 L Manual 5-spd | 21 | 31 | 24 | $2,800 |
| Cougar 2.5 L Automatic 4-spd | 18 | 26 | 21 | $3,200 |
| Cougar 2.5 L Manual 5-spd | 18 | 27 | 21 | $3,200 |
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Recalls, complaints, crash ratings and fuel economy as a JSON API. Decode up to 50 VINs per call and get a daily feed of new recalls.
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Sources: NHTSA recalls, complaints and 5-Star Safety Ratings, US EPA fuel economy and Transport
Canada's Vehicle Recalls Database (contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Canada).
Recalls updated 2026-10-30.