1996 Mercury Cougar
Recalls, most-reported problems, crash-test ratings, fuel economy and what a 1996 Mercury Cougar is worth — from official NHTSA and EPA data. 1 on record.
1996 Mercury Cougar at a glance
Free: that car's specs and build sheet, model-year recall campaigns and a fair price.
1996 Mercury Cougar recalls 2
WHEN IN THE SECONDARY LATCHED POSITION, THE DRIVER DOOR LATCHES MAY OPEN WHEN SUBJECTED TO TRANSVERSE LOADS LESS THAN THAT SPECIFIED IN FMVSS NO. 206, "DOOR LOCKS AND DOOR RETENTION COMPONENTS."
Fix: DEALERS WILL INSPECT AND, IF NECESSARY, REPLACE THE DRIVER DOOR LATCH.
UNDER CERTAIN CONDITIONS, THE CLIMATE CONTROL BLOWER DOES NOT OPERATE AS INTENDED. THE BLOWER COULD (1) STICK ON "HIGH;" (2) OPERATE ERRATICALLY WITH BLOWER OUTPUT VARYING BETWEEN NO BLOWER AND MAXIMUM BLOWER; OR (3) NOT OPERATE AT ALL DUE TO MALFUNCTION OF THE TEMPERATURE CONTROL MODULE.
Fix: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE SEMI-AUTOMATIC TEMPERATURE CONTROL MODULES WITH MODULES CONTAINING REVISED SOFTWARE.
Source: U.S. NHTSA. A campaign covers the model year; to see whether a particular car still needs the repair, check its VIN on NHTSA.gov or ask a franchised dealer.
1996 Mercury Cougar common problems
Owners have filed 75 complaints with NHTSA. These are the most-reported areas in a sample of the most recent — and what to check before you buy.
1996 Mercury Cougar MPG & running costs
Source: U.S. EPA / DOE fueleconomy.gov. The EPA lists 2 versions of this model year; combined is shown as a range and the other figures are averages.
Estimated 5-year cost to own
A rough guide to what running a 1996 Mercury Cougar costs over five years and 75,000 miles.
How this is estimated: fuel is the U.S. EPA annual cost at 15,000 miles a year. There aren't enough comparable listings to estimate depreciation for this model, so it is left out. Not included: insurance, maintenance, repairs, taxes, registration and finance costs. Treat it as a comparison guide, not a quote.
1996 Mercury Cougar trims & engines on record
1996 Mercury Cougar vehicles on record
Other Mercury Cougar model years
1996 Mercury Cougar — frequently asked questions
Does the 1996 Mercury Cougar have any safety recalls?
NHTSA lists 2 recall campaigns for the 1996 Mercury Cougar. Whether an individual car still needs a recall repair depends on its VIN — check it on NHTSA.gov or ask a franchised dealer. Recall repairs are free.
What are the most common problems with the 1996 Mercury Cougar?
Owners have filed 75 complaints with NHTSA; in a sample of the most recent, the most-reported problem areas are engine and engine cooling, latches/locks/linkages, service brakes.
What gas mileage does the 1996 Mercury Cougar get?
The 1996 Mercury Cougar has U.S. EPA estimates of 18–19 mpg combined, depending on engine and trim (2 versions).
Sources: NHTSA (recalls, complaints, crash tests), U.S. EPA (fuel economy). Vehicle data only — CarLogs never shows owner information.