Model year guide

2002 Mercury Cougar

Recalls, most-reported problems, crash-test ratings, fuel economy and what a 2002 Mercury Cougar is worth — from official NHTSA and EPA data. 15 on record.

2002 Mercury Cougar — representative photo
Representative photo · via Wikimedia Commons

2002 Mercury Cougar at a glance

Safety recalls3
Owner complaints111
Combined21–24 mpg
Typical price$1,161

Included: that car's specs and build sheet, model-year recall campaigns and a fair price.

2002 Mercury Cougar recalls 3

Suspension NHTSA Campaign #08E033000 · 14/04/2008

FEDERAL MOGUL IS RECALLING 6,903 AFTERMARKET BALL JOINT ASSEMBLIES SHIPPED BETWEEN NOVEMBER 9, 2007 AND MARCH 26, 2008, WHICH MAY HAVE BEEN PACKAGED WITH INCORRECT NUTS. THE PART NUMBERS PACKAGED WITH INCORRECT NUTS ARE: K7147, K7329, K8683, AND 104353. THESE PARTS WERE MADE FOR USE ON THE VARIOUS VEHICLES LISTED ABOVE.

Fix: FEDERAL MOGUL WILL NOTIFY OWNERS AND REPLACE THE PARTS FREE OF CHARGE. THE RECALL BEGAN ON MAY 22, 2008. OWNERS CAN CONTACT FEDERAL MOGUL AT 877-489-6659.

Service Brakes, Hydraulic NHTSA Campaign #06E022000 · 13/03/2006

CERTAIN AFTERMARKET BRAKE HYDRAULIC MASTER CYLINDERS SOLD AS REPLACEMENT BRAKE CYLINDERS FOR CERTAIN FORD, DAIMLERCHRYSLER, AND JEEP PASSENGER VEHICLES. THESE BRAKE CYLINDERS WERE SOLD UNDER THE BRAND NAMES OF NAPA, RAYBESTOS, AIMCO, AC DELCO, CARQUEST, BENDIX, AND WAGNER. ONLY PRODUCTS THAT WERE MANUFACTURED FROM JULY 27, 2005 THROUGH JANUARY 17, 2006 (DATE CODES 0529 THROUGH 0602) ARE SUBJECT TO THIS RECALL. WHEN …

Fix: AFFINIA (BRAKE PARTS, INC.) WILL REPLACE THE SUBJECT BRAKE HYDRAULIC MASTER CYLINDERS FREE OF CHARGE. THE RECALL BEGAN ON MARCH 20, 2006. OWNERS CAN CONTACT AFFINA GROUP CUSTOMER SERVICE AT 1-800-323-0354.

Fuel System, Gasoline NHTSA Campaign #04V421000 · manufacturer #04N02 · 30/08/2004

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.

Fix: 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 RE…

Source: U.S. NHTSA, checked 4 Nov 2026. 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.

2002 Mercury Cougar common problems

The most-reported problem areas across all 111 owner complaints filed with NHTSA — and what to check before you buy.

Fuel System
Sniff for fuel odor, check for leaks, hard starts or stalling, and confirm the fuel gauge reads correctly.
Gasoline
Have a trusted mechanic inspect this system as part of a pre-purchase inspection.
Power Train
Drive through every gear: watch for slipping, hard or delayed shifts, and shudder. Check for transmission/driveline leaks and noises.
Engine And Engine Cooling
Check coolant level and color, look for leaks, and confirm the engine reaches normal temperature without overheating.
Engine
Listen for knocks or ticking, check for leaks and blue/white exhaust smoke, and make sure it doesn't overheat. No check-engine light should be on.
Air Bags
Confirm the airbag light turns on then off at startup — if it stays lit there's a fault (costly, and a safety risk). Check for signs of prior deployment.

2002 Mercury Cougar safety ratings

Side crash★★★★★
Side — front seat★★★★★
Side — rear seat★★★★★
Side barrier test — 2002 Mercury Cougar 2-DR.Side barrier test

Source: NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings (NCAP), tested as the 2002 Mercury Cougar 2-DR.. Ratings can differ by body style and drivetrain.

2002 Mercury Cougar MPG & running costs

Combined21–24 mpg
City19 mpg
Highway28 mpg
Est. annual fuel cost$3,067
EPA size classCompact Cars
TransmissionAutomatic 4-spd or Manual 5-spd
Passenger volume87 cu ft
Cargo volume14 cu ft
5-yr fuel cost vs average new car$3,333 more

Source: U.S. EPA / DOE fueleconomy.gov. The EPA lists 3 versions of this model year; combined is shown as a range and the other figures are averages.

What's a 2002 Mercury Cougar worth?

Low
$700
Typical price
$1,161
High
$2,200

From 14 comparable 2002 Mercury Cougar listings.

Estimated 5-year cost to own

A rough guide to what running a 2002 Mercury Cougar costs over five years and 75,000 miles.

Fuel (5 yrs)$15,335
Fuel only$15,335
Per mile$0.20

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.

Investigations & service bulletins

Manufacturer service bulletins 42

Technical notes the manufacturer sent to dealers about known issues and fixes. Useful to mention to a mechanic — they are not recalls and repairs may not be covered. Showing the 10 most recent of 42.

GENERAL (PCM) POWER TRAIN CONTROL MODULE PROGRAMMING PROCEDURES. *TT

Bulletin 042107 · Power Train · Dec 2004

GENERAL POWER TRAIN CONTROL MODULE (PCM) PROGRAMMING PROCEDURES. *TT

Bulletin 04217 · Power Train · Nov 2004

MALFUNCTION INDICATOR LAMP (MIL) ILLUMINATED - SYSTEM LEAN DIAGNOSTIC TROUBLE CODES (DTC'S) - SERVICE TIPS. VARIOUS MODELS INCLUDING 2004 F-SERIES. *TT

Bulletin 04174 · Electrical System · Sep 2004

REAR WINDOW DEFROSTER GRID/INTEGRAL ANTENNA DIAGNOSIS AND REPAIR - TERMINAL TAB REPAIR. *TT

Bulletin 041514 · Visibility · Aug 2004

INOPERATIVE ELECTRIC REAR WINDOW DEFROSTER (HEATED BACKLITE) GRID LINES, INTEGRAL ANTENNA CONCERNS. *TT

Bulletin 031501 · Visibility · Jul 2004

STREAMLINED DIAGNOSTIC PROCEDURE FOR VEHICLES WITH MALFUNCTION INDICATOR LAMP (MIL) ON AND DIAGNOSTIC TROUBLE CODES (DTCS) P0401, P0402, P1400 OR P1401. ADDITIONAL SYMPTOMS MAY INCLUDE RUNS ROUGH, LACKS POWER, SURGE, POOR FUEL ECONOMY. *TT

Bulletin 04111 · Electrical System · Jun 2004

CUSTOMER SATISFACTION PROGRAM 02M01 SUPPLEMENT #4. CERTAIN FORD 2000 THROUGH 2003 VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH A TUBE-MOUNTED EGR PRESSURE SENSOR - ADDITIONAL EGR PRESSURE SENSOR WARRANTY COVERAGE. *TT SUPPLEMENT #3. *MJ SUPPLEMENT #6. *TT

Bulletin 02M01 · Engine And Engine Cooling · Jun 2004

ENGINE HESITATION, LOSS OF POWER, SURGING, AND OTHER SIMILAR SYMPTOMS AS A RESULT OF CONTAMINATION OF THE FUEL PUMP. THIS PROGRAM EXTENDS THE COVERAGE OF THE FUEL DELIVERY MODULE (FDM). *TT *MJ

Bulletin 04N02 · Fuel System, Other · May 2004

DIAGNOSTIC TROUBLE CODE P1000 (OBD SYSTEMS READINESS TEST NOT COMPLETE) RESETTING AFTER IT HAS ALREADY CLEARED. *TT

Bulletin 17582 · Electrical System · Feb 2004

STREAMLINED DIAGNOSTIC PROCEDURE FOR VEHICLES WITH MALFUNCTION INDICATOR LAMP ON AND DIAGNOSTIC TROUBLE CODES (DTCS) P0401, P0402, P1400 OR P1401. ADDITIONAL SYMPTOMS MAY INCLUDE RUNS ROUGH, LACKS POWER, SURGE, POOR FUEL ECONOMY. *TT

Bulletin 03223 · Electrical System · Jan 2004

Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation, listed for the COUGAR. Model-year data, not specific to one car.

About the Mercury Cougar

The Mercury Cougar is a series of automobiles that was sold by Mercury from 1967 to 2002. The model line is a diverse series of vehicles; though the Cougar nameplate is most commonly associated with two-door coupes, at various stages in its production, the model also was offered as a convertible and a hatchback. During its production as the mid-size Mercury line, the Cougar was also offered as a four-door sedan and five-door station wagon.

From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Describes the model line in general, not this model year specifically.

2002 Mercury Cougar trims & engines on record

Trims
Base · Sport
Engines
2.5L 6-cyl 170 hp

2002 Mercury Cougar vehicles on record

2002 Mercury Cougar 2002 Mercury Cougar Base1ZWFT61L925616260 2002 Mercury Cougar 2002 Mercury Cougar Base1ZWFT61L125613465 2002 Mercury Cougar 2002 Mercury Cougar Base1ZWFT61L125606838 2002 Mercury Cougar 2002 Mercury Cougar Base1ZWHT61L625624180 2002 Mercury Cougar 2002 Mercury Cougar Base1ZWFT61L125614776 2002 Mercury Cougar 2002 Mercury Cougar Base1ZWHT61L925618292 2002 Mercury Cougar 2002 Mercury Cougar Base1ZWFT61L325616822 2002 Mercury Cougar 2002 Mercury Cougar Sport1ZWFT61L325621812 2002 Mercury Cougar 2002 Mercury Cougar Base1ZWFT61L125606273 2002 Mercury Cougar 2002 Mercury Cougar Base1ZWFT61L225601390 2002 Mercury Cougar 2002 Mercury Cougar Base1ZWFT61L925612841 2002 Mercury Cougar 2002 Mercury Cougar Base1ZWFT61L125622120 2002 Mercury Cougar 2002 Mercury Cougar Base1ZWFT61L625600730 2002 Mercury Cougar 2002 Mercury Cougar Base1ZWHT61L725608571 2002 Mercury Cougar 2002 Mercury Cougar1ZWFT603525609985

Other Mercury Cougar model years

2001 2000 1999 1998 1997 1996 1995 1994 1993 1989 1988 1985

2002 Mercury Cougar — frequently asked questions

Does the 2002 Mercury Cougar have any safety recalls?

NHTSA lists 3 recall campaigns for the 2002 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 done at no charge.

What are the most common problems with the 2002 Mercury Cougar?

Across all 111 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the most-reported problem areas are fuel system, gasoline, power train.

What is the 2002 Mercury Cougar safety rating?

NHTSA gives the 2002 Mercury Cougar crash-test ratings of side 3★ (out of 5; this model year pre-dates NHTSA's overall score).

What gas mileage does the 2002 Mercury Cougar get?

The 2002 Mercury Cougar has U.S. EPA estimates of 21–24 mpg combined, depending on engine and trim (3 versions).

How much is a 2002 Mercury Cougar worth?

Comparable 2002 Mercury Cougar listings run roughly $700–$2,200, typically around $1,161 (from 14 vehicles).

Sources: NHTSA (recalls, complaints, crash tests), U.S. EPA (fuel economy). Vehicle data only — CarLogs never shows owner information.