1988 Mercury Cougar

Reliability, what owners report, and what it costs to keep.

70/100

Worth a look

AVOIR's read: a solid ownership case with specific caveats below.

What owners actually report

Owners have filed 69 complaints with NHTSA about the 1988 Mercury Cougar, and it carries 1 recall. These are owner allegations rather than confirmed defects, but the pattern of what people complain about is the most useful signal a used buyer has.

Complaints by area, from NHTSA records for this model-year
Area	Complaints	Share
Seat belts	18	26%
Electrical system	12	17%
Vehicle speed control	10	14%
Engine and engine cooling	5	7%
Visibility	5	7%
Service brakes	4	6%
Exterior lighting	3	4%
Tires	2	3%
Steering	2	3%
Seats	2	3%

In owners' own words

Verbatim from NHTSA complaint records, trimmed for length.

ON FEB 12, 1994 MY WIFE AND HER FRIEND TOOK MY RED 1988 MERCURY COUGAR LS TO CHURCH AT 6:30 PM. IT WAS AN EXTREMELY FOGGY EVENING. I RECEIVED A CALL AT THE HOUSE AT 6:50 PM THAT MY WIFE HAD BEEN IN A CAR ACCIDENT AND T
NHTSA complaint: Vehicle speed control

THE RIGHT SELTBELT BUCKLE ON THE DRIVERS SIDE FAILS OFTEN. FORD NO LONGER SUPPLIES THESE BUCKLES, AND THEY ARE VERY SCARCE IN WRECKING YARDS.*AK
NHTSA complaint: Seat belts

CONSUMER COMPLAINED ABOUT A TIRE THAT FAILED FROM ANOTHER VEHICLE. FRONT LEFT TIRE TREAD SEPARATED FROM A CHEVROLET BLAZER 1984, AND CAUSED THE VEHICLE TO LOSE CONTROL. VEHICLE HIT TWO OTHER VEHICLES, ONE BEING THE C
NHTSA complaint: Unknown or other

THE IGNITION SWITCH DOES NOT IGNITE IF THE GEAR SHIFT IS NOT COMPLETELY UP. IT APPEARS THERE IS NOT ENOUGH COMMUNICATION BETWEEN THE ELECTRICAL IGNITION SWITCH AND THE GEAR SHIFT.*AK
NHTSA complaint: Electrical system

RECALL 96 V 071 000/IGNITION SWITCH: RECALL REPAIRS WAS DONE AT BAYWAY LINCOLN, MERCURY; HOUSTON, TX; PHONE# 281/ 929-6500. AT THE PRESENT TIME PROBLEM HAS REOCCURRED. FEEL FREE TO PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION.*AK
NHTSA complaint: Electrical system

WHILE DRIVING ABOUT ANY SPEED VEHICLE WILL SHUT DOWN, BUT ALL ELECTRICAL PARTS WILL STILL BE WORKING, LIKE HEADLIGHTS/ RADIO/ POWER WINDOW, AND AIR CONDITIONER. BUT NOT COLD AND MOTOR WILL STILL BE WORKING; IGNITIO
NHTSA complaint: Engine and engine cooling

VEHICLE STALLS WHEN STARTING FROM A COMPLETE STOP OR A ROLLING STOP, RECALL 96V071 WAS COMPLETED ON VEHICLE, BUT THE PROBLEM STILL EXISTS POSSIBLY DUE TO AN ENGINE FAILURE. *SLC
NHTSA complaint: Engine and engine cooling

BOTH FORD MOTOR CORP. AND GALPIN LINCOLN-MERCURY REFUSED TO COVER FOR REPAIRS. OWNER HAD TO DO SO AT HIS OWN EXPENSE. *AK
NHTSA complaint: Electrical system

Recalls on record

NHTSA lists 1 recall campaign for the 1988 Mercury Cougar. Recalls are free to have fixed at a franchised dealer regardless of who owns the car now, but only if they were never done, so check the VIN of the specific car rather than trusting the model.

Electrical system:ignition 96V071000

THE IGNITION SWITCH COULD EXPERIENCE AN INTERNAL SHORT CIRCUIT.

Risk: THIS CONDITION COULD CAUSE OVERHEATING, SMOKE, AND POSSIBLY FIRE IN THE STEERING COLUMN AREA OF THE VEHICLE.

Fix: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE IGNITION SWITCH.

The seven scores

Reliability raw	82	excellent
Longevity est.	79	good
Maintenance	72	good
Depreciation	60	average
Performance	64	average
Efficiency	40	below average

How it compares in its class

Percentile ranks against other compact cars in the catalog.

Reliability: better than 38% of compact cars
Longevity: better than 54% of compact cars
Running costs: better than 37% of compact cars
Value retention: better than 56% of compact cars

Which of these numbers are measured

What stands behind each score for this car:

Reliability 82: from NHTSA recalls and complaints. This one is a raw count: we do not have a sales figure for this model, so a high-volume car looks worse here than it should.
Longevity 79: an estimate from powertrain and brand record. No 200,000-mile population exists for a 1988 car yet, so this is a prior, not evidence.
Maintenance 72: repair-cost data where we have it for this model, otherwise a mechanical-complexity estimate from engine size, cylinder count and drivetrain.
Safety: no score. NHTSA crash testing thins out for older vehicles and we would rather show nothing than guess.

Common questions

What goes wrong with the 1988 Mercury Cougar?

Owners have filed 69 complaints with NHTSA for this model-year, and seat belts is the most reported area with 18 of them (26%). There is 1 recall on record. Check any specific car against its VIN before buying.

Is the 1988 Mercury Cougar reliable?

AVOIR scores its reliability 82/100 (excellent) from NHTSA recall campaigns and complaint density. That figure is a raw complaint count, not yet adjusted for sales volume, so a high-volume model scores worse than it deserves.

How long will a 1988 Mercury Cougar last?

AVOIR scores its longevity 79/100, but that figure is an estimate built from the powertrain and the brand's record, not a measurement. A 1988 car has no 200,000-mile population to observe yet, so treat it as a prior rather than evidence.

Should I buy a 1988 Mercury Cougar?

AVOIR's read: worth a look, because a solid ownership case with specific caveats below. Its overall ownership score is 70/100. Condition, mileage and service history still matter more than any score, so get a pre-purchase inspection on the specific car.

Sources: NHTSA recalls and complaints, EPA fuel economy, IIHS awards, and live market listings. A score describes a model-year, not the individual car in front of you. Get a pre-purchase inspection.