my 99 cougar is driving me crazy

[gilmore96]

i purchased my 99 cougar almost 3 years ago. i have had really no problems until now. i took it to pep boys because the sevice light came on and i wanted to get a tune up. two days after i got it back, the car just stopped!!!!!! i was 70 miles from home so i took it to conrads in cleveland where i broke down. they said that one of the 20 amp fuses was really chared, so they replaced it and the car started. i also took it to the ford dealership asap when i got the car back from conrads because i had an awful humming noise under the hood, it sounded like a leaf blower. i also thought that the converter may need to be replaced because the O2 sensor was bad and the car smelled like rotten eggs. nasty!!! the ford dealership said the converter was fine and the rotten egg smell was gone. i have had the car back for about three days now and i broke down again. the car just stopped!!!!!! i think it may be a fuse again!!! can anyone help me, or has anyone had this problem. i have spent about 3,000.00 dollars in less than 2 weeks. please help!!!

jennifer

[shadough]

Originally Posted by gilmore96

i purchased my 99 cougar almost 3 years ago. i have had really no problems until now. i took it to pep boys because the sevice light came on and i wanted to get a tune up. two days after i got it back, the car just stopped!!!!!! i was 70 miles from home so i took it to conrads in cleveland where i broke down. they said that one of the 20 amp fuses was really chared, so they replaced it and the car started. i also took it to the ford dealership asap when i got the car back from conrads because i had an awful humming noise under the hood, it sounded like a leaf blower. i also thought that the converter may need to be replaced because the O2 sensor was bad and the car smelled like rotten eggs. nasty!!! the ford dealership said the converter was fine and the rotten egg smell was gone. i have had the car back for about three days now and i broke down again. the car just stopped!!!!!! i think it may be a fuse again!!! can anyone help me, or has anyone had this problem. i have spent about 3,000.00 dollars in less than 2 weeks. please help!!!

jennifer

I have a 99 cougar myself and that humming noise that you hear if its really loud and happens more often in the cold it might be the same thing i had.. the garage i brought mine to said that ford after 1999 updated there air intake module or something like that oam not to sure exactly what it is but i needed to get the new version in my oppion is should have been a recal i guess that alot of 99's had this isssue. it was like a 150 doller part and you can only buy it from ford. it was aabout a half hour labour.. and also that rotten egg smell i get something like that too but cant figure it out,, almost smells like burning rubber and it comes threw the heater or ac,, this has been going on for a year but its off and on

[axial]

I remember reading notification for Mercury Mystique/Cougars, on a website a while back. Searched for it, and found it:

Exhaust - Sulfur Odors After Hard Driving

Article No. 00-25-2

12/11/2000

EXHAUST - SULFUR ODOR FOLLOWING AGGRESSIVE DRIVING - 2.5L VEHICLES - CONTOUR/MYSTIQUE AND COUGAR WITH AUTOMATIC TRANSAXLE BUILT FROM 5/7/99 - COUGAR WITH MANUAL TRANSAXLE BUILT FROM 5/24/99 ONLY

FORD:
1998-2000 CONTOUR

MERCURY:
1998-2000 MYSTIQUE
1999-2000 COUGAR

This TSB is being republished in its entirely to update the vehicle models covered.

ISSUE

An objectionable exhaust, sulfur, or rotten egg odor following aggressive driving, such as full-throttle acceleration, may occur on some vehicles. This may be caused by excessive sulfur in the fuel reacting with the normal chemical reactions which take place in the catalytic converter.

ACTION

Replace the catalytic converter with a revised catalytic converter. Refer to the following Service Procedure for details.

SERVICE PROCEDURE

NOTE THIS PROCEDURE APPLIES ONLY TO 2.5L CONTOUR/MYSTIQUE AND COUGAR VEHICLES WITH AUTOMATIC TRANSAXLES, 2.5L CONTOUR/MYSTIQUE VEHICLES WITH MANUAL TRANSAXLES (MTX) BUILT FROM 5/7/1999 AND 2.5L COUGAR VEHICLES WITH MANUAL TRANSAXLES (MTX) BUILT FROM 5/24/1999.

1. Follow normal diagnostic routines. If the Malfunction Indicator Lamp (MIL) is illuminated, or if there are any other driveablity symptoms present, they must be resolved prior to addressing the exhaust odor concern.

2. Replace the existing catalytic converter with the revised service part. Refer to the 1999 Contour/Mystique or Cougar Workshop Manual, Section 309-00, for the removal and installation procedures. It will also be necessary to replace the five (5) mounting nuts along with the inlet and outlet gaskets as listed in the Parts Block shown.

NOTE: SINCE EXHAUST ODOR VARIES WITH THE LEVEL OF SULFUR CONTENT IN THE FUEL, IT MAY ALSO BE APPROPRIATE TO ADVISE THE CUSTOMER TO CHANGE FUEL BRAND (NOT THE OCTANE RATING) TO ACHIEVE MAXIMUM SATISFACTION.

Looks like the site isn't around anymore, though. So, I had to view the cached copy that Google had.

[sactodd]

Originally Posted by gilmore96

i purchased my 99 cougar almost 3 years ago. i have had really no problems until now. i took it to pep boys because the sevice light came on and i wanted to get a tune up. two days after i got it back, the car just stopped!!!!!! i was 70 miles from home so i took it to conrads in cleveland where i broke down. they said that one of the 20 amp fuses was really chared, so they replaced it and the car started. i also took it to the ford dealership asap when i got the car back from conrads because i had an awful humming noise under the hood, it sounded like a leaf blower. i also thought that the converter may need to be replaced because the O2 sensor was bad and the car smelled like rotten eggs. nasty!!! the ford dealership said the converter was fine and the rotten egg smell was gone. i have had the car back for about three days now and i broke down again. the car just stopped!!!!!! i think it may be a fuse again!!! can anyone help me, or has anyone had this problem. i have spent about 3,000.00 dollars in less than 2 weeks. please help!!!

jennifer

My wife's car is experiencing the 20amp fuse problem, did you ever find a root cause for the short? (The dealer spent about 4 hours looking, could not find a cause. Replaced the fuse, and the car worked for 2 months, but now it's down again. Turn the ignition to on and the fuse (20a in engine compartment) blows.

-Todd

[sactodd]

Originally Posted by gilmore96

i purchased my 99 cougar almost 3 years ago. i have had really no problems until now. i took it to pep boys because the sevice light came on and i wanted to get a tune up. two days after i got it back, the car just stopped!!!!!! i was 70 miles from home so i took it to conrads in cleveland where i broke down. they said that one of the 20 amp fuses was really chared, so they replaced it and the car started. i also took it to the ford dealership asap when i got the car back from conrads because i had an awful humming noise under the hood, it sounded like a leaf blower. i also thought that the converter may need to be replaced because the O2 sensor was bad and the car smelled like rotten eggs. nasty!!! the ford dealership said the converter was fine and the rotten egg smell was gone. i have had the car back for about three days now and i broke down again. the car just stopped!!!!!! i think it may be a fuse again!!! can anyone help me, or has anyone had this problem. i have spent about 3,000.00 dollars in less than 2 weeks. please help!!!

jennifer

My wife's car is experiencing the 20amp fuse problem, did you ever find a root cause for the short? (The dealer spent about 4 hours looking, could not find a cause. Replaced the fuse, and the car worked for 2 months, but now it's down again. Turn the ignition to on and the fuse (20a in engine compartment) blows.

-Todd

[darrenstalker]

The leafe blower sound was fixed in my 00 by replacing the Air Filter the air flow may be to restricted

[Singh84]

Originally Posted by shadough

I have a 99 cougar myself and that humming noise that you hear if its really loud and happens more often in the cold it might be the same thing i had.. the garage i brought mine to said that ford after 1999 updated there air intake module or something like that oam not to sure exactly what it is but i needed to get the new version in my oppion is should have been a recal i guess that alot of 99's had this isssue. it was like a 150 doller part and you can only buy it from ford. it was aabout a half hour labour.. and also that rotten egg smell i get something like that too but cant figure it out,, almost smells like burning rubber and it comes threw the heater or ac,, this has been going on for a year but its off and on

I have a 99 cougar does make the same noise often in the cold and some time when u parked at the store for 2-3 hours and start again. If u snap the accelrator it will go away.... nothing serious it just ur ABS charging System . lol if u Dont have ABS its something else.

[hobbenmineshieza]

Originally Posted by shadough

I have a 99 cougar myself and that humming noise that you hear if its really loud and happens more often in the cold it might be the same thing i had.. the garage i brought mine to said that ford after 1999 updated there air intake module or something like that oam not to sure exactly what it is but i needed to get the new version in my oppion is should have been a recal i guess that alot of 99's had this isssue. it was like a 150 doller part and you can only buy it from ford. it was aabout a half hour labour.. and also that rotten egg smell i get something like that too but cant figure it out,, almost smells like burning rubber and it comes threw the heater or ac,, this has been going on for a year but its off and on

re: rotten egg smell....the catallitic converter is probly clogged

[jeffdaman1972]

the loud humming noise is tha iac valve located on the back of the intake.Its only a 50 dollar part from your local autoparts store and can be installed by anyone with a 10mm wrench.The loud noise is caused by the valve sticking and only cracking open the air tube which causes air to whistle threw and channel back out of the air box wich amplifies the noise.

PS Its also causes the check engine light to come on frequently and also causes the rotten egg smell due to improper amounts of fuel burning thru the exhaust which heats up the converter.

[jeffdaman1972]

its def not the abs system charging

[aeflower9]

SELL IT SELL IT SELL IT. That is all i have to say im getting rid of mine tomorrow. So sell it or trade it in. GOOD LUCK

[14WANDERSON]

The loud humming is the idle control valve. We bought one from an advanced auto. It continued to not work. We then took it to a friend who is a mechanic, he thought we had bought a bad one. So he then got another one from advanced auto. It continued to hum. He thought we should buy an orginial Ford idle control valve and for some reason it stopped the humming. It does cost more but it worked for my mercury cougar.