I'd like to thank Rikenbomb on NECO for this. This is a quick FAQ for any probs with the cats. Anyone with that coolant light prob where it turns on if it's cold or you are on an incline, then this should put ur mind at ease
Problems:
Alternators - Battery Light Flashing/Coming On- So far this issue has mainly been on 99-00 cougars but there have been people with 01’s that have had alternators burn out or that are faulty. The symptoms are usually a flashing battery light during high rpms and or constant dead batteries. What you can do if you get the flashing battery light is either get another alternator for about 245 dollars or get the one you have rebuilt from 60 + dollars. Not to mention you can usually get the alternator spun to crank out more amps and is less costly.
Sunroofs- Getting Stuck/Won't Open or Close- This has been a very common problem among the 99-00 cars with plastic tracks. This problem is not covered by warranty and is very costly. There is a post in this forum that has a lot of background and a online petition trying to get ford to cover this defect. There have been people who have fixed it on their own and saved 1200 bucks. Ford has given out estimates from 800-1600 to fix it. Most common symptoms are cracking sounds, and the moonroof not closing. Most likely the plastic tracks are the cause of the problem. The fix is done most likely replacing the plastic tracks with the metal tracks from the 01-02 cougars.
Added: Here is a link of all the information pertaining to the sunroof issue. CougarSunroof.com
Fuel Pumps- Bucking/Hesitation- The fuel pumps are a common problem with not only just cougars but Fords all over the country. The problem has been reported on all year cougars. There is a few things that can and do go wrong with the fuel pumps. 1 being they burn themselves out. 2 being they get blocked up. The symptoms include bucking under high rpms, bucking going up hills, Lack of power on acceleration. There are a few reasons the pumps basically cause their own failure. The pump is a in-tank pump so the when the fuel pump gets hot it uses the gasoline to keep the pump cool. So if you drive around with a ¼ tank of gas or less then you run the risk of burning out the pump. The second reason the pumps stop working or burn themselves up is that they get clogged with gunk that sits at the bottom of your tank. The pump to my knowledge is a “k” design. The main inlet to the pump is the bottom angled part of the “k” and since its angled down and is close to the bottom of the tank it can and will get clogged up easily. The top angled part of the “k” works well when you have more than ½ tank and turns into the main source of fuel when the bottom part gets clogged and you will notice this if have a ½ tank or more you will most likely not get the effects of the bad fuel pumps. There is a link to a replacement on top of this forum about the fuel pump. There is also some aftermarket replacements for your fuel pump. I know Walpro makes a replacement and people have had them installed and it takes some modification but I have not heard much more about it.
Added: There has been a recall of certain year Cougars (mostly mid '99 through 2001 model V6) where the fuel pump will be replaced free of charge by any Ford or Lincoln/Mercury dealership.
Wheels - If your steering wheel tends to shake at highway speeds (60-70mph), it could be that your wheels need to be balanced. Be sure your wheels have been balanced. It's good to do this preferrably 2 times a year. If balancing your wheels won't solve the issue, try getting a 4 wheel alignment (particularly for those driving with large rims).
Idling- Rough Idle/Moosing Sound - If your engine is idling differently that it normally does, It might be your IACV (Idle Air Control Valve). It's located behind your Upper Intake Manifold. Be sure to get it diagnosed to pinpoint the problem. Also if you experience a "Moosing" sound the IACV is also the culprit.
Location:
Intake Manifold Runner Control - IMRC - Your IMRC (Intake Manifold Runner Control) is no longer working properly. The IMRC unit (underneath the plastic engine cover) opens a second set of butterflies in the Lower Intake manifold, similar to secondaries on a carbuerator. In the Cougar, at around 4000 rpms, this second set opens, thus giving you a "surge" or "kick" in power. Whats happening is that it is no longer working the way it should. There are several problems that have been known to occur with the IMRC and the secondaries. Check the "How To" forum or the "2.5L Performance" section for additional info.
A/C Fan Blower - Your A/C / Heater Fan only blows air on the #4 fan setting. Basically your Blower resistor is blown. It is a simple part to replace. It is located on the firewall behind the dash. You can access it from the passenger side. This part can be purchased from the dealership and is very cheap (around $20 dollars or so).
The yellow “Wrench” light - This little light that pops up around every 4,700 miles. I could be wrong. But its nothing major. It simply reminds you that your due for service. To reset this light hold (on your black circle trip computer) “units” and “select” put your car in the "on" position and hold these buttons for 5 seconds. You should hear a beep and the light will shut off.
Coolant Light on at normal coolant level - There is a known issue with the coolant level sensor. The sensor itself is very sensitive and any changes in driving or parking angle with throw this light on. In cold weather situations, it can come on a s well. Be sure to fill your coolant to MAX. Even a little beyond MAX will not hurt. If this light comes on for any other reasons, get the problem checked out.
Red and Yellow Snowflakes - Don’t worry its nothing bad. When you see either a yellow or red snowflake on your overhead console it simply means that “yellow “ its 40 degrees and the roads could be icy. And “red” its 30 degrees and that to drive safely due to black ice possibility.
Check Engine Light (CEL) - This light appears on your gauge cluster, lower left side. This generally means that there is a malfunction in your emmissions systems or with your engine and transaxle (and related primary equipment). You should get this code pulled as soon as possible. This code can be read free of charge at almost any major auto parts store. Generally dealerships charge for this and troubleshoot to find the specific problem. Get this matter resolved as soon as you can to maintain proper engine efficiency and long term operation.
DTC Codes (Trip Computer) - These codes can be pulled from the Trip Computer. Understand that there is NO relaible information to be had from these codes. They are NOT Check Engine Codes nor should they be confused with them. In My Opinion they are absolutely worthless.
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