2000 Model Cougar Kicking and Bucking!

Johnd1 · 22-07-2012, 02:24 PM

I see that this subject has been discussed in other areas so I hope it is okay to bring it up again here as none of the comments and remedies appear to have fixed this problem.

My Cougaar is a 2000 model Eibach with the 2.5lt motor and is an automatic.

The symptoms are similar to the fuel pump issue but I don't believe that is the problem ie
"engine hesitation, loss of power, surging, and other similar symptoms"
add ‘banging that you can feel through the steering wheel’ to the list.

I had McInnerney Ford here in Western Australia have a look at the problem and they gave it a complete service drove it and gave it back to me. I thought that it was going to get new spark plugs and leads which I bought from RockAuto in the US but they weren’t changed.

The Service didn’t solve the problem so I took it back and while I thought that it may be the gearbox they decided that it WAS the gearbox and had that re-conned. Cost $5,300 plus. I never actually gave them the okay to do this. Why would I when you can buy a whole car for that much?

I had the alternator checked and it needed a new one so I bought one from RockAuto and had that fitted (not by FORD). That didn’t fix the problem but now all of my lights come on and the gauges go mad.

We are currently trying to get to the bottom of that but I would like to fit a new TRANSMISSION RANGE SENSOR while we are at it and was wondering if anyone could tell me where I can get one. Reddyz is going to link me to the same thing under a different name on RockAuto but extra help would be appreciated.

Cheers John
Perth WA

thearrow · 23-07-2012, 12:17 PM

John, a process of elimination required here.

Does it still do it when the fuel tank is full??(if not then it is not the fuel pump).

Does it still change gear OK?? (then it is not the gearbox).

If it is vibrating through the steering wheel it won"t be the electrics. Check the diffrentials and the engine mounts. (I have had to replace all of the engine mounts).

Sorry to say but the alternators on Aussie Cougars are different from the U.S. ones the best thing to do is go for a re-build same thing applies for the air-con compressors.

IMHO....Forget FRAUD dealers and find yourself a good mechanic.

Johnd1 · 25-07-2012, 12:34 PM

Yes you are right about the process of elimination and we are going through that now which is why I need to get hold of a Transmission Range Sensor so as to be able to tick that box.
Cheers
John

thearrow · 25-07-2012, 01:41 PM

John if it is a big problem a normal code reader should give you some indications about what is going on.

Get your mechanic to check if there are codes in the system and we can check them for you.

Johnd1 · 27-07-2012, 02:52 PM

Ford said that they didn't get a code reading so just went ahead and rebuilt the gearbox instead of starting with the small stuff. Like the Transmission Range Sensor,
Cheers
John

thearrow · 29-07-2012, 10:56 PM

Thats a bit shabby.......not really good enough IMHO.

John find a good mechanic.

baz · 30-07-2012, 05:32 PM

Are you sure they did the gearbox, and I don't know about laws in the west but in victoria I think you could have got out of paying on the grounds that you never gave permission.
Baz

XR5-Boy · 05-08-2012, 11:34 AM

Hi all. I had this issue twice when I owned my cougar.

First time we worked out it was the battery. It was past it's used by and everything went nuts. The banging felt through the steering wheel was the ABS system.

Second time was while driving on the freeway, i started to get lights flashing and revs dropping, along with the banging. Worked out to be a bad batch of fuel. I also changed the fuel filter (located under the drivers side just infront of the rear wheel).