Total Complaints
2 filings
MERCURY COUGAR · model year
1978 MERCURY COUGAR
2 NHTSA complaints, 1 crash report for this specific cohort.
NHTSA overall rating
Not crash-tested
New Car Assessment Program
The 1978MERCURYCOUGAR carries 2 consumer safety complaints in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database for this specific model-year cohort. Within that volume, owners reported 1 crash, 0 fires, 1 injury, and 0 fatalities. No NCAP 5-star crash-test rating is available for this model year in the federal database.
Component-level analysis is where model-year complaints become actionable: the top complaint category for the 1978 COUGAR is seat belts:front:webbing with 1 filings, followed by seat belts:front:retractor (1). Concentration in one or two component groups is the classic signature of a systemic defect; a flat distribution usually reflects normal aging, warranty complaints, or isolated build-plant variability.
NHTSA currently has 22 investigation files overlapping the 1978 COUGAR. Owners comparing this cohort against neighboring years should pair the counters above with the complaint-by-year trend on the parent model page — a spike in a single year often tracks to a platform refresh, a new transmission supplier, or an updated ECU calibration. Use the related-complaint feed below to read raw owner narratives before deciding whether any pattern here affects your specific use case.
2
Complaints
1
Crashes
0
Fires
1
Injuries
0
Deaths
Crashes Reported
1 reports
Source
NHTSA ODI
Federal complaints database
Complaints vs. fleet median (215)
At or below the fleet median complaint volume.
Complaints by Component
| Component | Count |
|---|---|
| SEAT BELTS:FRONT:WEBBING | 1 |
| SEAT BELTS:FRONT:RETRACTOR | 1 |
Recent Complaints
20080129SEAT BELTS:FRONT:RETRACTOR
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1978 MERCURY COUGAR. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FRONT SEAT BELTS FAIL TO OPERATE PROPERLY. THE DEALER STATED THAT HER VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 78V108000 (SEAT BELTS:FRONT:RETRACTOR) BECAUSE THE VEHICLE WAS TOO OLD. THE VIN WAS INACCURATE AND THE ENGINE SIZE WAS UNKNOWN. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 42,267.
Mileage: 42,267
19950627CrashSEAT BELTS:FRONT:WEBBING
CONSUMER WAS IN AN ACCIDENT AND THE DRIVER SIDE SEAT BELT DIDN'T RESTRAIN PERSON HIT HER HEAD WAS TOTALED. TT
Compare 1978MERCURYCOUGAR to Similar Vehicles
NHTSA Investigations
Frequently Asked Questions
How many complaints does the 1978 MERCURY COUGAR have?▼
The 1978 MERCURY COUGAR has 2 NHTSA complaints, 1 crashes, 0 fires, 1 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
What are the most common problems with the 1978 MERCURY COUGAR?▼
The most-complained component for the 1978 MERCURY COUGAR is SEAT BELTS:FRONT:WEBBING with 1 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include SEAT BELTS:FRONT:RETRACTOR.
Is the 1978 MERCURY COUGAR safe to buy?▼
Review the complaint history, crash and fire reports, safety ratings, and recall status on this page to make an informed decision. No NHTSA crash test rating is available for this model year. Compare with other model years using the links above.
Where does this data come from?▼
All complaint, recall, and safety rating data is sourced from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Complaints are filed by vehicle owners through NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation.
Vehicle Safety Guides
Data as of 2025. Sources: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) complaints database, NHTSA recall campaign API, NHTSA NCAP crash-test ratings, and NHTSA FARS for fatality cross-reference.
Read our methodology — how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.