Factory specifications, fluid capacities, torque values, EPA fuel economy and the federal safety record for the 1972 Cougar.
The 1972 Mercury Cougar represents a specific iteration within the model's long history, though direct reliability metrics from that production year are not available in the complaint data, which spans 1990-2002. Within that broader dataset, the Cougar exhibited considerable variation in owner-reported complaints, with 1999 recording the highest count at 521 complaints, while 1998 saw the lowest at just one complaint—a stark contrast that illustrates the model's inconsistent track record across different years of its history. This range suggests that reliability outcomes for the Cougar have fluctuated significantly depending on the model year and associated engineering changes, and the 1972's specific place within that larger pattern would require examination of era-specific data not captured in this dataset.
Engine, drivetrain, dimensions and economy.
| Overall length | 196.9 in |
| Overall width | 74.8 in |
| Overall height | 50.4 in |
| Wheelbase | 111.8 in |
| Curb weight | 0 lb |
Owner-reported issues, recalls, investigations and service bulletins on record with NHTSA — an unfiltered look at what owners actually experience.
Showing 1 of 1 campaigns on record for this vehicle.
DUE TO A MANUFACTURING ERROR, CERTAIN FLEXIBLE-BLADE ENGINE COOLING FANS MAY BE SUBJECT TO FATIGUE CRACKING AND BLADE SEPARATION DURING VEHICLE OPERATION. Remedy: DEFECTIVE FAN WILL BE REPLACED WITH ONE OF AN IMPROVED DESIGN WITHOUT CHARGE.
The most common OBD-II codes for this vehicle's emissions system. These are standardized SAE J2012 definitions, not vehicle-specific fault reports.
Decode factory build data for a specific vehicle by VIN.
Cross-vehicle references for the kinds of data on this page.
NHTSA lists 1 recall campaign(s) for this model year. Check your specific vehicle by VIN.