Factory specifications, fluid capacities, torque values, EPA fuel economy and the federal safety record for the 1982 Cougar.
The 1982 Mercury Cougar generated only 2 total owner complaints in available records, with the electrical system representing the top complaint area alongside 4 manufacturer recalls. When placed within the model's broader reliability history—which spans 1990 to 2002 and peaks at 521 complaints for the 1999 model year while bottoming at 1 for 1998—this early model year sits near the lowest end of the documented spectrum. This minimal complaint volume positions the 1982 model as a low-incidence outlier relative to the elevated complaint levels that characterized the 1990-2002 production years.
Engine, drivetrain, dimensions and economy.
| Overall length | 196.5 in |
| Overall width | 70.9 in |
| Overall height | 53.1 in |
| Wheelbase | 105.5 in |
| Curb weight | 2932 lb |
Owner-reported issues, recalls, investigations and service bulletins on record with NHTSA — an unfiltered look at what owners actually experience.
The federal record provided spans 1990–2002 and does not include any data for the 1982 model year, which falls outside this generation's tracked history entirely. The only available figures for the target year itself are minimal: two complaints (one Electrical System, one Seats), zero crash complaints, and one fire complaint. The year-by-year data that is present shows a generation arc beginning with moderate complaint volumes in the early 1990s (90–123 annually from 1990–1992), escalating to a peak of 521 complaints and 9 recalls in 1999, then tapering off through 2002. Because the 1982 Cougar predates this entire record by nearly a decade and belongs to a different platform generation, no meaningful trend comparison can be drawn from the provided data. The takeaway: the federal record offers insufficient information to assess the 1982 model year, so a purchase decision should rely on independent mechanical inspection and platform-specific resources rather than this dataset.
All 2 complaints on record, top 2 components.
Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint database.
Showing 2 of 4 campaigns on record for this vehicle.
CERTAIN FEDERAL-MOGUL AFTERMARKET FUEL PUMPS SOLD UNDER THE BRAND NAMES OF CARTER, ACCUFLOW, NAPA, TRUFLOW, PARTS DEPO, AND PARTS MASTER, SHIPPED BETWEEN AUGUST 2006 AND JULY 2007 FOR USE ON THE VEHICLES LISTED ABOVE… Remedy: FEDERAL-MOGUL WILL NOTIFY OWNERS AND REPLACE THE DEFECTIVE FUEL PUMPS FREE OF CHARGE. THE RECALL BEGAN ON OCTOBER 15, 2007. OWNERS CAN CONTACT FEDERAL-MOGUL AT 248-354-7700.
INCORRECT INFORMATION ON TIRE PLACARDS CONSTITUTES A FAILURE TO COMPLY WITH FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 110, "TIRE SELECTION AND RIMS". THE INFORMATION CONCERNING TIRE SIZES AND INFLATION PRESSURES IS… Remedy: REVISED PLACARDS WILL BE INSTALLED BY OWNERS, OR BY DEALERS WITHOUT CHARGE.
Showing 5 of 6 bulletins on record with NHTSA.
| Bulletin | Date | Component | Summary |
|---|---|---|---|
| 01157 | 2001-08-06 | Unknown Or Other | INFORMATION REGARDING TRANSMISSION FLUID USAGE CHARTS. *SLC |
| 9888 | 1998-04-27 | Power Train | INFORMATION ON A NEW TRANSMISSION FLUID USAGE CHART. *YC |
| 97511 | 1997-03-03 | Power Train | FLUID- TRANSMISSION FLUID USAGE CHARTS. *JD |
| BC8899950401 | 1995-04-01 | Service Brakes, Hydraulic | UNKNOWN |
| 9562 | 1995-03-01 | Service Brakes, Hydraulic | ROUGHNESS CONCERN DURING BRAKE APPLICATION. *TW |
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 4 recall campaign(s) for this model year. Check your specific vehicle by VIN.