MercuryCougar1990Overview/mercury/cougar/1990/base/

1990 Mercury Cougar

Factory specifications, fluid capacities, torque values, EPA fuel economy and the federal safety record for the 1990 Cougar.

Body PASSENGER CARTransmission Automatic 4-spd

The 1990 Mercury Cougar is a passenger car equipped with a 4-speed automatic transmission and an EPA rating of 15/21/18 mpg. The vehicle requires 4.5 quarts of 10W-30 or 5W-30 engine oil. In the context of the 1990-2002 model history, this year recorded 90 owner complaints and three recalls primarily involving the electrical system, a figure well below the 1999 peak of 521 complaints.

Model year200220012000199919971996199519941990

Quick specs

Fluid capacities, tune-up values and fuel economy at a glance.

Engine oil capacity4.5 qtOEM · verified
Engine oil type10W-30 / 5W-30OEM · verified
EPA fuel economy15/21/18 mpgEPA · verified

Fitment & sizes

Replacement part sizes and factory part numbers — battery, bulbs, filters and belts.

OE service part numbers OEM · verified

ThermostatRT1053 discontinued

Full specifications

Engine, drivetrain, dimensions and economy.

Engine & drivetrain NHTSA vPIC

TransmissionAutomatic 4-spd

Dimensions & weight NHTSA vPIC

Overall length198.8 in
Overall width72.8 in
Overall height52.8 in
Wheelbase113 in
Curb weight3616 lb
Track (front / rear)61.8 / 60.2 in
Weight distribution (front / rear)57/43

Ratings & economy EPA / vPIC

EPA city / highway / combined15 / 21 / 18 mpg
DrivetrainRear-Wheel Drive
Recommended fuelPremium Gasoline

Service quick specs OEM factory data

Capacities, torques and tune-up values from the factory service manual.

This engine holds 4.5 qt of 10W-30 / 5W-30 engine oil, DOT 3 brake fluid.

Lubricants & capacities

Brake FluidDOT 3
Engine CoolantETHYLENE GLYCOL
Engine Oil10W-30 · 5W-30
Engine Oil Capacity4.5 qt

Factory maintenance schedule OEM · verified

Normal service, condensed from the factory interval matrix.

Under the factory schedule, replace the engine oil and filter every 5,000 mi; spark plugs every 60,000 mi; coolant every 30,000 mi. The big-interval services (every 30,000 mi for coolant, and the transmission fluid) are the ones owners most often skip — on a lower-mileage example, assume the original fluids are still in it and check them first.

Every 5,000 miEngine Oil (drain & refill)
At 7,500 miTire & Wheel Assembly (rotate)
Every 7,500 miEngine Oil Filter (replace)
Every 15,000 miSteering Linkage (inspect) · Suspension System (inspect) · Tire & Wheel Assembly (rotate)
Every 30,000 miAccessory Drive Belt (inspect) · Brake Linings (inspect) · Engine Air Filter Element (replace) · Engine Breather Filter (replace) · Engine Coolant System (drain, flush & refill) · Exhaust System Heat Shield (inspect)
Every 60,000 miSpark Plugs (replace)

Reliability & federal safety record

Owner-reported issues, recalls, investigations and service bulletins on record with NHTSA — an unfiltered look at what owners actually experience.

The 1990 Mercury Cougar recorded 90 complaints, 3 recalls, 5 investigations, and 33 TSBs, positioning it as a relatively stable model year compared to what follows. The data shows complaints climbing steadily through the early 1990s—reaching 210 in 1993—before declining modestly in 1994-1995, then spiking dramatically to 521 complaints and 9 recalls in 1999. The target year falls near the beginning of this generation, with complaint levels that are moderate and investigations (5) that were the highest of any year in the record. Its top complaint areas were Electrical System (17), Seat Belts (15), and Vehicle Speed Control (14), with 9 crash complaints and 9 fire complaints recorded. The 1990 model represents one of the more stable years in this generation before complaint volumes escalated through the mid-1990s and peaked catastrophically in 1999.

3
Open recalls
NHTSA campaigns
33
Service bulletins
Manufacturer communications
5
ODI investigations
Office of Defects Investigation
90
Owner complaints
9 involved a crash · 9 a fire
Owner complaints by model year NHTSA · this generation & adjacent

Owner complaints filed with NHTSA, by component

All 90 complaints on record, top 8 components.

Electrical System17
Seat Belts15
Vehicle Speed Control14
Engine & Engine Cooling8
Service Brakes, Hydraulic5
Latches/Locks/Linkages5
Visibility4
Exterior Lighting4

Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint database.

Recalls NHTSA · verified

Showing 2 of 3 campaigns on record for this vehicle.

91V076000Visibility:Windshield Wiper/Washer:MotorReported 06/05/1991

THE NUTS WHICH HOLD WINDSHIELD WIPER MOTOR TO THE WIPER MODULE MAY NOT HAVE BEEN SUFFICIENTLY TIGHTENED AND MAY LOOSEN OR COME OFF. THIS CAUSES CHANGED WIPER PATTERNS, OR THE WIPERS MAY JAM IF TWO OF THE THREE NUTS COME… Remedy: APPLY TORQUE RETENTION MATERIAL TO WIPER MOTOR STUDS AND NUTS AND RETORQUE.

90V026000Electrical System:12V/24V/48V Battery:CablesReported 12/02/1990

BATTERY TO STARTER CABLES ARE LONGER THAN SPECIFIED; EXCESSIVE CABLE LENGTH COULD CONTACT ENGINE DAMPER PULLEY. Remedy: REPLACE BATTERY TO STARTER CABLE WITH CORRECT LENGTH CABLE.

Technical service bulletins NHTSA · verified

Showing 5 of 33 bulletins on record with NHTSA.

BulletinDateComponentSummary
011562001-08-06VisibilitySOME VEHICLES MAY EXHIBIT HEATER CORE LEAKS. *SLC
011572001-08-06Unknown Or OtherINFORMATION REGARDING TRANSMISSION FLUID USAGE CHARTS. *SLC
0023102000-11-13Power TrainSUBJECT REGARDING CONTAMINATION FROM PRIOR TRANSMISSION CONCERNS OR EXCESS WEAR MAY BE…
002132000-10-16EquipmentSUBJECT REGARDING CLIMATE CONTROL - EATC - BLOWER MOTOR CONTROL SERVICE TIPS. *JB
00152000-01-10Power TrainINFORMATION REGARDING THE NEW TRANSMISSION COOLER FLUSHER- SERVICE TIP. *MJS

Common OBD-II trouble codes

The most common OBD-II codes for this vehicle's emissions system. These are standardized SAE J2012 definitions, not vehicle-specific fault reports.

P0420
Catalyst system efficiency below threshold — Bank 1
P0300
Random / multiple cylinder misfire detected
P0171
System too lean — Bank 1
P0455
Evaporative emission system leak detected — large leak
P0128
Coolant thermostat below regulating temperature
P0442
Evaporative emission system leak detected — small leak

VIN tools

Decode factory build data for a specific vehicle by VIN.

VIN
Decode a VIN to confirm the transmission and build data for a specific Cougar. OEM
Build data
Plant, GVWR class, engine and body data for any 17-character VIN.
Recalls
Check open recall campaigns against a specific vehicle by VIN.

Vehicles with shared specs

Find every vehicle that shares this one's battery, bulbs, oil capacity, platform or parts.

Reference guides

Cross-vehicle references for the kinds of data on this page.

Frequently asked

How much oil does the 1990 Cougar take?

4.5 qt of ABOVE 0 degrees F 10W-30, BELOW 100 degrees F 5W-30, per the factory manual.

Does the 1990 Cougar have open recalls?

NHTSA lists 3 recall campaign(s) for this model year. Check your specific vehicle by VIN.

What gas mileage does the Cougar get?

EPA figures are 15 city / 21 highway / 18 combined mpg.