How many recalls does the 1981 Mercury Cougar have?

The 1981 Mercury Cougar has no NHTSA safety recalls on record.

How do I check if my 1981 Mercury Cougar has an open recall?

Enter your 17-character VIN at NHTSA's official recall lookup (nhtsa.gov/recalls) to see open, unrepaired recalls for your specific vehicle. Recall repairs are free.

1981 Mercury Cougar Recalls

No recalls on record Updated July 2026

No NHTSA recalls on record for the 1981 Mercury Cougar. That means NHTSA has no open safety campaign for this vehicle — it does not guarantee the absence of problems. Last updated July 5, 2026.

Defect investigations

Investigation PE89039 Opened 1989-02-09 · closed 1989-06-13

PARKING BRAKE FAILURE

SUMMARY:THE SPRING UNDER INVESTIGATION CAUSES THE LATCHING PAWL TOENGAGE THE TEETH OF THE RATCHET WHEREBY THE PARKING BRAKE IS RETAINEDIN THE APPLIED POSITION.IF THE SPRING FAILS, THE PEDAL FOLLOWS THEOPERATORS FOOT BACK UP INTO THE RELEASED POSITION.FORD STATES THAT IT ISSUED THE BULLETIN IN ORDER TO INFORM…

Sources & methodology

Recall, complaint, and investigation records from official NHTSA datasets (FLAT_RCL, FLAT_CMPL, FLAT_INV), synced weekly. Counts reflect NHTSA records for the 1981 Mercury Cougar as of July 5, 2026. Complaint narratives are consumer-submitted and unverified. This page contains ads and affiliate links. Full methodology.