How to Replace the Heater Hoses in a Mercury Cougar

Two heater hoses attach to the heater core of your Mercury Cougar to let coolant travel to and from it to heat your car during cold weather. Heater hoses disintegrate over time. If one or both of the heater hoses in your Mercury Cougar wears out or breaks, replace it using these simple steps.

Instructions

1

Locate the heater hoses in the Mercury Cougar. One of the heater hoses connects to a metal pipe on some Mercury Cougar models. The hoses travel from the engine and past the firewall, and are best located from underneath the car. You'll find the heater hoses on the passenger side of the vehicle.

2

Turn off the car's engine and empty any excess coolant from the car's radiator. Put a drain pan under the car to catch the coolant. Transfer the coolant to an approved sealed container for proper and safe disposal according to your local municipality requirements.

3

Remove the clamps holding the old heater hoses using pliers or a screwdriver. You may need to loosen the clamp first with pliers, and then take it off with the screwdriver.

4

Twist the old heater hose to remove it. If it won't detach easily, use a utility knife to cut it in the middle from the clamp to the pipe, and then take it out of the compartment.

5

Clean the fitting using a multipurpose cleaning solution, and then use gasket sealer for a good fit. Attach the new heater hoses and secure them tightly with the clamps.

6

Fill the radiator with coolant and then turn the engine on to check for dripping liquid. Shut the engine off and tighten the heater hose connections if fluid leaks. Recheck the radiator level and then close the hood.