The 1999 Mercury Cougar has two engine options. The base engine is a 2.0-liter, in-line four-cylinder, which produces 130 horsepower. The optional engine is a 170-horsepower 2.5-liter V-6. No matter the engine size, the 1999 Cougar has an on-board diagnostic (OBD) computer with an OBD-II port.
The OBD-II port is sometimes difficult to find on certain vehicles. However, the Cougar's OBD-II diagnostic port is easy to find. It is located on the driver's side, under the dashboard and to the driver's side of the steering wheel.
The OBD-II port is where an OBD-II scanner can be plugged in. This scanner gathers all of the information from the vehicle's computer and displays it on a screen. Some computers even have testing functions for certain components.
On-board diagnostics started back in 1982 in California when the California Air Resources Board began creating regulations that required all vehicles to have an on-board diagnostic system -- now known as OBD-I -- to sense emission system failures. In 1996 the Federal Government followed suit by making the more-universal OBD-II required on all vehicles.
