1997 Mercury CougarProblems, recalls & complaints
NHTSA has logged 76 owner complaints about the 1997 Mercury Cougar, most often about the engine and engine cooling. It has no vehicle safety recalls on record.
Source: NHTSA complaints, recalls, investigations and manufacturer recall reports, through June 23, 2013. Updated daily.
Where the 1997 Mercury Cougar has problems
76 complaints grouped by the system owners reported.
| System | Complaints | Crash, fire or injury |
|---|---|---|
| Engine and engine cooling | 30 | 0 |
| Power train | 10 | 1 |
| Service brakes, hydraulic | 9 | 1 |
| Fuel system, gasoline | 8 | 0 |
| Suspension | 6 | 0 |
| Tires | 4 | 0 |
| Electrical system | 4 | 2 |
| Visibility | 3 | 0 |
| Seat belts | 3 | 0 |
| 12 other systems | 17 | 2 |
Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation. Complaints are submitted by the public and are not verified by NHTSA.
1997 Mercury Cougar recalls and how many were fixed
No vehicle safety recalls are on record for this model year.
When do engine and engine cooling problems start?
72kmiles, median
Based on the odometer reading in 20 engine and engine cooling complaints. 75% were reported before 100,000 miles.
Only 34% of complaints for this model year include a mileage.
What owners say repairs cost
Dollar amounts owners wrote in their complaints when describing a repair or a quote. These are not price estimates; a system is shown only when at least 8 owners mentioned a cost.
Engine and engine cooling
8 owners mentioned a cost$900median
If a problem is covered by a recall, the dealer fixes it for free. Some manufacturers also reimburse owners who paid for a repair before a recall was announced.
1997 vs. every other Cougar year
Bars show complaints per model year. Colors show the CarFlaw verdict: complaints weighted for crashes, fires and injuries, adjusted for years on the road and compared with the Cougar median. How we score
- Avoid
- Caution
- Solid
- Best
- Not rated
1997 Mercury Cougar safety ratings
1997 Mercury Cougar 2-DR in NHTSA's New Car Assessment Program. Photos are from NHTSA's crash tests.
- Stability control: No
- Forward collision warning: No
- Lane departure warning: No
NHTSA defect investigations
Federal investigations that included the 1997 Mercury Cougar, and the recalls they led to.
- BLOWER SWITCH/RESISTOR OR WIRING HARNESSLed to recall 01I009000
What Cougar owners report
Recent engine and engine cooling complaints filed with NHTSA, shortened. Personal details are removed.
MY VEHICLES BECAME TOTALLY DISABLED ON A VERY BUSY HIGHWAY WITH HEAVY AFTER HOURS RUSH HOUR TRAFFIC. THE MANIFOLD WHICH IS MADE OF PLASTIC BROKE WERE THE COOLANT TEMPERATURE SENSOR WAS BUILT IN, I ALSO NOTICED THAT A FEW SPARKPLUGS WERE FLOODED WITH COOLANT. I FOUND OUT THAT THERE WAS A LAWSUIT ON…
I UNDERSTAND THERE WAS A CLASS ACTION SUIT DUE TO A FAULTY INTAKE MANIFOLD ON MANY FORD CARS WITH A 4.6 LITER ENGINE. I OR MY KIDS HAVE OWNED A 1997 MERCURY COUGAR SINCE NEW. RECENTLY THIS CAR WHICH HAD BEEN IN STORAGE FOR SEVERAL YEARS WAS GIVEN TO MY SON WHO IS LAID OFF AND ATTEMPTING TO COMPLETE…
INTAKE MANIFOLD CRACK AND ANTI-FREEZE SPILLING OUT AND A LOT OF STEAM SMOKE WHILE I WAS DRIVING,CAR IN SHOP NOW A IT WILL COST ME $600.00 TO FIX. *TR
Own a 1997 Cougar?
Decode your VIN to see the recalls for your exact car, then confirm open recalls with NHTSA.