Most common 1997 Mercury Cougar problems
Share of the 76 complaints; one complaint can involve more than one system. "~" is the median mileage when the problem started.
Mercury Cougar complaints by model year
Best Cougar years: 1996, 2001, 1997. Years to avoid: 1999, 2000, 1995. Compare all years →
NHTSA defect investigations
Federal safety investigators have looked into a possible defect involving the 1997 Mercury Cougar:
Blower switch/resistor or wiring harness
There is no summary currently available
What 1997 Mercury Cougar owners say
Engine & cooling all 31 →
For no reason at all antifreeze started leaking from the plastic intake manifold in my 1997 Cougar with a 4.6l motor. I searched the web and learned that this is a common problem and Ford extended the warranty on some plastic intake manifolds. Found all info I could and copied it for the local Mercury dealer to repair under warranty. Dropped it off for service, only to get a call that my VIN was not one that was awarded the extended 7 year warranty, even though the length of time we owned this Cougar fit the time criteria. Im really disappointed in Ford that they are not covering all of their plastic junk manifolds. I called the 800 number for complaints, but the man said I am sorry I can not help you, but I will type your info in our database. So I am no spending $900.00 to repair a car with 82K miles on it for something I would not have expected to have trouble with. …
1 .heavy loss of coolant,spraying all over engine area continuously and would not maintain proper levels. 2. Car overheating and risk of burning up the engine. 3. Replaced "plastic" manifold,coolant,thermostat and gasket. This manifold was a class action lawsuit against Ford motor company that I contacted after the incident and was told my VIN did not fall into the category. I now looked it up and it certainly does. The outcome of the lawsuit had dates involved and my incident happened seven months after the judges decision of seven years after the warranty. After calling Ford and speaking with 3 "customer service" people their script was the legal decision and they (Ford) was not going to do a thing for me. …
Brakes
Brake line corroded by battery acid and broke, resulting in a sudden loss of brake function and subsequent collision with vehicle that stopped ahead. Brake combination valve located in front of battery. All the brake lines run past the battery from the master cylinder and to the wheels and are fully protected by a plastic coating except the line to the left front wheel. On this line the plastic coating starts at the valve and stops just to the right of the battery. The line broke at the point where the coating stops and is heavily corroded by battery acid for several inches. I am a mechanical engineer investigating this accident for allstate insurance company and would be happy to provide you with a copy of my report.
We have numerous complaints with this vehicle. One of which is the brakes. Another is the cooling system. There is a recall on the manifold but our local Ford dealer wlll not replace even though we have asked them to do so. In addition the engine had a problem which no one could figure out.
Transmission & drivetrain
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 these vehicles but no one knew about it and only fleet vehicles were covered and not civilian vehicles. I wonder if there is any chance for me to seek a dealership and get reimbursed for these damages.
There is a leakage within the fuel injection system. Whenever consumer put gas into the vehicle, the gas leaks out, and the consumer can smell gas in vehicle. Vehicle has been in repair shop three times for the fuel injection. Also consumer had transmission in repair shop four times. Vehicle is still in repair shop for fuel injection problems, and dealer can't determine the problem.
1997 Mercury Cougar engines & fuel economy
| Engine | Transmission | Drive | MPG city / hwy / combined |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3.8L 6-cyl | 4-speed automatic | RWD | 16 / 24 / 19 |
| 4.6L 8-cyl | 4-speed automatic | RWD | 15 / 23 / 18 |
EPA ratings. Class: Midsize car.
Frequently asked questions
Is the 1997 Mercury Cougar a good car?
Based on 76 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the 1997 Cougar rates average: 20% fewer complaints than a typical year of the Cougar at the same age. It is one of the best Cougar years by this measure. Complaint counts don't account for sales volume or individual maintenance, so have any used car inspected before buying.
What is the most common problem with the 1997 Mercury Cougar?
The engine & cooling — 31 complaints, 41% of all complaints for this model year, most often about exhaust system › manifold/header/muffler/tail pipe. Next are the brakes (12) and transmission & drivetrain (10).
How many recalls does the 1997 Mercury Cougar have?
NHTSA lists no recalls for the 1997 Mercury Cougar. You can still confirm with your VIN using our VIN recall check.
What are the best and worst years of the Mercury Cougar?
The best years by complaints, compared at the same age, are 1996, 2001 and 1997. Years to avoid or approach with caution: 1999, 2000 and 1995. See the full Mercury Cougar years comparison.
At what mileage do 1997 Mercury Cougar problems happen?
The median mileage reported in complaints is about 73,000 miles; 23% of problems with a recorded mileage started before 50,000 miles.
Source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) — owner complaints through October 20, 2026, recalls and defect investigations; fuel economy from the EPA. Complaints are unverified reports and are not proof of a defect. How we rate model years.