IllustrationFUEL WAS NOTED LEAKING FROM FUEL LINES JUST AFT OF THE PASSENGER SIDE DOOR. UPON FURTHER INVESTIGATION, FUEL WAS SEEM RUNNING DOWN THE FUEL LINES AND SIDE OF FUEL TANK. LEAK WAS CAUSED BY FUEL LINES CHAFFING THROUGH ON TOP OF TANK. CAR HAD 51,000 MILES ON IT. *TT
1997 Mercury Cougar
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
Limited comparison data
There is not enough comparable history to draw a useful model-year comparison.
About this comparison →How this year compares
Owner complaints by model year
Compare all Cougar years →Counts vary with age, sales and reporting. They are not failure rates.
What owners reported most
All reported categories
Tap a category to read its complaints. One report may name several components.
When problems were reported
Mileage at the reported incident
00–25K
625–50K
850–75K
775–100K
4100–150K
1150K+
26 reports with mileage · 50 unknown
NHTSA’s mileage field refers to the reported incident, not necessarily the filing date. This shows report counts, not the likelihood of a failure.
What to inspect
Issues worth paying extra attention to based on owner reports.
- Engine And Engine Cooling. Review the 30 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Power Train. Review the 10 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Service Brakes, Hydraulic. Review the 9 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
2 crash reports2 fire reports2 injury reports
Fuel System, Gasoline complaints
8 reportsINTAKE MANIFOLD 1997 COUGAR, ENGINE FAILURE. *BF THE CONSUMER STATED THAT SHE HAD TO PAY 900.00 TO REPLACE A PLASTIC PART IN THE INTAKE MANIFOLD AND WANTS THE PART TO BE RECALLED. *TC
ON 7/29/2003 WHILE FUELING T GAS WAS LEAKING UNDER THE VEHICLE. OWNER LOOKED UNDER THE VEHICLE AND FOUND THREE HOLES IN THE FUEL LINE. OWNER STATED THAT DRIVESHAFT WAS RUBBING ON THE FUEL LINE WHICH CAUSED THE HOLES. *AK
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.
PLASTIC INTAKE MANIFOLD WARPED. MR
HORN FAILED.*ET
THERE IS A LEAKAGE WITHIN THE FUEL INJECTION SYSTEM. GAS IS LEAKAGE FROM THE VEHICLE. ALSO, CONSUMER REPLACED TRANSMISSION FOUR TIMES. *AK
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 …
Read full complaint
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. *AK
Official recalls
0No recalls in this snapshot.
Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗
NHTSA investigations
1EA01001 · Blower Switch/resistor Or Wiring Harness
Opened Jan 5, 2001 · Closed Jul 31, 2001
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Electrical System
There is no summary currently available
Additional source detail variants (2)
Electrical System
There is no summary currently available
Electrical System
There is no summary currently available