IllustrationDRIVERS SIDE WINDOW REGULATOR FAILED CAUSING A POPPING NOISE WHEN THE WINDOW IS BEING ROLLED DOWN. NLM
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
What owners actually said
76 reportsWINDSHIELD WIPERS DO NOT NOT CLEAR THE ENTIRE WINDOW. THEY DO NOT GO ALL THE WAY TO THE LEFT, CAUSING POOR VISIBILITY. CONSUMER ALSO OBTAINED SIX STITCHES TO THE HEAD FROM THE DESIGN OF THE SUNVISOR BEING SUPPORTED BY A VERTICAL ROD INSTEAD OF A HORIZONTAL ONE. *JG
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 …
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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
DESIGN OF SUN VISOR SUPPORT ROD CAUSING THE CONSUMER TO HIT HIS HEAD ON THE ROD DURING REAR END COLLISION. NLM
ENGINE THERMOSTAT FAILED. MJS
EMERGENCY BRAKE PEDAL PADDING FAILED. NLM
RACK & PINION STEERING REPLACED BY DEALER DUE TO LEAKS THROUGH BELLOWS.MGM
BECAUSE THE BRAKE ROTORS WERE WARPED, WHEN APPLYING THE BRAKES, THEY CAUSED VIBRATION AND SHAKING IN THE STEERING WHEEL. DEALER CUT THE ROTORS. *AK
NOTICED PULSATION IN STEERING WHEEL WHEN BRAKING. ASKED DEALER TO REPLACE DEFECTIVE PARTS WHICH TURNED OUT TO BE ALL 4 ROTORS. DEALER SAID WE CUT THE ROTORS FOR THIS PROBLEM. THIS REMOVES USEABLE SERVICE LIFE AT MY EXPENSE. I FEEL THIS IS A DESIGNE FLAW OF ROTOR WARPING PROBABLY DUE TO HEAT. SEVICE INVOICE STATES THAT ALL FOU…
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NOTICED PULSATION IN STEERING WHEEL WHEN BRAKING. ASKED DEALER TO REPLACE DEFECTIVE PARTS WHICH TURNED OUT TO BE ALL 4 ROTORS. DEALER SAID WE CUT THE ROTORS FOR THIS PROBLEM. THIS REMOVES USEABLE SERVICE LIFE AT MY EXPENSE. I FEEL THIS IS A DESIGNE FLAW OF ROTOR WARPING PROBABLY DUE TO HEAT. SEVICE INVOICE STATES THAT ALL FOUR ROTORS WERE TURNED DUE TO WARPING. THIS APPEARS TO BE A COMMON PROBLEM WITH LATE YEAR MODEL FORD CARS. I PERSONALLY KNOW OF FOUR FORD OWNERS WITH THE IDENTICAL PROBLEM.
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