1997 Mercury Cougar: Reliability Data

Source: NHTSA — 112 complaints
112
Total Complaints
65,850mi
Median Mileage
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:EXHAUST SYSTEM:MANIFOLD/HEADER/MUFFLER/TAIL PIPE
Top Issue
2
Crash Reports

When Do Complaints Happen?

Distribution of NHTSA complaints by vehicle mileage at time of report.

52,000 25th Percentile
65,850 Median Mileage
87,556 75th Percentile

What Fails?

Most reported component issues from NHTSA complaints.

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:EXHAUST SYSTEM:MANIFOLD/HEADER/MUFFLER/TAIL PIPE
10
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
8
TIRES
5
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
5
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
5
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE
5
VISIBILITY:WINDSHIELD
5
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:COOLING SYSTEM:RADIATOR ASSEMBLY
4
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:COOLING SYSTEM
4
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DISC:ROTOR
4

Severity Assessment

2
Crashes
2
Fires
2
Injuries
0
Deaths

Sample Complaint Reports

"STOPPED VEHICLE IN STREET, PUT THE VEHICLE IN PARK, TILTED THE STEERING WHEE, . GOT OUT AND VEHICLE JUMPED INTO REVERSE AND ROLLED BACK. DEALER CAN'T FIND ANYTHING WRONG WITH VEHICLE. *AK"
"WHILE DRIVING, TRANSMISSION INTERMITTENTLY FAILED TO SHIFT. WHEN VEHICLE IS PUT INTO GEAR, THE VEHICLE WILL NOT ACCELERATE. THE VEHICLE WILL NOT MOVE ANYWHERE. *AK SERVICE MANGER TOLD CONSUMER THAT FORD USED BAD CLUTCH PACKS AND CLUTCH PACK CYLINDERS IN THE 1997 TRANSMISSIONS. *SLC"
"CLUTCH ASSEMBLY FAILURE DUE TO POORLY DESIGNED CLUTCH PACKS/CYLINDERS. *AK"

Source: NHTSA ODI Complaints Database. Names and identifying details omitted.

Data source: View this vehicle on NHTSA.gov | NHTSA ODI Complaints Database. Public domain.

Methodology: Complaint counts and mileage distributions are computed directly from consumer-reported NHTSA complaints. This data represents reported issues, not failure rates — vehicles without complaints are not represented. Full methodology.

Data through: 2026-03-28