IllustrationI HAVE A 1997 MERCURY COUGAR. AFTER SEEING A LOW COOLANT LIGHT, AND STOPPING THE CAR, I OPENED THE HOOD AND HAD COOLANT EVERYWHERE! THE CAR WAS TOWED TO A REPAIR SHOP AND I WAS TOLD IT WAS A CRACKED INTAKE MANIFOLD. AFTER FURTHER RESEARCH I HAVE FOUND THIS IS A CONTINUAL PROBLEM WITH FORD PRODUCED AUTOMOBILES. *AK
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
Engine And Engine Cooling complaints
30 reportsTHE LOW COOLANT WARNINGING LIGHT CAME ON AND THE SMELL OF ANTIFREEZE CAME INTO THE VEHICLE COMPARTMENT. THE TEMPERATURE GAUGE MOVED TO THE HIGHEST SETTING. COPIOUS SMOKE ESCAPED FROM UNDER THE HOOD OF THE VEHICLE. THE FORWARD TUBE OF THE PLASTIC INTAKE MANIFOLD SHOWED A RUPTURE ABOUT FOUR INCHES LONG ON THE FRONT OF THE INTAK…
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THE LOW COOLANT WARNINGING LIGHT CAME ON AND THE SMELL OF ANTIFREEZE CAME INTO THE VEHICLE COMPARTMENT. THE TEMPERATURE GAUGE MOVED TO THE HIGHEST SETTING. COPIOUS SMOKE ESCAPED FROM UNDER THE HOOD OF THE VEHICLE. THE FORWARD TUBE OF THE PLASTIC INTAKE MANIFOLD SHOWED A RUPTURE ABOUT FOUR INCHES LONG ON THE FRONT OF THE INTAKE MANIFOLD. REAPAIR COST WAS $1455, INCLUDING REPLACEMENT OF THE SPARK PLUGS, WHICH HAD BEEN SOAKED IN ANTIFREEZE. THE TEXAS COMISSION ON ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY ISSUED A WARNING TO ME BY LETTER THAT A CONCERNED CITIZEN HAD REPORTED MY VEHICLE WAS SEEN EMITTING EXCESSIVE SMOKE AND THAT IF I DID NOT TAKE ACTION TO REPAIR THE VEHICLE, THEY WOULD CHARGE ME WITH A VIOLATION. THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN REPAIRED WITH A NEW FORD INTAKE MANIFOLD THAT HAS THE FORWARD TUBE MADE OUT OF ALUMINUM AND THE REST PLASTIC. FORD REFUSES TO ISSUE A RECALL ON THIS MODEL SAYING THAT HUMAN LIFE HAS NOT BEEN ENDANGERED. *AK
THIS TYPE OF CAR HAS A HORRIBLE TENDANCY TO BLOW HEAD-GASKETS, WHICH IS EXACTLY WHAT HAPPENED. I DO NOT UNDERSTAND HOW THERE HAS NOT BEEN A RECALL YET.
WHILE DRIVING, THE CONSUMER SMELLED ANTI FREEZE FUMES INSIDE THE VEHICLE. ANTIFREEZE FUMES WERE AFFECTING THE CONSUMER'S BREATHING. *AK A CRACKED INTAKE MANIFOLD, PLUG WIRES AND A BAD EXHAUST HOSE HAD TO BE REPLACED. THE MAF SENSOR WAS CLEANED AND THE WAS ANTIFREEZE REPLACED. *TT *JB
THE CONSUMER EXAMINED THE ENGINE AND NOTICED COOLANT HAD LEAKED DUE TO A CRACKED INTAKE MANIFOLD. *AK *JB *NM
1997 COUGAR XR7, 4.6LITER ENGINE. CRACKED INTAKE MANIFOD ALLOWS COOLING FLUID TO ESCAPE. PROBLEM HAS BEEN PRESENT FOR OVER THREE YEARS BUT HAS NEVER BEEN LOCATED UNTIL LATELY WHEN FLUID LOSS INCREASED SIGNIFICANTLY/*AK
WHILE DRIVING AT 35MPH THE VEHICLE INTAKE PLASTIC MANIFOLD OVER HEATED WITH NO WARNING AND THE CONSUMER WAS FORCED TO PULL OVER. *TT
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.
DRIVERS SIDE WINDOW REGULATOR FAILED CAUSING A POPPING NOISE WHEN THE WINDOW IS BEING ROLLED DOWN. NLM
ENGINE THERMOSTAT FAILED. MJS
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