IllustrationSEAT BELT FAILED.
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 reportsAUTOMATIC SEAT BELT RETRACTORS DO NOT WORK PROPERLY WHEN BRAKES ARE APPLIED IN AN EMERGENCY SITUATION. DEALER/MANUFACTURER NOTIFIED AND INFORMED THE CONSUMER THAT NOTHING COULD BE DONE BECAUSE THOSE THE KIND OF SEAT BELTS CAME WITH THE CAR. *AK CONSUMER STATES THAT BOTH REAR SHOULDER HARNESSES DO NOT LOCK AND THAT THEY CAN BE …
Read full complaint
AUTOMATIC SEAT BELT RETRACTORS DO NOT WORK PROPERLY WHEN BRAKES ARE APPLIED IN AN EMERGENCY SITUATION. DEALER/MANUFACTURER NOTIFIED AND INFORMED THE CONSUMER THAT NOTHING COULD BE DONE BECAUSE THOSE THE KIND OF SEAT BELTS CAME WITH THE CAR. *AK CONSUMER STATES THAT BOTH REAR SHOULDER HARNESSES DO NOT LOCK AND THAT THEY CAN BE PULLED IN AND OUT WITH EASE, THE REPLACEMENT ASSEMBLIES ALSO FAILED TO LOCK. *SLC
BRAKES BEGAN VIBRATING EXCESSIVELY AT APPROX. 30,000 MILES.
CLUTCH ASSEMBLY FAILURE DUE TO POORLY DESIGNED CLUTCH PACKS/CYLINDERS. *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
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
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