RecallMyCar

1997 Mercury Cougar Recalls, Complaints & Specs

No safety recalls list the 1997 Mercury Cougar, and owners have filed 76 complaints with NHTSA. Check your own VIN below.

0
safety recalls
76
owner complaints to NHTSA
2 / 2
complaints citing a crash / fire
18–19
MPG combined (EPA)

No safety recalls on record

NHTSA's recall database lists no safety campaigns that include the 1997 Mercury Cougar. That is good news, with two caveats: recalls can be issued at any time (this page refreshes daily), and a recall filed under a related model name may not appear here. The VIN check above queries NHTSA directly for your exact vehicle.

76 owner complaints filed with NHTSA

Owners of the 1997 Mercury Cougar have filed 76 complaints with NHTSA; 2 describe a crash and 2 describe a fire. Reports cite 2 injuries and 0 deaths. The average mileage at failure in those reports is 77,190 miles. Complaints peaked in 1999 with 15 filed that year.

Most-reported components

What owners are reporting

“My vehicles became totally disabled on a very busy highway with heavy after hours rush hour traffic. The manifold which is made of plastic broke were the coolant temperature sensor was built in, i als”

Owner complaint to NHTSA, June 23, 2013 · Power train

“On 5/19/2004 i had to have towed and replace defective cracked plastic intake manifold on a 1997 mercury xr7 cougar and hadn't been previously informed of any recalls then recently i had to replace ye”

Owner complaint to NHTSA, November 26, 2012 · Engine

Fuel economy and specs

EPA ratings for the 1997 Mercury Cougar. Ranges cover every tested configuration.

Combined18–19 mpg
City / Highway15–16 / 23–24
FuelRegular
EPA classMidsize Cars
Engine6/8 cyl, 3.8/4.6 L
TransmissionAutomatic 4-spd

Compare Mercury Cougar model years

Recall and complaint counts for every Mercury Cougar model year in NHTSA's database.

Model yearRecallsComplaints
1962 Mercury Cougar01
1967 Mercury Cougar20
1968 Mercury Cougar10
1969 Mercury Cougar40
1970 Mercury Cougar10
1971 Mercury Cougar10
1972 Mercury Cougar10
1973 Mercury Cougar02
1974 Mercury Cougar20
1975 Mercury Cougar20
1976 Mercury Cougar10
1977 Mercury Cougar30
1978 Mercury Cougar12
1979 Mercury Cougar20
1980 Mercury Cougar12
1982 Mercury Cougar32
1983 Mercury Cougar22
1984 Mercury Cougar117
1985 Mercury Cougar110
1986 Mercury Cougar213
1987 Mercury Cougar133
1988 Mercury Cougar155
1989 Mercury Cougar481
1990 Mercury Cougar386
1991 Mercury Cougar373
1992 Mercury Cougar392
1993 Mercury Cougar3195
1994 Mercury Cougar0137
1995 Mercury Cougar0109
1996 Mercury Cougar262
1997 Mercury Cougar076
1998 Mercury Cougar01
1999 Mercury Cougar7454
2000 Mercury Cougar3211
2001 Mercury Cougar182
2002 Mercury Cougar195

Checking a specific 1997 Mercury Cougar

How do I know if my 1997 Mercury Cougar has an open recall?

Enter your 17-character VIN above. The VIN is on the driver's side dashboard (visible through the windshield), the driver's door jamb sticker, and your registration or insurance card. The check runs against NHTSA's live database and tells you which campaigns list your vehicle.

Is the recall repair free?

Yes. Under federal law, manufacturers must fix safety recalls at no charge for vehicles up to 15 years old from the date of sale to the first owner. Contact any authorised Mercury dealer with your VIN and the NHTSA campaign number.

What is the difference between a recall and a complaint?

A recall is a safety campaign filed by the manufacturer or ordered by NHTSA, with a defined defect and remedy. A complaint is a report an owner sent to NHTSA; it is not verified, but patterns of complaints are what trigger NHTSA investigations and, eventually, recalls.

Other Mercury models

Source: NHTSA recall and complaint databases and EPA fuel economy data, October 2026. Complaint counts are owner reports to NHTSA, not verified defects. Recall counts are safety campaigns that list this model year; whether a particular car was already repaired depends on its VIN. How this data is compiled.