13 of the
112 complaints about the 1997 Mercury Cougar are about the
braking system — 12% of everything
reported for this model year.
Half of the failures with a mileage on record happened before
60,000 miles.
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:POWER ASSIST:VACUUM:HOSES, LINES/PIPING, AND FITTINGS
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.
NHTSA complaint #10000759 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Ridgeville, SC
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DISC:ROTOR
FRONT HYDRAULIC DISC ROTORS ARE 1/2 INCH BIGGER THAT REAR ROTORS WHICH CAUSES ROTORS TO WARP. BRAKES OVERHEAT, STEERING STARTS SHAKING, AND FRONT END WILL NOSE DIVE IF VEHICLE BRAKES TOO HARD, CAUSING WHEELS TO LOCK UP. DEALER NOTIFIED. PLEASE PROVIDE MORE INFORMATION.
NHTSA complaint #8012308 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Antelope, CA
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:POWER ASSIST:VACUUM
WHILE TRAVELING 30MPH IN TRAFFIC STARTED APPLYING BRAKES TO SLOW DOWN, HAD NO BRAKES, AND VEHICLE KEPT GOING. BRAKE PEDAL WAS ALMOST TO THE FLOOR. ALSO, CRUISE CONTROL HAD FAILED. STOPPED VEHICLE AND HAD IT TOWED TO MECHANIC. WAS INFORMED THAT BRAKE BOOSTER PLUNGER, HAD WORN OUT, CAUSING NON BRAKING ABILITY.
NHTSA complaint #898840 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Antelope, CA
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP
WHILE TRAVELING 30MPH IN TRAFFIC STARTED APPLYING BRAKES TO SLOW DOWN, HAD NO BRAKES, AND VEHICLE KEPT GOING. BRAKE PEDAL WAS ALMOST TO THE FLOOR. ALSO, CRUISE CONTROL HAD FAILED. STOPPED VEHICLE AND HAD IT TOWED TO MECHANIC. WAS INFORMED THAT BRAKE BOOSTER PLUNGER, HAD WORN OUT, CAUSING NON BRAKING ABILITY.
NHTSA complaint #898840 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SAN Antonio, TX
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DISC:ROTOR
BRAKES VIBRATE, DUE TO FRONT ROTORS BEING WARPED.
NHTSA complaint #785615 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Murfreesboro, TNCrash
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:HOSES, LINES/PIPING, AND FITTINGS
BRAKE LINE CORRODED BY BATTERY ACID AND BROKE, RESULTING IN A SUDDEN LOSS OF BRAKE FUNCTION AND SUBSEQUENT COLLISION WITH VEHICLE THAT STOPPED AHEAD. BRAKE COMBINATION VALVE LOCATED IN FRONT OF BATTERY. ALL THE BRAKE LINES RUN PAST THE BATTERY FROM THE MASTER CYLINDER AND TO THE WHEELS AND ARE FULLY PROTECTED BY A PLASTIC COATING EXCEPT THE LINE TO THE LEFT FRONT WHEEL. ON THIS LINE THE PLASTIC COATING STARTS AT THE VALVE AND STOPS JUST TO THE RIGHT OF THE BATTERY. THE LINE BROKE AT THE POINT WHERE THE COATING STOPS AND IS HEAVILY CORRODED BY BATTERY ACID FOR SEVERAL INCHES. I AM A MECHANICAL ENGINEER INVESTIGATING THIS ACCIDENT FOR ALLSTATE INSURANCE COMPANY AND WOULD BE HAPPY TO PROVIDE YOU WITH A COPY OF MY REPORT.
NHTSA complaint #716208 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Killeen, TX
SERVICE BRAKES, AIR:DISC:ROTOR
I BOUGHT MY COUGAR IN 1997. AT 6,113 MILES THE FRONT ROTORS WERE WARPED AND HAD TO BE TURNED . AT 8,788 MILES THE ROTERS HAD TO BE REPLACED. AT 15,718 MILES THE ROTORS WERE WARPED AGAIN AND HAD TO BE TURNED AGAIN. AT 16,992 MILES THE ROTORS WERE WARPED AGAIN AND TURNED ONCE AGAIN. AT 20,990 MILES MORE PROBLEMS WITH THE BRAKES,PREMIUM AFTERMARKET ROTORS AND PADS WERE ORDERED AND WERE INSTALLED AT 21,461 MILES.THEN AT 26,402 THE BRAKE PROBLEM CONTINUES THE ROTORS WERE TURNED AGAIN. I HAVE TRIED TO BE PATIENT WITH THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT AT CENTROPLEX FORD BUT THE LAST TIME THEY TURNED THE ROTORS THEY SAID THAT THEY DON'T KNOW WHAT TO DO TO FIX THE PROBLEM AND I AM VERY CONCERNED. MY WARRANTY WILL RUN OUT SOON AND I WOULD LIKE MY BRAKES FIXED FOR GOOD .
NHTSA complaint #713895 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Huntsville, AL
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DISC:ROTOR
WHILE DRIVING BRAKE DISC ROTORS WARPED, CAUSING EXTENDED STOPPING DISTANCE WHICH MAY RESULT IN A CRASH. DEALER REPLACED BRAKE ROTORS NUMEROUS TIMES, BUT THE PROBLEM HAS REOCCURRED. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION.
NHTSA complaint #850124 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
BIG Canoe, GA
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS
FRONT END PROBLEMS CAUSING EXCESSIVE VIBRATION (SEVERAL REPAIR ATTEMPTS), FRONT BRAKES ALSO EXPERIENCE LOCKING UP ON OCCASIONS, BOTH THESE FAILURES ARE CAUSING DIRECTIONAL CONTROL PROBLEMS. MJS
NHTSA complaint #548137 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
North Holl, CA
PARKING BRAKE
EMERGENCY BRAKE PEDAL PADDING FAILED. NLM
NHTSA complaint #607662 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Alpharetta, GA
SERVICE BRAKES, AIR:DISC:ROTOR
BECAUSE THE BRAKE ROTORS WERE WARPED, WHEN APPLYING THE BRAKES, THEY CAUSED VIBRATION AND SHAKING IN THE STEERING WHEEL. DEALER CUT THE ROTORS.
NHTSA complaint #830197 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Alpharetta, GA
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DISC
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.
NHTSA complaint #700348 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Lawton, OK
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DISC:ROTOR
BRAKES BEGAN VIBRATING EXCESSIVELY AT APPROX. 30,000 MILES.
NHTSA complaint #537722 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.