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Seat beltsPart report

1997 Mercury Cougar Seat belts Problems

Complaints
3about this part
Share
4%of 76 total for the year
Median mileage
—not reported
Trend
Not enough dataFewer than 15 complaints, too few for a reliable trend.

NHTSA recorded 3 complaints about the seat belts of the 1997 Mercury Cougar, 4% of the 76 complaints for this model year.

Fewer than 15 complaints name this part, so treat the figures as a rough indication only.

Example complaints

Selected from NHTSA records; personal details are removed. They are consumer reports, not findings.

“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. 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.”

NHTSA complaint #826626, filed 1998-08

Seat belts: other model years

YearComplaintsShare of year
200233%
200021%
199951%
199734%
199635%
199511%
199443%
199384%
199255%
1991912%
19901517%
19891721%
19881629%
19871133%
1986323%
1985110%
1984212%

Other parts of the 1997 Mercury Cougar

Engine cooling
30 complaints
Brakes
12 complaints
Transmission and drivetrain
10 complaints
Fuel system
8 complaints
Suspension
6 complaints
Electrical system
4 complaints
Tires
4 complaints
Other or unknown
3 complaints
Visibility (wipers, defrost, mirrors)
3 complaints
Equipment
2 complaints
Steering
2 complaints
Body and structure
2 complaints

← All problems reported for the 1997 Mercury Cougar

About this data. Data from NHTSA (ODI) complaints, recalls, TSBs and investigations, updated Oct 31, 2026. Complaints are unverified consumer reports and may be duplicated or inaccurate.

To check a specific vehicle for open recalls, use its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls. Methodology