1997 Mercury Cougar

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 ALSO NOTICED THAT A FEW SPARKPLUGS WERE FLOODED WITH COOLANT. I FOUND OUT THAT THERE WAS A LAWSUIT ON THESE VEHICLES BUT NO ONE KNEW ABOUT IT AND ONLY FLEET VEHICLES WERE COVERED AND NOT CIVILIAN VEHICLES. I WONDER IF THERE IS ANY CHANCE FOR ME TO SEEK A DEALERSHIP AND GET REIMBURSED FOR THESE DAMAGES. *TR

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 YET ANOTHER DEFECTIVE MANIFOLD (2ND CAR ) THIS SHOP INFORMED ME OF A CLASS ACTION THAT I SHOULD HAVE BEEN INFORMED OF PREVIOUSLY THAT SHOULD HAVE TAKEN CARE OF THE AUTO ABOVE HOWEVER AS THE NOTIFICATION PROGRAM NEVER NOTIFIED ME ON EITHER CAR. *TR

FUEL WAS NOTED LEAKING FROM FUEL LINES JUST AFT OF THE PASSENGER SIDE DOOR. UPON FURTHER INVESTIGATION, FUEL WAS SEEM RUNNING DOWN THE FUEL LINES AND SIDE OF FUEL TANK. LEAK WAS CAUSED BY FUEL LINES CHAFFING THROUGH ON TOP OF TANK. CAR HAD 51,000 MILES ON IT. *TT

I UNDERSTAND THERE WAS A CLASS ACTION SUIT DUE TO A FAULTY INTAKE MANIFOLD ON MANY FORD CARS WITH A 4.6 LITER ENGINE. I OR MY KIDS HAVE OWNED A 1997 MERCURY COUGAR SINCE NEW. RECENTLY THIS CAR WHICH HAD BEEN IN STORAGE FOR SEVERAL YEARS WAS GIVEN TO MY SON WHO IS LAID OFF AND ATTEMPTING TO COMPLETE HIS BACHELORS DEGREE. I SPENT MONEY TO REPAIR SENSOR, FREEZEPLUG AND HE PUT NEW TIRES ON THIS CAR. I AM WRITING BECAUSE I CONTACTED FORD ABOUT THIS DEFECTIVE INTAKE MANIFOLD PROBLEM AND WAS TOLD I WAS TOO LATE BECAUSE THE CLASS ACTION INVOLVING THE FAULTY PLASTIC INTAKE MANIFOLD HAD EXPIRED IN 2007 OR AT 75,000 MILES. THE CAR IN QUESTION HAS SLIGHTLY MORE THAN 75,000 MILES. HOW COULD I HAVE TAKEN PART IN REPAIRING OR REIMBURSEMENT OF OVER $800 I HAD TO PAY TO GET THE PLASTIC INTAKE MANIFOLD REPLACED. I THEN FOUND ON THE INTERNET THAT MANY INDIVIDUALS ARE IN THE SAME POSITION I AM IN. I FOUND THE FOLLOWING LINK ON THE INTERNET VERY INFORMATIVE AND GIVES SEVERAL EXAMPLES OF PEOPLE WITH THIS PROBLEM AND EXPLAINS SOME SAFETY ISSUES CONCERNING THIS PROBLEM BECAUSE PEOPLE ARE STILL DRIVING THESE CARS POSSIBLY NOT KNOWING THE ENGINE COULD BLOW UP AT ANY TIME IN ANY PLACE INCLUDING TRAFFIC. SEE LINK BELOW HTTP://PUBLIC.FOTKI.COM/TRSI/FORD_SUCKS/FORD_INTAKE_RECALL/MANIFOLD2.HTML CAN OR WILL YOU HELP WITH THIS PROBLEM. AT THE LEAST PEOPLE SHOULD BE MADE AWARE THAT THEIR CAR WITH THIS PLASTIC MANIFOLD COULD LEAVE THEM STRANDED IN A DANGEROUS SITUATION. THE LINK I INCLUDED DOES GIVE EXAMPLES O

INTAKE MANIFOLD CRACK AND ANTI-FREEZE SPILLING OUT AND A LOT OF STEAM SMOKE WHILE I WAS DRIVING,CAR IN SHOP NOW A IT WILL COST ME $600.00 TO FIX. *TR

IGNITION FAILED TO TURN WITH KEY. PUT LUBRICANT (WD-40) IN HOLE AND TAPPED WITH HAMMER UNTIL KEY TURNED.

FORD HEADLIGHTS: CLOUDY LENSES: FORD MADE AUTOS HAVE PLASTIC LENSES/HEADLIGHTS THAT CLOUD UP OVER TIME, WITHIN 5 YEARS TO 10 YEARS, THAT LIMIT EFFECTIVENESS OF THE HEADLIGHTS AT NIGHT. I PERSONALLY HAVE HIT CURBS AND NARROWLY MISSED PEDESTRIANS ETC DUE TO INABILITY TO SEE THEM AT NIGHT DUE TO LOW HEADLIGHT BRIGHTNESS. THE FORD/MERCURY DEALER INFORMS ME THAT TO REPLACE THE FOGGED LENSES, I WILL HAVE TO PAY HIM $350.00 PER HEADLIGHT FOR A WHOLE NEW ASSEMBLY. LENSES ARE NOT SOLD SEPARATELY, HE SAYS. CANNOT BE CLEANED, HE SAYS. WHY, WHY, WHY DO YOU LET FORD GET BY WITH SELLING CARS THAT HAVE THESE DEFECTIVE, PRONE TO FAILURE HEADLIGHT LENSES? PEOPLE CAN'T SEE WHERE THEY ARE GOING AT NIGHT! DOESN'T THAT CONCERN YOU? LOOK THROUGH ANY PARKING LOT, SEE THE FORD PRODUCTS WITH DARKENED, RUINED LENSES. THESE ARE ACCIDENTS WAITING TO HAPPEN TO 1000'S OF DRIVERS WHO CAN'T AFFORD $350 PER HEADLIGHT EVERY 5 YEARS OR SO! FORD SHOULD RECALL THESE CARS AND/OR OFFER REASONABLE COST REPLACEMENTS. $350 PER LENS IS NOT REASONABLE! *NM

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

MAKE: MERCURY MODEL: COUGAR YEAR: 1997 TYPE: PASSENGER CAR SERVICE BULLETIN NUMBER: 05N04 NHTSA ITEM NUMBER: 10018959 SUMMARY DESCRIPTION: EXTENDED COVERAGE PROGRAM 05N04 - EXTENDED COVERAGE FOR COMPOSITE INTAKE MANIFOLD. THIS PROGRAM IS BEING PROVIDED AS A SETTLEMENT TO A CLASS ACTION LAWSUIT. THE TERMS OF THE SETTLEMENT EXTEND THE COVERAGE OF THE ALL-COMPOSITE INTAKE MANIFOLD TO 7 YEARS FROM THE ORIGINAL WARRANTY START DATE OF THE VEHICLE, WITH NO LIMIT ON THE NUMBER OF MILES THAT THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN DRIVEN. *TT ON MARCH 2, 2004, I SENT A LETTER TO FORD MOTOR COMPANY DESCRIBING HOW THE INTAKE MANIFOLD ON MY 1997 MERCURY COUGAR HAD RUPTURED ON FEB. 28, 2004. AFTER WAITING A MONTH AND RECEIVING NO REPLY, I CALLED THEIR CUSTOMER COMPLAINT LINE AND DESCRIBED THE PROBLEM. THEY TOLD ME THAT MY VEHICLE DID NOT QUALIFY FOR A RECALL REIMBURSEMENT, BUT GAVE NO REASON WHY. SINCE MY DAUGHTER ALSO OWNS A 1997 MERCURY COUGAR, I TOLD HER TO HAVE A MECHANIC CHECK HER INTAKE MANIFOLD. THE MECHANIC REPLACED HER INTAKE MANIFOLD AT NO CHARGE SINCE IT HAD BEEN RECALLED AS PER THE ABOVE QUOTED STATEMENT. I CALLED FORD BACK WITH THIS INFORMATION AND THEY GAVE ME THE SAME REPLY. I WROTE THEM A LETTER AND THEY DID NOT REPLY. I VISITED MY LOCAL MERCURY DEALER, FROM WHOM I HAD RECENTLY PURCHASED A NEW VEHICLE AND AGAIN WAS TOLD THAT MY VEHICLE DOES NOT QUALIFY FOR THE RECALL. I UNDERSTAND THAT THIS CASE WENT TO COURT AND THE RULING WAS THAT FORD HAD TO PAY EVERY OWNER OF VEHICLES WITH THIS DEFECT A

1 .HEAVY LOSS OF COOLANT,SPRAYING ALL OVER ENGINE AREA CONTINUOUSLY AND WOULD NOT MAINTAIN PROPER LEVELS. 2. CAR OVERHEATING AND RISK OF BURNING UP THE ENGINE. 3. REPLACED "PLASTIC" MANIFOLD,COOLANT,THERMOSTAT AND GASKET. THIS MANIFOLD WAS A CLASS ACTION LAWSUIT AGAINST FORD MOTOR COMPANY THAT I CONTACTED AFTER THE INCIDENT AND WAS TOLD MY VIN DID NOT FALL INTO THE CATEGORY. I NOW LOOKED IT UP AND IT CERTAINLY DOES. THE OUTCOME OF THE LAWSUIT HAD DATES INVOLVED AND MY INCIDENT HAPPENED SEVEN MONTHS AFTER THE JUDGES DECISION OF SEVEN YEARS AFTER THE WARRANTY. AFTER CALLING FORD AND SPEAKING WITH 3 "CUSTOMER SERVICE" PEOPLE THEIR SCRIPT WAS THE LEGAL DECISION AND THEY (FORD) WAS NOT GOING TO DO A THING FOR ME. HOW MANY PEOPLE ARE OUT THERE THAT HAD THIS HAPPEN AND HAVE NO IDEA OF THIS "PLASTIC MANIFOLD" THAT SHOULD HAVE NEVER BEEN IN THE CAR AND PAID GOOD MONEY FOR SOMETHING THAT FORD CAUSED AND NOW WILL NOT STAND BY THEIR PRODUCT. *JB

I HAVE A 1997 MERCURY COUGAR XR7 THAT HAS 42,000 MILES ON IT. THE INTAKE MANIFOLD CRACKED IN MY GARAGE AND LIQUIDS LEAKED ALL OVER GARAGE. MY CAR WAS ONE OF THE EXCLUDED VEHICLES IN FORDS CLASS ACTION AND RECALL OF CRACKED MANIFOLDS. *NM

DT: THE CONTACT STATED THE COOLANT LIGHT ILLUMINATED ON DASHBOARD .THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALERSHIP. THE PLASTIC INTAKE MANIFOLD CRACKED CAUSING THE LOSS OF ANTIFREEZE. NO REPAIRS WERE MADE.*AK UPDATED 12/27/2005 - THE CONSUMER DID SOME RESEARCH AND FOUND THAT THE MANUFACTURER HAD RECALL THIS PART BUT NOT FOR CIVILIAN VEHICLES. *NM

CONSUMER'S REQUEST FOR REIMBURSEMENT BUT WAS DENIED REIMBURSEMENT FOR THE PLASTIC MANIFOLD REPLACEMENT IN HIS 1997 MERCURY COUGAR .***NO ANSWER REQUIRED***. *MR THE CONSUEMR WAS NOT REIMBURSED FOR THE REPAIRS BECAUSE THE REPAIRS WERE NOT MADE AT A FORD/MERCURY DEALER. *NM

I PARKED OUR 1997 COUGAR IN THE DRIVEWAY AROUND 5:00P.M. ON 07/15/05. I HAVE NOT BEEN HAVING ANY PROBLEMS WITH THE CAR. ABOUT 1:00A.M. ON 07/16/05, WE WERE AWAKEN BY NEIGHBORS WHO HAD SPOTTED THE CAR ON FIRE. THE FIREMEN SAID IT APPEARED TO BE AN ELECTRICAL PROBLEM STARTING ON THE RIGHT SIDE. SINCE IT WAS TOTALLY BURNED, WE DON'T KNOW HOW TO FIND OUT WHAT HAPPENED. I E-MAILED THE FORD CORPORATE & FILLED OUT THE INFORMATION INCLUDING THE VIN ASKING ABOUT A RECALL, BUT I HAVE NOT RECEIVED ANYTHING FROM THEM EXCEPT THE ACKNOWLEDGEMENT OF RECEIVING MY E-MAIL.

1997 MERCURY COUGAR DEVELOPED A CRACKED MANIFOLD.***NO ANSWER REQUIRED***. *MR A RECALL WAS ISSUED FOR 1996 AND 1997 MERCURY COUGARS BUT THE CONSUMER'S VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED DUE TO VIN. *NM

WHILE VEHICLE PARKED FOR 15 MIN,UTES A FIRE STARTED UNDER THE HOOD. THE VEHICLE WAS TOTALED. DEALERSHIP WAS NOTIFIED, BUT DID NOT RESOLVE THE PROBLEM. *AK *BF

THE INTAKE MANIFOLD CRACKED, CAUSING THE COOLANT TO LEAK OUT. COULD CAUSE THE ENGINE TO OVERHEAT. CONSUMER WILL CONTACT THE MANUFACTURER.*AK

THE CONSUMER RECEIVED A RECALL WELL OVER SEVEN YEARS AGO, AT THE TIME OF THE RECALL THE CONSUMER WAS NOT EXPERIENCING ANY PROBLEM WITH THE INTAKE MANIFOLD MENTIONED IN THE LETTER. WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE, THE RADIATOR LEAKED ANTIFREEZE ONTO THE STREET. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED AND ACCORDING TO THE RECALL LETTER THE MANIFOLD IS CRACKED. *NM......*AK

THE MANIFOLD CRACKED IN THE SAME LOCATION, OVERHEATING THE CAR FOR THE SECOND TIME. *BF THE INTAKE MANIFOLD WAS MADE OF PLASTIC AND WAS RECALLED. THE NEW MANIFOLD WAS ALSO MADE OF PLASTIC AND OVER TIME IT ALSO FAILED. THE CONSUMER FEELS THE DEALER SHOULD HAVE INSTALLED THE NEW RE-DESIGNED TWO PIECE, HALF PLASTIC HALF METAL MANIFOLD. *NM

INTAKE MANIFOLD 1997 COUGAR, ENGINE FAILURE. *BF THE CONSUMER STATED THAT SHE HAD TO PAY 900.00 TO REPLACE A PLASTIC PART IN THE INTAKE MANIFOLD AND WANTS THE PART TO BE RECALLED. *TC