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#BS-1987-MERCOU-51DE

1987 Mercury CougarProblems, Recalls & Reliability

Based on reports from 49 owners and 1 recall for this exact model.

Data updated ·checked October 21, 2026 · NHTSA complaints through October 19, 2026

Complaints
49
Crashes
7
Fires
11
Recalls
1
TSBs
22
🛑

Preliminary Verdict

Red Flag

Based on 49 complaints, 7 crashes, 11 fires, and 1 recalls. Complaint rate is 1.9x the class average.

See full verdict with buy/skip conditions

Top reported problems

1

loses oil presure

1 complaints • Severity 10/10

$X,XXX

Preview: What's in your full report

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Mechanic Inspection Checklist

!Check the Seat Belts:front:buckle AssemblyHIGH

9 owners reported seat belts:front:buckle assembly issues.

!Inspect the Electrical System:ignition:switchMED
Look for symptoms of wear and premature failure
+ 6 more items in full checklistUnlock

30,000-Mile Cost Projection

Best Case

$X,XXX

Most Likely

$X,XXX

Worst Case

$X,XXX

Top cost driver: Seat Belts:front:buckle Assembly (9 reports).

Includes fuel costs, common repairs, and recall riskUnlock

Also in your report

Owner Intelligence

AI-synthesized themes from real complaints

Buyer Lot Checklist

Questions, test drive checks, walk-away triggers

Negotiation Talking Points

Data-backed dollar deductions

Buy / Skip Verdict

Final recommendation with conditions

10 sections total in the full reportUnlock all

Where the complaints fall

Seat Belts:front:buckle Assembly9 (18%)
Electrical System:ignition:switch4 (8%)
Service Brakes, Hydraulic:foundation Components4 (8%)
Electrical System:wiring:front Underhood3 (6%)
Electrical System:wiring:interior/under Dash3 (6%)
Speed Control3 (6%)
Electrical System:ignition:module2 (4%)
Engine And Engine Cooling:engine:gasoline2 (4%)

1987 Mercury Cougar: Known Issues & Problem Areas

Seat Belts:front:buckle Assembly Issues

Seat Belts:front:buckle Assembly complaints account for 18% of all reports filed for the 1987 Mercury Cougar, with 9 owners filing complaints with NHTSA.

Electrical System:ignition:switch Issues

Electrical System:ignition:switch complaints account for 8% of all reports filed for the 1987 Mercury Cougar, with 4 owners filing complaints with NHTSA. Owners should pay attention to electrical system:ignition:switch-related symptoms during test drives and pre-purchase inspections.

Service Brakes, Hydraulic:foundation Components Issues

Service Brakes, Hydraulic:foundation Components complaints account for 8% of all reports filed for the 1987 Mercury Cougar, with 4 owners filing complaints with NHTSA. Owners should pay attention to service brakes, hydraulic:foundation components-related symptoms during test drives and pre-purchase inspections.

Electrical System:wiring:front Underhood Issues

Electrical System:wiring:front Underhood complaints account for 6% of all reports filed for the 1987 Mercury Cougar, with 3 owners filing complaints with NHTSA. Owners should pay attention to electrical system:wiring:front underhood-related symptoms during test drives and pre-purchase inspections.

Data sourced from NHTSA owner complaints and community reports. The full report analyzes severity, repair costs, and failure patterns for each category.

Complaint trend by year

2
00
3
01
3
23

Complaints filed with NHTSA by year for the 1987 Mercury Cougar. Recent trend: stable.

Don't negotiate blind — know what this car costs to own

Repair costs • Negotiation scripts • Mechanic checklist • Buy/skip verdict

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Recall History (1 recall)

87V139000Oct 1987

FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:DELIVERY:HOSES, LINES/PIPING, AND FITTINGS

SPRING LOCK FUEL LINE COUPLING MAY NOT BE PROPERLY ENGAGED.

Recall severity analysis & seller scripts

The full report rates each recall's severity and gives you scripts for asking the seller about recall completion.

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NHTSA Defect Investigations (3)

All closed. Investigations are how NHTSA decides whether a defect needs a recall.

EA95021ClosedOpened Jul 1995 · closed Sep 1997

FAULTY SEAT BELT BUCKLES

SEAT BELTS

PE88097ClosedOpened Aug 1988 · closed Dec 1988

FLOORMAT/ACCEL PEDAL INTRF

VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL:LINKAGES

PE95019ClosedOpened Mar 1995 · closed Jul 1995

FAULTY SEATBELT BUCKLES

SEAT BELTS:FRONT:BUCKLE ASSEMBLY

The worst model year for the Mercury Cougar is the 2000 — worth knowing if you're cross-shopping years. The biggest problem area is engine.

1987 Mercury Cougar vs. Class Average (Compact Cars)

This vehicle

49

Class avg

26

1.9x the class average — significantly more complaints than typical compact cars vehicles.

Complaint counts correlate with sales volume — popular vehicles naturally generate more reports. The full report normalizes for this.

About this data

NHTSA Complaints

Federal database of owner-filed safety complaints. 49 records for this vehicle.

NHTSA Recalls

Manufacturer-issued safety recalls. 1 recall found for this vehicle.

Repair Cost Data

Real-world repair costs from owner reports and independent databases.

Last updated (checked October 21, 2026). NHTSA complaints received through October 19, 2026.

Other Mercury Cougar Model Years

20022001200019991997199619951994199319921991199019891988198719861985198419831982198119801979197819771976197519741973197219711970196919681967
View all Mercury Cougar years →

1987 Mercury Cougar: Frequently Asked Questions

What is the most common problem with the 1987 Mercury Cougar?
The most commonly reported issue with the 1987 Mercury Cougar is related to the seat belts:front:buckle assembly, with 9 complaints filed with NHTSA.
Is the 1987 Mercury Cougar reliable?
The 1987 Mercury Cougar has 49 complaints, 7 crash reports, and 11 fire reports filed with NHTSA. This is 1.9x the class average — higher than typical for its segment.
How much does it cost to fix 1987 Mercury Cougar problems?
Repair costs vary by issue. The full BumperScan report includes detailed repair cost estimates (low/median/high) for every major issue, plus a 30,000-mile total cost of ownership projection.
Does the 1987 Mercury Cougar have any recalls?
Yes, the 1987 Mercury Cougar has 1 recall on record. The full report includes recall severity analysis and scripts for asking the seller about recall completion.
What mileage do Mercury Cougar problems start?
Mileage data is limited for this vehicle. The full report analyzes available data to identify failure patterns by mileage range.
When was the 1987 Mercury Cougar data last updated?
BumperScan last checked this vehicle against NHTSA on October 21, 2026, covering owner complaints received through October 19, 2026 plus the latest recalls, investigations and technical service bulletins. Its numbers last changed on October 4, 2026.
What’s in the full report?
10 sections of AI analysis: severity-ranked issues, component scores (0-100), 30K-mile cost projection, failure timeline by mileage, recall details with seller scripts, owner sentiment analysis, mechanic checklist, buyer lot checklist, negotiation ammo with dollar figures, and a buy/skip verdict.
How is this different from free NHTSA data?
NHTSA gives you raw complaint text. BumperScan cross-references 2.1M+ complaints with community repair cost data, EPA fuel data, and recall records — then uses AI to synthesize it into actionable advice with dollar figures.
How is this different from Carfax?
Carfax is VIN-specific history ($45/report). BumperScan is model-level reliability intelligence — what problems this car is known for, what they cost, and whether you should buy it. Complementary, not competing.
What if the report isn’t useful?
100% money-back guarantee. If the report doesn’t help you make a more informed decision, we’ll refund you — no questions asked.
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