Powered byNHTSA|EPA|Community Reports
Your report: 3 of 4 steps complete75%
Car identifiedData collectedBasic analysisFull AI analysis

Free Preview

#BS-1987-MERSAB-6196

1987 Mercury Sable

Based on reports from 105 owners and 9 recalls for this exact model.

Complaints
105
Crashes
4
Fires
7
Recalls
9
TSBs
43
πŸ›‘

Preliminary Verdict

Red Flag

Based on 105 complaints, 4 crashes, 7 fires, and 9 recalls. Complaint rate is 3.2x the class average.

Preview: What's in your full report

Each card shows a real sample from your report β€” unlock all 10 sections from $1.20

Mechanic Inspection Checklist

!Check the Structure:frame And MembersHIGH

10 owners reported structure:frame and members issues β€” failures commonly reported around 131K miles.

!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: Structure:frame And Members (10 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

Structure:frame And Members10 (10%)
Electrical System:ignition:switch10 (10%)
Power Train:automatic Transmission8 (8%)
Structure:body:door5 (5%)
Engine And Engine Cooling:engine5 (5%)
Seats4 (4%)
Engine And Engine Cooling:engine:gasoline4 (4%)
Electrical System:ignition3 (3%)

1987 Mercury Sable: Known Issues & Problem Areas

Structure:frame And Members Issues

Structure:frame And Members complaints account for 10% of all reports filed for the 1987 Mercury Sable, with 10 owners filing complaints with NHTSA. The median mileage at time of complaint is 131,000 miles, suggesting issues tend to surface around the 131K-mile mark.

Electrical System:ignition:switch Issues

Electrical System:ignition:switch complaints account for 10% of all reports filed for the 1987 Mercury Sable, with 10 owners filing complaints with NHTSA. Owners should pay attention to electrical system:ignition:switch-related symptoms during test drives and pre-purchase inspections.

Power Train:automatic Transmission Issues

Power Train:automatic Transmission complaints account for 8% of all reports filed for the 1987 Mercury Sable, with 8 owners filing complaints with NHTSA. Owners should pay attention to power train:automatic transmission-related symptoms during test drives and pre-purchase inspections.

Structure:body:door Issues

Structure:body:door complaints account for 5% of all reports filed for the 1987 Mercury Sable, with 5 owners filing complaints with NHTSA. Owners should pay attention to structure:body:door-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

4
00
1
01
3
02
5
04
1
06

Complaints filed with NHTSA by year for the 1987 Mercury Sable. Recent trend: decreasing.

Don't negotiate blind β€” know what this car costs to own

Repair costs β€’ Negotiation scripts β€’ Mechanic checklist β€’ Buy/skip verdict

Get Report β€” From $1.20

Recall History (9 recalls)

86V144000Oct 1986

STEERING: STEERING WHEEL/HANDLE BAR

STEERING SHAFT ASSEMBLIES CONTAIN LOWER SHAFTS OF INSUFFICIENT LENGTH FOR PROPER ATTACHMENT TO THE SHAFT INSULATOR FLANGE. CONSEQUENCE OF DEFECT: SHAFT COULD SEPARATE, RESULTING IN TOTAL LOSS OF STEERING CONTROL AND A POSSIBLE ACCIDENT.

86V148000Oct 1986

SUSPENSION:REAR:AXLE:SPINDLE

LEFT AND/OR RIGHT REAR SPINDLE ASSEMBLIES MAY HAVE BEEN IMPROPERLY HEAT TREATED. CONSEQUENCE OF DEFECT: IF SPINDLE STEM SEPARATES, LOSS OF VEHICLE CONTROL COULD OCCUR WITHOUT PRIOR WARNING.

87V017000Feb 1987

VISIBILITY:WINDSHIELD WIPER/WASHER:MOTOR

ROAD SALT INDUCED EROSION OF THE WIPER MOTOR CONDUCTOR STRIPS COULD CAUSE LOCALIZED THERMAL STRESS WITHIN THE GLASS.

87V139000Oct 1987

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

SPRING LOCK FUEL LINE COUPLING MAY NOT BE PROPERLY ENGAGED.

91V134000Sep 1991

SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DISC:ROTOR

FRONT DISC BRAKE ROTORS OF THE SUBJECT VEHICLES MAY EXPERIENCE SEVERE CORROSION IF OPERATED IN AREAS WHERE CALCIUM CHLORIDE AND SODIUM CHLORIDE ARE USED EXTENSIVELY.

+ 4 more recalls in the full report

Recall severity analysis & seller scripts

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

Unlock

The worst model year for the Mercury Sable is the 2003 β€” worth knowing if you're cross-shopping years. The biggest problem area is transmission.

1987 Mercury Sable vs. Class Average (Midsize Cars)

This vehicle

105

Class avg

33

3.2x the class average β€” significantly more complaints than typical midsize cars vehicles.

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

About this data

NHTSA Complaints

Federal database of owner-filed safety complaints. 105 records for this vehicle.

NHTSA Recalls

Manufacturer-issued safety recalls. 9 recalls found for this vehicle.

Repair Cost Data

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

1987 Mercury Sable: Frequently Asked Questions

What is the most common problem with the 1987 Mercury Sable?
The most commonly reported issue with the 1987 Mercury Sable is related to the structure:frame and members, with 10 complaints filed with NHTSA.
Is the 1987 Mercury Sable reliable?
The 1987 Mercury Sable has 105 complaints, 4 crash reports, and 7 fire reports filed with NHTSA. This is 3.2x the class average β€” higher than typical for its segment.
How much does it cost to fix 1987 Mercury Sable 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 Sable have any recalls?
Yes, the 1987 Mercury Sable has 9 recalls on record. The full report includes recall severity analysis and scripts for asking the seller about recall completion.
What mileage do Mercury Sable problems start?
Based on 3 complaints with mileage data, the median mileage at time of complaint is 131,000 miles. The highest concentration of reported issues occurs in the 120–150K mile range. The full report breaks down exactly which components fail at each mileage bracket.
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 β€” 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 β€” 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 β€” no questions asked.
RaccoonEagleRoverCat

Get the Full 1987 Mercury Sable Report

10 sections of AI analysis based on 105 owner reports. Know before you buy.

Instant delivery|One-time purchase|No hidden fees