Complaints
49
Crashes
7
Fires
11
Injuries
7
Fatalities
—
Recalls
0
Worst 1987 Mercury Cougar Problems
Top 3 most-reported issues with average mileage at failure.
#19 complaints
Seat Belts:Front:Buckle Assembly
#24 complaints
Electrical System:Ignition:Switch
Fires:2
#34 complaints
Service Brakes, Hydraulic:Foundation Components
Crash-related:2
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All Problems by Category
Every NHTSA complaint category for the 1987 Mercury Cougar.
| Component | Complaints | Crashes | Fires | Avg Mileage | Volume |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Seat Belts:Front:Buckle Assembly | 9 | — | — | — | |
| Electrical System:Ignition:Switch | 4 | — | 2 | — | |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic:Foundation Components | 4 | 2 | — | — | |
| Electrical System:Wiring:Front Underhood | 3 | — | 3 | — | |
| Electrical System:Wiring:Interior/Under Dash | 3 | — | — | — | |
| Unintended Acceleration | 3 | 1 | — | — | |
| Electrical System:Ignition:Module | 2 | — | — | — | |
| Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine:Gasoline | 2 | — | — | — | |
| Engine And Engine Cooling:Exhaust System:Emission Control:Catalytic Convertor | 2 | — | — | — | |
| Electrical Faults | 1 | 1 | 1 | — | |
| Electrical System:Alternator/Generator/Regulator | 1 | — | 1 | — | |
| Electrical System:Wiring | 1 | — | 1 | — | |
| Engine And Engine Cooling:Exhaust System:Manifold/Header/Muffler/Tail Pipe | 1 | — | — | — | |
| Gasoline Fuel System | 1 | — | 1 | — | |
| Fuel System, Gasoline:Fuel Injection System:Injectors | 1 | — | — | — | |
| Interior Lighting | 1 | — | — | — | |
| Transmission / Drivetrain | 1 | 1 | 1 | — | |
| Automatic Transmission | 1 | — | — | — | |
| Seat Belt Issues | 1 | — | — | — | |
| Seat Belts:Front:Anchorage | 1 | — | — | — | |
| Seats:Front Assembly:Recliner | 1 | 1 | — | — | |
| Brakes | 1 | 1 | 1 | — | |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic:Foundation Components:Disc:Rotor | 1 | — | — | — | |
| Visibility:Defroster/Defogger/Hvac System:Heater Core | 1 | — | — | — | |
| Visibility:Windshield | 1 | — | — | — |
Seat Belts:Front:Buckle Assembly
9
complaints
Crashes
—
Fires
—
Avg Miles
—
Electrical System:Ignition:Switch
4
complaints
Crashes
—
Fires
2
Avg Miles
—
Service Brakes, Hydraulic:Foundation Components
4
complaints
Crashes
2
Fires
—
Avg Miles
—
Electrical System:Wiring:Front Underhood
3
complaints
Crashes
—
Fires
3
Avg Miles
—
Electrical System:Wiring:Interior/Under Dash
3
complaints
Crashes
—
Fires
—
Avg Miles
—
Unintended Acceleration
3
complaints
Crashes
1
Fires
—
Avg Miles
—
Electrical System:Ignition:Module
2
complaints
Crashes
—
Fires
—
Avg Miles
—
Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine:Gasoline
2
complaints
Crashes
—
Fires
—
Avg Miles
—
Engine And Engine Cooling:Exhaust System:Emission Control:Catalytic Convertor
2
complaints
Crashes
—
Fires
—
Avg Miles
—
Electrical Faults
1
complaints
Crashes
1
Fires
1
Avg Miles
—
Electrical System:Alternator/Generator/Regulator
1
complaints
Crashes
—
Fires
1
Avg Miles
—
Electrical System:Wiring
1
complaints
Crashes
—
Fires
1
Avg Miles
—
Engine And Engine Cooling:Exhaust System:Manifold/Header/Muffler/Tail Pipe
1
complaints
Crashes
—
Fires
—
Avg Miles
—
Gasoline Fuel System
1
complaints
Crashes
—
Fires
1
Avg Miles
—
Fuel System, Gasoline:Fuel Injection System:Injectors
1
complaints
Crashes
—
Fires
—
Avg Miles
—
Interior Lighting
1
complaints
Crashes
—
Fires
—
Avg Miles
—
Transmission / Drivetrain
1
complaints
Crashes
1
Fires
1
Avg Miles
—
Automatic Transmission
1
complaints
Crashes
—
Fires
—
Avg Miles
—
Seat Belt Issues
1
complaints
Crashes
—
Fires
—
Avg Miles
—
Seat Belts:Front:Anchorage
1
complaints
Crashes
—
Fires
—
Avg Miles
—
Seats:Front Assembly:Recliner
1
complaints
Crashes
1
Fires
—
Avg Miles
—
Brakes
1
complaints
Crashes
1
Fires
1
Avg Miles
—
Service Brakes, Hydraulic:Foundation Components:Disc:Rotor
1
complaints
Crashes
—
Fires
—
Avg Miles
—
Visibility:Defroster/Defogger/Hvac System:Heater Core
1
complaints
Crashes
—
Fires
—
Avg Miles
—
Visibility:Windshield
1
complaints
Crashes
—
Fires
—
Avg Miles
—
Search Owner Complaints
Read what owners actually reported to NHTSA for the 1987 Mercury Cougar. Type a keyword (e.g. “transmission”, “stalling”, “brakes”) to filter.
Other Mercury Cougar Years
1987 Mercury Cougar — FAQ
Answers based on real NHTSA complaint and recall data for this specific model year.
Is the 1987 Mercury Cougar reliable?
Verdict: Below Average Complaints. The 1987 Mercury Cougar has 49 NHTSA complaints, 7 crash-related, and 0 recall campaigns. The most common issue is Seat Belts:Front:Buckle Assembly with 9 complaints. Source: NHTSA via VinItel.
What are common problems with the 1987 Mercury Cougar?
Top reported problems: Seat Belts:Front:Buckle Assembly (9 complaints); Electrical System:Ignition:Switch (4 complaints); Service Brakes, Hydraulic:Foundation Components (4 complaints). Every complaint is filed by an owner with NHTSA — this is raw reported data, not editorial opinion.
How safe is the 1987 Mercury Cougar?
NHTSA complaints for the 1987 Mercury Cougar include 7 crash-related reports, 11 fire reports, 7 injuries, and 0 fatalities. These are owner-reported incidents, not official crash-test ratings — a complaint being filed doesn't confirm a defect, but clusters around specific components are worth investigating.
Does the 1987 Mercury Cougar have any recalls?
No NHTSA recall campaigns have been issued for the 1987 Mercury Cougar as of the latest data sync. Verify by VIN for the most current status — new recalls can be issued years after a model year ships.
Should I buy a 1987 Mercury Cougar?
Fewer complaints than typical for this model. That's a good sign, but every individual car is different — the VIN still tells you what happened to this specific one.
Source: NHTSA (National Highway Traffic Safety Administration) complaint and recall databases, aggregated by VinItel.
Wider context: See the full Mercury Cougar reliability report with year-by-year comparison and generation analysis.
Check Your Specific 1987 Mercury Cougar
Real owner complaints tell you about the model. The VIN tells you about your specific car — accidents, title issues, odometer fraud.
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