Total Complaints
49 filings
MERCURY COUGAR · model year
1987 MERCURY COUGAR
49 NHTSA complaints, 7 crash reports for this specific cohort.
NHTSA overall rating
Not crash-tested
New Car Assessment Program
The 1987MERCURYCOUGAR carries 49 consumer safety complaints in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database for this specific model-year cohort. Within that volume, owners reported 7 crashes, 11 fires, 7 injuries, and 0 fatalities. No NCAP 5-star crash-test rating is available for this model year in the federal database.
Component-level analysis is where model-year complaints become actionable: the top complaint category for the 1987 COUGAR is seat belts:front:buckle assembly with 9 filings, followed by service brakes, hydraulic:foundation components (4) and electrical system:ignition:switch (4). Concentration in one or two component groups is the classic signature of a systemic defect; a flat distribution usually reflects normal aging, warranty complaints, or isolated build-plant variability.
NHTSA currently has 22 investigation files overlapping the 1987 COUGAR. Owners comparing this cohort against neighboring years should pair the counters above with the complaint-by-year trend on the parent model page — a spike in a single year often tracks to a platform refresh, a new transmission supplier, or an updated ECU calibration. Use the related-complaint feed below to read raw owner narratives before deciding whether any pattern here affects your specific use case.
49
Complaints
7
Crashes
11
Fires
7
Injuries
0
Deaths
Crashes Reported
7 reports
Source
NHTSA ODI
Federal complaints database
Complaints vs. fleet median (215)
At or below the fleet median complaint volume.
Complaints by Component
| Component | Count |
|---|---|
| SEAT BELTS:FRONT:BUCKLE ASSEMBLY | 9 |
| SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS | 4 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION:SWITCH | 4 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:INTERIOR/UNDER DASH | 3 |
| VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL | 3 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:FRONT UNDERHOOD | 3 |
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:EXHAUST SYSTEM:EMISSION CONTROL:CATALYTIC CONVERTOR | 2 |
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE | 2 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION:MODULE | 2 |
| FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:FUEL INJECTION SYSTEM:INJECTORS | 1 |
| INTERIOR LIGHTING | 1 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:ALTERNATOR/GENERATOR/REGULATOR | 1 |
| POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION | 1 |
| SEAT BELTS:FRONT:ANCHORAGE | 1 |
| SEATS:FRONT ASSEMBLY:RECLINER | 1 |
Recent Complaints
20230727CrashFireSERVICE BRAKES
Brake pads constantly keeps running out on front driver, passenger front brakes are still good but rotor keeps running out unevenly, no brake fluid leaks but needs refill every 3rd about 3/4 of a pints bottle, making a left turn it accelerated by itself brakes didn't react, instead of causing in a big accident, pulled the steering wheel, went through a fence and a brick wall stopped my car, checked all fuses replaced fuses if needed, confirmed fuses AMP Ganges with the vehicle own owners manual, dashboard backlights keeps going on and off on it's own, automatic transmission after complete stop it sets it self at neutral , a few taps on the gas pedal then it goes to 1st shift, only has 129,000 miles, 1987 Mercury Cougar LS 5.0l windsor engine, 20th Anniversary Edition
20230727CrashFireELECTRICAL SYSTEM
Brake pads constantly keeps running out on front driver, passenger front brakes are still good but rotor keeps running out unevenly, no brake fluid leaks but needs refill every 3rd about 3/4 of a pints bottle, making a left turn it accelerated by itself brakes didn't react, instead of causing in a big accident, pulled the steering wheel, went through a fence and a brick wall stopped my car, checked all fuses replaced fuses if needed, confirmed fuses AMP Ganges with the vehicle own owners manual, dashboard backlights keeps going on and off on it's own, automatic transmission after complete stop it sets it self at neutral , a few taps on the gas pedal then it goes to 1st shift, only has 129,000 miles, 1987 Mercury Cougar LS 5.0l windsor engine, 20th Anniversary Edition
20230727CrashFirePOWER TRAIN
Brake pads constantly keeps running out on front driver, passenger front brakes are still good but rotor keeps running out unevenly, no brake fluid leaks but needs refill every 3rd about 3/4 of a pints bottle, making a left turn it accelerated by itself brakes didn't react, instead of causing in a big accident, pulled the steering wheel, went through a fence and a brick wall stopped my car, checked all fuses replaced fuses if needed, confirmed fuses AMP Ganges with the vehicle own owners manual, dashboard backlights keeps going on and off on it's own, automatic transmission after complete stop it sets it self at neutral , a few taps on the gas pedal then it goes to 1st shift, only has 129,000 miles, 1987 Mercury Cougar LS 5.0l windsor engine, 20th Anniversary Edition
20010912VISIBILITY:WINDSHIELD
WINDSHIELD INOPERABLE. *YH
20010406ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE
WHILE TRAVELING AND WITHOUT ANY INDICATION VEHICLE WOULD STALL.*AK THE VEHICLE STALLED NUMEROUS TIMES, BUT GOES SMOTH AGAIN. THE TECHNICIANS AFTER SEVERAL ATTEMPT DISCOVERED THAT THE TFI IGNITION MODUELE FAILURE WAS THE CAUSE. *YH
20010406ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION:MODULE
WHILE TRAVELING AND WITHOUT ANY INDICATION VEHICLE WOULD STALL.*AK THE VEHICLE STALLED NUMEROUS TIMES, BUT GOES SMOTH AGAIN. THE TECHNICIANS AFTER SEVERAL ATTEMPT DISCOVERED THAT THE TFI IGNITION MODUELE FAILURE WAS THE CAUSE. *YH
20001027SEAT BELTS:FRONT:BUCKLE ASSEMBLY
A PENNY, NICKLE, AND A QUARTER FELL INTO THE FEMALE BUCKLE ASSEMBLY, PROBABLY OVER TIME FROM POCKETS AND/OR THE CONSOLE. THE TONGUE AND BUCKLE JAMMED AND WOULD NOT RELEASE. THE DRIVER CUT HERSELF OUT WITH A SISSORS AFTER BEING TRAPPED. THE TONGUE COULD BE RELEASED FROM THE BUCKLE BY SLIPPING A THIN SCREWDRIVER ALONG THE SIDE OF THE TONGUE INTO THE BUCKLE AND PUSHING DOWN. REINSERTING THE TONGUE INTO THE BUCKLE WITH THE COINS IN IT CAUSED THE SAME JAM WITH THE SAME PROCEDURE TO RE-RELEASE. NO EXPERIMENT WAS PERFORMED TO FIND OUT HOW MANY OR WHICH COIN WAS CAUSING THE JAM, ALL, ONE OR SOME. THE BUCKLE STICKS UP IN THE AIR LIKE A COIN SLOT. NO CHILDREN WOULD HAVE PUT COINS IN THE SLOT SO THEY MUST HAVE GOT IN INADVERTENTLY FROM POCKETS OR THE CONSOLE.*AK
20001012ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION:MODULE
VEHICLE KEEPS STALLING DUE TO A TFI MODULE THAT WAS PLACED TOO CLOSE TO ENGINE WHICH WILL OVERHEAT. CONSUMER IS AWARE OF NATIONAL CLASS ACTION LAWSUIT IN THE STATE OF ILLINOIS.*AK
19990507FireELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING
VEHICLE WAS PARKED INSIDE THE GARAGE AND IT CAUGHT ON FIRE DUE TO ELECTRICAL WIRING SHORT.
19981014ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:EXHAUST SYSTEM:MANIFOLD/HEADER/MUFFLER/TAIL PIPE
THE WIRE PIPE MADE A LOUD NOISE. WHEN PRESSING THE BRAKES THE VEHICLE MADE A POPPING NOISE. DEALER CONTACTED AND ATTEMPTED TO REPAIR. ALSO, TOOK THE HEATER CORE APART, AND THERE IS NOW NO HEAT IN THE VEHICLE, THE PROBLEM STILL EXISTS. *AK
19981014SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS
THE WIRE PIPE MADE A LOUD NOISE. WHEN PRESSING THE BRAKES THE VEHICLE MADE A POPPING NOISE. DEALER CONTACTED AND ATTEMPTED TO REPAIR. ALSO, TOOK THE HEATER CORE APART, AND THERE IS NOW NO HEAT IN THE VEHICLE, THE PROBLEM STILL EXISTS. *AK
19981014VISIBILITY:DEFROSTER/DEFOGGER/HVAC SYSTEM:HEATER CORE
THE WIRE PIPE MADE A LOUD NOISE. WHEN PRESSING THE BRAKES THE VEHICLE MADE A POPPING NOISE. DEALER CONTACTED AND ATTEMPTED TO REPAIR. ALSO, TOOK THE HEATER CORE APART, AND THERE IS NOW NO HEAT IN THE VEHICLE, THE PROBLEM STILL EXISTS. *AK
19980807FireFUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE
AFTER VEHICLE HAD BEEN DRIVEN IT CAUGHT ON FIRE WHILE PARKED. FIRE OCCURRED IN RIGHT FRONT SIDE OF VEHICLE. CAUSE UNKNOWN. POSSIBLE FUEL RELATED FIRE. *AK
19980624UNKNOWN OR OTHER
UNSPECIFIED.
19970401FireELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION:SWITCH
THE IGNITION SWITCH SNAPPED AND A FIRE STARTED WHILE VEHICLE WAS IN MOTION. *AK
19970325SEAT BELTS:FRONT:BUCKLE ASSEMBLY
DRIVER SIDE SEAT BELT BUCKLE STUCK.
19970114ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:INTERIOR/UNDER DASH
AN ELECTRICAL SHORT IN THE WIRING, CAUSING THE WIRING IN THE INSTRUMENT PANEL TO BURN OUT. *AK
19960815SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DISC:ROTOR
RIGHT FRONT BRAKE ROTOR RUSTED.
19960708FireELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:FRONT UNDERHOOD
AFTER PARKING, MOMENTS LATER FOUND FLAMES SHOOTING FROM UNDER HOOD, ENGINE CAUGHT FIRE FOR NO APPARENT REASON. *AK
19960605FireELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION:SWITCH
VEHICLE CAUGHT ON FIRE WHILE PARKED DUE TO DEFECTIVE IGNITION SWITCH, THE CAR IS A TOTAL LOSS. *AK
Compare 1987MERCURYCOUGAR to Similar Vehicles
NHTSA Investigations
Frequently Asked Questions
How many complaints does the 1987 MERCURY COUGAR have?▼
The 1987 MERCURY COUGAR has 49 NHTSA complaints, 7 crashes, 11 fires, 7 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
What are the most common problems with the 1987 MERCURY COUGAR?▼
The most-complained component for the 1987 MERCURY COUGAR is SEAT BELTS:FRONT:BUCKLE ASSEMBLY with 9 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS and ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION:SWITCH.
Is the 1987 MERCURY COUGAR safe to buy?▼
Review the complaint history, crash and fire reports, safety ratings, and recall status on this page to make an informed decision. No NHTSA crash test rating is available for this model year. Compare with other model years using the links above.
Where does this data come from?▼
All complaint, recall, and safety rating data is sourced from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Complaints are filed by vehicle owners through NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation.
Vehicle Safety Guides
Data as of 2025. Sources: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) complaints database, NHTSA recall campaign API, NHTSA NCAP crash-test ratings, and NHTSA FARS for fatality cross-reference.
Read our methodology — how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.