AI Damage1987 Mercury Sable: common problems
Owners of the 1987 Mercury Sable filed 76 complaints with NHTSA, most often about structure and electrical system. Details by component below, with sources.
Key figures
- Owner complaints
- 76
- involving a crash
- 3
What fails most often
- 1 Structure 22% of all complaints
- 2 Electrical system 20% of all complaints
- 3 Engine and cooling 13% of all complaints
- 4 Powertrain 12% of all complaints
- 5 Seat belts 11% of all complaints
- 6 Steering 11% of all complaints
- 7 Seats 9% of all complaints
- 8 Service brakes 7% of all complaints
- Structure: 17 complaints (22% of all).
- Electrical system: 15 complaints (20% of all).
- Engine and cooling: 10 complaints (13% of all).
- Powertrain: 9 complaints (12% of all), 1 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
- Seat belts: 8 complaints (11% of all), 2 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
Engines and transmissions
US-market versions per EPA. On the right: how many NHTSA complaints name this engine or transmission type.
- 3 L · petrol · 6 cyl
- automatic, 4-speed
Drive: FWD
Symptoms owners describe
How many of the 76 NHTSA complaints mention each symptom (automatic count from complaint text; one complaint can mention several).
Components owners complain about
| Component | Owner complaints | involving a crash | Technical service bulletins (TSB) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Structure | 17 | 0 | 0 |
| Electrical system | 15 | 0 | 0 |
| Engine and cooling | 10 | 0 | 0 |
| Powertrain | 9 | 1 | 0 |
| Seat belts | 8 | 2 | 0 |
| Steering | 8 | 0 | 0 |
| Seats | 7 | 0 | 0 |
| Service brakes | 5 | 1 | 0 |
| Fuel system | 4 | 0 | 0 |
| Equipment | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| Suspension | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| Tires | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| Wheels | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| Vehicle speed control | 2 | 0 | 0 |
What owners report
Short excerpts of NHTSA complaints in the original wording. These are owner statements not verified by NHTSA; personal data removed.
While driving 65 mph and when depressing the brakes consumer was unable to stop the vehicle. This caused a rear end collision. Drivers side seat belt unlatched, and driver sustained injuries.
Involved in collision, passenger side seat belt came open and hit passenger in head. Tt
Subframe bushings broke loose cause near accident and loss of steering. Local ford motor company denied to fix because of vin number.
Drivers seat broke loose from mount. Seat rocks forward and back. Door ajar light stays on all the time. Doors are closed. Fuel gauge inaccurate.
The original spare tire, which was never used, was installed on the vehicle, while driving the tire experienced tread/belt separation, the tire make/model was not given because the consumer stated that it was unreadable, the tire had under 300 miles on it, specific injury information was not given. Nlm
While going 30-35 mph smelled smoke. After pulling over consumer noticed front left wheel hub base cover melted. Contacted dealer. Problem may be linked to brake vacuum plate. Please provide any further information.
While driving the left front wheel rim and tire separated from the vehilcle, resulting in damage to vehicle. (ohio traffic crash report)
The stalling problem has existed since we bought the car. The dealer said they spoke to the manufacturer's engineer, but, he too was unable to correct the problem. The dealers washed his hands. The manufacturer too wouldn't response. So we gave up. But heard of a recent law suit in california. Would like your advice.
When owners complained
NHTSA complaints by filing year. The peak shows at what age the problems show up most.
Comparison
By complaint count this model year ranks 4,234 of 36,656 model years in the NHTSA data (top 12% most complained about).
On average one model year of the Sable has 216 complaints (25 years in the data). This year has 76, below average.
What to check before buying
- Structure. Rails, pillars, panel gaps, signs of pulling or welding.
- Electrical system. Scan all modules, test the battery and alternator, inspect connectors near the impact zone.
- Engine and cooling. Radiator and fan after a frontal hit, coolant level and condition, overheating.
- Powertrain. Shift quality under load, harsh shifts, transmission codes, CV joints.
Other years of this model
- Sable 198646 sources
- Sable 1988126 sources
- Sable 1989238 sources
- Sable 1990166 sources
- Sable 1991221 sources
- Sable 1992364 sources
- Sable 1993674 sources
- Sable 1994387 sources
- Sable 1995350 sources
- Sable 1996304 sources
- Sable 1997228 sources
- Sable 1998190 sources
- Sable 1999258 sources
- Sable 2000464 sources
- Sable 2001430 sources
- Sable 2002440 sources
- Sable 2003201 sources
- Sable 200452 sources
- Sable 200583 sources
- Sable 200861 sources
- Sable 200920 sources
- Sable 999913 sources
Questions and answers
What are the most common problems with the 1987 Mercury Sable?
Owner complaints to NHTSA most often mention: structure, electrical system, engine and cooling. Total complaints: 76. The most frequent symptoms in complaint texts: seat belts (8%), smoke, burning smell, fire (8%), stalls while driving (8%).
How many service bulletins (TSB) were issued for the 1987 Mercury Sable?
NHTSA lists 0 manufacturer service bulletins for this year. A bulletin tells dealers how to diagnose or fix a known issue; it is not a recall.
Should I buy a 1987 Mercury Sable from a US auction?
Owner complaints describe defects, not crash damage. Before bidding, check the components listed above and review the lot photos: VinWind builds a report of visible and hidden damage by VIN.
Other 1987 models
Read also
Sources: public NHTSA data (USA): service bulletins and owner complaints; YouTube: links to videos credited to their authors. Complaints are owner statements not verified by NHTSA, and describe defects rather than crash damage. Data updated 2026-11-05.