How to decode a 1987 Mercury Cougar VIN
Characters 1-3 of a 1987 Mercury Cougar VIN
A World Manufacturer Identifier (WMI) is an integral part of the Vehicle Identification Number (VIN), serving as a unique code to identify the manufacturer of any given vehicle. For the 1987 Mercury Cougar, the WMI is “1ME,” indicating that the vehicle was manufactured by Ford Motor Company in the United States, specifically in Dearborn, Michigan. This information is crucial for tracking the vehicle’s origin, safety recalls, and specifications. The WMI not only confirms Ford as the parent company but also denotes the specific vehicle type as a passenger car. Understanding the WMI provides valuable insights into both the manufacturer’s identity and the vehicle’s classification.
List of WMI Codes for a 1987 Mercury Cougar
WMI: 1ME
- Model Years Covered: 1981, 1983-1997
- Example VIN: 1MEBM62F9HH633125
- Manufacturer Name: Ford Motor Company
- Vehicle Type: Passenger Car
- City: Dearborn
- State or Province: Michigan
- Country: United States
Characters 4-8 are the Vehicle Descriptor Section (VDS) of a 1987 Mercury Cougar VIN
These characters correspond to components like:
- Engine type
- Transmission
- Model or trim
- Body style
- Gross vehicle weight range
Below find the known vehicle descriptor codes for a 1987 Mercury Cougar:
| Known VDS for a 1987 Mercury Cougar | |
|---|---|
| BM62F | BM60F |
Auto manufacturers have some discretion to decide how they want to code this section, but its contents and decoded results are generally consistent.
Character 9 is the “check digit” in a 1987 Mercury Cougar VIN.
Based on a formula developed by the US Department of Transportation, it helps reduce fraud by ensuring the validity of the VIN.
10th Character in the 1987 Mercury Cougar VIN — Year Code
| Year Code | Year |
|---|---|
| H | 1987 |
11th Character in the 1987 Mercury Cougar VIN — Plant Code(s)
Known 1987 Mercury Cougar Assembly Factory VIN Code(s)
| Plant Code | Plant City | Plant State | Plant Country | Plant Company Name | Example VIN |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| H | Lorain | Ohio | United States | 1MEBM62F9HH633125 |
VIN Characters 12 - 17 of a 1987 Mercury Cougar
The final 6 characters in a 1987 Mercury Cougar’s 17-digit VIN are its serial number, which will be unique to every vehicle.
Check your Mercury Cougar’s VIN below:
How to find a 1987 Mercury Cougar’s VIN?
Locating the VIN number on your 1987 Mercury Cougar is key for identification. Here’s how to find it:
- Look at the dashboard on the driver’s side of your 1987 Mercury Cougar. The VIN can usually be seen through the windshield on a metal plate.
- Examine the door jamb on the driver’s side. The VIN might be located on a label or sticker in the area where the door latches when it is closed.
- Investigate under the hood of your Mercury Cougar. The VIN may also be found on a plaque or sticker located on the firewall of the engine compartment.
- Check the trunk area of your Mercury Cougar for the VIN. It might be on a label in the trunk space, such as on the underside of the trunk lid or in the spare tire well.
- Look at the frame or chassis of the vehicle. On older vehicles like the 1987 Mercury Cougar, the VIN might be stamped onto the frame itself, potentially visible from under the vehicle.
- Inspect your vehicle’s documentation. The VIN will be on the title document, registration, and insurance documents for your Mercury Cougar.
What info can a 1987 Mercury Cougar VIN reveal?
- Model Year: The VIN can reveal the vehicle’s model year, indicating that it may be from 1987, providing insights into the age and potential market value of the vehicle.
- Vehicle Specifications: The VIN provides specific details about the vehicle, identifying it as a Ford Cougar XR7 model. This information demonstrates how detailed make and model details, alongside series, can be ascertained.
- Body Class and Doors: The VIN discloses the body class as Sedan/Saloon and indicates that the vehicle may have 2 doors, providing insights into the vehicle’s design and structure.
- Fuel Type: The primary fuel type is indicated as Gasoline, which can give an idea of the vehicle’s energy source and potential fuel efficiency.
- Manufacturing Details: The VIN provides details about the manufacturing location, including the plant city as Lorain, state as Ohio, and the country as the United States, offering a glimpse into the vehicle’s production origin.
- Safety Features: The VIN may mention the type of seat belt as manual, hinting at the potential safety features installed in the vehicle at the time of manufacture.
Don’t have your 1987 Mercury Cougar’s VIN handy? Try our license plate lookup instead!
Sample VIN Decode Report for a 1987 Mercury Cougar
| Vehicle Spec | Value |
|---|---|
| Body Class | Sedan/Saloon |
| Displacement (CC) | 4948.893328 |
| Displacement (CI) | 302 |
| Displacement (L) | 5.0 |
| Doors | 2 |
| Engine Brake (hp) From | 150 |
| Engine Brake (hp) To | 160 |
| Engine Configuration | V-Shaped |
| Engine Manufacturer | Ford |
| Engine Number of Cylinders | 8 |
| Fuel Type - Primary | Gasoline |
| Model | Cougar |
| Model Year | 1987 |
| Other Engine Info | Central Fuel Injection |
| Plant City | Lorain |
| Plant Company Name | |
| Plant Country | United States |
| Plant State | Ohio |
| Seat Belt Type | Manual |
| Series | LS |
| Vehicle Descriptor | 1MEBM60F*HH |
| Vehicle Type | Passenger Car |
| Sample_VIN | 1MEBM60F6HH682589 |
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