Total Complaints
4 filings
BUICK ELECTRA · model year
1987 BUICK ELECTRA
4 NHTSA complaints. A VIN lookup is required to determine whether a specific vehicle has an unrepaired recall.
NHTSA overall rating
Not crash-tested
New Car Assessment Program
The 1987BUICKELECTRA carries 4 consumer safety complaints in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database for this specific model-year cohort. Within that volume, owners reported 0 crashes, 0 fires, 0 injuries, and 0 fatalities. No NCAP 5-star crash-test rating is available for this model year in the federal database.
The most frequently selected component label in reports for the 1987 ELECTRA is engine and engine cooling:engine with 1 filings, followed by seats:front assembly:recliner (1) and seat belts:front:retractor (1). Complaint categories reflect owner reports and intake categorization; they do not establish a defect pattern or cause.
NHTSA currently has 1 investigation file overlapping the 1987 ELECTRA. Owners comparing this cohort against neighboring years should read the complaint-by-year trend as report volume, not a causal diagnosis. Use the related-complaint feed and the official recall lookup when researching a specific vehicle.
4
Complaints
0
Crashes
0
Fires
0
Injuries
0
Deaths
Crashes Reported
0 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 |
|---|---|
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE | 1 |
| SEATS:FRONT ASSEMBLY:RECLINER | 1 |
| SEAT BELTS:FRONT:RETRACTOR | 1 |
| VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL:CABLES | 1 |
Recent Complaints
20041122VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL:CABLES
WHILE APPLYING THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL, THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED UNCONTROLLABLY. HOWEVER, THE DRIVER WAS ABLE TO MAINTAIN CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE AND PULLED OVER. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A GARAGE FOR INSPECTION. THE MECHANIC INFORMED THE DRIVER THAT THE THROTTLE CABLE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED AND REPLACED IT. A FEW WEEKS LATER WHILE DRIVING 30 MPH, THE VEHICLE STALLED. THE DRIVER TRIED TO RESTART THE VEHICLE AND WAS ABLE TO DO SO. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN BACK TO THE GARAGE FOR INSPECTION. THE MECHANIC INFORMED THE DRIVER THAT THE ACCELERATOR CABLE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED AGAIN. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER DETAILS. *JB
20011102SEAT BELTS:FRONT:RETRACTOR
RETRACTOR ON SEAT BELT DOES NOT RETRACT BY ITSELF BACK IN. *AK *TT
19990811SEATS:FRONT ASSEMBLY:RECLINER
WHILE DRIVING ON THE ROAD THE DRIVER'S SEAT WILL GIVE AND DROP DOWN WHEN PUSHING THE LEVER TO RECLINE, IT PARTIALLY RECLINES. CONTACTED DEALER. *AK
19951103ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE
TIMING CHAIN BROKE, RESULTING IN STEERING ABILITY LOST, REPLACED TIMING BELT. TTWHILE AT A STOP LIGHT, ENGINE SHUT DOWN AND FAILED TO RESTART, VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO DEALER AND CONSUMER WAS ADVISED THAT THIS WAS A COMMON PROBLEM, CONSUMER CONTACTED MANUFACTURER AND WAS TOLD THERE IS NO DEFECT IN THE PART.*JB
Compare 1987BUICKELECTRA to Similar Vehicles
NHTSA Investigations
Frequently Asked Questions
How many complaints does the 1987 BUICK ELECTRA have?▼
The 1987 BUICK ELECTRA has 4 NHTSA complaints, 0 crashes, 0 fires, 0 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
What are the most common problems with the 1987 BUICK ELECTRA?▼
The most-complained component for the 1987 BUICK ELECTRA is ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE with 1 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include SEATS:FRONT ASSEMBLY:RECLINER and SEAT BELTS:FRONT:RETRACTOR.
Is the 1987 BUICK ELECTRA 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 vintage: August 2026. 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.
Every figure on PlainCars is rendered directly from NHTSA complaint and safety data, no number is typed in by an editor. This year-specific record is rendered from NHTSA ODI, recall, and NCAP rows for the 1987 BUICK ELECTRA; no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of August 2026.
Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.