CHEVROLET CAMARO · model year

1987 CHEVROLET CAMARO

29 NHTSA complaints, 2 crash reports for this specific cohort.

NHTSA overall rating

Not crash-tested

New Car Assessment Program

The 1987CHEVROLETCAMARO carries 29 consumer safety complaints in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database for this specific model-year cohort. Within that volume, owners reported 2 crashes, 2 fires, 3 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 CAMARO is seat belts:front:buckle assembly with 6 filings, followed by seat belts (4) and steering: steering wheel/handle bar (3). 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 57 investigation files overlapping the 1987 CAMARO, and 2 remain open. 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.

29
Complaints
2
Crashes
2
Fires
3
Injuries
0
Deaths

Total Complaints

29 filings

Crashes Reported

2 reports

Source

NHTSA ODI

Federal complaints database

Complaints vs. fleet median (215)

At or below the fleet median complaint volume.

Complaints by Component

ComponentCount
SEAT BELTS:FRONT:BUCKLE ASSEMBLY6
SEAT BELTS4
STEERING: STEERING WHEEL/HANDLE BAR3
STEERING:COLUMN2
SEAT BELTS:FRONT:ANCHORAGE2
EQUIPMENT:MECHANICAL:ACCESSORY SCISSOR/SCREW/BOTTLE JACK/LIFT2
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:HOSES, LINES/PIPING, AND FITTINGS1
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION1
PARKING BRAKE:CONVENTIONAL1
STRUCTURE:BODY:HOOD:HINGE AND ATTACHMENTS1
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:EXHAUST SYSTEM:EMISSION CONTROL:CATALYTIC CONVERTOR1
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE1
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:FRONT UNDERHOOD1
SEAT BELTS:FRONT1
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE1

Recent Complaints

20230114SEAT BELTS

During a New York state auto inspection, this recall, #N00043, was brought to my attention by the paperwork and the technician. I've been trying to get this issue resolved for years with no luck from various auto dealers.

20200813SEAT BELTS

TL* THE CONTACT'S GIRLFRIEND OWNS A 1987 CHEVROLET CAMARO. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE DRIVER'S SIDE SEAT BELT HAD BECOME DEFECTIVE. UPON RESEARCH, THE CONTACT DISCOVERED THAT THERE WAS A RECALL THAT HAD BEEN PLACED ON THE VEHICLE FOR THE SEAT BELTS HOWEVER, THE RECALL NUMBER WAS UNKNOWN. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO PLATINUM CHEVROLET (3001 CORBY AVE, SANTA ROSA, CA 95407) WHERE HE INFORMED THE DEALER OF THE SEAT BELT RECALL. THE CONTACT WAS THEN INFORMED THAT THEY COULD NOT OFFER ANY ASSISTANCE DUE TO THE DATABASE NOT HAVING INFORMATION ON A VEHICLE OF THAT AGE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS THEN NOTIFIED OF THE ISSUE AND A CASE WAS FILED. THE MANUFACTURER THEN NOTIFIED THE CONTACT THAT DUE TO THE AGE OF THE VEHICLE AND THE INABILITY TO LOCATE THE RECALL, THEY DENIED HIS RECALL CLAIM. THE VEHICLE HAD YET TO BE REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE 49,858.

Mileage: 49,858

20040505VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL:CRUISE CONTROL

I WAS AT THE ENTRANCE GATE TO THE PARKING LOT WHERE I WAS WORKING, AT THE TIME, ABOUT TO PUT MY CARD IN THE CARD READER, TO OPEN THE GATE. THE CAR WAS IN DRIVE AND MY FOOT ON THE BRAKE. THE ENGINE STARTED TO RACE WITHOUT WARNING AND I HAD TO STAND ON THE BRAKE PEDAL WITH BOTH FEET BEFORE I FINALLY GOT THE IGNITION KEY TURNED OFF. I RESTARTED THE ENGINE, IN PARK, AND THE ENGINE TOOK OFF AGAIN. I SHUT IT OFF, PLAYED AROUND WITH THE CRUISE CONTROL BUTTONS (WHICH WERE IN THE OFF POSITION) AND RESTARTED THE CAR. THIS TIME IT WAS FINE. THE CAR NEVER DID IT AGAIN. THE VEHICLE WAS A 1987 CHEVY CAMARO LS.

20040107FireENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE

1987 CHEVROLET CAMERO CAUGHT ON FIRE. *MR *SC *JB

20031125SEAT BELTS:FRONT

NEITHER SEAT BELT WILL LOCK. PASSENGERS USE TO LOCK BUT COULD NOT GET OUT OF THE SEAT BELT AND PULLED ON IT AND IT FELL APART. IF I WAS IN A ACCIDENT I WOULD NOT BE PROTECTED. *LA

Mileage: 75,000

20031125STEERING: STEERING WHEEL/HANDLE BAR

(TILT STEERING) STEERING WHEEL VERY LOOSE. HARD TO STEER IN CURVES AND ON TURNS. STEERING WHEEL MOVE ABOUT A INCH OR 2 WHEN TRYING TO STEER. FEELS LIKE THE STEERING IS GOING TO FALL OFF, HAVE HAD IT CHECKED AND THE MECHANIC SAID THAT THE BOLTS ON THE TILT ARE FALLING OUT. THAT THERE SHOULD BE A RECALL ON THIS PROBLEM. *LA

Mileage: 75,000

20031024SEAT BELTS:FRONT:BUCKLE ASSEMBLY

THE SEAT BELT BUCKLE EXPERIENCED THE SAME DEFECT AS STATED IN RECALL 90 V 105 000 HOWEVER, THE VEHICLE IDENTIFICATION NUMBER WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL. *JB

Mileage: 150,000

20010723SEAT BELTS:FRONT:ANCHORAGE

NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE. *AK

20010226FireELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:FRONT UNDERHOOD

CAR WAS SITTING STILL RUNNING IN NETURAL WHEN IT EXPLODED IN TO FLAMES WITH" NO WARNING SIGNS" TOTALLY DESTROYED CAR PASSANGER SIDE IS BURNED THE MOST! [PASSENGERS "MOTHER AND SON " MANAGED TO EXCAPE THE BURNING CAR INFERNO } THIS 1987 Z-28 CAMARO INFERNO TOOK PLACE IN WAL-MART PARKING LOT. *AK

20010222SEAT BELTS:FRONT:BUCKLE ASSEMBLY

CONSUMER RECEIVED TWO RECALL LETTERS FOR SEATBELTS. RED PLASTIC BUTTONS WERE BRITTLE AND DISCOLORED. CONSUMER FELT THAT BUCKLE MAY NOT LATCH IN AN ACCIDENT BECAUSE OF CONDITION OF LATCHES. *AK

20001004SEAT BELTS:FRONT:BUCKLE ASSEMBLY

THE LEFT SEAT BELT BUCKLE COMES UNLATCHED ALL THE TIME, THE RIGHT ONE HAS JUST BROKEN, MAKING IT TOTALLY USELESS. I TOOK MY VEHICLE IN FOR THE ORIGINAL RECALL, AND WAS TOLD THAT THE RECALL WAS NOW CLOSED. I OFFERED TO PAY FOR THE REPAIRS, BUT WAS TOLD THAT CHEVROLET NO LONGER MANUFACTURES THE SEATBELT BUCKLES THAT ARE NEEDED. THEY TOLD ME TO GO TO A JUNKYARD AND GET ANOTHER SET. I AM NOT WILLING TO DO THAT, KNOWING THAT THE SEATBELTS ARE FAULTY TO BEGIN WITH.*AK

20000822SEAT BELTS:FRONT:BUCKLE ASSEMBLY

FRONT PASSENGER'S AND DRIVER'S PLASTIC COMPONENT IN THE SEATBELT BUCKLE HAS DISINTEGRATED. CONSUMER WAS NOT ABLE TO USE SEAT BELTS. *AK

20000818SEAT BELTS

DRIVER'S SIDE SEATBELT BROKE. DEALERSHIP TOLD HER THAT THAT PART WASN'T AVAILABLE. *AK

20000816SEAT BELTS

DRIVER SIDE SEATBELT BUCKLE BROKE, THERE IS NO CONTACT WITH RETRACTOR. CONSUMER NOTIFIED DEALERSHIP.*AK

19990823EQUIPMENT:MECHANICAL:ACCESSORY SCISSOR/SCREW/BOTTLE JACK/LIFT

WHILE TRYING TO CHANGE A FLAT TIRE THE JACK BENT AND COLLAPSED UNDER THE WEIGHT OF THE EMPTY CAR. MJS

19981104ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE

WHEN DRIVING AFTER 2 OR 3 MINUTES THE CAR STARTS TO PAUSE, AS IF IT IS STALLING. DEALER HAS NOT SEEN. *AK

19980417STEERING: STEERING WHEEL/HANDLE BAR

STEERING COLUMN LOOSE.

19980320EQUIPMENT:MECHANICAL:ACCESSORY SCISSOR/SCREW/BOTTLE JACK/LIFT

AFTER LIFTING UP THE VEHICLE, THE JACK ITSELF BENT AND COLLAPSED UNDER THE WEIGHT OF THE VEHICLE, CREATING A VERY DISTRESSING AND DANGEROUS SITUATION.

19971010ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:EXHAUST SYSTEM:EMISSION CONTROL:CATALYTIC CONVERTOR

CATALYTIC CONVERTER RATTLES. IT SOUNDS AS IF ENGINE WILL FALL OUT. *AK

19971007SEAT BELTS:FRONT:BUCKLE ASSEMBLY

BOTH DRIVER'S AND PASSENGER'S SIDE SEAT BELT BUCKLES ARE INOPERATIVE DUE TO THE BUCKLE ASSEMBLY HAVING A CRACK. ALSO THE RED PLASTIC BUTTON IS STUCK. CONSUMER HAS CONTACTED THE DEALER. THERE ALSO A RECALL LISTED FOR THE SAME PROBLEM RECALL 90V105000. *AK

Compare 1987CHEVROLETCAMARO to Similar Vehicles

NHTSA Investigations 2 Open

View all investigations

Frequently Asked Questions

How many complaints does the 1987 CHEVROLET CAMARO have?
The 1987 CHEVROLET CAMARO has 29 NHTSA complaints, 2 crashes, 2 fires, 3 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
What are the most common problems with the 1987 CHEVROLET CAMARO?
The most-complained component for the 1987 CHEVROLET CAMARO is SEAT BELTS:FRONT:BUCKLE ASSEMBLY with 6 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include SEAT BELTS and STEERING: STEERING WHEEL/HANDLE BAR.
Is the 1987 CHEVROLET CAMARO 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.