Total Complaints
20 filings
CHEVROLET CAPRICE · model year
1987 CHEVROLET CAPRICE
20 NHTSA complaints for this specific cohort.
NHTSA overall rating
Not crash-tested
New Car Assessment Program
The 1987CHEVROLETCAPRICE carries 20 consumer safety complaints in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database for this specific model-year cohort. Within that volume, owners reported 0 crashes, 4 fires, 0 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 CAPRICE is power train:automatic transmission with 4 filings, followed by vehicle speed control (2) and service brakes, hydraulic:foundation components:master cylinder (2). 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 CAPRICE, 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.
20
Complaints
0
Crashes
4
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 |
|---|---|
| POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION | 4 |
| VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL | 2 |
| SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:MASTER CYLINDER | 2 |
| VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL:LINKAGES | 2 |
| VISIBILITY:POWER WINDOW DEVICES AND CONTROLS | 1 |
| SEATS:FRONT ASSEMBLY:POWER ADJUST | 1 |
| SUSPENSION:FRONT | 1 |
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:COOLING SYSTEM | 1 |
| SEATS | 1 |
| SEATS:FRONT ASSEMBLY:HEAD RESTRAINT | 1 |
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE | 1 |
| SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:POWER ASSIST:VACUUM | 1 |
| SEATS:FRONT ASSEMBLY:RECLINER | 1 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:FRONT UNDERHOOD | 1 |
Recent Complaints
20001213VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL:LINKAGES
THROTTLE JAMMED INTO HIGH-REV. AND ACCELERATED UNEXPECTEDLY TO HIGH SPEED BEFORE NECESSARY CORRECTIVE ACTION TAKEN. THROTTLE CABLE WAS FOUND TO HAVE BROKEN. *AK
20001127FireELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:FRONT UNDERHOOD
MY FATHER'S 1987 CAPRICE WAS COMPLETELY DESTROYED ALONG WITH ITS GARAGE. FIRE ERUPTED FROM UNDER HOOD AS ENGINE WAS BEING STARTED. HE WAS FORTUNATE TO ESCAPE. I, HIS SON, HAVE A 1988 CAPRICE WITH THE SAME 305 CID ENGINE AND THE SAME 4-BARREL CARB; AND I HAVE BEEN NOTICING GAS FUMES DURING OPERATION OF THE CAR FOR SEVERAL MONTHS. MY QUESTION: IS THERE SOME PROBLEM WITH ENGINE FIRES IN CAPRICES WITH THIS ENGINE/CARB COMBINATION? HAVE THERE BEEN ANY RECALL CAMPAIGNS? *AK
20000515VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL:LINKAGES
UNEXPECTED AND SUDDEN ACCELERATION WHEN VEHICLE IS PLACED INTO DRIVE FROM PARK POSITION. DEALER HAS BEEN CONTACTED. *AK
19990902POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
WHEN CAR IS PLACED INTO DRIVE IT POPS INTO GEAR. ALSO, WHEN CAR IS TRAVELLING AT 20 MPH AND THE DRIVER PRESSES THE GAS PEDAL FURTHER, THE VEHICLE AGAIN SHIFTS AND POPS.
19990608SEATS:FRONT ASSEMBLY:RECLINER
SEAT ASSEMBLY THAT ALLOWS SEAT TO MOVE FORWARD AND BACKWARD HAS BROKEN, NOT ALLOWING THE SEAT TO LOCK IN THE FULL FORWARD POSITION FOR SHORTER DRIVERS.
19970717VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
CRUISE CONTROL RESUMED BY ITSELF, CAUSING ACCELERATION AND AN ACCIDENT.
19961226SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:POWER ASSIST:VACUUM
THE POWER ASSISTED BRAKES WENT OUT ON THE VEHICLE. THE DRIVER WAS GOING 30MPH AND HAD NO BRAKES. SHE HAD TO PUT THE CAR IN PARK TO STOP IT. *AK
19961114FireENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE
ENGINE COMPARTMENT FIRE.(OHIO STATE POLICE REPORT)
19960404SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:MASTER CYLINDER
BRAKES MASTER CYLINDER FAILED. *DSH
19960222POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
TRANSMISSION FAILED IN REVERSE GEAR. *AK
19951117POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
HAD TO REPLACE THE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION. TT *SLC
19951012SEATS
HEAD RESTRAINTS ON SEATS DRIVER AND PASSENGER SIDE EQUIPMENT FAILURE ARE NOT IN PLACE. TT CONSUMER STATES FRONT SEAT IS TOO SOFT, CONSUMER SINKS DOWN MAKING FOR POOR VISION. *SLC
19951012SEATS:FRONT ASSEMBLY:HEAD RESTRAINT
HEAD RESTRAINTS ON SEATS DRIVER AND PASSENGER SIDE EQUIPMENT FAILURE ARE NOT IN PLACE. TT CONSUMER STATES FRONT SEAT IS TOO SOFT, CONSUMER SINKS DOWN MAKING FOR POOR VISION. *SLC
19950816POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION FAILURE AFTER 49K MILES. TT
19950727SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:MASTER CYLINDER
BRAKE FAILURE, REPLACE OF THE MASTER CYLINDER, EXPERIENCE LIGHT COME RED, AND PEDAL GOES TO THE FLOOR. TT
19950518VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
CRUISE CONTROL INOPERATIVE. (RECALL 89V-102)
19950518ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:COOLING SYSTEM
WATER PUMP REPLACED TWICE.
19950504SUSPENSION:FRONT
VEHICLE HAS SEVERE SWAYING PROBLEM. *SKD
19950316FireVISIBILITY:POWER WINDOW DEVICES AND CONTROLS
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM FIRE IN POWER DOOR AND WINDOW CONSOLE. TT
19950316FireSEATS:FRONT ASSEMBLY:POWER ADJUST
ELECTRIC SEAT PANEL FAILED. *AK
Compare 1987CHEVROLETCAPRICE to Similar Vehicles
NHTSA Investigations 2 Open
EA25007Engineering AnalysisOpen
Loss of motive power due to engine failure
PE23022Preliminary EvaluationClosed
Loss of Motive Power due to the Battery Energy Control Module
PE20016Preliminary EvaluationClosed
Electric Vehicle Battery Fires
EA20002Engineering AnalysisClosed
Outboard Front Seat Belt Anchor Cable Failure
PE20011Preliminary EvaluationClosed
Fuel Line Leak
Frequently Asked Questions
How many complaints does the 1987 CHEVROLET CAPRICE have?▼
The 1987 CHEVROLET CAPRICE has 20 NHTSA complaints, 0 crashes, 4 fires, 0 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
What are the most common problems with the 1987 CHEVROLET CAPRICE?▼
The most-complained component for the 1987 CHEVROLET CAPRICE is POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION with 4 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL and SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:MASTER CYLINDER.
Is the 1987 CHEVROLET CAPRICE 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.