Total Complaints
27 filings
CHEVROLET CAVALIER · model year
1987 CHEVROLET CAVALIER
27 NHTSA complaints, 3 crash reports for this specific cohort.
NHTSA overall rating
Not crash-tested
New Car Assessment Program
The 1987CHEVROLETCAVALIER carries 27 consumer safety complaints in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database for this specific model-year cohort. Within that volume, owners reported 3 crashes, 0 fires, 4 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 CAVALIER is steering:rack and pinion with 5 filings, followed by steering: steering wheel/handle bar (2) and seat belts:front:retractor (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 CAVALIER, 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.
27
Complaints
3
Crashes
0
Fires
4
Injuries
0
Deaths
Crashes Reported
3 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 |
|---|---|
| STEERING:RACK AND PINION | 5 |
| STEERING: STEERING WHEEL/HANDLE BAR | 2 |
| SEAT BELTS:FRONT:RETRACTOR | 2 |
| SEAT BELTS | 2 |
| VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL | 2 |
| SEAT BELTS:FRONT:ANCHORAGE | 2 |
| TIRES | 2 |
| POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION | 1 |
| SEAT BELTS:FRONT:BUCKLE ASSEMBLY | 1 |
| VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL:CABLES | 1 |
| POWER TRAIN | 1 |
| VISIBILITY:SUN/MOON ROOF ASSEMBLY | 1 |
| SEATS | 1 |
| SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC | 1 |
| STRUCTURE:BODY:DOOR:HINGE AND ATTACHMENTS | 1 |
Recent Complaints
20040610TIRES
I WAS TRAVELING HOME FROM WORK YESTERDAY EVENING. I WAS DOING BETWEEN 35 - 40 MPH. ALL OF A SUDDEN I HEARD A LOUD NOISE. I PULLED OVER TO CHECK MY TIRES FOR A FLAT OR SEE IF SOMETHING WAS HANGING BELOW MY CAR. NO FLAT, NOTHING HANGING. BUT MY TIRE TREAD HAD SEPARATED FROM MY TIRE. I PURCHASED THOSE TIRES BRAND NEW FROM FIRESTONE ON 05/24/2002. *AK
Mileage: 152,863
20030123CrashTIRES
CONSUMER HAS BEEN EXPERIENCING CONSTANT BLOWOUTS AND FLATS WITH THE TIRES. ONE INCIDENT LED TO THE VEHICLE SLAMMING INTO A STREET CURB. *JG
Mileage: 19,925
20001016SEAT BELTS
BELT THAT HOLDS DRIVERS SEAT TO THE FLOOR BROKE AND THE CAR COULD NOT BE DRIVEN. SEAT BELT ON DRIVERS SIDE SOMETIMES WILL NOT PULL OUT.
20001016SEAT BELTS:FRONT:ANCHORAGE
BELT THAT HOLDS DRIVERS SEAT TO THE FLOOR BROKE AND THE CAR COULD NOT BE DRIVEN. SEAT BELT ON DRIVERS SIDE SOMETIMES WILL NOT PULL OUT.
19990823SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS
BRAKES FAIL AT TIMES. YH
19990217STEERING: STEERING WHEEL/HANDLE BAR
THE BOLTS IN THE STEERING COLUMN ARE LOOSE, CAUSING THE STEERING WHEEL TO MOVE FREELY, RESULTING IN LOSS OF VEHICLE CONTROL. PLEASE GIVE ANY FURTHER DETAILS. *AK
19980424CrashSEATS:FRONT ASSEMBLY:RECLINER
VEHICLE WAS STOPPED IN TRAFFIC AND WAS HIT FROM REAR BY A PICKUP TRUCK, RESULTING IN THE REAR BACK OF THE DRIVERS SEAT BREAKING, AND CONSUMER WAS IN A RECLINING POSITION, NOT ABLE TO GET THE SEAT UP OR SEE THE ROAD. ONLY THE LAP PART OF THE SEAT BELT WAS HOLDING HER. VEHICLE WAS TOTALLED. DEALER WAS NOT CONTACTED CONCERNING INCIDENT. *AK
19971216STRUCTURE:BODY:DOOR:HINGE AND ATTACHMENTS
DOOR HINGE SEPERATED FROM MOUNTING PLATE IN DOOR.
19970228SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC
BRAKES HAVE MALFUNCTED SINCE PURCHASE.
19970130SEATS
WHILE ADJUSTING DRIVER'S SEAT, THE SEAT TRACK ANCHOR BROKE AWAY FROM THE FRAME, RENDERING SEAT INOPERATIVE. *AK
19970122POWER TRAIN
DIGITAL SPEEDOMETER INOPERATIVE..
19970122VISIBILITY:SUN/MOON ROOF ASSEMBLY
SUN-ROOF LEAKS.
19961231SEAT BELTS:FRONT:ANCHORAGE
SEAT BELT FAILED DURING VEHICLE ROLLOVER, CAUSING INJURY.
19961106VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL:CABLES
ACCELERATOR CABLE STICKS IN FREEZING WEATHER, CAUSING LOSS OF CONTROL.
19961017CrashSEAT BELTS:FRONT:RETRACTOR
DRIVER LOST CONTROL OF VEHICLE AND CRASHED INTO A TREE, THE SEAT BELT DID NOT RESTRAIN HIM IN THE SEAT*AK CONSUMER'S SON WAS DRVING ON A GRAVEL ROAD AND HE CAME OVER AH HILL AND CAUGHT THE PILE OF GRAVEL AND LOST CONTROL OF VEHICLE, WHIC THEN TURNED OVER THREE OR FOUR TIMES AND DRIVER WAS THROWN FROM VEHICLE,THE SEAT BELT DID NOT HOLD DRIVER IN.*JB
19961010VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
ENGINE SURGED TWICE.
19960827VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
FAILURE OF THE THROTTLE CONTROL, THE VEHICLE WAS IN MOTION AND THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED, CAUSING THE CONSUMER TO HAVE A NEAR ACCIDENT.*AK
19960522STEERING:RACK AND PINION
FAILURE OF THE RACK AND PINION STEERING, CAUSING THE STEERING WHEEL AND COLUMN TO LOCK UP. *AK
19960404STEERING:RACK AND PINION
POWER STEERING RACK AND PINION FAILED. *SD
19960125STEERING:RACK AND PINION
EXTREME FORCE NEEDED TO TURN STEERING DURING COLD WEATHER. MORE REASONABLE WHEN TURNING TO THE LEFT. TT
Compare 1987CHEVROLETCAVALIER 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 CAVALIER have?▼
The 1987 CHEVROLET CAVALIER has 27 NHTSA complaints, 3 crashes, 0 fires, 4 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
What are the most common problems with the 1987 CHEVROLET CAVALIER?▼
The most-complained component for the 1987 CHEVROLET CAVALIER is STEERING:RACK AND PINION with 5 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include STEERING: STEERING WHEEL/HANDLE BAR and SEAT BELTS:FRONT:RETRACTOR.
Is the 1987 CHEVROLET CAVALIER 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.