Total Complaints
12 filings
CHEVROLET SPECTRUM · model year
1987 CHEVROLET SPECTRUM
12 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 1987CHEVROLETSPECTRUM carries 12 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 SPECTRUM is engine and engine cooling:engine with 2 filings, followed by fuel system, gasoline:carburetor system (2) and power train:clutch assembly (2). Complaint categories reflect owner reports and intake categorization; they do not establish a defect pattern or cause.
NHTSA currently has 57 investigation files overlapping the 1987 SPECTRUM, and 2 remain open. 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.
12
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 | 2 |
| FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:CARBURETOR SYSTEM | 2 |
| POWER TRAIN:CLUTCH ASSEMBLY | 2 |
| VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL | 2 |
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE | 1 |
| VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL:CRUISE CONTROL | 1 |
| SEAT BELTS:FRONT:BUCKLE ASSEMBLY | 1 |
| SEAT BELTS | 1 |
Recent Complaints
19970731SEAT BELTS
REAR PASSENGER'S RESTRAINT BELT STICKS. BELT WILL NOT EXTEND. *AK
19960308VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
SUDDEN ACCELEARTION WHEN FORCE IS NOT APPLIED TO THE GAS PEDAL. *AK
19960308VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
SUDDEN ACCELEARTION WHEN FORCE IS NOT APPLIED TO THE GAS PEDAL. *AK
19960223POWER TRAIN:CLUTCH ASSEMBLY
THE CLUCTH WOULD NOT LOCK OUT OF GEAR CAUSED THE CONSUMER TO HAVE A NEAR ACCIDENT. *AK
19960223POWER TRAIN:CLUTCH ASSEMBLY
THE CLUCTH WOULD NOT LOCK OUT OF GEAR CAUSED THE CONSUMER TO HAVE A NEAR ACCIDENT. *AK
19951207FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:CARBURETOR SYSTEM
INTERMITTENT STALLING. *AK
19951026FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:CARBURETOR SYSTEM
DEFECTIVE CARBURETOR, CAUSING HIGH IDLE PRIOR TO SERVICE RECALL. *AK
19950714SEAT BELTS:FRONT:BUCKLE ASSEMBLY
THE REAR SEATBELTS AND THE FRONT PASSENGER SEATBELTS DO NOT LATCH PROPERLY. PLEASE DESCRIBE. *AK
19950613VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL:CRUISE CONTROL
IDLE SET FOR 1987 SPECTRUM IS NOT ADJUSTABLE-WILL NOT HOLD. TT
19950601ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE
ENGINE FAILURE DUE TO 'NON FREE WHEELING' DESIGN OF ENGINE WHICH CAUSES PARTS TO BIND WHEN TIMING BELT FAILS.
19950601ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE
TIMING BELT BROKE, CAUSING VEHICLE TO STALL. *SKD
19950120ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE
ENGINE TIMING BELT BROKE AND ENGINE IMMEDIATELY FAILED. TT
Compare 1987CHEVROLETSPECTRUM 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 SPECTRUM have?▼
The 1987 CHEVROLET SPECTRUM has 12 NHTSA complaints, 0 crashes, 0 fires, 0 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
What are the most common problems with the 1987 CHEVROLET SPECTRUM?▼
The most-complained component for the 1987 CHEVROLET SPECTRUM is ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE with 2 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:CARBURETOR SYSTEM and POWER TRAIN:CLUTCH ASSEMBLY.
Is the 1987 CHEVROLET SPECTRUM 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 CHEVROLET SPECTRUM; 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.