Chevrolet Suburban · model year

1987 Chevrolet Suburban

21 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

Complaints
21
Recalls
0

The verdict

The 1987 Chevrolet Suburban posts top-quartile complaint standing among its own model-year siblings.

Top 19%
fewest complaints, own model years
0
recall campaigns

The 1987ChevroletSuburban carries 21 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, 1 injury, 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 Suburban is fuel system, gasoline:storage:tank assembly with 2 filings, followed by service brakes, hydraulic:antilock/traction control/electronic limited slip (2) and tires (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 Suburban, 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.

21
Complaints
0
Crashes
4
Fires
1
Injuries
0
Deaths
F
PlainCars Safety Score
0/100
1987 Chevrolet Suburban

PlainCars' own composite of NHTSA NCAP crash-test ratings and rollover-risk assessment, each dimension normalized against the federal scale or the full national model-year corpus. Not an official NHTSA figure, and not a substitute for a specific vehicle's VIN-level recall check.

NHTSA Overall Rating N/A
Not rated
NHTSA New Car Assessment Program overall crash-test rating.
Front Crash N/A
Not rated
Frontal barrier crash-test rating.
Side Crash N/A
Not rated
Side barrier and pole crash-test rating.
Rollover Resistance N/A
Not rated
Static stability factor + dynamic rollover test rating.
Rollover Risk N/A
Not reported
NHTSA single-vehicle rollover probability, dynamic test.

Total Complaints

21 filings

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

ComponentCount
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:STORAGE:TANK ASSEMBLY2
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP2
TIRES2
SEATS1
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:FUEL INJECTION SYSTEM1
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DRUM1
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:FRONT UNDERHOOD1
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS1
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:COOLING SYSTEM1
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION1
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL1
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:POWER ASSIST:HYDRAULIC:HOSES, LINES/PIPING, AND FITTINGS1
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:POWER ASSIST1
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:HORN1
UNKNOWN OR OTHER1

Recent Complaints

20070509FireENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING

1987 CHEVROLET SUBURBAN. CONSUMER WAS DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY SAW SMOKE, PULLED OVER THE VEHICLE WAS ON FIRE. *MC (OHIO TRAFFIC CRASH REPORT) *JB A VEHICLE QUESTIONAIRE WAS MAILED TO CUSTOMER TO OBTAIN ADDITIONAL INFORMATION PERTAINING TO THE COMPLAINT. *TR

20021022WHEELS:HUB

WHILE IN MOTION, THE RIGHT REAR TIRE SUSTAINED DAMAGE. THE VEHICLE SWERVED TO THE LEFT SIDE OF THE ROAD AND STRUCK THE GUARDRAIL. THE OFFICER REPORTING LISTED THIS AS EQUIPMENT FAILURE BECAUSE THE RIGHT REAR TIRE'S RIM WAS STILL ATTACHED. IT HAD SHEARED OFF THE HUB. THE STUDS HAD BROKEN OFF OF THE HUB ASSEMBLY WHICH CAUSED THE TIRE AND RIM TO DETACH FROM THE VEHICLE. *JG

20000918TIRES

I BOUGHT 2 FIRESTONE WILDERNESS HTS IN JULY 2000 FOR OUR SUV. I FOUND A TWO INCH TEAR IN ONE AFTER 2,500 MILES, ABOUT 800 OF WHICH WAS SUSTAINED HIGHWAY DRIVING DURING A HOT JULY. THERE WAS NO BRUISING AROUND THE TEAR AND IT LOOKED CLEAN INSIDE, BUT FIRESTONE COMPANY TIRE STORE WHERE I BOUGHT IT SAID I MUST HAVE HIT SOMETHING AND REFUSED TO REFUND MY MONEY. I PURCHASED TWO REPLACEMENT TIRES FROM A MORE HONORABLE COMPANY ON SEPT. 1. I WOULD LIKE FIRESTONE TO REFUND MY MONEY AND I WILL HAPPILY GIVE THEM THEIR DANGEROUS AND DEFECTIVE TIRES BACK.*AK( DOT NUMBER: TIRE SIZE: 235R7515 )

20000914TIRES

I BOUGHT 2 FIRESTONE WILDERNESS HTS IN JULY 2000 FOR OUR SUV. I FOUND A TWO INCH TEAR IN ONE AFTER 2,500 MILES, ABOUT 800 OF WHICH WAS SUSTAINED HIGHWAY DRIVING DURING A HOT JULY. THERE WAS NO BRUISING AROUND THE TEAR AND IT LOOKED CLEAN INSIDE, BUT FIRESTONE COMPANY TIRE STORE WHERE I BOUGHT IT SAID I MUST HAVE HIT SOMETHING AND REFUSED TO REFUND MY MONEY. I PURCHASED TWO REPLACEMENT TIRES FROM A MORE HONORABLE COMPANY ON SEPT. 1. I WOULD LIKE FIRESTONE TO REFUND MY MONEY AND I WILL HAPPILY GIVE THEM THEIR DANGEROUS AND DEFECTIVE TIRES BACK.*AK( DOT NUMBER: TIRE SIZE: 235R7515 )

20000822TIRES:TEMPORARY/EMERGENCY SPARE TIRE

SUNDAY, JUNE 11, 2000 - TRUCK PARKED IN PARKING LOT THE THE SURFSIDE MOTEL, POINT PLEASANT, NJ WITH ALL WINDOWS OPENED APPROX. 1". SPARE TIRE IN TIRE WELL IN THE REAR OF THE VEHICLE EXPLODED FOR NO APPARENT REASON. TEMP OUTSIDE WAS ABOUT 90. *AK( DOT NUMBER: VDORCRA TIRE SIZE: 235/85/R16 )

20000407UNKNOWN OR OTHER

NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOV EVEHICLE. *AK

20000209ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:HORN

HORN HAD STOPPED WORKING ABOUT SEVEN TIMES WITHOUT A WARNING. *AK

19991005SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP

WHILE DRIVING CAME TO A STOP SIGN AND DIDN'T HAVE ENOUGH VACUUM TO APPLY BRAKES. THEREFORE WAS FORCED INTO THE INTERSECTION, PUT IN NEUTRAL IN ORDER TO STOP. HAD BEEN REPAIRED TWICE BY THE DEALER FOR THE SAME PROBLEM. WAS TOLD THAT THE PROBLEM IS IN THE COMPUTER CHIP. *AK

19991005SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:POWER ASSIST

WHILE DRIVING CAME TO A STOP SIGN AND DIDN'T HAVE ENOUGH VACUUM TO APPLY BRAKES. THEREFORE WAS FORCED INTO THE INTERSECTION, PUT IN NEUTRAL IN ORDER TO STOP. HAD BEEN REPAIRED TWICE BY THE DEALER FOR THE SAME PROBLEM. WAS TOLD THAT THE PROBLEM IS IN THE COMPUTER CHIP. *AK

19990121SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP

BRAKING SYSTEM HAS BEEN INCONSISTENT DURING THE LIFETIME OF THE VEHICLE. MORE OR LESS PRESSURE ON THE BRAKES CAUSES EXTENDED STOPPING DISTANCE, ESPECIALLY DURING EMERGENCY STOPPING. DEALER IS AWARE OF THE PROBLEM AND CANNOT REMEDY THE PROBLEM. PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK

19990113SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:POWER ASSIST:HYDRAULIC:HOSES, LINES/PIPING, AND FITTINGS

BRAKE LINE FAILURE.

19970717FireVEHICLE SPEED CONTROL

SUDDEN ACCELERATION RESULTED FROM USE OF CRUISE CONTROL.

19970627FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:STORAGE:TANK ASSEMBLY

FUEL TANK MOUNTED OUTSIDE FRAME.

19970313POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION

WHIILE DRIVING DOWN ON FREEWAY CONSUMER LOST POWER OF REAR WHEELS- AND COULD NOT RE ENGAGE- CAUSING A NEAR AUTO ACCIDENT FROM THE REAR.

19961210SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS

BRAKES FAILED.

19961210ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:COOLING SYSTEM

WATER PUMP FAILED.

19960606FireELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:FRONT UNDERHOOD

WHILE TRYING TO START THE AUTO, IT MADE A VERY HIGH PITCHED NOISE AND SMOKE BEGAN TO COME FROM UNDER THE HOOD, AUTO CAUGHT A FIRE AND BURNED, NO INJURIES. *AK

19960513SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DRUM

REAR BRAKES ARE LOCKING UP WHEN APPLYING BRAKES EVEN AT A SLOW SPEED. *AK

19960404FireFUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:FUEL INJECTION SYSTEM

VEHICLE CAUGHT FIRE DUE TO GAS LEAK IN FUEL INJECTION SYSTEM. *SD

19950602FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:STORAGE:TANK ASSEMBLY

THERE IS A BROKEN BAFFLE IN THE FUEL TANK. PLEASE EXPLAIN. TT

Compare 1987ChevroletSuburban to Similar Vehicles

NHTSA Investigations 2 Open

View all investigations

Vehicle Safety Guides

Frequently Asked Questions

How many complaints does the 1987 Chevrolet Suburban have?
The 1987 Chevrolet Suburban has 21 NHTSA complaints, 0 crashes, 4 fires, 1 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
What are the most common problems with the 1987 Chevrolet Suburban?
The most-complained component for the 1987 Chevrolet Suburban is FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:STORAGE:TANK ASSEMBLY with 2 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP and TIRES.
Is the 1987 Chevrolet Suburban 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.

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 Suburban; 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.