CHRYSLER LEBARON · model year

1987 CHRYSLER LEBARON

59 NHTSA complaints, 5 crash reports for this specific cohort.

NHTSA overall rating

Not crash-tested

New Car Assessment Program

The 1987CHRYSLERLEBARON carries 59 consumer safety complaints in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database for this specific model-year cohort. Within that volume, owners reported 5 crashes, 9 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 LEBARON is engine and engine cooling:engine with 7 filings, followed by engine and engine cooling:engine:gasoline (6) 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 88 investigation files overlapping the 1987 LEBARON, and 7 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.

59
Complaints
5
Crashes
9
Fires
3
Injuries
0
Deaths

Total Complaints

59 filings

Crashes Reported

5 reports

Source

NHTSA ODI

Federal complaints database

Complaints vs. fleet median (215)

At or below the fleet median complaint volume.

Complaints by Component

ComponentCount
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE7
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE6
STEERING: STEERING WHEEL/HANDLE BAR3
SEAT BELTS:FRONT:BUCKLE ASSEMBLY3
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION3
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:DELIVERY:FUEL PUMP3
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION3
SEAT BELTS:FRONT:WEBBING2
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL2
SEAT BELTS:FRONT:RETRACTOR2
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE2
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM2
EQUIPMENT:APPLIANCE:AIR CONDITIONER2
AIR BAGS1
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:EXHAUST SYSTEM:EMISSION CONTROL1

Recent Complaints

20130626FireELECTRICAL SYSTEM

VEHICLE WAS STOPPED WITH THE ENGINE RUNNING TO MAKE A LEFT TURN, SMOKE BEGAN TO APPEAR FROM RIGHT DRIVER SIDE, ONCE THE TURN WAS MADE MORE SMOKE BEGAN TO BUILD UP. VEHICLE PULLED INTO PRIVATE PROPERTY WERE FLAMES BEGAN TO BECOME APPARENT ON DRIVER SIDE, FLAMES BEGAN TO MOVE TOWARDS PASSENGER SIDE OF THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. LOCAL FIRE DEPARTMENT ARRIVED TO ASSIST IN EXTINGUISH FLAMES. ONCE THE FIRE WAS PUT OUT, EXTENSIVE DAMAGE WAS SEEN ON DRIVER SIDE OF VEHICLE WHERE A MAJORITY OF THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM(ALTERNATOR POWER REGULATOR, BATTERY) IS LOCATED, FIRE PROGRESSED TOWARD ALT, POWER STEER, COMPRESSOR WHERE IT SUSTAINED SIGNIFICANT DAMAGE BUT NOT EXTENSIVE NEAR ELECTRICAL COMPONENTS. PRIOR TO FIRE/SMOKE, ENGINE OPERATIONS WAS NORMAL, NO CHECK ENGINE LIGHT, NO CHECK OIL LIGHT, NO OVERHEATING, NO POWER LOSS, VEHICLE PERFORMED WELL UP INTO THE FIRE BEGAN TO SPREAD AND FURTHER DAMAGE THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. LOUD POPPING SOUND WAS HEARD AT THE START OF THE FIRE ON THE DRIVER SIDE OF THE VEH

Mileage: 98,000

20130626FireELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC)

VEHICLE WAS STOPPED WITH THE ENGINE RUNNING TO MAKE A LEFT TURN, SMOKE BEGAN TO APPEAR FROM RIGHT DRIVER SIDE, ONCE THE TURN WAS MADE MORE SMOKE BEGAN TO BUILD UP. VEHICLE PULLED INTO PRIVATE PROPERTY WERE FLAMES BEGAN TO BECOME APPARENT ON DRIVER SIDE, FLAMES BEGAN TO MOVE TOWARDS PASSENGER SIDE OF THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. LOCAL FIRE DEPARTMENT ARRIVED TO ASSIST IN EXTINGUISH FLAMES. ONCE THE FIRE WAS PUT OUT, EXTENSIVE DAMAGE WAS SEEN ON DRIVER SIDE OF VEHICLE WHERE A MAJORITY OF THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM(ALTERNATOR POWER REGULATOR, BATTERY) IS LOCATED, FIRE PROGRESSED TOWARD ALT, POWER STEER, COMPRESSOR WHERE IT SUSTAINED SIGNIFICANT DAMAGE BUT NOT EXTENSIVE NEAR ELECTRICAL COMPONENTS. PRIOR TO FIRE/SMOKE, ENGINE OPERATIONS WAS NORMAL, NO CHECK ENGINE LIGHT, NO CHECK OIL LIGHT, NO OVERHEATING, NO POWER LOSS, VEHICLE PERFORMED WELL UP INTO THE FIRE BEGAN TO SPREAD AND FURTHER DAMAGE THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. LOUD POPPING SOUND WAS HEARD AT THE START OF THE FIRE ON THE DRIVER SIDE OF THE VEH

Mileage: 98,000

20020729FireENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE

ON MONDAY, JULY 22, 2002, APPROXIMATELY 6:00PM, AFTER RETURNING HOME FROM LIMA, OHIO RETURNING TO MY HOME IN LAKEVIEW, OHIO, I PROCEEDED TO UNLOAD MY 3 GRANDCHILDREN AND TWO CHILDREN AND MYSELF INTO THE HOUSE. WHEN PUTING AWAY THE GROCERIES, WITHIN A MATTER OF SECONDS, WE ALL HEARD TWO BOOMS AND LOOKED OUT THE WINDOW OF THE KITCHEN AND SAW MY 1987 CHRYSLER LEBARON ENGOLFED IN SMOKE, COULD NOT EVEN SEE ANY FLAMES AT THIS TIME BECAUSE OF ALL THE SMOKE. ALL THE CHILDREN (5) AND MYSELF HAD TO EVACUATE MY HOME BECAUSE OF ALL THE SMOKE AND FUMES, RAN DOWN THE STREET, SOMEONE DOWN THE STREET CALLED THE FIRE DEPARTMENT, AND THEN WHEN I COULD GET TO A PHONE, I DID. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT CHIEF INDICATED THAT THE SAME THING HAPPENED TO A CAR THAT WAS ABOUT TWO BLOCKS OVER, WAS THE SAME YEAR AND EVERYTHING. THE CHIEF ALSO SAID THAT HE HEARD THERE WAS A RECALL ON THIS PARTICULAR VEHICLE. PLEASE E-MAIL ME BACK ASAP ABOUT ANY INFORMATION YOU MAY HAVE ON THIS. IT WOULD BE GREATLY APPRECIATED, AND

20010122FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:FUEL INJECTION SYSTEM:INJECTORS

CONSUMER CAN SMELL FUMES.THERE'S MANUFACTURER'S RECALL # 480 FOR FUEL INJECTOR FAILURE. *AK THE DEALER POINTED OUT THERE WAS NO RECALL FOR THE VEHICLE BUT COULD FIX THE PROBLEM IF THE CONSUMER PAYS. *YH

20000623SEAT BELTS:FRONT:BUCKLE ASSEMBLY

DRIVER'S AND PASSENGER'S SEAT BELT LATCHES WILL NOT GO INTO THE BUCKLE ASSMEBLY, CAUSE UNKNOWN. PLEASE GIVE ANY FURTHER DETAILS. *AK

20000411CrashSTRUCTURE:FRAME AND MEMBERS

CAR SOLD TO ME WITH A CRACKED/BROKEN FRAME, INFORMED BY RELIABLE SOURCES THAT SALE WAS ILLEGAL. *AK

19990730FireENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE

ENGINE FAILED RESULTING IN FIRE. (OHIO TRAFFIC CRASH REPORT). MJS

19990713CrashSTEERING:HYDRAULIC POWER ASSIST SYSTEM

STEERING FAILED,RESULTING IN A CRASH / UNABLE TO DIRECT VEHICLE. *AK

19990621ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE

WHILE LOOKING OVER THE ENGINE NOTICED THAT TIMING BELTS WAS WORN OUT. DEALER HAS BEEN CONTACTED. OUTSIDE EDGE OF BELT IS EATEN AWAY BY LIP ON TENSION PULLEY UNTIL BELT IS DESTROYED. *ADJ

19990425STRUCTURE:BODY

PAINT ON THE CARS' ROOF AND TRUNK IS SEVERLY ASHY WHITE AND PEELING. I HAVE NOTICED THAT THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH LEBARONS AROUND THE SAME YEAR. MINE IS A 87. POSSIBLE BAD BINDER IN THE PAINT, BAD PRIMER, OR MOISTURE DURING SETUP IS THE CAUSE. WILL THE COMPANY FIX THIS PROBLEM? IT'S A BEAUTIFUL STYLE CAR AND THE PAINTS APPEARANCE REALLY HURTS IT. THANKYOU. *AK

19981222ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE

WHEN DRIVING AT LOW SPEEDS THE ENGINE COMPLETELY SHUTS DOWN, CAUSING LOSS OF VEHICLE CONTROL. POSSIBLE CAUSES OF FAILURE INCLUDE FUEL PUMP ASSEMBLY AND LINES, AND IGNITION COIL, ALL OF WHICH WERE REPLACED AND THE PROBLEM HAS BEEN CORRECTED. *AK *ML

19981222ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION

WHEN DRIVING AT LOW SPEEDS THE ENGINE COMPLETELY SHUTS DOWN, CAUSING LOSS OF VEHICLE CONTROL. POSSIBLE CAUSES OF FAILURE INCLUDE FUEL PUMP ASSEMBLY AND LINES, AND IGNITION COIL, ALL OF WHICH WERE REPLACED AND THE PROBLEM HAS BEEN CORRECTED. *AK *ML

19981222FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:DELIVERY

WHEN DRIVING AT LOW SPEEDS THE ENGINE COMPLETELY SHUTS DOWN, CAUSING LOSS OF VEHICLE CONTROL. POSSIBLE CAUSES OF FAILURE INCLUDE FUEL PUMP ASSEMBLY AND LINES, AND IGNITION COIL, ALL OF WHICH WERE REPLACED AND THE PROBLEM HAS BEEN CORRECTED. *AK *ML

19981125ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE

HEAD GASKET BLEW OUT, REASON UNKNOWN. CONSUMER BELIEVED THIS CONDITION OCCURRED DUE TO DEFECTIVE ENGINE HEAD. DEALER/MFR. NOT NOTIFIED AT THIS TIME. *AK

19981014POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION

TRANSMISSION FAILED.

19981014ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:COOLING SYSTEM:RADIATOR ASSEMBLY

RADIATOR FAILED.

19981014ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE

TIMING BELT FAILED.

19981014STEERING:GEAR BOX (OTHER THAN RACK AND PINION)

POWER STEERING GEAR BOX FAILED.

19981014FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:DELIVERY:FUEL PUMP

FUEL PUMP FAILED.

19981014EQUIPMENT:APPLIANCE:AIR CONDITIONER

AIR CONDITIONING MOTOR FAILED.

Compare 1987CHRYSLERLEBARON to Similar Vehicles

NHTSA Investigations 7 Open

View all investigations

Frequently Asked Questions

How many complaints does the 1987 CHRYSLER LEBARON have?
The 1987 CHRYSLER LEBARON has 59 NHTSA complaints, 5 crashes, 9 fires, 3 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
What are the most common problems with the 1987 CHRYSLER LEBARON?
The most-complained component for the 1987 CHRYSLER LEBARON is ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE with 7 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE and STEERING: STEERING WHEEL/HANDLE BAR.
Is the 1987 CHRYSLER LEBARON 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.