Total Complaints
8 filings
DODGE DAYTONA · model year
1987 DODGE DAYTONA
8 NHTSA complaints, 1 crash report for this specific cohort.
NHTSA overall rating
Not crash-tested
New Car Assessment Program
The 1987DODGEDAYTONA carries 8 consumer safety complaints in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database for this specific model-year cohort. Within that volume, owners reported 1 crash, 5 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 DAYTONA is electrical system:wiring:front underhood with 3 filings, followed by seats:front assembly:recliner (2) and engine and engine cooling:engine:gasoline (1). 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 20 investigation files overlapping the 1987 DAYTONA, and 1 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.
8
Complaints
1
Crashes
5
Fires
0
Injuries
0
Deaths
Crashes Reported
1 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 |
|---|---|
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:FRONT UNDERHOOD | 3 |
| SEATS:FRONT ASSEMBLY:RECLINER | 2 |
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE | 1 |
| FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:FUEL INJECTION SYSTEM | 1 |
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:EXHAUST SYSTEM:MANIFOLD/HEADER/MUFFLER/TAIL PIPE | 1 |
Recent Complaints
20000707FireELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:FRONT UNDERHOOD
AFTER DRIVING FOR ABOUT 30MILES TO WORK CONSUMER SHUT THE CAR OFF AND NOTICED SMOKE COMING FROM UNDER THE HOOD. THEN, OPENED THE HOOD, THERE WERE FLAMES BACK NEAR THE MOTOR, AND THE ELECTRICAL WIRES. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT CLASSIFIED IT AS AN ELECTRICAL FIRE, AND CAR WAS TOTALLED.*AK
19970801FireELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:FRONT UNDERHOOD
ENGINE WIRING HARNESS SHORTED AND STARTED A FIRE.
19970702FireELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:FRONT UNDERHOOD
CONSUMER STARTED VEHICLE AND NOTICED SMOKE IN HOOD AREA. HE THEN DROVE VEHICLE FOR APPROIMATELY 15 MINUTES, TURNED OFF THE ENGINE, AND VEHICLE BEGAN TO SMOKE AND THEREAFTER FLAMES BEGAN. *AK
19961114ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:EXHAUST SYSTEM:MANIFOLD/HEADER/MUFFLER/TAIL PIPE
POOR LOCATION OF EXHAUST PIPE CAUSED CARGO AREA TO OVERHEAT, MELTING PLASTIC LAUNDRY BASKET ONTO RUG.
19960607FireFUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:FUEL INJECTION SYSTEM
HEARD A POP AND THEN CAUGHT ON FIRE(FUEL HOSE). PLEASE GIVE MORE DETAILS. *AK
19960318SEATS:FRONT ASSEMBLY:RECLINER
DRIVERS SIDE SEATBACK BROKE. TWO BOLTS BROKE. *AK
19951030CrashSEATS:FRONT ASSEMBLY:RECLINER
WHILE INVOLVED IN A REAREND COLLISION THE FRONT SEATS COLLAPSED IN A RECLINING POSITION. PLEASE DESCRIBE. TT
19950302FireENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE
ENGINE FIRE. *SKD
Compare 1987DODGEDAYTONA to Similar Vehicles
NHTSA Investigations 1 Open
Frequently Asked Questions
How many complaints does the 1987 DODGE DAYTONA have?▼
The 1987 DODGE DAYTONA has 8 NHTSA complaints, 1 crashes, 5 fires, 0 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
What are the most common problems with the 1987 DODGE DAYTONA?▼
The most-complained component for the 1987 DODGE DAYTONA is ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:FRONT UNDERHOOD with 3 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include SEATS:FRONT ASSEMBLY:RECLINER and ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE.
Is the 1987 DODGE DAYTONA 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.