Total Complaints
4 filings
FORD TOPAZ · model year
1987 FORD TOPAZ
4 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 1987FORDTOPAZ carries 4 consumer safety complaints in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database for this specific model-year cohort. Within that volume, owners reported 0 crashes, 2 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 TOPAZ is electrical system:ignition:switch with 2 filings, followed by service brakes, hydraulic:foundation components:drum (1) and electrical system:ignition (1). Complaint categories reflect owner reports and intake categorization; they do not establish a defect pattern or cause.
NHTSA currently has 1 investigation file overlapping the 1987 TOPAZ. 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.
4
Complaints
0
Crashes
2
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 |
|---|---|
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION:SWITCH | 2 |
| SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DRUM | 1 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION | 1 |
Recent Complaints
20001101ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION
THE CAR DIED ON THE FREEWAY AND IN TOWN, ONCE WITH MARY DRIVING AND ANOTHER WITH 16 YEAR OLD DAUGHTER DRIVING ON FREEWAY. DIED ALSO WHEN MIKE WAS ON THE FREEWAY. WHEN CAR DIES, STEERING AND BRAKING ARE LOST.*AK
19981020FireELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION:SWITCH
IGNITION SWITCH FAILURE RESULTING IN VEHICLE FIRE.
19980402FireELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION:SWITCH
SMOKE COMING FROM THE IGNITION SWITCH.
19960815SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DRUM
REAR BRAKE ADJUSTERS FAILED *SD
Compare 1987FORDTOPAZ to Similar Vehicles
NHTSA Investigations
Frequently Asked Questions
How many complaints does the 1987 FORD TOPAZ have?▼
The 1987 FORD TOPAZ has 4 NHTSA complaints, 0 crashes, 2 fires, 0 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
What are the most common problems with the 1987 FORD TOPAZ?▼
The most-complained component for the 1987 FORD TOPAZ is ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION:SWITCH with 2 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DRUM and ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION.
Is the 1987 FORD TOPAZ 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 FORD TOPAZ; 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.