Total Complaints
6 filings
GMC JIMMY · model year
1987 GMC JIMMY
6 NHTSA complaints for this specific cohort.
NHTSA overall rating
Not crash-tested
New Car Assessment Program
The 1987GMCJIMMY carries 6 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, 4 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 JIMMY is fuel system, gasoline:carburetor system with 1 filings, followed by seat belts:front:retractor (1) and fuel system, gasoline:storage:tank assembly (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 2 investigation files overlapping the 1987 JIMMY. 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.
6
Complaints
0
Crashes
2
Fires
4
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 |
|---|---|
| FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:CARBURETOR SYSTEM | 1 |
| SEAT BELTS:FRONT:RETRACTOR | 1 |
| FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:STORAGE:TANK ASSEMBLY | 1 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:FRONT UNDERHOOD | 1 |
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE | 1 |
| TIRES | 1 |
Recent Complaints
20040507TIRES
WHILE DRIVING 60 MPH FRONT DRIVER SIDE TIRE BLEW OUT. AS A RESULT, THE ENTIRE FRONT END WAS SEVERELY DAMAGED. *AK
Mileage: 200,000
20031208FireENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE
1987 GMC JIMMY CAUGHT ON FIRE WHILE DRIVING.*MR CONSUMER SMELLED SMOKE WHILE DRIVING. SHE PULLED OVER TO THE BERM WHERE THE VEHICLE BECAME ENGULFED IN FLAMES. THE ENTIRE VEHICLE SUFFERED FIRE DAMAGE. CONSUMER STATED SHE FILLED THE VEHICLE WITH OIL EARLIER IN THE DAY AND SPILLED SOME ONTO THE ENGINE, AND THAT MAY HAVE CAUSED THE FIRE. *PH
20020528FireELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:FRONT UNDERHOOD
MY HUSBAND, SON, NEPEW & FRIEND WENT CATFISHING. APPROXIMATELY 5 AM THEY GOT INTO THE JIMMY TO WARM UP/STARTED ENGINE & TURNED ON HEATER. THEY FELL ASLEEP, MY HUSBAND WOKE TO FIND THE CAR ENGULFED IN FLAMES. THEY ALL GOT OUT BUT WERE TRAUMATIZED THAT MY SON HAS NIGHTMARES STILL. NEPHEW IS AFRAID TO RIDE IN A CAR/ MY HUSBAND CRIED, WHICH HE RARELY EVER DOES AND CAN'T SLEEP. THERE IS MORE INFO TO GIVE BUT WOULD LIKE A RESPONSE FROM YOU. THANK YOU. *AK
20010118FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:STORAGE:TANK ASSEMBLY
FUEL ODOR UPON STARTING-FUEL WAS RUNNING OUT OF LINES OVER TANK AND DOWN TO THE GROUND AS THE ENGINE WAS RUNNING-MECHANIC SAID THE EXITING FUELS COMING OUT OF THE GAS TANK FAILED-CAR COULD OF IGNITED, RESULTING IN THE GAS TANK CATCHING ON FIRE AND POSSIBLY EXPLODING. *AK
19990217SEAT BELTS:FRONT:RETRACTOR
SHOULDER HARNESS ON DRIVER'S SIDE FAILS TO RETRACT.
19950817FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:CARBURETOR SYSTEM
EXPERIENCED BAD VIBRATION DUE TO THE MANIFOLD BRACKETS THAT ARE CROOKED WHICH EFFECTS THE STEERING. PLEASE DESCRIBE. TT
Compare 1987GMCJIMMY to Similar Vehicles
NHTSA Investigations
Frequently Asked Questions
How many complaints does the 1987 GMC JIMMY have?▼
The 1987 GMC JIMMY has 6 NHTSA complaints, 0 crashes, 2 fires, 4 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
What are the most common problems with the 1987 GMC JIMMY?▼
The most-complained component for the 1987 GMC JIMMY is FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:CARBURETOR SYSTEM with 1 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include SEAT BELTS:FRONT:RETRACTOR and FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:STORAGE:TANK ASSEMBLY.
Is the 1987 GMC JIMMY 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.