Total Complaints
16 filings
HYUNDAI EXCEL · model year
1987 HYUNDAI EXCEL
16 NHTSA complaints, 2 crash reports for this specific cohort.
NHTSA overall rating
Not crash-tested
New Car Assessment Program
The 1987HYUNDAIEXCEL carries 16 consumer safety complaints in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database for this specific model-year cohort. Within that volume, owners reported 2 crashes, 2 fires, 1 injury, 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 EXCEL is visibility:defroster/defogger/hvac system:heater core with 2 filings, followed by engine and engine cooling:exhaust system (2) and electrical system:ignition (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 37 investigation files overlapping the 1987 EXCEL, 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.
16
Complaints
2
Crashes
2
Fires
1
Injuries
0
Deaths
Crashes Reported
2 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 |
|---|---|
| VISIBILITY:DEFROSTER/DEFOGGER/HVAC SYSTEM:HEATER CORE | 2 |
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:EXHAUST SYSTEM | 2 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION | 1 |
| STEERING: STEERING WHEEL/HANDLE BAR | 1 |
| SEATS | 1 |
| SEAT BELTS:FRONT:WEBBING | 1 |
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE | 1 |
| FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE | 1 |
| POWER TRAIN:CLUTCH ASSEMBLY:PEDAL/HAND LEVER(MOTORCYCLE) | 1 |
| UNKNOWN OR OTHER | 1 |
| POWER TRAIN:DRIVELINE:DRIVESHAFT | 1 |
| POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION | 1 |
| STRUCTURE | 1 |
| STEERING:RACK AND PINION | 1 |
Recent Complaints
20050810STRUCTURE
1987 HYUNDAI EXCEL HAS A BROKEN MOTOR MOUNT AND BOTH CROSSMEMBERS ARE BENT.*MR THE CONSUMER BELIEVES THE VEHICLE WAS POORLY WELDED ON THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE SUBFRAME. THE COVER SUPPORT BENT. THE RACK AND PINION LEAKED. THE UPPER TIE BAR BENT. *NM
Mileage: 119,037
20050810STEERING:RACK AND PINION
1987 HYUNDAI EXCEL HAS A BROKEN MOTOR MOUNT AND BOTH CROSSMEMBERS ARE BENT.*MR THE CONSUMER BELIEVES THE VEHICLE WAS POORLY WELDED ON THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE SUBFRAME. THE COVER SUPPORT BENT. THE RACK AND PINION LEAKED. THE UPPER TIE BAR BENT. *NM
Mileage: 119,037
19990521FireENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:EXHAUST SYSTEM
HYUNDAI PARTS DEPT WILL NOT REPAIR FIRE DAMAGE UNDER HOOD CAUSED BY THE DEFECTIVE RECALLED PART "REED VALVE." THEY WILL ONLY REPLACE THE PART THAT CAUSED THE DAMAGE. THIS IS A CAR THAT NEVER MADE SENSE. PLEASE HELP. REPAIR BILLS WILL BE VERY COSTLY AND HYUNDAI MOTOR CORP. DOESN'T WANT TO ADMIT THEIR MISTAKES. THEY EVEN SAID THE 1999 CARS ARE TOTALLY DIFFERENT FROM THE '86-'87 YEARS. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME. RECALL 91V225. *AK
19980129VISIBILITY:DEFROSTER/DEFOGGER/HVAC SYSTEM:HEATER CORE
HEATER CORE RECALL REPAIRS REFUSED DUE TO MAKE AND MODEL OF VEHICLE. IN ADDITION, TRANSMISSION FAILED AFTER SERVICE RECALL REPAIRS. (94V-103.001). *AK
19980129POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
HEATER CORE RECALL REPAIRS REFUSED DUE TO MAKE AND MODEL OF VEHICLE. IN ADDITION, TRANSMISSION FAILED AFTER SERVICE RECALL REPAIRS. (94V-103.001). *AK
19970218POWER TRAIN:DRIVELINE:DRIVESHAFT
WHEN DRIVING VEHICLE MAKES NOISE, SOUNDS LIKE THE MOTOR'S KNOCKING AGAINST SOMETHING. TOOK TO DEALERSHIP, WAS INFORMED THAT DRIVESHAFT PLATE FAILED, RESULTING IN SHIFTING FROM ONE GEAR TO ANOTHER TO BE VERY HARD. *AK
19970217UNKNOWN OR OTHER
UNSPECIFIED.
19960913POWER TRAIN:CLUTCH ASSEMBLY:PEDAL/HAND LEVER(MOTORCYCLE)
CLUTCH ASSEMBLY CABLE FAILURE. *AK
19951213FireFUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE
WHILE DRIVING DOWN ROAD CAR REAR END CATCHES ON FIRE. PLEASE DESCRIBE DETAILS. TT
19951121ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE
LEAKING OIL. PLEASE DESCRIBE. TT
19950620CrashSEAT BELTS:FRONT:WEBBING
WAS IN AN ACCIDENT WITH CHILD WEIGH (40) IN THE PASSENGER SIDE SEAT WITH NO BOOSTER THE RESTRAINT DIDN'T RESTRAINT THE CHILD WENT THROUGH THE WINDSHIELD . TT
19950616SEATS
LEFT FRONT BOLT OF DRIVER'S SEAT ANCHOR RIPPED OUT OF FLOOR; SEAT NOT STABLE; NO LONGER SECURE; HELD BY THREE BOLTS INSTEAD OF FOUR. TT
19950608CrashSTEERING: STEERING WHEEL/HANDLE BAR
CAR WAS IN ACCIDENT BECAUSE THE STEERING WHEEL LOCKED UP. PLEASE DESCRIBE. TT
19950301ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION
WHILE DRIVING UPHILL, ENGINE DECREASES IN SPEED; ENGINE WILL CUT OFF WHEN AIR-CONDITIONING IS RUNNING. TT
19950301ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:EXHAUST SYSTEM
EMISSION CONTROL FAILURE. *AK
19950131VISIBILITY:DEFROSTER/DEFOGGER/HVAC SYSTEM:HEATER CORE
COOLANT ON PASSENGER SIDE LEAKED FROM UNDERHOOD INTO INSIDE OF VEHICLE; COULD HAVE CAUSED INJURY TO PASSENGER; FOGGED UP WINDOWS TO POINT COULD NOT BE DEFOGGED.
Compare 1987HYUNDAIEXCEL to Similar Vehicles
NHTSA Investigations 1 Open
Frequently Asked Questions
How many complaints does the 1987 HYUNDAI EXCEL have?▼
The 1987 HYUNDAI EXCEL has 16 NHTSA complaints, 2 crashes, 2 fires, 1 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
What are the most common problems with the 1987 HYUNDAI EXCEL?▼
The most-complained component for the 1987 HYUNDAI EXCEL is VISIBILITY:DEFROSTER/DEFOGGER/HVAC SYSTEM:HEATER CORE with 2 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:EXHAUST SYSTEM and ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION.
Is the 1987 HYUNDAI EXCEL 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.