Total Complaints
27 filings
OLDSMOBILE CIERA · model year
1987 OLDSMOBILE CIERA
27 NHTSA complaints, 4 crash reports for this specific cohort.
NHTSA overall rating
Not crash-tested
New Car Assessment Program
The 1987OLDSMOBILECIERA carries 27 consumer safety complaints in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database for this specific model-year cohort. Within that volume, owners reported 4 crashes, 0 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 CIERA is vehicle speed control with 3 filings, followed by engine and engine cooling:engine:gasoline (3) and service brakes, hydraulic:foundation components (2). 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 13 investigation files overlapping the 1987 CIERA. 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.
27
Complaints
4
Crashes
0
Fires
1
Injuries
0
Deaths
Crashes Reported
4 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 |
|---|---|
| VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL | 3 |
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE | 3 |
| SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS | 2 |
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE | 2 |
| STEERING:RACK AND PINION | 2 |
| STEERING: STEERING WHEEL/HANDLE BAR | 1 |
| SEAT BELTS:FRONT:WEBBING | 1 |
| SEAT BELTS:FRONT:BUCKLE ASSEMBLY | 1 |
| SEAT BELTS:FRONT:ANCHORAGE | 1 |
| POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION | 1 |
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:EXHAUST SYSTEM:MANIFOLD/HEADER/MUFFLER/TAIL PIPE | 1 |
| SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:MASTER CYLINDER | 1 |
| UNKNOWN OR OTHER | 1 |
| STEERING:HYDRAULIC POWER ASSIST:PUMP | 1 |
| STRUCTURE:BODY | 1 |
Recent Complaints
19991004SUSPENSION:FRONT:MACPHERSON STRUT
WHEN DRIVING AT ANY SPEED THE VEHICLE STALLS, CONSUMER HAS TO PUT THE VEHICLE INTO NEUTRAL.*AK CONSUMER HAS HAD NUMEROUS PARTS REPLACED TO STOP VEHICLE FROM STALLING SUCH AS, ENGINE MOUNTS,TIMING CHAIN, FUEL INJECTORS WERE CLEANED, FULE FILTER WAS REPLACED,THROTTLE SENSOR WAS ALSO REPLACED, HOWEVER PROBLEM STILL SEEMS TO PERSIST.*JB
19991004FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE
WHEN DRIVING AT ANY SPEED THE VEHICLE STALLS, CONSUMER HAS TO PUT THE VEHICLE INTO NEUTRAL.*AK CONSUMER HAS HAD NUMEROUS PARTS REPLACED TO STOP VEHICLE FROM STALLING SUCH AS, ENGINE MOUNTS,TIMING CHAIN, FUEL INJECTORS WERE CLEANED, FULE FILTER WAS REPLACED,THROTTLE SENSOR WAS ALSO REPLACED, HOWEVER PROBLEM STILL SEEMS TO PERSIST.*JB
19991004ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE
WHEN DRIVING AT ANY SPEED THE VEHICLE STALLS, CONSUMER HAS TO PUT THE VEHICLE INTO NEUTRAL.*AK CONSUMER HAS HAD NUMEROUS PARTS REPLACED TO STOP VEHICLE FROM STALLING SUCH AS, ENGINE MOUNTS,TIMING CHAIN, FUEL INJECTORS WERE CLEANED, FULE FILTER WAS REPLACED,THROTTLE SENSOR WAS ALSO REPLACED, HOWEVER PROBLEM STILL SEEMS TO PERSIST.*JB
19991004ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE
WHEN DRIVING AT ANY SPEED THE VEHICLE STALLS, CONSUMER HAS TO PUT THE VEHICLE INTO NEUTRAL.*AK CONSUMER HAS HAD NUMEROUS PARTS REPLACED TO STOP VEHICLE FROM STALLING SUCH AS, ENGINE MOUNTS,TIMING CHAIN, FUEL INJECTORS WERE CLEANED, FULE FILTER WAS REPLACED,THROTTLE SENSOR WAS ALSO REPLACED, HOWEVER PROBLEM STILL SEEMS TO PERSIST.*JB
19990521STEERING:RACK AND PINION
WHENEVER DRIVING STEERING MALFUNCTIONED DUE TO THE RACK & PINION FAILURE, MAKING IT VERY HARD TO CONTROL VEHICLE. ALSO MAKES LOUD NOISES. WILL BE TAKING VEHICLE TO DEALER TO CHECK IT OUT. *AK
19980928STEERING:RACK AND PINION
LEAKING POWER STEERING FLUID CAUSED THE RACK AND PINION TEFLON TO NYLON JOINT TO FAIL.
19970815STRUCTURE:FRAME AND MEMBERS
WHILE BACKING OUT OF GARAGE A MAJOR FRAME COMPONENT BROKE LOOSE AT BOTH FRONT MOUNTING POINTS, CAUSING ENGINE AND MOST EVERYTHING CONNECTED TO IT TO DROP ALMOST TO THE GROUND. *AK
19970527FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:FUEL INJECTION SYSTEM
FUEL PRESSURE REGULATOR FAILED, CAUSING FUEL TO BE RELEASED DIRECTLY INTO ENGINE.
19961210STRUCTURE:BODY
HEADLINER CAME OFF.(1ST VEHICLE ON 601896)
19961210VISIBILITY:POWER WINDOW DEVICES AND CONTROLS
POWER WINDOW INOPERATIVE.
19961010STEERING:HYDRAULIC POWER ASSIST:PUMP
BOLTS SECURING POWER STEERING PUMP IN PLACE EITHER BROKE OR IS MISSING, CAUSING POWER STEERING PUMP TO FALL OFF, MAKING IT EXTREMELY DIFFICULT TO STEER.
19960917SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS
CONSUMER STATES THAT WHENEVER THE WEATHER IS DAMP THE BRAKES GRAB, SOMETIMES THEY SQUEAL AND SOMETIMES THEY CAUSE THE WHEELS TO LOCK AND YOU SKID A LITTLE.*AK
19960509SEAT BELTS:FRONT:ANCHORAGE
PASSENGER SIDE SEAT BELT FAILED TO HOLD PASSENGER IN PLACE DURING IMPACT, CAUSING INJURY. *DSH
19960509ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE
ENGINE STALLED AFTER PANIC STOP.
19960509POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
TRANSMISSION SLIPS.
19960509ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:EXHAUST SYSTEM:MANIFOLD/HEADER/MUFFLER/TAIL PIPE
MUFFLER FAILED.
19960509ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE
LEAKY VALVE COVER GASKET FAILED.
19960509SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:MASTER CYLINDER
BRAKES MASTER CYLINDER FAILED. *DSH
19960509UNKNOWN OR OTHER
DASHBOARD LOOSE.
19951228ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE
THE ENGINE STALLS/HESITATION/STUMBLE/STOP. TT
Compare 1987OLDSMOBILECIERA to Similar Vehicles
NHTSA Investigations
Frequently Asked Questions
How many complaints does the 1987 OLDSMOBILE CIERA have?▼
The 1987 OLDSMOBILE CIERA has 27 NHTSA complaints, 4 crashes, 0 fires, 1 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
What are the most common problems with the 1987 OLDSMOBILE CIERA?▼
The most-complained component for the 1987 OLDSMOBILE CIERA is VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL with 3 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE and SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS.
Is the 1987 OLDSMOBILE CIERA 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.