Total Complaints
2 filings
SUBARU DL · model year
1987 SUBARU DL
2 NHTSA complaints for this specific cohort.
NHTSA overall rating
Not crash-tested
New Car Assessment Program
The 1987SUBARUDL carries 2 consumer safety complaints in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database for this specific model-year cohort. Within that volume, owners reported 0 crashes, 0 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 DL is suspension:rear:springs:air suspension system with 1 filings, followed by fuel system, 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 14 investigation files overlapping the 1987 DL. 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.
2
Complaints
0
Crashes
0
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 |
|---|---|
| SUSPENSION:REAR:SPRINGS:AIR SUSPENSION SYSTEM | 1 |
| FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE | 1 |
Recent Complaints
20061021FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE
TIME IS A KEY FACTOR, AS WELL AS PLACES THAT RUST VEHICLES SOONER THAN OTHERS. THE FAILURE IS A FUEL DAMPER AND/OR FUEL LINES AND/OR FUEL PUMP. THE CONSEQUENCES ARE SMELL OF FUEL, LEAKS, ERRATIC ENGINE, AND LEAD ON ONE OCCASION TO A LEAN CONDITION THAT FAILED A TIMING BELT. THE FUEL PUMP ALSO FAILED. IF THIS LEAK HAPPENS ON THE SUCTION SIDE OF FUEL PUMP IT IS ELUSIVE AND DANGEROUS. *NM
Mileage: 161,000
19960314SUSPENSION:REAR:SPRINGS:AIR SUSPENSION SYSTEM
AIR SUSPENSION SYSTEM FAILED, CAUSING A LEAK. *SD
Compare 1987SUBARUDL to Similar Vehicles
NHTSA Investigations
PE19009Preliminary EvaluationClosed
Occupant Detection System (ODS) Failure
PE15012Preliminary EvaluationClosed
Passenger Front Air Bag Suppression
PE11011Preliminary EvaluationClosed
Front suspension control arm failure
EA09007Engineering AnalysisClosed
FUEL PUMP LEAKS
PE09017Preliminary EvaluationClosed
FUEL LINE LEAK
Frequently Asked Questions
How many complaints does the 1987 SUBARU DL have?▼
The 1987 SUBARU DL has 2 NHTSA complaints, 0 crashes, 0 fires, 0 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
What are the most common problems with the 1987 SUBARU DL?▼
The most-complained component for the 1987 SUBARU DL is SUSPENSION:REAR:SPRINGS:AIR SUSPENSION SYSTEM with 1 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE.
Is the 1987 SUBARU DL 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.