Total Complaints
2 filings
SUBARU DL · model year
1987 SUBARU DL
2 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 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.
The most frequently selected component label in reports for the 1987 DL is suspension:rear:springs:air suspension system with 1 filings, followed by fuel system, gasoline (1). Complaint categories reflect owner reports and intake categorization; they do not establish a defect pattern or cause.
NHTSA currently has 14 investigation files overlapping the 1987 DL. 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.
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 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 SUBARU DL; 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.