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1987 Chevrolet CapriceProblems, recalls & complaints

NHTSA has logged 17 owner complaints about the 1987 Chevrolet Caprice, most often about the vehicle speed control. It is covered by 2 safety recalls.

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CarFlaw IndexNot enough dataHigher is better (0–100)
Safety recalls2Free fix at dealersOwner complaints173 with a crash, fire or injuryTop problem4Vehicle speed control

Source: NHTSA complaints, recalls, investigations and manufacturer recall reports, through December 5, 2000. Updated daily.

Complaints by system

Where the 1987 Chevrolet Caprice has problems

17 complaints grouped by the system owners reported.

Box size = number of complaints naming that system. Darker = larger share. One complaint can name more than one system.
Complaints by system
SystemComplaintsCrash, fire or injury
Vehicle speed control40
Power train40
Seats31
Service brakes, hydraulic30
Engine and engine cooling21
Visibility11
Suspension10
Electrical system11

Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation. Complaints are submitted by the public and are not verified by NHTSA.

2 recalls

1987 Chevrolet Caprice recalls and how many were fixed

Each ring shows the share of affected cars repaired, from the manufacturer’s latest quarterly report to NHTSA. Recall repairs are free at authorized dealers.

–no report yet

Vehicle speed control

Recall 89V-102 · Jun 16, 1989 · 1,755,897 vehicles

Risk. SERVO ROD ASSEMBLY COULD CATCH ON ENGINE COMPONENTS ANDRESULT IN A STUCK THROTTLE WITH POTENTIAL FOR A VEHICLE CRASH.

Problem, fix and repair progress →

–no report yet

Lever and linkage: column shift

Recall 87V-168 · Oct 26, 1987 · 11,936 vehicles

Risk. THE VALVE LINK COULD SEPARATE RESULTING IN A GEARSELECTION DIFFERENT FROM WHAT THE DRIVER SELECTS.

Problem, fix and repair progress →

Recalls apply to specific cars. To see whether a recall is still open on yours, enter the 17-character VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls or with Chevrolet.

Best & worst years

1987 vs. every other Caprice year

Bars show complaints per model year. Colors show the CarFlaw verdict: complaints weighted for crashes, fires and injuries, adjusted for years on the road and compared with the Caprice median. How we score

'65'66'67'68'69'71'72'73'74'76'77'78'79'80'81'82'83'84'85'86'87'88'89'90'91'92'93'94'95'96'97'03'11'12'13'14
  • Avoid
  • Caution
  • Solid
  • Best
  • Not rated
2 investigations

NHTSA defect investigations

Federal investigations that included the 1987 Chevrolet Caprice, and the recalls they led to.

  1. THROTTLE NON-RETURNC89001 · closed Jan 16, 1990
    No recall
  2. ENGINE COMPARTMENT FIRESPE88010 · closed Apr 19, 1988
    No recall
In owners' words

What Caprice owners report

Recent vehicle speed control complaints filed with NHTSA, shortened. Personal details are removed.

THROTTLE JAMMED INTO HIGH-REV. AND ACCELERATED UNEXPECTEDLY TO HIGH SPEED BEFORE NECESSARY CORRECTIVE ACTION TAKEN. THROTTLE CABLE WAS FOUND TO HAVE BROKEN. *AK
Complaint 737329 · Dec 5, 2000

Own a 1987 Caprice?

Decode your VIN to see the recalls for your exact car, then confirm open recalls with NHTSA.