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1987 Ford MustangProblems, recalls & complaints

NHTSA has logged 38 owner complaints about the 1987 Ford Mustang, most often about the electrical system. It is covered by 1 safety recall.

81
CarFlaw IndexOne of the best years77% below the Mustang median · #37 of 41 years by complaints
Safety recalls1Free fix at dealersOwner complaints3817 with a crash, fire or injuryTypical failure mileage65kElectrical system, median miles

Source: NHTSA complaints, recalls, investigations and manufacturer recall reports, through April 10, 2020. Updated daily.

Complaints by system

Where the 1987 Ford Mustang has problems

38 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
Electrical system179
Engine and engine cooling51
Exterior lighting50
Vehicle speed control31
Fuel system, gasoline33
Seat belts20
Visibility10
Visibility/wiper10
Latches/locks/linkages10
4 other systems42

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

1 recall

1987 Ford Mustang 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

Delivery: hoses, lines/piping, and fittings

Recall 87V-139 · Sep 4, 1987 · 3,600,000 vehicles

Risk. COUPLING COULD DISENGAGE DUE TO FUEL PRESSURE,VIBRATION, AND ENGINE MOVEMENTS; THIS WOULD CAUSE LOSS OF FUEL WHICH, INPRESENCE OF AN IGNITION SOURCE, CREATES A…

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 Ford.

Best & worst years

1987 vs. every other Mustang 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 Mustang median. How we score

'67'68'69'70'71'72'73'74'76'77'78'79'80'81'82'83'84'85'86'87'88'89'90'91'92'93'94'95'96'97'98'99'00'01'02'03'04'05'06'07'08'09'10'11'12'13'14'15'16'17'18'19'20'21'22'23'24'25'26
  • Avoid
  • Caution
  • Solid
  • Best
  • Not rated
6 investigations

NHTSA defect investigations

Federal investigations that included the 1987 Ford Mustang, and the recalls they led to.

  1. SPEED CNTRL MALFUNCTIONEA89037 · closed Nov 30, 1990
    No recall
  2. SPEED CONTROL MALFUNCTIONPE89118 · closed Sep 6, 1989
    No recall
  3. FR SEAT FLOOR MOUNT FAILSPE90052 · closed Jun 20, 1990
    No recall
  4. HEADLAMP ASSEMBLY FAILUREPE91078 · closed Sep 23, 1991
    No recall
  5. HOOD LATCH FAILURESPE91137 · closed Feb 27, 1992
    No recall
  6. CRUISE CONTROL MALFUNCTIONPE93011 · closed Jul 19, 1993
    No recall
In owners' words

What Mustang owners report

Recent electrical system complaints filed with NHTSA, shortened. Personal details are removed.

THE ALTERNATOR ON MY WIFE'S 1987 MUSTANG GT CAUGHT FIRE, DAMAGING ENGINE COMPARTMENT COMPONETS BEFORE FIRE COULD BE EXTINGUISHED.
Complaint 10003325 · Jan 24, 2003 · 65,000 miles
TFI MODULE FAILED WHILE VEHICLE WAS BEING DRIVEN ON HIGHWAY. AS A RESULT OF THIS FAILURE, ALL POWER WAS LOST WITH DRIVER STRANDED ON HIGHWAY. PLEASE DESCRIBE DETAILS.*AKI
Complaint 8011277 · Jun 7, 2002
VEHICLE WAS PARKED OVERNIGHT, DRIVER DID NOT NOTICE VEHICLE UNTIL NEXT MORNING, FIRE DEPT. SAID FIRE HAD OCCURRED TO VEHICLE. *AK
Complaint 984594 · May 17, 1996

Own a 1987 Mustang?

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