FaultScore report
Owners have filed 20 complaints about the 1987 Chevrolet Caprice with NHTSA between 1995 and 2000. The largest single group is the transmission & drivetrain.
20
Complaints
0
Crashes reported
4
Fires reported
0
Injuries reported
Click any bar to open that year's report.
Every complaint is filed against a part. Follow any row for the complaints about that part alone.
0 crashes, 1 fires
0 crashes, 1 fires
0 crashes, 1 fires
0 crashes, 1 fires
A spike years after the car went on sale usually means a part wearing out on schedule across the whole fleet — the kind of pattern no single owner can see from inside their own car.
An investigation is the step before a recall: the agency has seen enough complaints to look into a pattern itself. An open one means it thinks something may be wrong and nothing has been fixed yet.
THROTTLE NON-RETURN
ENGINE COMPARTMENT FIRES
SUMMARY OF INFORMATION FROM MANUFACTURER:BEING ANALYZED AS OF 16 MAR 88.ANALYSIS:IR BEING ANALYZED.PROPOSED ACTION:===
A complaint is one owner's allegation. A recall is the point at which the manufacturer or a regulator agreed the defect is real and dangerous enough to fix for free — however old the car is.
Canada runs its own recall programme, and its campaigns do not always mirror the American ones.
Engine
A SMALL NYLON BUSHING IN THE CRUISE CONTROL SERVO BAIL (BRACKET) MAY SLIP OUT OF PLACE RESULTING IN POSSIBLE INTERMITTENT INCREASES IN ENGINE SPEED OR DIESELING. THIS CONDITION COULD ALSO CAUSE THE SERVO ROD ASSEMBLY TO WEAR THROUGH THE BALL AND CATCH ON OTHER COMPONENTS POSSIBLY RESULTING IN A STUCK THROTTLE. THIS COULD RESULT IN LOSS OF VEHICLE CONTROL AND A POSSIBLE CRASH. CORRECTION: A BUSHING KIT WILL BE INSTALLED ON THE CRUISE CONTROL SERVO BAIL.
Powertrain
VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH THE 200-4R TRANSMISSION MAY HAVE AN IMPROPERLY FORMED MANUAL VALVE LINK. THIS COULD LEAD TO THE LINK SEPARATING, RESULTING IN A GEAR SELECTION NOT CORRELATING TO THE SHIFT INDICATOR. ALSO, THE CAR COULD BE STARTED IN GEAR. THUS, WHEN SELECTING A GEAR OR STARTING THE VEHICLE, IT AS POSSIBLE FOR THE VEHICLE TO UNEXPECTEDLY MOVE IN AN UNANTICIPATED DIRECTION. THIS COULD RESULT IN A CRASH WITHOUT PRIOR WARNING. CORRECTION: MANUAL VALVE LINK WILL BE REPLACED.
Recalls cover specific build ranges, so check your own vehicle by VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls or, in Canada, Transport Canada.
Reports where the owner recorded a crash, a fire, an injury or a death.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:FRONT UNDERHOOD
MY FATHER'S 1987 CAPRICE WAS COMPLETELY DESTROYED ALONG WITH ITS GARAGE. FIRE ERUPTED FROM UNDER HOOD AS ENGINE WAS BEING STARTED. HE WAS FORTUNATE TO ESCAPE. I, HIS SON, HAVE A 1988 CAPRICE WITH THE SAME 305 CID ENGINE AND THE SAME 4-BARREL CARB; AND I HAVE BEEN NOTICING GAS FUMES DURING OPERATION OF THE CAR FOR SEVERAL MONTHS. MY QUESTION: IS THERE SOME PROBLEM WITH ENGINE FIRES IN CAPRICES WITH THIS ENGINE/CARB COMBINATION? HAVE THERE BEEN ANY RECALL CAMPAIGNS?
NHTSA complaint #736704 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE
ENGINE COMPARTMENT FIRE.(OHIO STATE POLICE REPORT)
NHTSA complaint #509997 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
VISIBILITY:POWER WINDOW DEVICES AND CONTROLS
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM FIRE IN POWER DOOR AND WINDOW CONSOLE. TT
NHTSA complaint #962043 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SEATS:FRONT ASSEMBLY:POWER ADJUST
ELECTRIC SEAT PANEL FAILED.
NHTSA complaint #962043 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
In the owners' own words, exactly as filed with NHTSA.
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL:LINKAGES
THROTTLE JAMMED INTO HIGH-REV. AND ACCELERATED UNEXPECTEDLY TO HIGH SPEED BEFORE NECESSARY CORRECTIVE ACTION TAKEN. THROTTLE CABLE WAS FOUND TO HAVE BROKEN.
NHTSA complaint #737329 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:FRONT UNDERHOOD
MY FATHER'S 1987 CAPRICE WAS COMPLETELY DESTROYED ALONG WITH ITS GARAGE. FIRE ERUPTED FROM UNDER HOOD AS ENGINE WAS BEING STARTED. HE WAS FORTUNATE TO ESCAPE. I, HIS SON, HAVE A 1988 CAPRICE WITH THE SAME 305 CID ENGINE AND THE SAME 4-BARREL CARB; AND I HAVE BEEN NOTICING GAS FUMES DURING OPERATION OF THE CAR FOR SEVERAL MONTHS. MY QUESTION: IS THERE SOME PROBLEM WITH ENGINE FIRES IN CAPRICES WITH THIS ENGINE/CARB COMBINATION? HAVE THERE BEEN ANY RECALL CAMPAIGNS?
NHTSA complaint #736704 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL:LINKAGES
UNEXPECTED AND SUDDEN ACCELERATION WHEN VEHICLE IS PLACED INTO DRIVE FROM PARK POSITION. DEALER HAS BEEN CONTACTED.
NHTSA complaint #861873 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
WHEN CAR IS PLACED INTO DRIVE IT POPS INTO GEAR. ALSO, WHEN CAR IS TRAVELLING AT 20 MPH AND THE DRIVER PRESSES THE GAS PEDAL FURTHER, THE VEHICLE AGAIN SHIFTS AND POPS.
NHTSA complaint #843355 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SEATS:FRONT ASSEMBLY:RECLINER
SEAT ASSEMBLY THAT ALLOWS SEAT TO MOVE FORWARD AND BACKWARD HAS BROKEN, NOT ALLOWING THE SEAT TO LOCK IN THE FULL FORWARD POSITION FOR SHORTER DRIVERS.
NHTSA complaint #707309 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
CRUISE CONTROL RESUMED BY ITSELF, CAUSING ACCELERATION AND AN ACCIDENT.
NHTSA complaint #518403 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:POWER ASSIST:VACUUM
THE POWER ASSISTED BRAKES WENT OUT ON THE VEHICLE. THE DRIVER WAS GOING 30MPH AND HAD NO BRAKES. SHE HAD TO PUT THE CAR IN PARK TO STOP IT.
NHTSA complaint #806719 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE
ENGINE COMPARTMENT FIRE.(OHIO STATE POLICE REPORT)
NHTSA complaint #509997 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:MASTER CYLINDER
BRAKES MASTER CYLINDER FAILED. *DSH
NHTSA complaint #502315 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
TRANSMISSION FAILED IN REVERSE GEAR.
NHTSA complaint #500884 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
HAD TO REPLACE THE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION. TT *SLC
NHTSA complaint #975136 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SEATS
HEAD RESTRAINTS ON SEATS DRIVER AND PASSENGER SIDE EQUIPMENT FAILURE ARE NOT IN PLACE. TT CONSUMER STATES FRONT SEAT IS TOO SOFT, CONSUMER SINKS DOWN MAKING FOR POOR VISION. *SLC
NHTSA complaint #973300 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SEATS:FRONT ASSEMBLY:HEAD RESTRAINT
HEAD RESTRAINTS ON SEATS DRIVER AND PASSENGER SIDE EQUIPMENT FAILURE ARE NOT IN PLACE. TT CONSUMER STATES FRONT SEAT IS TOO SOFT, CONSUMER SINKS DOWN MAKING FOR POOR VISION. *SLC
NHTSA complaint #973300 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION FAILURE AFTER 49K MILES. TT
NHTSA complaint #970576 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:MASTER CYLINDER
BRAKE FAILURE, REPLACE OF THE MASTER CYLINDER, EXPERIENCE LIGHT COME RED, AND PEDAL GOES TO THE FLOOR. TT
NHTSA complaint #969490 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
CRUISE CONTROL INOPERATIVE. (RECALL 89V-102)
NHTSA complaint #481814 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:COOLING SYSTEM
WATER PUMP REPLACED TWICE.
NHTSA complaint #481814 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SUSPENSION:FRONT
VEHICLE HAS SEVERE SWAYING PROBLEM. *SKD
NHTSA complaint #482631 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
VISIBILITY:POWER WINDOW DEVICES AND CONTROLS
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM FIRE IN POWER DOOR AND WINDOW CONSOLE. TT
NHTSA complaint #962043 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SEATS:FRONT ASSEMBLY:POWER ADJUST
ELECTRIC SEAT PANEL FAILED.
NHTSA complaint #962043 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.