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#BS-1987-CHECAV-1B45

1987 Chevrolet Cavalier

Based on reports from 27 owners and 3 recalls for this exact model.

Complaints

Crashes

Fires

Recalls

TSBs

🟡

Preliminary Verdict

Think Twice

Based on 27 complaints, 3 crashes, 0 fires, and 3 recalls. Complaint rate is 2.1x the class average.

See full verdict with buy/skip conditions

Preview: What's in your full report

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Mechanic Inspection Checklist

!Check the Steering:rack And PinionHIGH

5 owners reported steering:rack and pinion issues — failures commonly reported around 153K miles.

!Inspect the Steering: Steering Wheel/handle BarMED

Look for symptoms of wear and premature failure

+ 6 more items in full checklistUnlock

30,000-Mile Cost Projection

Best Case

$X,XXX

Most Likely

$X,XXX

Worst Case

$X,XXX

Top cost driver: Steering:rack And Pinion (5 reports).

Includes fuel costs, common repairs, and recall riskUnlock

Also in your report

Owner Intelligence

AI-synthesized themes from real complaints

Buyer Lot Checklist

Questions, test drive checks, walk-away triggers

Negotiation Talking Points

Data-backed dollar deductions

Buy / Skip Verdict

Final recommendation with conditions

10 sections total in the full reportUnlock all

Where the complaints fall

Steering:rack And Pinion5 (19%)

Steering: Steering Wheel/handle Bar2 (7%)

Seat Belts:front:retractor2 (7%)

Seat Belts2 (7%)

Speed Control2 (7%)

Seat Belts:front:anchorage2 (7%)

Wheels & Tires2 (7%)

Power Train:automatic Transmission1 (4%)

1987 Chevrolet Cavalier: Known Issues & Problem Areas

Steering:rack And Pinion Issues

Steering:rack And Pinion complaints account for 19% of all reports filed for the 1987 Chevrolet Cavalier, with 5 owners filing complaints with NHTSA. The median mileage at time of complaint is 152,863 miles, suggesting issues tend to surface around the 153K-mile mark.

Steering: Steering Wheel/handle Bar Issues

Steering: Steering Wheel/handle Bar complaints account for 7% of all reports filed for the 1987 Chevrolet Cavalier, with 2 owners filing complaints with NHTSA. Owners should pay attention to steering: steering wheel/handle bar-related symptoms during test drives and pre-purchase inspections.

Seat Belts:front:retractor Issues

Seat Belts:front:retractor complaints account for 7% of all reports filed for the 1987 Chevrolet Cavalier, with 2 owners filing complaints with NHTSA. Owners should pay attention to seat belts:front:retractor-related symptoms during test drives and pre-purchase inspections.

Seat Belts Issues

Seat Belts complaints account for 7% of all reports filed for the 1987 Chevrolet Cavalier, with 2 owners filing complaints with NHTSA. Owners should pay attention to seat belts-related symptoms during test drives and pre-purchase inspections.

Data sourced from NHTSA owner complaints and community reports. The full report analyzes severity, repair costs, and failure patterns for each category.

Complaint trend by year

Complaints filed with NHTSA by year for the 1987 Chevrolet Cavalier. Recent trend: stable.

Don't negotiate blind — know what this car costs to own

Repair costs • Negotiation scripts • Mechanic checklist • Buy/skip verdict

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Recall History (3 recalls)

06E043000Oct 2006

FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE

CERTAIN REPLACEMENT FUEL FILTERS, FRAM BRAND NAME P/N G3727, WITH DATE CODES X52911 THROUGH X60801 SEQUENTIALLY OR X600141 AND A MEXICO COUNTRY OR ORIGIN MARKING ON THE FUEL FILTER HOUSING MANUFACTURED FROM OCTOBER 18, 2005, THROUGH MARCH 21, 2006, SOLD FOR USE ON THE VEHICLES LISTED ABOVE AND ON CERTAIN SCHOOL BUSES. (TO SEE THE SCHOOL BUS ENGINE SIZES, CLICK ON "DOCUMENT SEARCH" AND THEN "BUS APPLICATIONS"). THE CONNECTOR ON THE FUEL FILTER WAS NOT MANUFACTURED TO HONEYWELL'S SPECIFICATION. AS A RESULT, THE O-RING MAY NOT SEAT CORRECTLY ON THE FUEL LINE.

86V128000Sep 1986

PARKING BRAKE:CONVENTIONAL:MECHANICAL

PARKING BRAKE LEVER MECHANISMS MAY NOT PROPERLY ENGAGE WHEN APPLIED AS REQUIRED BY FMVSS 105. CONSEQUENCE OF DEFECT: VEHICLE COULD UNEXPECTEDLY ROLL AWAY UNCONTROLLED, WHICH COULD RESULT IN A VEHICLE CRASH.

87V011000Feb 1987

VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL

ACCELERATOR CONTROL CABLE MAY CONTAIN WATER WHICH COULD FREEZE WHILE VEHICLE IS PARKED CAUSING TRAVEL OF ACCELERATOR CONTROL CABLE TO BECOME RESTRICTED WHEN THROTTLE IS INITIALLY OPENED.

Recall severity analysis & seller scripts

The full report rates each recall's severity and gives you scripts for asking the seller about recall completion.

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The worst model year for the Chevrolet Cavalier is the 2005 — worth knowing if you're cross-shopping years. The biggest problem area is accessories - interior.

1987 Chevrolet Cavalier vs. Class Average (Subcompact Cars)

This vehicle

Class avg

2.1x the class average — significantly more complaints than typical subcompact cars vehicles.

Complaint counts correlate with sales volume — popular vehicles naturally generate more reports. The full report normalizes for this.

About this data

NHTSA Complaints

Federal database of owner-filed safety complaints. 27 records for this vehicle.

NHTSA Recalls

Manufacturer-issued safety recalls. 3 recalls found for this vehicle.

Repair Cost Data

Real-world repair costs from owner reports and independent databases.

Other Chevrolet Cavalier Model Years

2005 2004 2003 2002 2001 2000 1999 1998 1997 1996 1995 1994 1993 1992 1991 1990 1989 1988 1987 1986 1985 1984 1983 1982 1981 1980

View all Chevrolet Cavalier years →

1987 Chevrolet Cavalier: Frequently Asked Questions

What is the most common problem with the 1987 Chevrolet Cavalier?

The most commonly reported issue with the 1987 Chevrolet Cavalier is related to the steering:rack and pinion, with 5 complaints filed with NHTSA.

Is the 1987 Chevrolet Cavalier reliable?

The 1987 Chevrolet Cavalier has 27 complaints, 3 crash reports, and 0 fire reports filed with NHTSA. This is 2.1x the class average — higher than typical for its segment.

How much does it cost to fix 1987 Chevrolet Cavalier problems?

Repair costs vary by issue. The full BumperScan report includes detailed repair cost estimates (low/median/high) for every major issue, plus a 30,000-mile total cost of ownership projection.

Does the 1987 Chevrolet Cavalier have any recalls?

Yes, the 1987 Chevrolet Cavalier has 3 recalls on record. The full report includes recall severity analysis and scripts for asking the seller about recall completion.

What mileage do Chevrolet Cavalier problems start?

Based on 2 complaints with mileage data, the median mileage at time of complaint is 152,863 miles. The highest concentration of reported issues occurs in the 0–30K mile range. The full report breaks down exactly which components fail at each mileage bracket.

What’s in the full report?

10 sections of AI analysis: severity-ranked issues, component scores (0-100), 30K-mile cost projection, failure timeline by mileage, recall details with seller scripts, owner sentiment analysis, mechanic checklist, buyer lot checklist, negotiation ammo with dollar figures, and a buy/skip verdict.

How is this different from free NHTSA data?

NHTSA gives you raw complaint text. BumperScan cross-references 2.1M+ complaints with community repair cost data, EPA fuel data, and recall records — then uses AI to synthesize it into actionable advice with dollar figures.

How is this different from Carfax?

Carfax is VIN-specific history ($45/report). BumperScan is model-level reliability intelligence — what problems this car is known for, what they cost, and whether you should buy it. Complementary, not competing.

What if the report isn’t useful?

100% money-back guarantee. If the report doesn’t help you make a more informed decision, we’ll refund you — no questions asked.