Problems owners report
Complaints filed with NHTSA about the 1987 Chevrolet Corvette, by the system named in each complaint. One complaint can name several.
- Seat belts13
- Electrical system3
- Steering2
- Suspension2
- Seats1
- Vehicle speed control1
- Service brakes, hydraulic1
NHTSA ODI complaints (public domain) · updated 23 Oct 2026 · 0 injuries and 0 deaths reported
Compared with other years
NHTSA ODI complaints by model year
New York safety inspections
At its first New York inspection the 1987 Chevrolet Corvette failed the safety check 0.76% of the time — 3% less often than the average 1987 passenger car (0.78%). Median odometer at inspection: 70,276 miles.
NY DMV Vehicle Inspections (vezn-fmmk), initial inspections since Aug 2021 · how we count
In the Netherlands
105 first registered in 1987 are on Dutch roads; 95% arrived later as imports.
Most common APK defects
- Bandenspanning niet op juiste waarde24
- Overmatige vloeistoflekkage overige vloeistoffen18
- Stuur- of fuseekogel met slijtage kleiner of gelijk 1,0 mm9
- Band(en) aanwezig met een profieldiepte van 1,6 t/m 2,5 mm7
- Band onvoldoende profiel6
- Dimlicht onjuist afgesteld6
- Fusee(kogel) te veel speling5
- Remvertraging / remwerking parkeerrem onvoldoende3
Colours
RDW Open Data: registered vehicles and APK defects (CC0) · defect descriptions in the RDW's Dutch wording
In Finland
38 of these cars first registered in 1987 were in use in Finland on 30 Jun 2026, with an average of 115,000 km on the odometer at their last inspection.
Traficom (Finnish Transport and Communications Agency), open data on vehicles in use · CC BY 4.0
In New Zealand
61 1987 cars are on the New Zealand register; 92% arrived as used imports, 3% were sold new in New Zealand.
NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi, Motor Vehicle Register (March 2026) · CC BY 4.0
Recalls in Canada
1 Transport Canada recall for the 1987 Chevrolet Corvette.
| 1991126 11 Sept 1991 | Seats And Restraints NOTE: OWNER SELF INSPECTION - REPAIR ONLY IF PROBLEM OCCURS. THE SEAT BELT MAY LOCK-UP OR JAM IN THE RETRACTOR. IF THIS OCCURS, VEHICLE OCCUPANTS WILL BE UNA… |
Transport Canada Vehicle Recalls Database · Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Canada
Recalls
UNDER CERTAIN VEHICLE OPERATIONS AND OCCUPANT USAGE CONDITIONS, THE SAFETY BELTS CAN LOCKUP OR JAM IN THE SAFETY BELT RETRACTOR.
Whether a recall was fixed on a particular car is known only to the manufacturer: check the VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
NHTSA recalls · summaries in NHTSA's own words
Service bulletins
What Chevrolet told its dealers about the 1987 Chevrolet Corvette: known faults, fixes and updates.
| Bulletin | Summary |
|---|---|
| 39547 | REAR LIFT WINDOW HARD TO OPEN/HINGE LOOSE TO GLASS. *TW |
| 10006297 | NO SERIAL DATA COMMUNICATIONS USING THE TECH 1 WITH A 1986 OR NEWER CAMARO, FIREBIRD OR CORVETTE WITH A 5.0 OR 5.7 LITRE ENGINE. SIT BULLETIN 1450640. *TT |
NHTSA manufacturer communications (public domain)
NHTSA investigations
BRAKE PULL
THROTTLE STICKING
SAFETY BELT RETRACTOR FAIL
SAFETY BELT RETRACTOR FAIL
TIE ROD SOCKET FAILURE
NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation