IllustrationTHERE IS A RECALL ON MY 1987 CORVETTE THE SEAT BELT RETRACTORS ARE BROKEN I AM THE ORIGINAL OWNER I CONTACTED CHEVROLET THEY TOLD ME THE CAR IS TO OLD IT WAS MY UNDERSTANDING THAT THERE WAS NO TIME LIMIT ON THEM FIXING THEM THE CAR ONLY HAS 63,000 MILES. *NM
1987 Chevrolet Corvette
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
Similar to other model years
Owner complaints for the 1987 Chevrolet Corvette do not stand out strongly from the model-year median of 29.
About this comparison →How this year compares
Owner complaints by model year
Compare all Corvette years →Counts vary with age, sales and reporting. They are not failure rates.
What owners reported most
All reported categories
Tap a category to read its complaints. One report may name several components.
When problems were reported
Mileage at the reported incident
Limited mileage data: 10 of 21 reports include usable mileage. There isn’t enough coverage to show a useful chart.
NHTSA’s mileage field refers to the reported incident, not necessarily the filing date. This shows report counts, not the likelihood of a failure.
What to inspect
Issues worth paying extra attention to based on owner reports.
- Seat Belts. Review the 13 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Electrical System. Review the 3 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Steering. Review the 2 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
0 crash reports1 fire reports0 injury reports
What owners actually said
21 reportsINTERMITTENTLY VEHICLE BEGAN TO RAPIDLY ACCELERATE WHEN WAS LOW MOTION, CONSUMER IMMEDIATELY HAD TO TURN OFF THE IGNITION SWITCH TO STOP THE VEHICLE. DEALERSHIP INDICATED TO THE CONSUMER WE NEVER HEARD A PROBLEM LIKE THIS ONE, CALL NHTSA.*AK
FRONT STEERING LOCKS UP . AFTER CAR WARMS UP IT'S FINE ..I UNDERSTAND THAT THERE IS A RECALL ON LATER MODLE YEAR CORVETTE . SAME PROBLEM FOR ALL 1987'S I HAVE LOOK AT . THEY GM NEEDS TO RECALL ALL 1987 CORVETTE AND FIX THIS STEERING PROBLEM .
VEHICLE HAD BEEN TURNED OFF FOR A 1/2 AN HOUR. CONSUMER WAS NOTIFIED THAT SMOKE WAS COMING FORM FRONT HOOD. PARTS WERE TAKEN TO BE INVESTIGATED. DEALER WILL BE CONTACTED. *AK
THE STEERING RACK AND PINION HAS FAILED IN MY 1987 CORVETTE. THE CONDITION IS PREVALENT IN ALL 1984 TO 1991 CORVETTES. THE PROBLEM IS REFERRED TO AS GM "MORNING SICKNESS". THE PROBLEM CAN CAUSE A LOSS OF CONTROL IN THE VEHICAL. GM CHANGED THE DESIGN OF THE STEERING RACK (REPLACED HARD SEALS) FOR MODEL YEAR 1992 DUE TO NUMER…
Read full complaint
THE STEERING RACK AND PINION HAS FAILED IN MY 1987 CORVETTE. THE CONDITION IS PREVALENT IN ALL 1984 TO 1991 CORVETTES. THE PROBLEM IS REFERRED TO AS GM "MORNING SICKNESS". THE PROBLEM CAN CAUSE A LOSS OF CONTROL IN THE VEHICAL. GM CHANGED THE DESIGN OF THE STEERING RACK (REPLACED HARD SEALS) FOR MODEL YEAR 1992 DUE TO NUMEROUS COMPLAINTS. *AK
INTERMITTENT NO-START PROBLEM. DEFECTIVE IGNITION PARTS INSTALLED AT FACTORY PER CHEVROLET BULLETIN 88-292-8A. CHEVROLET CONTACTED AND REFUSED TO COVER REPLACEMENT OF PARTS PER BULLETIN. FEE PAID TO GM FOR WARRATY TRANSFER AND EXTENSION TO 60,000 MILES. 25,000 MILES NOW ON VEHICLE. *AK
THE FRONT SEATBELT BUCKLES LOCKED UP AND WILL NOT COME UNDONE. VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED ON RECALL 91V143000 DUE TO VIN #. *AK
ABS BRAKE FAILURE. *AK
THE FRONT FIBERGLASS LEAF SPRING ASSEMBLY CRACKED DUE TO DETERIORATION. *AK
SEAT BELTS LOCK UP/JAM, DEALERSHIP REFUSED TO PERFORM RECALL REPAIRS UNLESS SEATBELT FAILURE IS DUPLICATED.
Official recalls
191V143000 · Seat Belts:front:anchorage
Sep 4, 1991
UNDER CERTAIN VEHICLE OPERATIONS AND OCCUPANT USAGE CONDITIONS, THE SAFETY BELTS CAN LOCKUP OR JAM IN THE SAFETY BELT RETRACTOR.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: IF LOCKUP OCCURS, IT IS IMPOSSIBLE TO PULL BELT OUT OFTHE RETRACTOR. THE OCCUPANT OF A SEAT WITH AN UNUSABLE SAFETY BELT ISSUBJECT TO INCREASED RISK OF INJURY OR DEATH IN THE EVENT OF A SUDDEN STOP ORACCIDENT.
Remedy: REPLACE THE SAFETY BELTS IF THE LOCKUP OCCURS.
Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗
NHTSA investigations
5DP96006 · Brake Pull
Opened May 14, 1996 · Closed Oct 18, 1996
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Service Brakes, Hydraulic
THE PETITIONS STATED THAT:WE REPRESENT THE OWNER OF A 1990 CHEVROLET CORVETTE WHICH, WHEN THE BRAKES WERE APPLIED, SUDDENTLY, VIOLENTLY, AND UNEXPECTEDLY PULLS TO THE LEFT.THIS IS A INTERMITTENT DEFECT WHICH DOES NOT OCCUR WITH AN REGULARITY.
EA92005 · Throttle Sticking
Opened Jan 30, 1992 · Closed Jan 29, 1993
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Vehicle Speed Control:linkages
There is no summary currently available
EA90033 · Safety Belt Retractor Fail
Opened Jun 11, 1990 · Closed Sep 9, 1991
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Seat Belts:front:retractor
There is no summary currently available
PE90041 · Safety Belt Retractor Fail
Opened Feb 8, 1990 · Closed Jun 11, 1990
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Seat Belts:front:retractor
There is no summary currently available
PE90032 · Tie Rod Socket Failure
Opened Jan 12, 1990 · Closed Mar 22, 1990
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Suspension
There is no summary currently available