Auto Recall Watch
U.S. public vehicle records

1987 Chevrolet CAPRICE problems and owner complaints

Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.

Key facts

17 owner complaints analyzed

2 distinct recall campaigns

Not available median reported failure mileage

Scope: 1987 model year. Data updated: . 0 complaints include usable failure mileage. View data status.

Owner-reported patterns

Most common problems

Power Train:Automatic Transmission is the most frequently named component, appearing in 4 of 17 complaints (23.5%). A complaint can name multiple components.

Recurring terms in complaint narratives
TopicMatching reportsShare of complaints
Transmission and shifting317.6%
Braking behavior317.6%

Topic matches use published keyword rules. They describe mentions, including negations or comparisons, and do not confirm a diagnosis. Read the matching rules.

Component breakdown

Number of unique complaints naming each component. Top eight shown.

Power Train:Automatic Transmission
4
Service Brakes, Hydraulic:Foundation Components:Master Cylinder
2
Vehicle Speed Control
2
Vehicle Speed Control:Linkages
2
Electrical System:Wiring:Front Underhood
1
Engine And Engine Cooling:Cooling System
1
Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine:Gasoline
1
Seats
1
Component breakdown data
CategoryCount
Power Train:Automatic Transmission4
Service Brakes, Hydraulic:Foundation Components:Master Cylinder2
Vehicle Speed Control2
Vehicle Speed Control:Linkages2
Electrical System:Wiring:Front Underhood1
Engine And Engine Cooling:Cooling System1
Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine:Gasoline1
Seats1

Power Train:Automatic Transmission: 4; Service Brakes, Hydraulic:Foundation Components:Master Cylinder: 2; Vehicle Speed Control: 2; Vehicle Speed Control:Linkages: 2; Electrical System:Wiring:Front Underhood: 1; Engine And Engine Cooling:Cooling System: 1; Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine:Gasoline: 1; Seats: 1

Reported problems by failure mileage

Complaint counts in mileage bands. These are not failure rates per vehicle or mile.

Under 25,000
0
25,000 to 49,999
0
50,000 to 74,999
0
75,000 to 99,999
0
100,000 to 149,999
0
150,000 and above
0
Reported problems by failure mileage data
CategoryCount
Under 25,0000
25,000 to 49,9990
50,000 to 74,9990
75,000 to 99,9990
100,000 to 149,9990
150,000 and above0

Under 25,000: 0; 25,000 to 49,999: 0; 50,000 to 74,999: 0; 75,000 to 99,999: 0; 100,000 to 149,999: 0; 150,000 and above: 0

No usable failure mileage is recorded. 17 complaints have missing, zero or invalid mileage.

Complaints over time

Year the complaint was filed, not the vehicle model year or incident year. The snapshot year is partial.

1995
7
1996
4
1997
1
1999
2
2000
3
Complaints over time data
CategoryCount
19957
19964
19971
19992
20003

1995: 7; 1996: 4; 1997: 1; 1999: 2; 2000: 3

Pattern summary

Power Train:Automatic Transmission leads the component reports. Transmission and shifting appears in 3 complaint narratives. Braking behavior appears in 3 complaint narratives. Use these patterns to inspect individual reports and prepare questions for a mechanic.

Calculated from recorded counts. An AI narrative has not been published for this selection.

Complaint evidence

Examples provide context, not a representative sample or a verified diagnosis.

Owner report 500884 · 1996-01-24 (January 24, 1996)

TRANSMISSION FAILED IN REVERSE GEAR. *AK

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 500884 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 970576 · 1995-08-16 (August 16, 1995)

AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION FAILURE AFTER 49K MILES. TT

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 970576 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 502315 · 1996-03-11 (March 11, 1996)

BRAKES MASTER CYLINDER FAILED. *DSH

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 502315 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 806719 · 1996-12-26 (December 26, 1996)

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. *AK

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 806719 at NHTSA ↗

Explore the data

Vehicle analysis explorer

Inspect model-year patterns, reported mileage, monthly activity and the evidence behind each signal.

Data completeness

17 unique complaints in this selection. Analysis snapshot: 2026-10-01.

0.0%Usable mileage0 / 17 records
76.5%Valid incident date13 / 17 records
100.0%Valid filing date17 / 17 records
76.5%Ordered incident and filing dates13 / 17 records

Missing, zero and invalid mileage is excluded. Dates after the snapshot are excluded. Examples are limited selections, not a representative sample.

Problems by model year

Model-wide comparison of the eight most reported components across the model. Cells show counts and shares within each model year. Open a cell for source examples.

Component complaint heatmap
Component20032011201220132014
Service Brakes, Hydraulic:Antilock/Traction Control/Electronic Limited Slip
00.0%

No examples available for this selection.

00.0%

No examples available for this selection.

0Unavailable

No examples available for this selection.

00.0%

No examples available for this selection.

00.0%

No examples available for this selection.

Vehicle Speed Control
00.0%

No examples available for this selection.

00.0%

No examples available for this selection.

0Unavailable

No examples available for this selection.

00.0%

No examples available for this selection.

00.0%

No examples available for this selection.

Electrical System:Horn
00.0%

No examples available for this selection.

00.0%

No examples available for this selection.

0Unavailable

No examples available for this selection.

00.0%

No examples available for this selection.

00.0%

No examples available for this selection.

Latches/Locks/Linkages:Doors:Latch
00.0%

No examples available for this selection.

00.0%

No examples available for this selection.

0Unavailable

No examples available for this selection.

00.0%

No examples available for this selection.

00.0%

No examples available for this selection.

Service Brakes, Hydraulic:Foundation Components
00.0%

No examples available for this selection.

00.0%

No examples available for this selection.

0Unavailable

No examples available for this selection.

00.0%

No examples available for this selection.

00.0%

No examples available for this selection.

Air Bags:Frontal
00.0%

No examples available for this selection.

00.0%

No examples available for this selection.

0Unavailable

No examples available for this selection.

00.0%

No examples available for this selection.

00.0%

No examples available for this selection.

Power Train:Automatic Transmission
00.0%

No examples available for this selection.

00.0%

No examples available for this selection.

0Unavailable

No examples available for this selection.

00.0%

No examples available for this selection.

00.0%

No examples available for this selection.

Seat Belts:Front:Retractor
00.0%

No examples available for this selection.

00.0%

No examples available for this selection.

0Unavailable

No examples available for this selection.

00.0%

No examples available for this selection.

00.0%

No examples available for this selection.

Darker cells indicate a larger share of submitted complaints. Components overlap. This measures complaint composition, not failure probability.

Failure mileage by component

Median and middle 50% of usable owner-reported mileages. Ranges require at least five records.

Component failure mileage distribution
ComponentMileage range (25th–75th percentile)MedianUsable recordsExamples
No usable records for this analysis.

Complaint and recall timeline

Explore monthly filing activity alongside recall announcements. Up to ten years of monthly history is available.

1 reports2024-112026-10

Solid line: filed complaints. Dashed amber lines: recall announcement dates for this vehicle selection; markers include all recall components. The latest month is partial. Temporal proximity does not establish causation.

Monthly counts, recall campaigns and complaint examples
Monthly complaint and recall timeline
MonthComplaintsCampaigns announcedExamples
2024-110None

No examples available for this selection.

2024-120None

No examples available for this selection.

2025-010None

No examples available for this selection.

2025-020None

No examples available for this selection.

2025-030None

No examples available for this selection.

2025-040None

No examples available for this selection.

2025-050None

No examples available for this selection.

2025-060None

No examples available for this selection.

2025-070None

No examples available for this selection.

2025-080None

No examples available for this selection.

2025-090None

No examples available for this selection.

2025-100None

No examples available for this selection.

2025-110None

No examples available for this selection.

2025-120None

No examples available for this selection.

2026-010None

No examples available for this selection.

2026-020None

No examples available for this selection.

2026-030None

No examples available for this selection.

2026-040None

No examples available for this selection.

2026-050None

No examples available for this selection.

2026-060None

No examples available for this selection.

2026-070None

No examples available for this selection.

2026-080None

No examples available for this selection.

2026-090None

No examples available for this selection.

2026-10 (partial)0None

No examples available for this selection.

Emerging complaint spikes

Complete months in the latest six months with at least 10 complaints, at least twice the preceding 12-month average, and at least three square-root deviations above that average.

This is a descriptive screening rule, not a statistical defect finding. Publicity and reporting changes can increase submissions.

No complete months meet the spike thresholds for this selection.

Equal-age model-year comparison

Model-wide cumulative reports during the first three or five calendar years, starting with the model year (age 0). Only fully elapsed windows are compared.

Age 0Age 1Age 210 reports

2013: 6 complaints · 2014: 10 complaints

Equal observation windows
Model yearThrough age 0Through age 1Through age 2
2013026
201471010
Date coverage across each selected cohort
Date basis for all complaints in selected model years
YearIncident dates usedFiling date fallbacksExcluded dates
2013600
20141200

Incident date is preferred when valid and no later than filing; otherwise filing date is used. Model year approximates age. Equal observation time does not adjust for sales, distance driven or reporting delays. One complaint linked to multiple model years can appear in each cohort.

Components reported together

Each cell counts unique complaints naming both components. Open a nonzero cell for examples.

Component co-occurrence matrix
ComponentPower Train:Automatic TransmissionService Brakes, Hydraulic:Foundation Components:Master CylinderVehicle Speed ControlVehicle Speed Control:LinkagesElectrical System:Wiring:Front UnderhoodEngine And Engine Cooling:Cooling SystemEngine And Engine Cooling:Engine:GasolineSeats
Power Train:Automatic Transmission—0000000
Service Brakes, Hydraulic:Foundation Components:Master Cylinder0—000000
Vehicle Speed Control00—00
1
ODI 481814

WATER PUMP REPLACED TWICE.

Look up ODI 481814 at NHTSA ↗

00
Vehicle Speed Control:Linkages000—0000
Electrical System:Wiring:Front Underhood0000—000
Engine And Engine Cooling:Cooling System00
1
ODI 481814

WATER PUMP REPLACED TWICE.

Look up ODI 481814 at NHTSA ↗

00—00
Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine:Gasoline000000—0
Seats0000000—

Co-reporting does not establish that one component caused another concern.

Recurring narrative patterns

Specific keyword mentions beyond broad component labels. Matching includes negations and comparisons and does not confirm a diagnosis.

1 patterns with matching reports.

Brake response concerns

1 mentions · 5.9% of complaints

Median mileage: Unavailable (0 usable records).

ODI 969490

BRAKE FAILURE, REPLACE OF THE MASTER CYLINDER, EXPERIENCE LIGHT COME RED, AND PEDAL GOES TO THE FLOOR. TT

Look up ODI 969490 at NHTSA ↗

Matching rule\b(brake fail\w*|brakes fail\w*|brake pedal|braking distance|unintended braking|phantom braking)\b