Stalling or loss of power
2 mentions · 22.2% of complaints
Median mileage: Unavailable (0 usable records).
Matching rule
\b(stall\w*|loss of power|lost power|engine shut\w* off)\bU.S. public vehicle records
1987 Chevrolet SPECTRUM: complaints, problems and recalls
Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.
Key facts
9 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
Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine is the most frequently named component, appearing in 2 of 9 complaints (22.2%). A complaint can name multiple components.
| Topic | Matching reports | Share of complaints |
|---|---|---|
| Engine operation | 2 | 22.2% |
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.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine | 2 |
| Fuel System, Gasoline:Carburetor System | 2 |
| Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine:Gasoline | 1 |
| Power Train:Clutch Assembly | 1 |
| Seat Belts | 1 |
| Seat Belts:Front:Buckle Assembly | 1 |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 1 |
| Vehicle Speed Control:Cruise Control | 1 |
Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine: 2; Fuel System, Gasoline:Carburetor System: 2; Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine:Gasoline: 1; Power Train:Clutch Assembly: 1; Seat Belts: 1; Seat Belts:Front:Buckle Assembly: 1; Vehicle Speed Control: 1; Vehicle Speed Control:Cruise Control: 1
Reported problems by failure mileage
Complaint counts in mileage bands. These are not failure rates per vehicle or mile.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| 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 |
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. 9 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.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| 1995 | 6 |
| 1996 | 2 |
| 1997 | 1 |
1995: 6; 1996: 2; 1997: 1
Pattern summary
Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine leads the component reports. Engine operation appears in 2 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.
Examples from the source records
Examples provide context, not a representative sample or a verified diagnosis.
Owner report 480870 · 1995-01-31 (January 31, 1995)
TIMING BELT BROKE, CAUSING VEHICLE TO STALL. *SKD
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 480870 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 484071 · 1995-07-12 (July 12, 1995)
INTERMITTENT STALLING. *AK
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 484071 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 485214 · 1995-06-12 (June 12, 1995)
DEFECTIVE CARBURETOR, CAUSING HIGH IDLE PRIOR TO SERVICE RECALL. *AK
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 485214 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 814603 · 1997-07-31 (July 31, 1997)
REAR PASSENGER'S RESTRAINT BELT STICKS. BELT WILL NOT EXTEND. *AK
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 814603 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 958948 · 1995-01-20 (January 20, 1995)
ENGINE TIMING BELT BROKE AND ENGINE IMMEDIATELY FAILED. TT
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 958948 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 966821 · 1995-06-13 (June 13, 1995)
IDLE SET FOR 1987 SPECTRUM IS NOT ADJUSTABLE-WILL NOT HOLD. TT
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 966821 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 968811 · 1995-07-14 (July 14, 1995)
THE REAR SEATBELTS AND THE FRONT PASSENGER SEATBELTS DO NOT LATCH PROPERLY. PLEASE DESCRIBE. *AK
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 968811 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 979648 · 1996-02-23 (February 23, 1996)
THE CLUCTH WOULD NOT LOCK OUT OF GEAR CAUSED THE CONSUMER TO HAVE A NEAR ACCIDENT. *AK
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 979648 at NHTSA ↗
Recall history
2 distinct campaigns affect this selection. Announcement dates below are different from vehicle model years. A campaign may cover multiple years.
88V036000 · Fuel System, Gasoline:Storage:Tank Assembly:Filler Pipe And Cap
Reported: 1988-03-23 (March 23, 1988)
PERFORATION OF THE FUEL TANK OR THE ATTACHED FUEL FEED PIPE DUE TO CORROSION OF THE TANK OR FUEL FEED PIPE MATERIALS.
Consequence: THIS CONDITION COULD ALLOW FUEL TO LEAK FROM THE FUELTANK AND ULTIMATELY RESULT IN A FIRE WITHOUT PRIOR WARNING. SUCH A FIRE COULDSPREAD TO THE PASSENGER COMPARTMENT.
Remedy: THE FUEL TANK WILL BE REPLACED ON ALL INVOLVED VEHICLES.
NHTSA campaign record ↗88V046000 · Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine
Reported: 1988-03-29 (March 29, 1988)
THE POSITIVE CRANKCASE VENTILATION VALVE MAY PROVIDE INADEQUATE AIR FLOW UNDER LOW ENGINE LOAD CONDITIONS.
Consequence: THIS CONDITION CAN ALLOW WATER/OIL MIXTURE TO BUILD UPIN THE HOSE FROM THE OIL SEPARATOR TO THE AIR INLET DUCT. AFTER THE ENGINE ISSTOPPED, THIS WATER/OIL MIXTURE CAN, UNDER COLD WEATHER CONDITIONS, FREEZE ANDCOMPLETELY BLOCK THE OIL SEPARATOR AIR DUCT HOSE. THIS BLOCKAGE WILL RESULT ININCREASED PRESSURE WITHIN THE CRANKCASE. THIS CAN CAUSE OIL LEAKS, IF ASUFFICIENT QUANTITY OF OIL CAME IN CONTACT WITH THE HOT EXHAUST SYSTEM AN ENGINECOMPARTMENT FIRE COULD RESULT WITHOUT PRIOR WARNING.
Remedy: THE PCV VALVE WILL BE REPLACED WITH A NEW VALVE.
NHTSA campaign record ↗Explore the data
Vehicle analysis explorer
Inspect model-year patterns, reported mileage, monthly activity and the evidence behind each signal.
Data completeness
9 unique complaints in this selection. Analysis snapshot: 2026-10-01.
0.0%Usable mileage0 / 9 records
100.0%Valid incident date9 / 9 records
100.0%Valid filing date9 / 9 records
100.0%Ordered incident and filing dates9 / 9 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 | 1985 | 1986 | 1987 | 1988 | 1989 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 222.2% | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. |
| Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine:Gasoline | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 150.0%ODI 714516I PURCHASED THIS 1986 CHEVROLET SPECTRUM FROM AN INLAW WHO COULDN'T GET IT TO RUN. HE PURCHASED THE CAR FROM SOMEONE ELSE WHO COULDN'T GET IT TO RUN. I PERSONALLY HAVE SPENT COUNTLESS HOURS, AND MONEY TRING TO GET THE CAR TO STAY RUNNING. WITH NO POSITIVE RESULT. I HAVE REPLACED THE FUEL FILTER, FUEL PUMP, SPAK PLUGS, WIRES, ROTOR, CAP, 2 DIFFERENT CARBERATORS, THEN A CARBORATOR KIT, DID A COMPRESSION CHECK,( FINE) NO WATER IN THE OIL , TIMING BELT FINE, TIMING EXCELLENT, HOSES IN PLACE AND GOOD. HAVE TAKEN TO MECHANICS AND NO POSITIVE END… | 111.1% | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. |
| Fuel System, Gasoline:Carburetor System | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 222.2% | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. |
| Power Train:Clutch Assembly | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 111.1%ODI 979648THE CLUCTH WOULD NOT LOCK OUT OF GEAR CAUSED THE CONSUMER TO HAVE A NEAR ACCIDENT. *AK | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 133.3%ODI 969494MANUAL TRANSMISSION CLUTCH FAILURE, DRIVER UNABLE TO SHIFT GEARS AND STOP THE VEHICLE. TT |
| Engine And Engine Cooling:Cooling System:Hoses/Lines/Piping/Fittings | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 120.0%ODI 8018374HOSES INSIDE OF VEHICLE WERE CROSSED WRONGLY FROM DEALERSHIP, AND VEHICLE HAD BLACK SMOKE COMING FROM UNDERNEATH VEHICLE.*AK | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. |
| Power Train:Clutch Assembly:Pedal/Hand Lever(Motorcycle) | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 120.0%ODI 962741CLUTCH CABLE PULLED THROUGH FIREWALL WHICH INTERRUPTED DRIVING SEQUENCE. TT | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. |
| Seat Belts | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 111.1%ODI 814603REAR PASSENGER'S RESTRAINT BELT STICKS. BELT WILL NOT EXTEND. *AK | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. |
| Seat Belts:Front:Buckle Assembly | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 111.1%ODI 968811THE REAR SEATBELTS AND THE FRONT PASSENGER SEATBELTS DO NOT LATCH PROPERLY. PLEASE DESCRIBE. *AK | 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 | Mileage range (25th–75th percentile) | Median | Usable records | Examples |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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.
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
| Month | Complaints | Campaigns announced | Examples |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024-11 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2024-12 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2025-01 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2025-02 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2025-03 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2025-04 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2025-05 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2025-06 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2025-07 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2025-08 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2025-09 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2025-10 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2025-11 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2025-12 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2026-01 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2026-02 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2026-03 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2026-04 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2026-05 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2026-06 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2026-07 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2026-08 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2026-09 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2026-10 (partial) | 0 | None | 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.
1988: 1 complaints · 1989: 0 complaints
| Model year | Through age 0 | Through age 1 | Through age 2 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1988 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| 1989 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Date coverage across each selected cohort
| Year | Incident dates used | Filing date fallbacks | Excluded dates |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1988 | 5 | 0 | 0 |
| 1989 | 3 | 0 | 0 |
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 | Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine | Fuel System, Gasoline:Carburetor System | Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine:Gasoline | Power Train:Clutch Assembly | Seat Belts | Seat Belts:Front:Buckle Assembly | Vehicle Speed Control | Vehicle Speed Control:Cruise Control |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine | — | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Fuel System, Gasoline:Carburetor System | 0 | — | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine:Gasoline | 1 | 0 | — | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Power Train:Clutch Assembly | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Seat Belts | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Seat Belts:Front:Buckle Assembly | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 0 | 0 |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 0 |
| Vehicle Speed Control:Cruise Control | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — |
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.