1987 Sterling 825: complaints, problems and recalls
Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.
Key facts
2 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.
Most common problems
Electrical System:Ignition:Switch is the most frequently named component, appearing in 1 of 2 complaints (50.0%). A complaint can name multiple components.
Component breakdown
Number of unique complaints naming each component. Top eight shown.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Electrical System:Ignition:Switch | 1 |
| Seat Belts:Front:Buckle Assembly | 1 |
Electrical System:Ignition:Switch: 1; Seat Belts:Front:Buckle Assembly: 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. 2 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 | 1 |
| 1996 | 1 |
1995: 1; 1996: 1
Pattern summary
Electrical System:Ignition:Switch leads the component reports. 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 965674 · 1995-05-23 (May 23, 1995)
DRIVERS SIDE SEAT BELT CAME UNDONE WHILE DRIVING, HAD REPLACED. TT
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 965674 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 986126 · 1996-06-25 (June 25, 1996)
OWNER RECEIVED RECALL NOTICE FOR THE IGNITION. CALLED MANUFACTURER AND WAS TOLD THEY WERE ONLY REPLACING THE SUB HARNESS. RECALL# 87V177000. *AK
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 986126 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.
87V177000 · Electrical System:Ignition:Switch
Reported: 1987-11-17 (November 17, 1987)
FAULT IN THE IGNITION SWITCH CAN INTERRUPT POWER SUPPLY TO VARIOUS ELECTRICAL SYSTEMS AND COMPONENTS.
Consequence: ELECTRICAL SYSTEMS, INCLUDING HEADLAMPS AND WINDSHIELDWIPERS, MAY BECOME INOPERATIVE, RESULTING IN REDUCED VISIBILITY WHICH COULDRESULT IN AN ACCIDENT.
Remedy: REPLACE IGNITION SWITCH AND ATTACHED ELECTRICAL SUBHARNESS. ALSO, LUBRICATE IGNITION LOCK MECHANISM.
NHTSA campaign record ↗91V077000 · Seat Belts
Reported: 1991-05-14 (May 14, 1991)
AUTOMATIC SHOULDER BELT ASSEMBLY MAY MALFUNCTION DURING ABRUPT BRAKING OR CORNERING. THE ASSEMBLY MAY TIGHTEN AGAINST THE OCCUPANT RESTRICTING MOVEMENT. ALSO, THE RETRACTOR DRIVER UNIT MAY STALL IN ANY POSITION, LEAVING THE BELT LOOSE. IN EITHER CASE, THE BELT WOULD NOT RETRACT WHEN THE DOOR IS OPENED.
Consequence: THE AUTOMATIC SHOULDER RESTRAINT SYSTEM WOULD NOT ALLOWSEAT OCCUPANT TO EXIT THE VEHICLE WITHOUT DISCONNECTING THE SAFETY BELT.
Remedy: REPLACE THE AUTOMATIC SAFETY BELT ASSEMBLIES.
NHTSA campaign record ↗Vehicle analysis explorer
Inspect model-year patterns, reported mileage, monthly activity and the evidence behind each signal.
Data completeness
2 unique complaints in this selection. Analysis snapshot: 2026-10-01.
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 | 1987 | 1988 | 1999 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Electrical System:Ignition:Switch | 150.0%ODI 986126OWNER RECEIVED RECALL NOTICE FOR THE IGNITION. CALLED MANUFACTURER AND WAS TOLD THEY WERE ONLY REPLACING THE SUB HARNESS. RECALL# 87V177000. *AK | 0UnavailableNo examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. |
| Exterior Lighting:Headlights | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 0UnavailableNo examples available for this selection. | 1100.0%ODI 707531I PERFORM INSPECTIONS OF TRUCKS REQUIRED TO COMPLY WITH CALIFORNIAS BIENNIAL INSPECTION OF TERMINALS PROGRAM.I'VE BEEN INFORMED BY SEVERAL OWNERS OF FORD AND STERLING TRUCKS WHO OPERATE IN RESTRICTED AIRPORT ROADS,THAT REQUIRE FOUR WAY FLASHERS BE USED.WITH FLASHERS TURNED ON,AND BRAKES APPLIED,FLASHING IS INHIBITED.THE BRAKE LIGHTS ARE OPTICALLY COMBINED WITH THE TURN SIGS. AND FOUR WAYS. |
| Seat Belts:Front:Buckle Assembly | 150.0%ODI 965674DRIVERS SIDE SEAT BELT CAME UNDONE WHILE DRIVING, HAD REPLACED. TT | 0UnavailableNo 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: 0 complaints · 1999: 1 complaints
| Model year | Through age 0 | Through age 1 | Through age 2 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1988 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1999 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
Date coverage across each selected cohort
| Year | Incident dates used | Filing date fallbacks | Excluded dates |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1988 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1999 | 0 | 1 | 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 | Electrical System:Ignition:Switch | Seat Belts:Front:Buckle Assembly |
|---|---|---|
| Electrical System:Ignition:Switch | — | 0 |
| Seat Belts:Front:Buckle Assembly | 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.
0 patterns with matching reports.
No narratives match the published patterns.