1987 Chrysler Lebaron Problems
Owner-reported complaints filed with NHTSA, grouped by component
Data refreshed
What this page shows
Everything below is an owner-reported complaint submitted to NHTSA about the 1987 Chrysler Lebaron, grouped by the component NHTSA recorded on the report. These are not confirmed defects, and they are not recalls. NHTSA does not verify most reports before publishing them, and a category with more reports in it is not evidence that a part is defective.
Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.
Reports by component
Ranked by how many owner reports name each component category
- Engine1221.8%
- Fuel system916.4%
- Seat belts814.5%
- Electrical610.9%
- Steering59.1%
- Transmission35.5%
- Body & structure35.5%
- Driver assistance35.5%
- Interior & seats23.6%
- Heating & air conditioning23.6%
- Brakes11.8%
- Airbags11.8%
Percentages are of component mentions. A single complaint can name more than one component, so these do not sum to the total complaint count.
Each component in detail
What the reports in each category say, in the owners' own words
Engine
Reports naming the engine itself — including stalling, misfires, oil consumption, cooling and internal engine components.
From owner reports, verbatim
ON MONDAY, JULY 22, 2002, APPROXIMATELY 6:00PM, AFTER RETURNING HOME FROM LIMA, OHIO RETURNING TO MY HOME IN LAKEVIEW, OHIO, I PROCEEDED TO UNLOAD MY 3 GRANDCHILDREN AND TWO CHILDREN AND MYSELF INTO THE HOUSE. WHEN PUTING AWAY THE GROCERIES, WITHIN A MATTER OF SECONDS, WE ALL HEARD TWO BOOMS AND LOOKED OUT THE WINDOW OF THE KITCHEN AND SAW MY 1987 CHRYSLER LEBARON ENGOLFED IN SMOKE, COULD NOT EVEN SEE ANY FLAMES AT THIS TIME BECAUSE OF ALL THE SMOKE. ALL THE CHILDREN (5) AND MYSELF HAD TO EVACUATE MY HOME BECAUSE OF ALL THE SMOKE AND FUMES, RAN DOWN THE STREET, SOMEONE DOWN THE STREET CALLED THE FIRE DEPARTMENT, AND THEN WHEN I COULD GET TO A PHONE, I DID. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT CHIEF INDICATED THAT THE SAME THING HAPPENED TO A CAR THAT WAS ABOUT TWO BLOCKS OVER, WAS THE SAME YEAR AND EVERYTHING. THE CHIEF ALSO SAID THAT HE HEARD THERE WAS A RECALL ON THIS PARTICULAR VEHICLE. PLEASE E-MAIL ME BACK ASAP ABOUT ANY INFORMATION YOU MAY HAVE ON THIS. IT WOULD BE GREATLY APPRECIATED, AND PLEASE CHECK INTO THIS AND CALL ME AT THE HOME NUMBER INDICATED OR EMAIL MY DAUGHTER-IN-LAW AT THE EMAIL ADDRESS INDICATED.*JB
ENGINE FAILED RESULTING IN FIRE. (OHIO TRAFFIC CRASH REPORT). MJS
Fuel system
Reports naming fuel storage or delivery — tanks, pumps, lines, injectors and fuel leaks.
From owner reports, verbatim
CONSUMER CAN SMELL FUMES.THERE'S MANUFACTURER'S RECALL # 480 FOR FUEL INJECTOR FAILURE. *AK THE DEALER POINTED OUT THERE WAS NO RECALL FOR THE VEHICLE BUT COULD FIX THE PROBLEM IF THE CONSUMER PAYS. *YH
WHEN DRIVING AT LOW SPEEDS THE ENGINE COMPLETELY SHUTS DOWN, CAUSING LOSS OF VEHICLE CONTROL. POSSIBLE CAUSES OF FAILURE INCLUDE FUEL PUMP ASSEMBLY AND LINES, AND IGNITION COIL, ALL OF WHICH WERE REPLACED AND THE PROBLEM HAS BEEN CORRECTED. *AK *ML
Seat belts
Reports naming seat belts, buckles, retractors and pretensioners.
From owner reports, verbatim
DRIVER'S AND PASSENGER'S SEAT BELT LATCHES WILL NOT GO INTO THE BUCKLE ASSMEBLY, CAUSE UNKNOWN. PLEASE GIVE ANY FURTHER DETAILS. *AK
THE DRIVERS SIDE SEAT BELT BUCKLE WILL NOT UNLATCH. PLEASE DESCRIBE. *AK
Electrical
Reports naming the electrical system — wiring, battery, charging, control modules, infotainment and electrical accessories.
From owner reports, verbatim
VEHICLE WAS STOPPED WITH THE ENGINE RUNNING TO MAKE A LEFT TURN, SMOKE BEGAN TO APPEAR FROM RIGHT DRIVER SIDE, ONCE THE TURN WAS MADE MORE SMOKE BEGAN TO BUILD UP. VEHICLE PULLED INTO PRIVATE PROPERTY WERE FLAMES BEGAN TO BECOME APPARENT ON DRIVER SIDE, FLAMES BEGAN TO MOVE TOWARDS PASSENGER SIDE OF THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. LOCAL FIRE DEPARTMENT ARRIVED TO ASSIST IN EXTINGUISH FLAMES. ONCE THE FIRE WAS PUT OUT, EXTENSIVE DAMAGE WAS SEEN ON DRIVER SIDE OF VEHICLE WHERE A MAJORITY OF THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM(ALTERNATOR POWER REGULATOR, BATTERY) IS LOCATED, FIRE PROGRESSED TOWARD ALT, POWER STEER, COMPRESSOR WHERE IT SUSTAINED SIGNIFICANT DAMAGE BUT NOT EXTENSIVE NEAR ELECTRICAL COMPONENTS. PRIOR TO FIRE/SMOKE, ENGINE OPERATIONS WAS NORMAL, NO CHECK ENGINE LIGHT, NO CHECK OIL LIGHT, NO OVERHEATING, NO POWER LOSS, VEHICLE PERFORMED WELL UP INTO THE FIRE BEGAN TO SPREAD AND FURTHER DAMAGE THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. LOUD POPPING SOUND WAS HEARD AT THE START OF THE FIRE ON THE DRIVER SIDE OF THE VEHICLE'S ENGINE COMPARTMENT. *TR
WHEN DRIVING AT LOW SPEEDS THE ENGINE COMPLETELY SHUTS DOWN, CAUSING LOSS OF VEHICLE CONTROL. POSSIBLE CAUSES OF FAILURE INCLUDE FUEL PUMP ASSEMBLY AND LINES, AND IGNITION COIL, ALL OF WHICH WERE REPLACED AND THE PROBLEM HAS BEEN CORRECTED. *AK *ML
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Steering
Reports naming the steering system — racks, columns, power-steering assist and steering linkage.
From owner reports, verbatim
STEERING FAILED,RESULTING IN A CRASH / UNABLE TO DIRECT VEHICLE. *AK
TRANSMISSION FAILED.
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Transmission
Reports naming the automatic or manual transmission, including shifting behaviour, shudder, slipping and transmission control modules.
From owner reports, verbatim
TRANSMISSION FAILED.
TRANSMISSION FAILED.
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Body & structure
Reports naming the vehicle structure, frame, body panels, doors, hood and trim.
From owner reports, verbatim
CAR SOLD TO ME WITH A CRACKED/BROKEN FRAME, INFORMED BY RELIABLE SOURCES THAT SALE WAS ILLEGAL. *AK
PAINT ON THE CARS' ROOF AND TRUNK IS SEVERLY ASHY WHITE AND PEELING. I HAVE NOTICED THAT THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH LEBARONS AROUND THE SAME YEAR. MINE IS A 87. POSSIBLE BAD BINDER IN THE PAINT, BAD PRIMER, OR MOISTURE DURING SETUP IS THE CAUSE. WILL THE COMPANY FIX THIS PROBLEM? IT'S A BEAUTIFUL STYLE CAR AND THE PAINTS APPEARANCE REALLY HURTS IT. THANKYOU. *AK
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Driver assistance
Reports naming forward-collision avoidance, lane keeping, back-over prevention, cruise control and related electronic driver-assistance systems.
From owner reports, verbatim
VEHICLE WAS STOPPED WITH THE ENGINE RUNNING TO MAKE A LEFT TURN, SMOKE BEGAN TO APPEAR FROM RIGHT DRIVER SIDE, ONCE THE TURN WAS MADE MORE SMOKE BEGAN TO BUILD UP. VEHICLE PULLED INTO PRIVATE PROPERTY WERE FLAMES BEGAN TO BECOME APPARENT ON DRIVER SIDE, FLAMES BEGAN TO MOVE TOWARDS PASSENGER SIDE OF THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. LOCAL FIRE DEPARTMENT ARRIVED TO ASSIST IN EXTINGUISH FLAMES. ONCE THE FIRE WAS PUT OUT, EXTENSIVE DAMAGE WAS SEEN ON DRIVER SIDE OF VEHICLE WHERE A MAJORITY OF THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM(ALTERNATOR POWER REGULATOR, BATTERY) IS LOCATED, FIRE PROGRESSED TOWARD ALT, POWER STEER, COMPRESSOR WHERE IT SUSTAINED SIGNIFICANT DAMAGE BUT NOT EXTENSIVE NEAR ELECTRICAL COMPONENTS. PRIOR TO FIRE/SMOKE, ENGINE OPERATIONS WAS NORMAL, NO CHECK ENGINE LIGHT, NO CHECK OIL LIGHT, NO OVERHEATING, NO POWER LOSS, VEHICLE PERFORMED WELL UP INTO THE FIRE BEGAN TO SPREAD AND FURTHER DAMAGE THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. LOUD POPPING SOUND WAS HEARD AT THE START OF THE FIRE ON THE DRIVER SIDE OF THE VEHICLE'S ENGINE COMPARTMENT. *TR
CRUISE CONTROL ONLY DISENGAGES WHILE FOOT IS ON BRAKE PEDAL, WHEN FOOT IS REMOVED FROM BRAKES, CRUISE CONTROL REENGAGES.
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Interior & seats
Reports naming seats, latches, locks, linkages and interior fittings.
From owner reports, verbatim
STEEL SEAT FRAME HAS BROKEN, EQUIPPED WITH POWER SEATS. TT *JB
THE ELECTRONIC DIGITAL DASH GOES OUT AND WHEN IT DOES YOU CAN NOT READ SPEEDOMETER AND THE ODOMETER ARE AFFECTED. PLEASE DESCRIBE. TT
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Heating & air conditioning
Reports naming the heating, ventilation and air-conditioning system.
From owner reports, verbatim
TRANSMISSION FAILED.
FUEL LEAKAGE.
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Brakes
Reports naming service brakes, the antilock braking system, brake hoses, master cylinders or the parking brake.
From owner reports, verbatim
BRAKES LOCKED AND SENT OWNER THRU TWO LANE OF TRAFFIC.
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Airbags
Reports naming the air-bag system — deployment behaviour, inflators, sensors and warning lights.
From owner reports, verbatim
DURING HEAD ON ACCIDENT AIR BAG DID NOT DEPLOY. NO AIR BAG INSTALLED. TT
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Higher-selling and older vehicles accumulate more reports. Counts are not failure rates and are not directly comparable between vehicles that sold in very different numbers.
Elsewhere on this vehicle
Data sources
- NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation — owner-reported complaints and the components recorded on them
Data on this page last refreshed .