1987 Toyota Corolla 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 Toyota Corolla, 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
- Seat belts320.0%
- Driver assistance320.0%
- Exterior lighting213.3%
- Suspension16.7%
- Tires & wheels16.7%
- Transmission16.7%
- Brakes16.7%
- Visibility16.7%
- Electrical16.7%
- Interior & seats16.7%
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
Seat belts
Reports naming seat belts, buckles, retractors and pretensioners.
From owner reports, verbatim
UPPER PORTION OF THE FEMALE CONNECTOR OF THE DRIVER'S SIDE SEAT BELT IS BROKEN. *CJ
ALL THE SEAT BELT BUCKLES IN THE REAR ARE STUCK IN THE LOCKED POSITION. PROBLEM NOT REPORTED TO DEALERSHIP. *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
I AM NOT LOOKING FOR DAMAGES AND HAD NEVER OFFICIALLY REPORTED THIS, BUT ABOUT 23 YEARS AGO I BOUGHT A NEW TOYOTA COROLLA THAT SUDDENLY ACCELERATED UP TO 90-100 MPH LIKE RESENT COMPLAINTS ABOUT TOYOTA VEHICLES ARE DOING. IN SPITE OF STANDING ON THE BRAKE, TRYING TO GET THE CAR INTO NEUTRAL AND PUTTING MY TOE UNDERNEATH THE GAS PEDAL TO SEE IF IT WAS STUCK I WAS IN DANGER OF RUNNING UNDER THE REAR OF A SEMI. MY 15 YEAR OLD SON REACHED OVER AND TURNED OFF THE ENGINE. I HAD ENOUGH MOMENTUM GOING TO GET OFF THE ROAD. RECENTLY DIVORCED, I WAS SCARED TO DRIVE THE CAR AGAIN AND RETURNED IT TO THE DEALER WHO INSISTED NOTHING WAS WRONG WITH THE CAR! I TRADED IT IN AND TOOK A BIG MONETARY LOSS BECAUSE THE CAR WAS NEW. I WAS ABSOLUTELY TERRIFIED AT THE TIME. NOW I AM WONDERING IF TOYOTA HAS BEEN COVERING UP THESE INCIDENTS A VERY LONG TIME AND IF ANYONE ELSE EXPERIENCED THIS PROBLEM AS LONG AGO AS I DID AND WHETHER OR NOT THE INCIDENTS WERE REPORTED. I DO NOT BELIEVE TOYOTA INCIDENTS ARE NEW, NOR DO I BELIEVE IT IS A GAS PEDAL PROBLEM. IT HAS TO BE A COMPUTER ELECTRICAL THING. AFTER OVER 20 YEARS OF NOT BUYING TOYOTA, JUST THIS THANKSGIVING BOUGHT A NEW TOYOTA HIGHLANDER AND NOW ALL THIS!!!! GOT THAT ONE FIXED YESTERDAY, HOPEFULLY, BUT I STILL FEAR AN ELECTRICAL/COMPUTER PROBLEM. *TR
WHEN STARTING VEHICLE, IT WAS AT HIGH IDLE, SUDDEN ACCELERATION OF THE VEHICLE. TT
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Exterior lighting
Reports naming headlights, tail lights, turn signals and other exterior lighting.
From owner reports, verbatim
THIS IS A COMPLAINT ABOUT THE ONCOMING, BRIGHT HEADLIGHTS OF OTHER PARTIES' AUTO. I'VE BEEN DISTRACTED BY ONCOMING BRIGHT HEADLIGHTS AND FROM MY REARVIEW MIRROR IN THE EVENING.*AK
WHEN PUTTING THE HEAT ON, WINDSHIELD CRACKS, AND THE FRONT PASSENGER'S SEAT PARK LIGHT HAS A LITTLE OPENING IN THE LENS. *AK
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Suspension
Reports naming suspension components — springs, struts, shocks, control arms and related hardware.
From owner reports, verbatim
REAR STRUTS WELD FAILED, CAUSING METALLIC BRAKE LINE TO BREAK, RESULTING IN LOSS OF BRAKES/CONTROL. *DSH
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Tires & wheels
Reports naming tires, wheels, hubs, or the tire-pressure monitoring system.
From owner reports, verbatim
WHILE DRIVING ABOUT 70 MPH VEHICLE WILL VIBRATE. THEN, AFTER PASSING THAT SPEED VIBRATION WILL STOP. FOUND OUT THAT FRONT TIRES HAD A TREAD SEPARATION. GOOD YEAR WHEATHER HANDLER 7JJ. *AK
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
VEHICLE JUMPS OUT OF 5TH GEAR WHILE MOVING, CAN CAUSE ACCIDENT.
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
EMERGENCY BRAKE ASSEMBLY (DISK BRAKES) REFUSED TO RELEASE AND SEIZED CAUSING EXTREME HEAT AT RIGHT REAR WHEEL NEARLY CAUSING A FIRE.
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Visibility
Reports naming windshields, glass, wipers, defrosters and mirrors.
From owner reports, verbatim
WHEN PUTTING THE HEAT ON, WINDSHIELD CRACKS, AND THE FRONT PASSENGER'S SEAT PARK LIGHT HAS A LITTLE OPENING IN THE LENS. *AK
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Electrical
Reports naming the electrical system — wiring, battery, charging, control modules, infotainment and electrical accessories.
From owner reports, verbatim
ENGINE INTERMITTENTLY STALLS GENERALLY IN DAMP WEATHER/COLD ENGINE; USUALLY WHEN MAKING TURNS, 20 MPH OR LESS; NO PRIOR WARNING. TT
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
DRIVER'S SEAT BOLTS TO THE FLOOR PAN BROKE, CAUSING THE DRIVER'S SEAT TO MOVE UNEXPECTEDLY. COULD CAUSE LOSS OF VEHICLE CONTROL. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK
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 .