Vehicle Recall

Recalls filed in 1987

Manufacturers filed 252 US vehicle safety recalls in 1987, covering 10,221,660 vehicles. 2021 remains the busiest year on record, with 1,094. Ford filed the most that year, with 15.

Campaigns
252
Vehicles covered
10,221,660
Largest recall
3,600,000
Rank by volume
#46 of 60

Makes that filed most in 1987

  1. Ford3,907,782 vehicles15 recalls
  2. Chevrolet360,040 vehicles14 recalls
  3. Volkswagen311,178 vehicles9 recalls
  4. Freightliner4,321 vehicles7 recalls
  5. Audi455,102 vehicles6 recalls
  6. Buick2,009,717 vehicles6 recalls
  7. John Deere8,433 vehicles6 recalls
  8. Mack10,407 vehicles6 recalls
  9. Dodge43,173 vehicles5 recalls
  10. Grumman3,315 vehicles5 recalls
  11. B.f.goodrich23,676 vehicles4 recalls
  12. Cadillac104,940 vehicles4 recalls

Counted by the make named on each filing, so a manufacturer that sells several brands appears once per brand.

Parts recalled most in 1987

  1. Tires12 recalls
  2. Equipment: Labels11 recalls
  3. Fuel System, Gasoline: Tank Assembly9 recalls
  4. Service Brakes, Hydraulic: Hoses, Lines/Piping, and Fittings8 recalls
  5. Suspension: Non-Powered Axle Assembly8 recalls
  6. Vehicle Speed Control: Linkages7 recalls
  7. Fuel System, Gasoline: Hoses, Lines/Piping, and Fittings6 recalls
  8. Vehicle Speed Control6 recalls
  9. Fuel System, Gasoline: Filler Pipe and Cap5 recalls
  10. Steering: Linkages5 recalls

Largest recalls of 1987

  1. Ford — Fuel System, Gasoline: Hoses, Lines/Piping, and Fittings87V1390004 September 19873,600,000
  2. Buick — Seats87V0790007 May 19871,136,407
  3. Buick — Electrical System: Fuses and Circuit Breakers87V1350001 September 1987479,715
  4. Hyundai — Service Brakes, Hydraulic: Pads87V18000025 November 1987321,000
  5. Volkswagen — Fuel System, Gasoline: Fuel Pump87V05300014 April 1987278,520
  6. Buick — Structure87V12400010 August 1987261,171
  7. Audi — Power Train: Floor Shift87V0080003 January 1987251,102
  8. On-Time — Exterior Lighting: Flasher Unit87E01700013 May 1987200,000
  9. Kolcraft — Child Seat87C00900019 March 1987198,002
  10. Ford — Engine and Engine Cooling: Emission Control87V1440009 September 1987188,000
  11. Grand Auto — Exterior Lighting: Hazard Flashing Warning Lights87E0250007 July 1987187,000
  12. Nissan — Power Train: Floor Shift87V0980006 July 1987183,519
  13. Jeep — Visibility: Glass, Side/Rear87V17800023 November 1987180,000
  14. Pontiac — Fuel System, Gasoline: Filler Pipe and Cap87V1840001 December 1987131,476
  15. Buick — Engine and Engine Cooling: Crankcase (pcv)87V16500026 October 1987126,319
  16. Pontiac — Engine and Engine Cooling: Engine87V1810001 December 1987125,440
  17. Zemco — Vehicle Speed Control: Linkages87E02800016 July 1987108,617
  18. Chevrolet — Fuel System, Gasoline: Fuel Pump87V07800026 May 1987108,268
  19. Volvo — Electrical System: Front Underhood87V06400011 May 1987106,602
  20. International Harvester — Electrical System: Alternator/Generator/Regulator87V00500029 January 1987101,072
  21. Honda — Equipment: Owners/Service/Other Manual87V17100029 October 198799,088
  22. Century — Child Seat87C01800011 May 198792,490
  23. Chevrolet — Fuel System, Gasoline: Tank Assembly87V00200020 January 198786,152
  24. Audi — Vehicle Speed Control: Cruise Control87V0090003 January 198781,000
  25. International Harvester — Structure87V07600026 May 198768,180

The 25 largest of 252 filed in 1987. See every recall or the largest on record.

← 1986 (219)1988 (241) →

Every year on record, with the long-run trend.

About this figure

1987 here is the year the recall was filed with NHTSA, not the model year of the vehicles. A 1987 filing routinely covers vehicles built years earlier, and a car of model year 1987 appears in filings for years afterwards.

“Vehicles covered” sums the manufacturer’s own estimate for each campaign. A vehicle recalled twice in 1987 is counted twice, so the figure is not a count of distinct vehicles.

Do Not Drive and Park Outside flags entered NHTSA’s public record in May 2025. This page shows no advisory section for 1987 because the flag did not exist then \u2014 not because no 1987 recall was urgent.

Compiled from NHTSA’s published recall files, which are US government open data and rebuilt daily. Figures on this page reflect the record as of 18 September 2026. Read the methodology, or check a specific vehicle at nhtsa.gov.