AI Damage1987 Chevrolet Beretta: common problems
Owners of the 1987 Chevrolet Beretta filed 3 complaints with NHTSA, most often about engine and cooling and seats. Details by component below, with sources.
Key figures
- Owner complaints
- 3
- involving a crash
- 2
What fails most often
- 1 Engine and cooling 33% of all complaints
- 2 Seats 33% of all complaints
- 3 Structure 33% of all complaints
- Engine and cooling: 1 complaints (33% of all), 1 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
- Seats: 1 complaints (33% of all), 1 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
- Structure: 1 complaints (33% of all).
Engines and transmissions
US-market versions per EPA. On the right: how many NHTSA complaints name this engine or transmission type.
- 2 L · petrol · 4 cyl
- 2.8 L · petrol · 6 cyl
- automatic, 3-speed
- manual, 5-speed
Drive: FWD
Symptoms owners describe
How many of the 3 NHTSA complaints mention each symptom (automatic count from complaint text; one complaint can mention several).
Components owners complain about
| Component | Owner complaints | involving a crash | Technical service bulletins (TSB) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Engine and cooling | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| Seats | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| Structure | 1 | 0 | 0 |
What owners report
Short excerpts of NHTSA complaints in the original wording. These are owner statements not verified by NHTSA; personal data removed.
The contact was wearing a seat belt, but minor injuries were sustained. There was no visible body damage present. The police were alerted, and a report was taken. The manufacturer was also alerted.
This car was purchased at auction($8000) financing-after fire/co auctioned for $250 yet they are still demanding payment on this broken-down/burned up car that I no longer own and that the company auctioned. This is a "rip-off"/fraud/because they sold be a rotten car to start with.
Failure of the driver's and passenger's side door hinge pin, the door hinge pin is broken, causing the door to be in the open position, the door will not fully close.
When owners complained
NHTSA complaints by filing year. The peak shows at what age the problems show up most.
Comparison
By complaint count this model year ranks 17,150 of 36,656 model years in the NHTSA data (top 47% most complained about).
On average one model year of the Beretta has 34 complaints (16 years in the data). This year has 3, below average.
What to check before buying
- Engine and cooling. Radiator and fan after a frontal hit, coolant level and condition, overheating.
- Seats. Occupant sensor, power adjustment, seat mounts.
- Structure. Rails, pillars, panel gaps, signs of pulling or welding.
Other years of this model
Questions and answers
What are the most common problems with the 1987 Chevrolet Beretta?
Owner complaints to NHTSA most often mention: engine and cooling, seats, structure. Total complaints: 3. The most frequent symptoms in complaint texts: seat belts (33%), smoke, burning smell, fire (33%).
How many service bulletins (TSB) were issued for the 1987 Chevrolet Beretta?
NHTSA lists 0 manufacturer service bulletins for this year. A bulletin tells dealers how to diagnose or fix a known issue; it is not a recall.
Should I buy a 1987 Chevrolet Beretta from a US auction?
Owner complaints describe defects, not crash damage. Before bidding, check the components listed above and review the lot photos: VinWind builds a report of visible and hidden damage by VIN.
Other 1987 models
Read also
Sources: public NHTSA data (USA): service bulletins and owner complaints; YouTube: links to videos credited to their authors. Complaints are owner statements not verified by NHTSA, and describe defects rather than crash damage. Data updated 2026-11-05.