1987 Chevrolet Monte Carlo: common problems

Owners of the 1987 Chevrolet Monte Carlo filed 5 complaints with NHTSA, most often about powertrain and engine and cooling. Details by component below, with sources.

Key figures

Owner complaints: 5

What fails most often

1 Powertrain 60% of all complaints
2 Engine and cooling 40% of all complaints
3 Tires 40% of all complaints
4 Fuel system 20% of all complaints
5 Suspension 20% of all complaints

Circle size and colour show each component’s share of NHTSA complaints. Schematic only, not a drawing of the exact model.

Powertrain: 3 complaints (60% of all).
Engine and cooling: 2 complaints (40% of all).
Tires: 2 complaints (40% of all).
Fuel system: 1 complaints (20% of all).
Suspension: 1 complaints (20% of all).

Engines and transmissions

US-market versions per EPA. On the right: how many NHTSA complaints name this engine or transmission type.

4.3 L · petrol · 6 cyl
5 L · petrol · 8 cyl
automatic, 3-speed
automatic, 4-speed

Drive: RWD

Components owners complain about

Component	Owner complaints	involving a crash	Technical service bulletins (TSB)
Powertrain	3	0	0
Engine and cooling	2	0	0
Tires	2	0	0
Fuel system	1	0	0
Suspension	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 scope of the firestone/bridgestone problem is much larger than the company is admitting. My 16 year old son had a tire disintegrate on 4/21/00. The sparks resulting from this were so bad that passers-by called 911. The officer who came to assist my son said he had never seen a tire fall to pieces like that.
Tires · 2000-09-11 · NHTSA complaint #729910
Overdrive converter has been rebuilt four times and the transmission rebuilt twice within 45,000 miles of use. It appears that vehicle should have been serviced under several service bulletins. Do these bulletins expire and the company is no longer responsible?
Powertrain · 1997-02-04 · NHTSA complaint #546617

When owners complained

NHTSA complaints by filing year. The peak shows at what age the problems show up most.

19951
19972
19981
20001

Comparison

By complaint count this model year ranks 14,283 of 36,659 model years in the NHTSA data (top 39% most complained about).

On average one model year of the Monte Carlo has 83 complaints (26 years in the data). This year has 5, below average.

What to check before buying

Powertrain. Shift quality under load, harsh shifts, transmission codes, CV joints.
Engine and cooling. Radiator and fan after a frontal hit, coolant level and condition, overheating.
Tires. Tire age by DOT code, bulges, wear pattern.
Fuel system. Fuel smell, leaks, rough running, fuel-system codes.

Other years of this model

Questions and answers

What are the most common problems with the 1987 Chevrolet Monte Carlo?

Owner complaints to NHTSA most often mention: powertrain, engine and cooling, tires. Total complaints: 5. The most frequent symptoms in complaint texts: transmission slipping (20%).

How many service bulletins (TSB) were issued for the 1987 Chevrolet Monte Carlo?

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 Monte Carlo 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 2026-11-06.