1987 Toyota Corolla: common problems

Owners of the 1987 Toyota Corolla filed 14 complaints with NHTSA, most often about seat belts and vehicle speed control. Details by component below, with sources.

Key figures

Owner complaints: 14

Toyota Corolla 1987: 3D model with the “Seat belts” area highlighted — the most complained-about component — Yellow marks the “Seat belts” area, the component owners complain about most for this year. Illustrative only. 3D model: PHAC, CC Attribution.

What fails most often

1 Seat belts 21% of all complaints
2 Vehicle speed control 21% of all complaints
3 Exterior lighting 14% of all complaints
4 Electrical system 7% of all complaints
5 Parking brake 7% of all complaints
6 Powertrain 7% of all complaints
7 Seats 7% of all complaints
8 Suspension 7% of all complaints

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

Seat belts: 3 complaints (21% of all).
Vehicle speed control: 3 complaints (21% of all).
Exterior lighting: 2 complaints (14% of all).
Electrical system: 1 complaints (7% of all).
Parking brake: 1 complaints (7% of all).

Engines and transmissions

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

1.6 L · petrol · 4 cyl
automatic, 3-speed
automatic, 4-speed
manual, 5-speed

Drive: FWD, RWD

Symptoms owners describe

How many of the 14 NHTSA complaints mention each symptom (automatic count from complaint text; one complaint can mention several).

seat belts3 · 21%
brake failure1 · 7%
headlights and tail lights1 · 7%
smoke, burning smell, fire1 · 7%
stalls while driving1 · 7%
unintended acceleration1 · 7%
vibration1 · 7%

Components owners complain about

Component	Owner complaints	involving a crash	Technical service bulletins (TSB)
Seat belts	3	0	0
Vehicle speed control	3	0	0
Exterior lighting	2	0	0
Electrical system	1	0	0
Parking brake	1	0	0
Powertrain	1	0	0
Seats	1	0	0
Suspension	1	0	0
Tires	1	0	0
Visibility	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.

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.
Vehicle speed control · 2010-03-13 · NHTSA complaint #10319423
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.
Exterior lighting · 2002-05-31 · NHTSA complaint #762430
Upper portion of the female connector of the driver's side seat belt is broken.
Seat belts · 2000-12-19 · NHTSA complaint #784012
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.
Tires · 2000-08-17 · NHTSA complaint #868048
When putting the heat on, windshield cracks, and the front passenger's seat park light has a little opening in the lens.
Exterior lighting · 1999-05-14 · NHTSA complaint #837934
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.
Seats · 1999-01-07 · NHTSA complaint #833165
Emergency brake assembly (disk brakes) refused to release and seized causing extreme heat at right rear wheel nearly causing a fire.
Parking brake · 1998-12-23 · NHTSA complaint #701562
Vehicle jumps out of 5th gear while moving, can cause accident.
Powertrain · 1997-05-30 · NHTSA complaint #533942

When owners complained

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

19953
19962
19972
19981
19992
20002
20021
20101

Comparison

By complaint count this model year ranks 9,551 of 36,656 model years in the NHTSA data (top 26% most complained about).

On average one model year of the Corolla has 222 complaints (53 years in the data). This year has 14, below average.

What to check before buying

Seat belts. Belt pretensioners after airbag deployment, SRS codes.
Vehicle speed control. Accelerator pedal, cruise control, throttle codes.
Exterior lighting. Headlamps, leveling, sensors and mounts after a frontal hit.
Electrical system. Scan all modules, test the battery and alternator, inspect connectors near the impact zone.

Other years of this model

Questions and answers

What are the most common problems with the 1987 Toyota Corolla?

Owner complaints to NHTSA most often mention: seat belts, vehicle speed control, exterior lighting. Total complaints: 14. The most frequent symptoms in complaint texts: seat belts (21%), brake failure (7%), headlights and tail lights (7%).

How many service bulletins (TSB) were issued for the 1987 Toyota Corolla?

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 Toyota Corolla 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.