1987 Ford Mustang problems & reliability
38 owner complaints filed with NHTSA for the 1987 Ford Mustang. Last verified Aug 7, 2026. Complaints are unverified reports submitted by owners to the federal Office of Defects Investigation.
Each complaint is counted once (by NHTSA case number), even when it names several vehicles.
2 complaints report injuries (3 injured).
Federal crash records (FARS 2020–2023): 1987 Ford Mustang vehicles were involved in 3 fatal crashes with 6 occupant deaths. Involvement counts are not adjusted for how many are on the road and do not imply fault or a vehicle defect.
Most reported problems
| Component | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Electrical System → | 17 | 45% |
| Engine and Engine Cooling | 5 | 13% |
| Exterior Lighting | 5 | 13% |
| Fuel System, Gasoline | 3 | 8% |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 3 | 8% |
| Seat Belts | 2 | 5% |
| Latches/locks/linkages | 1 | 3% |
| Power Train | 1 | 3% |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic | 1 | 3% |
| Steering | 1 | 3% |
Component groups as classified by NHTSA. A complaint can name more than one component, so shares may sum to more than 100%.
Complaints by incident year
What owners report
“My complaint doesn't have this problem but it was required. My complaint is with new cars new cars coming out now where their headlights are there low beams are unbelievably bright and I cannot believe if you've ever driven at night you don't see the same problem it's blinding it's ridiculous. I mean honestly let's do…”
Exterior Lighting · filed Apr 10, 2020
“Engine races to 3000-4000 rpm suddenly, while driving or idling. When ignition is switched off and then back on, engine returns to normal idle. This occurs several times a day. This has been going on since about 1992. *tr”
Engine and Engine Cooling · filed Feb 4, 2010
“Head light system. The headlights on several ford cars leak and allow water to enter resulting in dim lights that are unsafe. I have had to replace these on several cars. 1987 mustang, 1988 thunderbird and 1993 crown victoria. *nm”
Exterior Lighting · filed Apr 3, 2004
Verbatim excerpts from complaints filed with NHTSA. Reports are not independently verified.
Federal defect investigations
- CRUISE CONTROL MALFUNCTION
Preliminary Evaluation PE93011 · opened Mar 3, 1993 · closed Jul 19, 1993
- HOOD LATCH FAILURES
Preliminary Evaluation PE91137 · opened Oct 9, 1991 · closed Feb 27, 1992
- HEADLAMP ASSEMBLY FAILURE
Preliminary Evaluation PE91078 · opened May 28, 1991 · closed Sep 23, 1991
- FR SEAT FLOOR MOUNT FAILS
Preliminary Evaluation PE90052 · opened Mar 7, 1990 · closed Jun 20, 1990
- SPEED CNTRL MALFUNCTION
Engineering Analysis EA89037 · opened Sep 6, 1989 · closed Nov 30, 1990
- SPEED CONTROL MALFUNCTION
Preliminary Evaluation PE89118 · opened Apr 19, 1989 · closed Sep 6, 1989
Technical service bulletins
23 manufacturer communications (TSBs, service campaigns, warranty extensions) are on file with NHTSA for the 1987 Ford Mustang. The 10 most recent:
Information regarding transmission fluid usage charts. *slc
01157 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Aug 6, 2001
Some vehicles may exhibit heater core leaks. *slc
01156 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Aug 6, 2001
Subject regarding contamination from prior transmission concerns or excess wear may be trapped in the transmission fluid cooling system. *tt
002310 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Nov 13, 2000
Information regarding the new transmission cooler flusher- service tip. *mjs
0015 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Jan 10, 2000
Subject on a wire harness terminal repair kit available for repairing electrical wiring harnesses. *tt
99222 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Oct 18, 1999
Information on identifying non-approved / alternate refrigerants which could cause safety, and performance concerns if installed in ford a/c systems. *tt
99196 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Sep 20, 1999
Information on the new flush and fill tool available through rotunda. *tt
99152 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Jul 26, 1999
Information on a new transmission fluid usage chart. *yc
9888 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Apr 27, 1998
A new silicone gasket and sealant. *yc
9874 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Apr 13, 1998
Information on tire company telephone numbers for customer assistance. *yc
9852 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Apr 13, 1998
TSBs are repair guidance manufacturers send to dealers — they are not recalls and repairs are not automatically free. Full documents are available on NHTSA’s site.
Safety recalls
No NHTSA recall campaigns name the 1987 Ford Mustang in our current data. Recalls may apply only to certain VIN ranges — always confirm with a VIN check.
Check whether your specific vehicle is affected
Recall campaigns often cover only certain VIN ranges. Enter your VIN on the official NHTSA site to confirm whether your vehicle is included and whether the repair is still open.
Check VIN on NHTSA →Buying a used 1987 Ford Mustang?
- · Decode the seller’s VIN with our free VIN decoder to confirm the exact year, engine and trim.
- · Check for unrepaired recalls by VIN on NHTSA’s official lookup — recall repairs are free.