1987 Toyota Camry problems & reliability
58 owner complaints filed with NHTSA for the 1987 Toyota Camry. 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 Toyota Camry vehicles were involved in 1 fatal crash with 1 occupant death. 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Seat Belts → | 20 | 34% |
| Fuel System, Gasoline → | 11 | 19% |
| Electrical System | 6 | 10% |
| Engine and Engine Cooling | 6 | 10% |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic | 4 | 7% |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 4 | 7% |
| Structure | 3 | 5% |
| Latches/locks/linkages | 2 | 3% |
| Power Train | 2 | 3% |
| Steering | 2 | 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
“Tl* the contact owns a 1987 toyota camry. Upon starting the vehicle engine, the vehicle abnormally accelerated without driver intent. She was unable to stop the vehicle and proceeded to crash into a nearby building. She sustained major injuries, including a broken right leg, right shoulder and sternum. The vehicle was…”
Vehicle Speed Control · filed Mar 9, 2010
“Dt: contact states that the rust on the vehicle is causing gas fumes to come into the cab of vehicle. The rust is in the rear wheel wells. He believes the rust weakens the structure. Dealer would offer no help at their expense. Manufacturer offered the contact $500.00 off of a new vehicle. *ak”
Structure · filed Oct 12, 2005
“My car keeps stalling out. I can smell gas most of the time. We cannot locate a leak - have changed the fuel filter, distributor cap & oxygen sensor but when it rains or is humid the cars stalls until it gets warm (after running for about 30 minutes). This happens when you press the gas pedal even slightly. No one can…”
Engine and Engine Cooling · filed Apr 8, 2003
Verbatim excerpts from complaints filed with NHTSA. Reports are not independently verified.
Federal defect investigations
- LEAKING FUEL TANK
Engineering Analysis EA97008 · opened Apr 23, 1997 · closed Apr 22, 1998
- UNDER DASH FIRES
Engineering Analysis EA93010 · opened Apr 26, 1993 · closed Sep 29, 1993 · led to recall 93V147000
- THROTTLE STICKING
Engineering Analysis EA92044 · opened Dec 18, 1992 · closed Jan 31, 1994
- THROTTLE STICKING
Preliminary Evaluation PE92065 · opened Jul 16, 1992 · closed Dec 18, 1992
- STUCK POWER DOOR LOCKS
Engineering Analysis EA92013 · opened May 8, 1992 · closed May 12, 1993 · led to recall 92V135000
- AUTOMATIC DOOR LOCK MALFUNCTION
Defect Petition DP92001 · opened Jan 6, 1992 · closed May 8, 1992
- PASSIVE SAFETY BELT FAILS
Engineering Analysis EA90028 · opened May 29, 1990 · closed Feb 28, 1992 · led to recall 92V025000
- PASSIVE SAFETY BELT WARNIN
Preliminary Evaluation PE90027 · opened Dec 15, 1989 · closed May 29, 1990
Technical service bulletins
17 manufacturer communications (TSBs, service campaigns, warranty extensions) are on file with NHTSA for the 1987 Toyota Camry. The 10 most recent:
TSB: Replacement certification labels (the vinyl label installed on the driver door or door post) and VIN plates (the metal plate riveted to dashboard) (see Figure 1) for most 1979 ? 2023 model year vehicles may be…
TSB003220 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Aug 17, 2023
POL: This consolidated Tire Warranty Guide contains the complete warranty terms for all brands of ground and spare tires currently in use by Toyota. This information must be kept near the point of vehicle sale and be…
Toyota PRO19-02 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Jan 12, 2022
TSB: Replacement certification labels (the vinyl label installed on the driver door or door post) and VIN plates (the metal plate riveted to dashboard) (see Figure 1) for most 1979 ? 2021 model year vehicles may be…
T-SB-0032-20 Rev · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Feb 3, 2021
TSB: OBSOLETE NOTICE April 07, 2020: This bulletin is now obsolete. Please see T-SB-0032-20. Replacement Certification Labels and VIN Plates
T-SB-0304-17 Obs · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Apr 7, 2020
TSB: SUPERSESSION NOTICE The information contained in this bulletin supersedes Service Bulletin Nos. PG021-88, PG015-89, PG0015-90, PG002-91, PG002-93, PG005-97, PG007-01, PG007-07, PG006-01, PG004-97, T-SB-0144-08, and…
T-SB-0032-20 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Apr 6, 2020
Technical Service Bulletin: OBSOLETE NOTICE: July 31, 2018: This bulletin is now obsolete. Please see T-SB-0304-17.
PG006-01-Obsolet · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Aug 31, 2018
Technical Service Bulletin: OBSOLETE NOTICE: July 31, 2018: This bulletin is now obsolete. Please see T-SB-0304-17.
PG004-97-Obsolet · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Aug 31, 2018
TSB: REVISION NOTICE July 31, 2018 Rev2: ? The Supersession Notice has been updated. January 11, 2018 Rev1: ? The Supersession Notice has been updated. Any previous printed versions of this bulletin should be discarded…
T-SB-0304-17_Rev · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Jul 31, 2018
TSB: SUPERSESSION NOTICE The information contained in this bulletin supersedes Service Bulletin Nos. PG021-88, PG015-89, PG0015-90, PG002-91, PG002-93, PG005-97, PG007-01, PG007-07, and T-SB-0144-08. Service Bulletin…
T-SB-0304-17_Rev · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Jan 11, 2018
TSB: Vehicle replacement certification labels (the vinyl label installed on the driver door or door post) and VIN plates (the metal plate riveted to dashboard) may be available from Toyota, provided the request meets…
T-SB-0304-17 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Oct 27, 2017
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 Toyota Camry 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 Toyota Camry?
- · 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.