BuickLeSabre1987Overview/buick/lesabre/1987/base/

1987 Buick LeSabre

Factory specifications, fluid capacities, torque values, EPA fuel economy and the federal safety record for the 1987 LeSabre.

Transmission Automatic 4-spd

The 1987 Buick LeSabre pairs a 4.0-quart oiling system spec'd for 10W-30 API with a four-speed automatic transmission, returning EPA ratings of 16 city, 25 highway, and 19 combined mpg. Owner-reported data shows 60 total complaints for this model year, with steering emerging as the leading concern amid five recalls. While the broader LeSabre lineage tracked from 1990 through 2006 peaks at 698 complaints in 2000 and bottoms out at just three in 2006, the 1987's modest 60-complaint tally positions it well below the range's worst years, suggesting a comparatively trouble-free entry in the model's history.

Model year200520042003200220012000199919981987

Quick specs

Fluid capacities, tune-up values and fuel economy at a glance.

Engine oil capacity4.0 qtOEM · verified
Engine oil type10W-30 APIOEM · verified
EPA fuel economy16/25/19 mpgEPA · verified

Fitment & sizes

Replacement part sizes and factory part numbers — battery, bulbs, filters and belts.

From the factory this vehicle uses OE oil filter 12731175. Note the factory fuel filter is now discontinued — plan on a superseded or quality aftermarket equivalent, which the part pages below list where known. Each part links to every other vehicle that shares it, so a part you already stock may fit more of your fleet than you'd expect.

OE service part numbers OEM · verified

Engine oil filter12731175 alt 12731179
Engine air filter06484235 alt 24577608
Fuel filter25171792 discontinued · alt 5651803
Spark plug19300749 alt 19366108
Front wiper blades22155381
Serpentine belt25512309 alt 09433764
Thermostat24506986 alt 10207373

Full specifications

Engine, drivetrain, dimensions and economy.

Engine & drivetrain NHTSA vPIC

TransmissionAutomatic 4-spd

Dimensions & weight NHTSA vPIC

Overall length196.1 in
Overall width72 in
Overall height54.7 in
Wheelbase111 in
Curb weight3197 lb
Weight distribution (front / rear)63/37

Ratings & economy EPA / vPIC

EPA city / highway / combined16 / 25 / 19 mpg
DrivetrainFront-Wheel Drive
Passenger volume107 cu ft
Cargo volume16 cu ft
Recommended fuelRegular Gasoline

Performance & power Independent road tests

0–60 mph, quarter-mile, horsepower and torque from independent road tests.

Independent road tests for the LeSabre of this era, listed by trim and engine — this page spans more than one engine, so no single horsepower figure is shown.

9.8 sec0–60 mph (tested)quickest 9.80 sec — 1987 T-Type Coupe
YearTrim / engine0–60¼ mileHPDrivetrain
1987T-Type Coupe 3.8L V69.80 sec17.20 sec150 hpFWD
1986Custom Coupe 3.8L V610.30 sec17.74 sec150 hpFWD

Service quick specs OEM factory data

Capacities, torques and tune-up values from the factory service manual.

This engine holds 4.0 qt of 10W-30 API engine oil, DOT 3 brake fluid.

Lubricants & capacities

Brake FluidDOT 3
Engine CoolantETHYLENE GLYCOL
Engine Oil10W-30 · API
Engine Oil Capacity4.0 qt
Power Steering FluidUSE GM PART NO. 1050017 OR EQUIVALENT

Factory maintenance schedule OEM · verified

Normal service, condensed from the factory interval matrix.

Under the factory schedule, replace the engine oil and filter at 7,500 mi; coolant every 30,000 mi. The big-interval services (every 30,000 mi for coolant, and the transmission fluid) are the ones owners most often skip — on a lower-mileage example, assume the original fluids are still in it and check them first.

At 7,500 miEngine Oil Filter (replace) · Throttle Body (torque) · Tire & Wheel Assembly (rotate)
Every 7,500 miAxle Shaft Oil Seal (inspect) · Body Latches, Locks & Hinges (inspect) · Brake System (inspect) · CV Joint Boot (inspect) · Engine Oil (drain & refill) · Exhaust System (Complete) (inspect)
Every 15,000 miEngine Oil Filter (replace) · Tire & Wheel Assembly (rotate)
Every 30,000 miAccessory Drive Belt (inspect) · Engine Air Filter Element (replace) · Engine Coolant System (drain, flush & refill) · Fuel Line (inspect) · Fuel Tank (inspect) · Fuel Tank Filler Cap (inspect)
Every 100,000 miTransmission Fluid & Filter (replace)

Reliability & federal safety record

Owner-reported issues, recalls, investigations and service bulletins on record with NHTSA — an unfiltered look at what owners actually experience.

The 1987 Buick LeSabre shows a primary concentration of issues in steering with 18 complaints, while engine cooling and electrical systems each recorded 8. In the context of the federal record, this year precedes a significant upward trend in complaints that began in 1992 and peaked in 2000 with 698 reports. The data does not specify the root causes for the 1987 failures, but the volume is substantially lower than the later years of the generation. Positioning the 1987 model at the start of this arc implies a level of reliability not found in the high-complaint years of the late 1990s. Based on these figures, this is a good year to buy.

5
Open recalls
NHTSA campaigns
0
Service bulletins
Manufacturer communications
9
ODI investigations
Office of Defects Investigation
60
Owner complaints
4 involved a crash · 2 a fire
NHTSA crash-test rating federal NCAP · out of 5 stars
Overall★★★★★
Frontal★★★★★
Side★★★★★
Rollover★★★★
Owner complaints by model year NHTSA · this generation & adjacent

Owner complaints filed with NHTSA, by component

All 60 complaints on record, top 8 components.

Steering18
Engine & Engine Cooling8
Electrical System8
Fuel System, Gasoline5
Seat Belts5
Vehicle Speed Control3
Service Brakes, Hydraulic3
Power Train3

Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint database.

Recalls NHTSA · verified

Showing 2 of 5 campaigns on record for this vehicle.

06E043000Fuel System, GasolineReported 19/05/2006

CERTAIN REPLACEMENT FUEL FILTERS, FRAM BRAND NAME P/N G3727, WITH DATE CODES X52911 THROUGH X60801 SEQUENTIALLY OR X600141 AND A MEXICO COUNTRY OR ORIGIN MARKING ON THE FUEL FILTER HOUSING MANUFACTURED FROM OCTOBER 18… Remedy: HONEYWELL WILL NOTIFY OWNERS AND REPLACE THE FUEL FILTERS FREE OF CHARGE. THE RECALL BEGAN ON OCTOBER 18, 2006. OWNERS MAY CONTACT FRAM CUSTOMER SERVICE AT 1-800-890-2075 (OPTION…

87V093000Service Brakes, Hydraulic:Antilock/Traction Control/Electronic Limited SlipReported 23/06/1987

THE ANTI LOCK BRAKE SYSTEM (ABS) PRESSURE/WARNING SWITCH MAY EXHIBIT BRAKE FLUID SEEPAGE WHICH EVENTUALLY CAN LEAD TO LOSS OF THE BRAKE SYSTEM HYDRAULIC PUMP MOTOR. ADDITIONALLY, THE HYDRAULIC PUMP MOTOR AND ABS… Remedy: THE ABS AND HYDRAULIC PUMP MOTOR ELECTRICAL RELAYS AND 30 AMP FUSES WILL BE REPLACED. IN ADDITION, THE HYDRAULIC PUMP MOTOR ASSEMBLY AND PRESSURE/WARNING SWITCH WILL BE INSPECTED…

Common OBD-II trouble codes

The most common OBD-II codes for this vehicle's emissions system. These are standardized SAE J2012 definitions, not vehicle-specific fault reports.

P0420
Catalyst system efficiency below threshold — Bank 1
P0300
Random / multiple cylinder misfire detected
P0171
System too lean — Bank 1
P0455
Evaporative emission system leak detected — large leak
P0128
Coolant thermostat below regulating temperature
P0442
Evaporative emission system leak detected — small leak

VIN tools

Decode factory build data for a specific vehicle by VIN.

VIN
Decode a VIN to confirm the transmission and build data for a specific LeSabre. OEM
Build data
Plant, GVWR class, engine and body data for any 17-character VIN.
Recalls
Check open recall campaigns against a specific vehicle by VIN.

Vehicles with shared specs

Find every vehicle that shares this one's battery, bulbs, oil capacity, platform or parts.

Reference guides

Cross-vehicle references for the kinds of data on this page.

Frequently asked

How much oil does the 1987 LeSabre take?

4.0 qt of 10W-30 API, per the factory manual.

Does the 1987 LeSabre have open recalls?

NHTSA lists 5 recall campaign(s) for this model year. Check your specific vehicle by VIN.

What gas mileage does the LeSabre get?

EPA figures are 16 city / 25 highway / 19 combined mpg.