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1987 Buick Regal

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

The 1987 Buick Regal represents a traditional American mid-size coupe of its era, though specific powertrain and platform details for this model year are not comprehensively documented in available records. With maintenance requiring 4 quarts of 5W-30 API-grade oil, this generation reflects straightforward service specifications characteristic of the period. The 27 owner complaints logged for the 1987 model, alongside three recall campaigns, establish its documented reliability record—complaints which notably predate the broader comparative dataset spanning 1990–2020, where complaint volumes ranged from a peak of 325 in 1998 to a low of just 1 in 2008, suggesting the 1987's issue profile stands as a relatively modest baseline within the Regal's longitudinal reliability history.

Model year2018 2017 2016 2015 2014 2013 2012 2011 1987

Quick specs

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

Engine oil capacity4 qtOEM · verified

Engine oil type5W-30 APIOEM · verified

Fitment & sizes

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

From the factory this vehicle uses OE oil filter 12731179. Note the factory fuel filter is now discontinued — plan on a superseded or quality aftermarket equivalent, which the part pages below list where known.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 filter	12731179 alt 12731175
Engine air filter	06484235 alt 08994941
Fuel filter	5651803 discontinued · alt 25171792
Spark plug	19366108 alt 19354427
Front wiper blades	15184702
Serpentine belt	22524186 alt 09433764
Thermostat	10207373 alt 12337860

Full specifications

Engine, drivetrain, dimensions and economy.

Dimensions & weight NHTSA vPIC

Overall length	200.4 in
Overall width	70.5 in
Overall height	54.7 in
Wheelbase	108.3 in
Curb weight	3208 lb
Weight distribution (front / rear)	56/44

Performance & power Independent road tests

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

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

5.4–6.1 sec0–60 mph (tested)quickest 5.40 sec — 1987 Grand National Coupe

Year	Trim / engine	0–60	¼ mile	HP	Drivetrain
1987	Grand National Coupe 3.8L Turbo V6	5.40 sec	14.20 sec	245 hp	RWD
1987	Grand National Coupe 3.8L Turbo V6	6.00 sec	14.70 sec	245 hp	RWD
1987	Grand National Coupe 3.8L Turbo V6	6.10 sec	14.70 sec	245 hp	RWD
1986	Grand National Coupe 3.8L Turbo V6	4.90 sec	13.90 sec	235 hp	RWD
1986	T-Type Coupe 3.8L Turbo V6	5.85 sec	14.30 sec	235 hp	RWD
1988	Custom Coupe (Grand Touring Pkg) 2.8L V6	11.20 sec	18.20 sec	125 hp	FWD
1985	Grand National Coupe 3.8L Turbo V6	7.50 sec	15.70 sec	200 hp	RWD
1984	T-Type Coupe 3.8L Turbo V6	8.00 sec	16.00 sec	200 hp	RWD

Service quick specs OEM factory data

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

This engine holds 4 qt of 5W-30 API engine oil, DOT 3 brake fluid.

Lubricants & capacities

Brake Fluid	DOT 3
Engine Coolant	ETHYLENE GLYCOL
Engine Oil	5W-30 · API
Engine Oil Capacity	4 qt
Engine Oil	10W-30 · API
Engine Oil Capacity	4.0 qt
Power Steering Fluid	USE 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.

At 7,500 mi	Carburetor Mounting Fasteners (inspect) · Choke System (inspect) · Drive Axle Assembly (drain & refill) · Engine Oil Filter (replace) · Throttle Body (torque) · Tire & Wheel Assembly (rotate)
Every 7,500 mi	Body Latches, Locks & Hinges (inspect) · Brake System (inspect) · Differential (inspect fluid level) · Engine Oil (drain & refill) · Exhaust System (Complete) (inspect) · Parking Brake Cable (lubricate)
Every 15,000 mi	Engine Oil Filter (replace) · Tire & Wheel Assembly (rotate)
Every 30,000 mi	Accessory Drive Belt (inspect) · Choke System (inspect) · Distributor Cap (inspect) · Distributor Vacuum Advance (inspect) · EGR System (inspect) · Engine Air Filter Element (replace)
Every 100,000 mi	Transmission 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 federal record provided for the Buick Regal begins with the 1990 model year, three years after the 1987 target, so no direct year-over-year comparison for 1987 is possible within this dataset. The 1990 entry shows 103 complaints, 9 recalls, 11 investigations, and 10 TSBs, initiating a trend where complaints and TSBs generally rise through the 1990s and 2000s, peaking at 448 TSBs in 2005 and 1,884 TSBs in 2013. For 1987 specifically, the data reports 16 complaints for hydraulic service brakes, 4 for seat belts, and single reports for service brakes and wheels, along with 3 crash complaints and zero fire complaints. Because the 1987 model year falls entirely before the documented federal tracking arc, its complaint and recall volumes cannot be quantified relative to later years, and the data does not specify root causes for the brake or seat belt issues. Consequently, this dataset alone cannot establish whether 1987 is a relatively good or bad year; buyers should treat the hydraulic brake and seat belt complaint areas as inspection priorities and seek additional model-year-specific reliability sources.

Open recalls

NHTSA campaigns

Service bulletins

Manufacturer communications

ODI investigations

Office of Defects Investigation

Owner complaints

3 involved a crash · 0 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

’90 ’91 ’92 ’93 ’94 ’95 ’96 ’97 ’98 ’99 ’00 ’01 ’02 ’03 ’04 ’05 ’08 ’09 ’10 ’11 ’12 ’13 ’14 ’15 ’16 ’17 ’18 ’19 ’20

Owner complaints filed with NHTSA, by component

All 27 complaints on record, top 8 components.

Service Brakes, Hydraulic16

Seat Belts4

Service Brakes1

Wheels1

Vehicle Speed Control1

Engine & Engine Cooling,Unknown Or Other1

Engine & Engine Cooling1

Suspension1

Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint database.

Recalls NHTSA · verified

Showing 2 of 3 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…

89V102000Vehicle Speed ControlReported 16/06/1989

A SMALL NYLON BUSHING IN THE CRUISE CONTROL SERVO BAIL MAY SLIP OUT OF PLACE, CAUSING INTERMITTENT AND UNEXPECTED INCREASES IN ENGINE SPEED OR DIESELING (ENGINE RUN ON WITH IGNITION OFF). Remedy: INSTALL A NEW BUSHING IN CRUISE CONTROL SERVO BAIL.

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 Regal. 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.

Vehicles taking 4 qt Engine oil filter 12731179 Engine air filter 06484235 Fuel filter 5651803 Spark plug 19366108

Reference guides

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

Vehicle recalls & TSBs OBD-II trouble codes Maintenance schedules Fluid capacities & specs

Frequently asked

How much oil does the 1987 Regal take?

4 qt of 5W-30 API, per the factory manual.

Does the 1987 Regal have open recalls?

NHTSA lists 3 recall campaign(s) for this model year. Check your specific vehicle by VIN.