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1987 Chevrolet V10 Suburban — V10

Factory specifications, fluid capacities, torque values, EPA fuel economy and the federal safety record for the 1987 V10 Suburban V10.

Engine V10

The 1987 Chevrolet V10 Suburban carries a V10 engine and calls for six quarts of 10W-30 or 5W-30 viscosity oil during routine service. In the reliability record, this model year presents a remarkably clean profile: zero recalls were issued, and only one owner complaint was logged, specifically within the engine and engine cooling category. That minimal documentation suggests a generally stable ownership experience for the era, with the solitary cooling-related report standing as the lone documented mechanical concern.

Model year1988 1987

Quick specs

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

Engine oil capacity6 qtOEM · verified

Engine oil type10W-30 / 5W-30OEM · verified

Service quick specs OEM factory data

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

This engine holds 6 qt of 10W-30 / 5W-30 engine oil, 80W-90 · GL-5 in the differential, DOT 3 brake fluid.

Lubricants & capacities

Brake Fluid	DOT 3
Differential Gear Oil	80W-90 · GL-5
Differential Gear Oil Capacity	14.0 qt
Differential Gear Oil	80W-90 · GL-5
Differential Gear Oil Capacity	27.0 qt
Engine Oil	10W-30 · 5W-30
Engine Oil Capacity	6 qt
Engine Oil	15W-40 · API

Factory maintenance schedule OEM · verified

Normal service, condensed from the factory interval matrix.

Under the factory schedule, replace the engine oil and filter every 5,000 mi; spark plugs every 60,000 mi.

At 5,000 mi	Drive Axle Assembly (drain & refill) · Universal Vehicle Operation (inspect idle speed)
Every 5,000 mi	Accessory Drive Belt (inspect) · Body Latches, Locks & Hinges (inspect) · Brake System (inspect) · Differential (inspect fluid level) · Engine Oil (drain & refill) · Engine Oil Filter (replace)
At 7,500 mi	Early Fuel Evaporation System (inspect) · Engine Oil Filter (replace) · Tire & Wheel Assembly (rotate)
Every 7,500 mi	Brake Line (inspect) · Brake Linings (inspect) · Engine Coolant System (leak inspection) · Exhaust System (Complete) (inspect) · Parking Brake Cable (lubricate) · Power Steering Line (inspect)
Every 10,000 mi	Air Intake System (inspect) · Radiator Fan Assembly (inspect) · Underbody Splash Shield (inspect)
Every 15,000 mi	CV Joint Boot (inspect) · Driveshaft U-Joint (lubricate) · Engine Oil Filter (replace) · Tire & Wheel Assembly (rotate)
Every 30,000 mi	Clutch Cross Shaft (lubricate) · Clutch Release Lever Pivot Points (lubricate) · EGR System (inspect) · Engine Air Filter Element (replace) · Engine Breather Filter (replace) · Fuel Evaporative Emission Control System (inspect)
Every 60,000 mi	Crankcase Depression Regulator Valve (inspect) · Exhaust Pressure Regulator (inspect) · PCV System (inspect) · Spark Plug Wires (inspect)

Reliability & federal safety record

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

Owner complaints about the 1987 Chevrolet V10 Suburban dominate in one area — the engine & engine cooling, 1 of 1 reports (100%), well ahead of the next concern. NHTSA has issued no recalls for this vehicle, so these are owner-reported concerns only. 0 of the reports describe a crash and 0 a fire — a small share of the total, but worth weighing against the engine & engine cooling pattern above. These are tallies of what owners actually reported to the federal government, not an editorial score — and higher-selling models naturally rack up more reports.

Open recalls

NHTSA campaigns

Service bulletins

Manufacturer communications

ODI investigations

Office of Defects Investigation

Owner complaints

0 involved a crash · 0 a fire

Owner complaints filed with NHTSA, by component

All 1 complaints on record, top 1 components.

Engine & Engine Cooling1

Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint database.

Recalls NHTSA · verified

No recall campaigns on record with NHTSA for this vehicle as of the last data refresh.

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 V10 Suburban. 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 6 qt

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 V10 Suburban V10 take?

6 qt of ABOVE 40 degrees F: 30, ABOVE 0 degrees F: 10W-30, BELOW 60 degrees F: 5W-30, per the factory manual.

Does the 1987 V10 Suburban have open recalls?

NHTSA lists 0 recall campaign(s) for this model year. Check your specific vehicle by VIN.