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1987 Ford EXP

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

Transmission Automatic 3-spd

The 1987 Ford EXP is a compact model equipped with a three‑speed automatic transmission that delivers 23 mpg in the city, 29 mpg on the highway and a combined 25 mpg, reflecting its modest efficiency for the era. Its powertrain is noted for a very low incidence of owner trouble, with only two complaints recorded and the most frequent issue confined to engine and cooling components, while no factory recalls were issued for the year. This sparse complaint record places the 1987 EXP among the more reliable points in the model’s history, suggesting that owners of this vintage can generally expect dependable operation with minimal systemic concerns.

Model year198719861985

Quick specs

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

EPA fuel economy23/29/25 mpgEPA · verified

Fitment & sizes

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

OE service part numbers OEM · verified

ThermostatRT1106

Full specifications

Engine, drivetrain, dimensions and economy.

Engine & drivetrain NHTSA vPIC

TransmissionAutomatic 3-spd

Dimensions & weight NHTSA vPIC

Overall length168.5 in
Overall width65.7 in
Overall height53.5 in
Wheelbase94.1 in
Curb weight2291 lb
Weight distribution (front / rear)62/38

Ratings & economy EPA / vPIC

EPA city / highway / combined23 / 29 / 25 mpg
DrivetrainFront-Wheel Drive
Recommended fuelRegular Gasoline

Service quick specs OEM factory data

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

This engine DOT 3 brake fluid.

Lubricants & capacities

Brake FluidDOT 3

Factory maintenance schedule OEM · verified

Normal service, condensed from the factory interval matrix.

Under the factory schedule, replace the engine oil and filter every 7,500 mi; spark plugs every 30,000 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.

Every 7,500 miEngine Oil (drain & refill) · Engine Oil Filter (replace)
Every 30,000 miAccessory Drive Belt (inspect) · Engine Air Filter Element (replace) · Engine Breather Filter (replace) · Engine Coolant System (drain, flush & refill) · Exhaust System Heat Shield (inspect) · Spark Plugs (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.

Owner complaints about the 1987 Ford EXP dominate in one area — the engine & engine cooling, 1 of 2 reports (50%), 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.

0
Open recalls
NHTSA campaigns
9
Service bulletins
Manufacturer communications
1
ODI investigations
Office of Defects Investigation
2
Owner complaints
0 involved a crash · 0 a fire

Owner complaints filed with NHTSA, by component

All 2 complaints on record, top 2 components.

Engine & Engine Cooling1
Electrical System1

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.

Technical service bulletins NHTSA · verified

Showing 5 of 9 bulletins on record with NHTSA.

BulletinDateComponentSummary
011572001-08-06Unknown Or OtherINFORMATION REGARDING TRANSMISSION FLUID USAGE CHARTS. *SLC
991961999-09-20EquipmentINFORMATION ON IDENTIFYING NON-APPROVED / ALTERNATE REFRIGERANTS WHICH COULD CAUSE…
982461998-12-07Electrical SystemFORD MOTOR COMPANY HAS RELEASED A NEW ELECTRICAL GREASE ( F8AZ - 19G208-AA ) TO REDUCE…
98881998-04-27Power TrainINFORMATION ON A NEW TRANSMISSION FLUID USAGE CHART. *YC
98521998-04-13TiresINFORMATION ON TIRE COMPANY TELEPHONE NUMBERS FOR CUSTOMER ASSISTANCE. *YC

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 EXP. 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.

Thermostat RT1106

Reference guides

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

Vehicle recalls & TSBsOBD-II trouble codesMaintenance schedulesFluid capacities & specs

Frequently asked

Does the 1987 EXP have open recalls?

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

What gas mileage does the EXP get?

EPA figures are 23 city / 29 highway / 25 combined mpg.