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1987 Ford Taurus

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

The 1987 Ford Taurus, an early model year in a nameplate that would stretch well into the following decades, carried an engine requiring 4.5 quarts of 5W-30 API oil and has since drawn 323 owner complaints alongside 9 recalls, with the electrical system emerging as the dominant trouble area. Measured against the model's documented complaint history from 1990 through 2019, that complaint count sits on the modest end — a fraction of the 1993 high of 1,822 and far removed from the 2019 low of just 11. This places the 1987 as a relatively calm early chapter in the Taurus reliability record, indicating that while early owners faced genuine electrical and recall concerns, the platform's most difficult years still lay ahead.

Model year2019 2018 2017 2016 2015 2014 2013 2012 1987

Quick specs

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

Engine oil capacity4.5 qtOEM · verified

Engine oil type5W-30 APIOEM · verified

Fitment & sizes

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

OE service part numbers OEM · verified

Thermostat

RT1054 alt RT1062

Full specifications

Engine, drivetrain, dimensions and economy.

Dimensions & weight NHTSA vPIC

Overall length	188.6 in
Overall width	70.9 in
Overall height	54.3 in
Wheelbase	105.9 in
Curb weight	2961 lb
Weight distribution (front / rear)	63/37

Performance & power Independent road tests

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

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

6.6–10.7 sec0–60 mph (tested)quickest 6.60 sec — 1991 SHO Sedan

Year	Trim / engine	0–60	¼ mile	HP	Drivetrain
1986	LX Sedan 3.0L V6	9.80 sec	17.40 sec	140 hp	FWD
1986	LX Wagon 3.0L V6	10.70 sec	17.80 sec	140 hp	FWD
1989	SHO Sedan 3.0L V6	6.70 sec	15.10 sec	220 hp	FWD
1991	SHO Sedan 3.0L V6	6.60 sec	15.20 sec	220 hp	FWD
1991	SHO Sedan 3.0L V6	7.70 sec	16.20 sec	220 hp	FWD
1992	SHO Sedan 3.0L V6	6.80 sec	15.20 sec	220 hp	FWD
1993	SHO Sedan 3.2L V6	7.50 sec	15.40 sec	220 hp	FWD
1995	SHO Sedan 3.2L V6	7.70 sec	15.80 sec	220 hp	FWD

Service quick specs OEM factory data

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

This engine holds 4.5 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	4.5 qt
Engine Oil	5W-30 · API
Engine Oil Capacity	5.0 qt

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 mi	Engine Oil (drain & refill) · Engine Oil Filter (replace)
Every 30,000 mi	Accessory 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.

The 1987 Ford Taurus, as the first model year of the first generation, shows a federal record dominated by electrical system complaints (75) and a notably high count of fire-related complaints (52) relative to crash complaints (17). While the year-by-year record begins in 1990—after the 1987 model—the overall trend across the generation shows complaints rising sharply from 522 in 1990 to 833 in 1991, then peaking at 1,822 in 1993 before fluctuating. This suggests that early first-generation models like the 1987 may have been subject to the same underlying issues that escalated in subsequent years, though the data does not specify root causes. The 1987’s fire and electrical complaint counts are particularly concerning when compared to later years, where such figures are not isolated. Given the absence of direct 1987 recall data and the presence of 52 fire complaints, this is not a recommended year to buy without thorough inspection, especially of the electrical and engine systems.

Open recalls

NHTSA campaigns

Service bulletins

Manufacturer communications

ODI investigations

Office of Defects Investigation

323

Owner complaints

17 involved a crash · 52 a fire

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 ’06 ’07 ’08 ’09 ’10 ’11 ’12 ’13 ’14 ’15 ’16 ’17 ’18 ’19

Owner complaints filed with NHTSA, by component

All 323 complaints on record, top 8 components.

Electrical System75

Engine & Engine Cooling31

Structure29

Power Train21

Seat Belts20

Steering20

Service Brakes, Hydraulic18

Fuel System, Gasoline17

Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint database.

Recalls NHTSA · verified

Showing 2 of 9 campaigns on record for this vehicle.

94E036000Suspension:Front:Shock AbsorberReported 25/11/1994

THE ARC WELDS ON THE SWAY BAR BRACKET, WHERE IT ATTACHES TO THE STRUT RESERVE TUBE, DID NOT FUSE PROPERLY. Remedy: MONROE DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE STRUT FREE OF CHARGE.

92V065000WheelsReported 11/05/1992

CHILDREN CAN ACCIDENTALLY LOCK THEMSELVES IN THE FOOTWELL AREA OF THE REAR-FACING THIRD SEAT, OR IN THE STORAGE COMPARTMENT IN STATION WAGONS NOT EQUIPPED WITH AN OPTIONAL THIRD SEAT. ONCE THE COMPARTMENT IS CLOSED IT… Remedy: REPLACE THE SELF-LATCHING ASSEMBLY CURRENTLY USED IN THE REAR STORAGE COMPARTMENT WITH A LATCH ASSEMBLY THAT CAN ONLY BE CLOSED WITH A KEY.

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 Taurus. 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 4.5 qt Thermostat RT1054

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 Taurus take?

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

Does the 1987 Taurus have open recalls?

NHTSA lists 9 recall campaign(s) for this model year. Check your specific vehicle by VIN.