Nissan300ZX1987Overview/nissan/300zx/1987/base/

1987 Nissan 300ZX

Factory specifications, fluid capacities, torque values, EPA fuel economy and the federal safety record for the 1987 300ZX.

Transmission Automatic 4-spd

The 1987 Nissan 300ZX is the model-year entry covered here with a 3.9-quart engine oil capacity using 20W-40, 20W-50, or 5W-30 viscosity, an automatic 4-speed transmission, and EPA fuel-economy ratings of 15 city, 22 highway, and 18 combined mpg. Its reliability record shows 30 owner complaints and two recalls, with the Fuel System, Gasoline category ranking as the top complaint area. Because the model's complaint history is formally tracked only from 1990 through 1996—peaking at 20 complaints in 1990 and bottoming at 2 in 1996—the 1987 model falls outside that documented range, so its 30 complaints and two recalls should be assessed on their own rather than against the later-year trend.

Model year199619951994199319881987198619851984

Quick specs

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

Engine oil capacity3.9 qtOEM · verified
Engine oil type20W-40 / 20W-50 / 5W-30OEM · verified
EPA fuel economy15/22/18 mpgEPA · verified

Full specifications

Engine, drivetrain, dimensions and economy.

Engine & drivetrain NHTSA vPIC

TransmissionAutomatic 4-spd

Ratings & economy EPA / vPIC

EPA city / highway / combined15 / 22 / 18 mpg
DrivetrainRear-Wheel Drive
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 300ZX of this era, listed by trim and engine — this page spans more than one engine, so no single horsepower figure is shown.

6.8–9.2 sec0–60 mph (tested)quickest 6.80 sec — 1986 Turbo Coupe
YearTrim / engine0–60¼ mileHPDrivetrain
1986Turbo Coupe 3.0L Turbo V66.80 sec15.20 sec200 hpRWD
1986Turbo Coupe 3.0L Turbo V68.90 sec16.20 sec200 hpRWD
19852+2 Coupe 3.0L V69.20 sec16.80 sec160 hpRWD
1989Turbo Coupe 3.0L Turbo V67.43 sec15.57 sec222 hpRWD
1984Turbo Coupe 3.0L Turbo V67.30 sec15.40 sec200 hpRWD
1984Turbo Coupe 3.0L Turbo V68.40 sec15.50 sec200 hpRWD

Service quick specs OEM factory data

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

This engine holds 3.9 qt of 20W-40 / 20W-50 / 5W-30 engine oil, GL-5 · 80W-90 in the differential, DOT 3 brake fluid.

Lubricants & capacities

Brake FluidDOT 3
Differential Gear OilGL-5 · 80W-90
Differential Gear Oil Capacity2.8 Pints
Engine Oil20W-40 · 20W-50 · 5W-30 · 10W-30 · 10W-40
Engine Oil Capacity3.9 qt
Power Steering FluidATF

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; spark plugs every 60,000 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.

At 7,500 miEngine Oil Filter (replace)
Every 7,500 miEngine Oil (drain & refill) · Tire & Wheel Assembly (rotate)
Every 15,000 miBody Latches, Locks & Hinges (inspect) · Brake System (inspect) · Differential (inspect fluid level) · Engine Oil Filter (replace) · Exhaust System (Complete) (inspect) · Power Steering System (inspect)
Every 30,000 miAccessory Drive Belt (inspect) · Brake Hydraulic System (drain, refill & bleed) · Engine Air Filter Element (replace) · Engine Coolant System (drain, flush & refill) · Fuel Evaporative Emission Control System Lines (inspect) · Fuel Line (inspect)
Every 60,000 miSpark Plugs (replace) · Steering System (inspect) · Suspension Ball Joint (inspect) · Suspension System (inspect) · Timing Belt (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 shows a clear decline in complaints from 20 in 1990 to single‑digit levels by 19941996, with no recalls recorded in any of those years. In contrast, the 1987 model year logged 20 fire‑related complaints and 19 fuel‑system complaints, indicating a concentration of issues in those areas. The data do not specify the root cause of the fire or fuel‑system problems, so any underlying defect remains unspecified. Compared with the later model years, the 1987 year exhibits a markedly higher incidence of fire and fuel‑system complaints, placing it at the unfavorable end of the complaint trend. Therefore, based on the available federal data, the 1987 Nissan 300ZX is less attractive from a reliability standpoint than the subsequent 1990‑1996 models.

2
Open recalls
NHTSA campaigns
4
Service bulletins
Manufacturer communications
4
ODI investigations
Office of Defects Investigation
30
Owner complaints
1 involved a crash · 20 a fire
Owner complaints by model year NHTSA · this generation & adjacent

Owner complaints filed with NHTSA, by component

All 30 complaints on record, top 6 components.

Fuel System, Gasoline19
Electrical System6
Seat Belts2
Service Brakes, Hydraulic1
Power Train1
Engine & Engine Cooling1

Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint database.

Recalls NHTSA · verified

Showing 2 of 2 campaigns on record for this vehicle.

95I006000Fuel System, Gasoline:Fuel Injection SystemReported 01/11/1995

THIS IS NOT A SAFETY RECALL CAMPAIGN IN ACCORDANCE WITH FEDERAL REGULATION 573. HOWEVER, IT IS DEEMED A SAFETY IMPROVEMENT CAMPAIGN BY THE AGENCY. THE CAMPAIGN WILL REPLACE THE FUEL INJECTORS AND RELATED HOSES OF… Remedy: NISSAN DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE FUEL INJECTORS AND RELATED HOSES ON THE AFFECTED VEHICLES.

87V098000Power Train:Automatic Transmission:Lever And Linkage:Floor ShiftReported 06/07/1987

UNINTENDED ACCELERATION MAY OCCUR, FOR EXAMPLE, WHEN SHIFTING FROM THE PARK POSITION. Remedy: INSTALL A SHIFT INTERLOCK SYSTEM WHICH PREVENTS THE TRANSMISSION SHIFT LEVER FROM BEING MOVED FROM THE PARK POSITION UNLESS THE BRAKE PEDAL IS DEPRESSED.

Technical service bulletins NHTSA · verified

Showing 4 of 4 bulletins on record with NHTSA.

BulletinDateComponentSummary
NTB-09-1012010-09-30TiresNISSAN: TIRE PRESSURE MONITORING SYSTEM (TPMS) WARNING LIGHT ON/FLASHING. NO MODELS OR…
NTB-09-1292010-09-13EquipmentNISSAN: VENT CONTROL VALVE REPLACEMENT. WHEN REPLACING THE EVAP CANISTER VENT CONTROL…
NTB-09-0302009-04-06Electrical SystemNISSAN: THE 12 VOLT BATTERY IS AN IMPORTANT PART OF THE VEHICLE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM AND IS…
NTB970111997-01-29Power TrainTRANSMISSIONS DETENT HOLES ELIMINATED FROM ADAPTER PLATE. *JD

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 300ZX. 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 300ZX take?

3.9 qt of ABOVE 50 degrees F: 20W-40 OR 20W-50, BELOW 60 degrees F: 5W-30 OR 10W-30, ABOVE 0 degrees F: 10W-30 OR 10W-40, per the factory manual.

Does the 1987 300ZX have open recalls?

NHTSA lists 2 recall campaign(s) for this model year. Check your specific vehicle by VIN.

What gas mileage does the 300ZX get?

EPA figures are 15 city / 22 highway / 18 combined mpg.