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1987 Pontiac Bonneville

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

Transmission Automatic 4-spd

The 1987 Pontiac Bonneville is a full-size sedan equipped with a 4-speed automatic transmission, delivering EPA-estimated fuel economy of 16 city, 25 highway, and 19 combined mpg, placing it among the thirstier vehicles of its era. With 29 total owner complaints and 4 recalls on record, this particular model year demonstrates notably better owner satisfaction than the complaint trends that would emerge later in the Bonneville's production run, where the 1990–2005 comparison window shows complaints peaking at 299 in 1998 before reaching their lowest point of 27 in 2005. The 1987 model's relatively low complaint count and the prominence of steering as the top concern area suggest it represents a comparatively trouble-free example within the Bonneville lineage, particularly when contrasted against the reliability issues that would intensify through the mid-to-late 1990s.

Model year2005 2004 2003 2002 2001 2000 1999 1998 1987

Quick specs

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

EPA fuel economy16/25/19 mpgEPA · verified

Fitment & sizes

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

From the factory this vehicle uses OE oil filter 12731175. Note the factory fuel filter is now discontinued — plan on a superseded or quality aftermarket equivalent, which the part pages below list where known.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	12731175
Engine air filter	24577608
Fuel filter	25171792 discontinued
Spark plug	19300749
Front wiper blades	22155381
Serpentine belt	88986824
Thermostat	24506986 alt 12337860

Full specifications

Engine, drivetrain, dimensions and economy.

Engine & drivetrain NHTSA vPIC

Transmission

Automatic 4-spd

Dimensions & weight NHTSA vPIC

Overall length	198.8 in
Overall width	72 in
Overall height	55.5 in
Wheelbase	110.6 in
Curb weight	3322 lb
Weight distribution (front / rear)	63/37

Ratings & economy EPA / vPIC

EPA city / highway / combined	16 / 25 / 19 mpg
Drivetrain	Front-Wheel Drive
Passenger volume	108 cu ft
Cargo volume	15 cu ft
Recommended fuel	Regular Gasoline

Performance & power Independent road tests

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

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

7.1–7.7 sec0–60 mph (tested)quickest 7.10 sec — 1995 SE Sedan

Year	Trim / engine	0–60	¼ mile	HP	Drivetrain
1995	SE Sedan 3.8L Supercharger V6	7.10 sec	15.40 sec	225 hp	FWD
1996	SE Sedan 3.8L Supercharger V6	7.70 sec	15.80 sec	225 hp	FWD

Service quick specs OEM factory data

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

Lubricants & capacities

Engine Coolant	ETHYLENE GLYCOL
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; 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.

At 7,500 mi	Engine Oil Filter (replace) · Throttle Body (torque) · Tire & Wheel Assembly (rotate)
Every 7,500 mi	Axle Shaft Oil Seal (inspect) · Body Latches, Locks & Hinges (inspect) · Brake System (inspect) · CV Joint Boot (inspect) · Engine Oil (drain & refill) · Exhaust System (Complete) (inspect)
Every 15,000 mi	Engine Oil Filter (replace) · Tire & Wheel Assembly (rotate)
Every 30,000 mi	Accessory Drive Belt (inspect) · Engine Air Filter Element (replace) · Engine Coolant System (drain, flush & refill) · PCV System (inspect) · Spark Plug Wires (inspect) · Spark Plugs (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 for this generation begins in 1990, three years after the 1987 target year, so a direct year-over-year comparison within the dataset is not possible. The 1987 model's documented complaint profile centers on Steering (7), Electrical System (6), Engine & Engine Cooling (3), and Power Train (2), with two crash and two fire complaints reported. Across the 1990–2005 federal record, complaints fluctuate significantly — peaking at 299 in 1998 before declining sharply to 27 by 2005 — while recalls remain low (0–4 annually) and TSBs rise steadily from zero to 495, indicating growing service documentation rather than escalating defects. The 1987 year falls before this recorded arc, but its top complaint categories align with systems that persist in later years. The data does not specify root causes for any complaint area. Given the absence of 1987 aggregate federal metrics and the subsequent generation's improving complaint trend after 2000, a well-maintained 1987 Bonneville is a reasonable purchase candidate provided the steering and electrical systems receive thorough pre-purchase inspection.

Open recalls

NHTSA campaigns

Service bulletins

Manufacturer communications

ODI investigations

Office of Defects Investigation

Owner complaints

2 involved a crash · 2 a fire

Owner complaints by model year NHTSA · this generation & adjacent

’90 ’91 ’92 ’94 ’95 ’96 ’97 ’98 ’99 ’00 ’01 ’02 ’03 ’04 ’05

Owner complaints filed with NHTSA, by component

All 29 complaints on record, top 8 components.

Steering7

Electrical System6

Engine & Engine Cooling3

Power Train2

Seat Belts2

Vehicle Speed Control2

Seats1

Unknown Or Other1

Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint database.

Recalls NHTSA · verified

Showing 2 of 4 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…

87V103000Electrical System:Wiring:Fuses And Circuit BreakersReported 10/07/1987

THE HEADLAMP CIRCUIT BREAKER MAY OVERHEAT AT LOW BEAM CAUSING AN INTERMITTENT HEADLAMP CIRCUIT. Remedy: REVISE FOGLAMP CIRCUIT TO PREVENT OVERHEATING OF HEADLAMP CIRCUIT.

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 Bonneville. 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.

Engine oil filter 12731175 Engine air filter 24577608 Fuel filter 25171792 Spark plug 19300749

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

Does the 1987 Bonneville have open recalls?

NHTSA lists 4 recall campaign(s) for this model year. Check your specific vehicle by VIN.

What gas mileage does the Bonneville get?

EPA figures are 16 city / 25 highway / 19 combined mpg.