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1987 Subaru DL

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

Transmission Manual 5-spd

The 1987 Subaru DL is a compact model equipped with a 5-speed manual transmission and powered by a gasoline engine requiring 4.2 quarts of oil within the 10W-30 to 10W-50 viscosity range meeting API SM standards, delivering EPA fuel economy ratings of 22 city, 29 highway, and 25 combined mpg. In terms of reliability, this model year recorded only 2 owner complaints with the fuel system representing the most frequently cited concern alongside 3 total recalls issued, positioning it among the more dependable iterations of this platform during its production run.

Model year19891988198719861985

Quick specs

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

Engine oil capacity4.2 qtOEM · verified
Engine oil type10W-30 / 10W-40 / 10W-50 API SMOEM · verified
EPA fuel economy22/29/25 mpgEPA · verified

Full specifications

Engine, drivetrain, dimensions and economy.

Engine & drivetrain NHTSA vPIC

TransmissionManual 5-spd

Ratings & economy EPA / vPIC

EPA city / highway / combined22 / 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 holds 4.2 qt of 10W-30 / 10W-40 / 10W-50 API SM engine oil, DOT 3 brake fluid.

Lubricants & capacities

Brake FluidDOT 3
Engine CoolantETHYLENE GLYCOL
Engine Oil10W-30 · 10W-40 · 10W-50 · API
Engine Oil Capacity4.2 qt
Power Steering FluidATF
Transfer Case Fluid80W-90 · GL-5
Transfer Case Fluid Capacity2.5 Pints

Factory maintenance schedule OEM · verified

Normal service, condensed from the factory interval matrix.

Under the factory schedule, replace the engine oil and filter at 3,000 mi.

At 3,000 miEngine Oil Filter (replace)
Every 7,500 miEngine Oil Filter (replace)
Every 15,000 miBody Latches, Locks & Hinges (inspect) · Brake System (inspect) · Clutch Assembly (inspect) · Engine Coolant System (leak inspection) · Hill Holder System (inspect) · Power Steering System (inspect)
Every 30,000 miAccessory Drive Belt (inspect) · Brake Drum Assembly (inspect) · Brake Hydraulic System (drain, refill & bleed) · Brake Power Booster Unit (inspect) · Choke System (inspect) · Differential (inspect fluid level)
Every 60,000 miCarburetor (adjust fuel mixture) · EGR System (inspect) · Emission Control System (inspect) · Fuel Evaporative Canister (replace) · PCV Valve (replace) · Wheel Bearing (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 Subaru DL dominate in one area — the fuel system, gasoline, 1 of 2 reports (50%), well ahead of the next concern. That matters, because the fuel system, gasoline are also the target of recall 05E-065 on this vehicle — so the single most useful check before buying or servicing one is confirming it was actually performed. 0 of the reports describe a crash and 0 a fire — a small share of the total, but worth weighing against the fuel system, gasoline 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.

3
Open recalls
NHTSA campaigns
10
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.

Fuel System, Gasoline1
Suspension1

Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint database.

Recalls NHTSA · verified

Showing 2 of 3 campaigns on record for this vehicle.

05E065000Fuel System, GasolineReported 05/10/2005

CERTAIN SPX FILTRAN FUEL FILTERS WITH A 45-DEGREE ANGLE INLET TUBE, MODEL 800F350-S1, SOLD AS REPLACEMENT FILTERS FOR 1993-1997 FORD PROBE,1993-2001 MAZDA 626 AND MX-6, AND 1983-1994 LOYAL, 3-DOOR COUPE, HATCHBACK… Remedy: SPX WILL NOTIFY ITS CUSTOMERS AND PROVIDE A FULL REFUND. THE RECALL BEGAN SEPTEMBER 27, 2005. OWNERS MAY CONTACT MR. CHRIS GREESON AT 704-869-3733 OR CONTACT THE WIX INFORMATION…

92V001000Suspension:RearReported 02/12/1992

THE INNER ARMS OF THE REAR SUSPENSION ARE SUBJECT TO CORROSION IN AREAS WHERE ROAD SALT IS USED HEAVILY IN WINTER. Remedy: RUSTPROOF OR REPLACE THE INNER CONTROL ARMS AS NECESSARY.

Technical service bulletins NHTSA · verified

Showing 5 of 10 bulletins on record with NHTSA.

BulletinDateComponentSummary
15-302-222022-08-23EquipmentThis bulletin contains illustrations of exchange components and their manufacturer as…
01-167-08R2022-08-23EquipmentThis bulletin contains additional information for recommended materials listed in the…
15-192-22R2022-03-18Electrical SystemThis bulletin has been developed to outline the steps for gathering basic essential…
01-167-08R2021-06-17Electrical SystemThis bulletin contains additional information for recommended materials listed in the…
09-51-08R2021-06-07EquipmentThis bulletin is to advise of SOA’s revised catalytic converter recycling program…

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 DL. 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 4.2 qt

Reference guides

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

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

Frequently asked

How much oil does the 1987 DL take?

4.2 qt of 10W-30, 10W-40 OR 10W-50 API SM, per the factory manual.

Does the 1987 DL have open recalls?

NHTSA lists 3 recall campaign(s) for this model year. Check your specific vehicle by VIN.

What gas mileage does the DL get?

EPA figures are 22 city / 29 highway / 25 combined mpg.