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1987 Cadillac Seville

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

Transmission Automatic 4-spd

The 1987 Cadillac Seville specifies a 4.5-quart oil fill of either 10W-30 or 5W-30 viscosity, paired with a four-speed automatic transmission and EPA fuel economy ratings of 15 mpg city, 23 highway, and 18 combined. With only 13 owner complaints on record—primarily regarding seat belts—and two recalls, this model year predates the 1990–2004 complaint tracking window. This positions the 1987 example as a lower-complaint predecessor to the model line’s later peak of 131 grievances in 1996.

Model year2004 2003 2002 2001 2000 1999 1998 1997 1987

Quick specs

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

Engine oil capacity4.5 qtOEM · verified

Engine oil type10W-30 / 5W-30OEM · verified

EPA fuel economy15/23/18 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 12731179. Note the factory fuel filter is now discontinued — plan on a superseded or quality aftermarket equivalent, which the part pages below list where known.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	12731179
Engine air filter	25043852
Fuel filter	25171792 discontinued
Spark plug	19354416
Serpentine belt	03531941
Thermostat	03539588 alt 03522676

Full specifications

Engine, drivetrain, dimensions and economy.

Engine & drivetrain NHTSA vPIC

Transmission

Automatic 4-spd

Dimensions & weight NHTSA vPIC

Overall length	188.2 in
Overall width	70.9 in
Overall height	53.9 in
Wheelbase	107.9 in
Curb weight	3419 lb
Weight distribution (front / rear)	66/34

Ratings & economy EPA / vPIC

EPA city / highway / combined	15 / 23 / 18 mpg
Drivetrain	Front-Wheel Drive
Passenger volume	98 cu ft
Cargo volume	14 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 Seville of this era, listed by trim and engine — this page spans more than one engine, so no single horsepower figure is shown.

6.4–19.7 sec0–60 mph (tested)quickest 6.40 sec — 1996 STS Sedan

Year	Trim / engine	0–60	¼ mile	HP	Drivetrain
1986	Elegante Sedan 4.1L V8	11.70 sec	18.20 sec	130 hp	FWD
1989	STS Sedan 4.5L V8	8.90 sec	16.80 sec	180 hp	FWD
1990	STS Sedan 4.5L V8	9.20 sec	17.00 sec	180 hp	FWD
1992	STS Sedan 4.9L V8	8.60 sec	16.80 sec	200 hp	FWD
1980	Elegante Diesel Sedan 5.7L Diesel V8	19.70 sec	21.50 sec	105 hp	FWD
1979	Diesel Sedan 5.7L Diesel V8	16.80 sec	21.10 sec	120 hp	RWD
1995	STS Sedan 4.6L V8	6.40 sec	14.70 sec	300 hp	FWD
1995	STS Sedan 4.6L V8	6.60 sec	15.10 sec	300 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 10W-30 / 5W-30 engine oil, 80W-90 · GL-5 in the differential, DOT 3 brake fluid.

Lubricants & capacities

Brake Fluid	DOT 3
Differential Gear Oil	80W-90 · GL-5
Differential Gear Oil Capacity	4.3 qt
Engine Coolant	ETHYLENE GLYCOL
Engine Oil	10W-30 · 5W-30
Engine Oil Capacity	4.5 qt
Engine Oil	20W-20 · 15W-40 · 10W-30
Engine Oil Capacity	4.0-5.0

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; 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	Accessory Drive Belt (inspect) · Brake System (inspect) · Engine Oil (drain & refill) · Exhaust System (Complete) (inspect) · Parking Brake Cable (lubricate) · Shift Linkage (inspect)
Every 15,000 mi	Engine Oil Filter (replace) · Tire & Wheel Assembly (rotate)
Every 30,000 mi	Air Injection System Air Pump Filter Element (replace) · EGR System (inspect) · Engine Air Filter Element (replace) · Engine Breather Filter (replace) · Engine Coolant System (drain, flush & refill) · Fuel Line (inspect)
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.

For the 1987 Cadillac Seville, federal data indicates a total of seven complaints, primarily focused on Seat Belts (3) and Steering (2), with zero crash or fire incidents recorded. The broader generational record, which begins in 1990, reveals a significant upward trend in complaints that peaks at 131 in 1996, alongside a massive accumulation of Technical Service Bulletins that reaches 473 by 2003. Because the 1987 target year predates the earliest available federal data in this dataset by three years, it sits at the very beginning of this model's lifecycle, prior to the documented escalation of issues. The data does not specify the root causes for the 1987 complaints, but the low volume relative to the later peak implies fewer captured systemic failures for this specific model year. Consequently, the 1987 model represents a comparatively strong year to buy within this generation, provided you closely inspect the seatbelt and steering systems.

Open recalls

NHTSA campaigns

Service bulletins

Manufacturer communications

ODI investigations

Office of Defects Investigation

Owner complaints

0 involved a crash · 0 a fire

NHTSA crash-test rating federal NCAP · out of 5 stars

Frontal★★★★★

Rollover★★★★★

Owner complaints by model year NHTSA · this generation & adjacent

’90 ’91 ’92 ’93 ’94 ’95 ’96 ’97 ’98 ’99 ’00 ’01 ’02 ’03 ’04

Owner complaints filed with NHTSA, by component

All 13 complaints on record, top 8 components.

Seat Belts3

Steering2

Tires1

Exterior Lighting1

Visibility1

Engine & Engine Cooling1

Unknown Or Other1

Steering,Service Brakes, Hydraulic,Equipment1

Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint database.

Recalls NHTSA · verified

Showing 2 of 2 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…

87V047000Exterior Lighting:Headlights:SwitchReported 06/04/1987

THE TWILIGHT SENTINEL POTENTIOMETER (THUMBWHEEL CONTROL) MIGHT HAVE BEEN MANUFACTURED WITH ELECTRICAL CONTACTS WHICH COULD RESULT IN AN INTERMITTENT HEADLIGHT CIRCUIT. Remedy: INSTALL A NEW PART IN ONE OF THE VEHICLES CONTROL COMPUTERS TO PREVENT THIS CONDITION FROM OCCURING.

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 Seville. 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 Engine oil filter 12731179 Engine air filter 25043852 Fuel filter 25171792 Spark plug 19354416

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 Seville take?

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

Does the 1987 Seville have open recalls?

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

What gas mileage does the Seville get?

EPA figures are 15 city / 23 highway / 18 combined mpg.