FordCrown Victoria1987Overview/ford/crown-victoria/1987/base/

1987 Ford Crown Victoria

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

The 1987 Ford Crown Victoria specifies a 4.0-quart oil capacity using 20W-40, 20W-50, or 15W-40 viscosity grades, and records show it accumulated only 44 total owner complaints—with the electrical system identified as the top concern—alongside four recalls. Predating the 1990–2011 complaint-tracking period that would later see volumes spike to 424 in 1992 and fall to 12 in 2010, this model year represents a low-complaint era in the vehicle’s documented reliability history. Consequently, its relatively clean record positions it as an early stable reference point for researchers examining the model’s longitudinal durability trends, standing in marked contrast to the higher complaint volumes that characterized the line in the following decade.

Model year201120102009200820072006200520041987

Quick specs

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

Engine oil capacity4.0 qtOEM · verified
Engine oil type20W-40 / 20W-50 / 15W-40OEM · verified

Fitment & sizes

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

OE service part numbers OEM · verified

Serpentine beltD9PZ8620H alt JH325
ThermostatRT1052 discontinued

Full specifications

Engine, drivetrain, dimensions and economy.

Dimensions & weight NHTSA vPIC

Overall length211 in
Overall width77.6 in
Overall height55.1 in
Wheelbase114.2 in
Curb weight3726 lb
Weight distribution (front / rear)56/44

Service quick specs OEM factory data

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

This engine holds 4.0 qt of 20W-40 / 20W-50 / 15W-40 engine oil, DOT 3 brake fluid.

Lubricants & capacities

Brake FluidDOT 3
Engine CoolantETHYLENE GLYCOL
Engine Oil20W-40 · 20W-50 · 15W-40 · 10W-30 · 10W-40 · 5W-30
Engine Oil Capacity4.0 qt
Engine Oil20W-40 · 20W-50 · 15W-40 · 10W-30 · 10W-40 · 5W-30
Engine Oil Capacity4.0 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; 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 miEngine Oil (drain & refill) · Engine Oil Filter (replace)
Every 30,000 miAccessory Drive Belt (inspect) · Air Cleaner Manifold Heat Control Actuator (inspect) · Choke System (inspect) · Engine Air Filter Element (replace) · Engine Breather Filter (replace) · Engine Coolant System (drain, flush & refill)

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 Ford Crown Victoria, the federal data highlights the Electrical System as the primary concern with 13 complaints, followed by Vehicle Speed Control (7), Seat Belts (5), and Fuel System, Gasoline (4). Notably, this target year recorded 13 fire complaints alongside just 2 crash complaints, though the data does not specify the root causes for these incidents. While the provided federal record outlines a trend of escalating issues starting in 1990 and peaking in 1992 with 424 complaints and 9 recalls, the 1987 model falls entirely before this recorded timeline. Consequently, there is no year-by-year baseline for the years immediately before or after 1987 in this dataset, making it impossible to determine how the 1987 model fits into the broader generational arc of escalating defects. Given the significant fire risk indicated in the 1987 data and the absence of comparative metrics to contextualize or mitigate these concerns, this is a risky year to buy.

4
Open recalls
NHTSA campaigns
25
Service bulletins
Manufacturer communications
4
ODI investigations
Office of Defects Investigation
44
Owner complaints
2 involved a crash · 13 a fire

Owner complaints filed with NHTSA, by component

All 44 complaints on record, top 8 components.

Electrical System13
Vehicle Speed Control7
Seat Belts5
Fuel System, Gasoline4
Power Train3
Engine & Engine Cooling2
Structure2
Steering2

Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint database.

Recalls NHTSA · verified

Showing 2 of 4 campaigns on record for this vehicle.

87V012000Steering:Linkages:Rod:Relay:ConnectingReported 09/02/1987

STEERING CENTERLINKS MAY BREAK AT A BEND LOCATION. Remedy: REPLACE STEERING CENTERLINK.

88V028000Seat Belts:Front:RetractorReported 08/03/1988

AUTOMATIC RETRACTOR FOR SEAT BELTS FOR DUAL FACING REAR SEATS MAY BE INSTALLED IN AN IMPROPER LOCATION. Remedy: REMOVE AND PROPERLY INSTALL THE RIGHT AUXILIARY SEAT BELTS.

Technical service bulletins NHTSA · verified

Showing 5 of 25 bulletins on record with NHTSA.

BulletinDateComponentSummary
021072002-05-27VisibilityTRANSFER SERVICE TIPS FOR THE FRONT WIPER MOTOR MOUNT BRACKET AND DEPRESSED PARK OUTPUT…
011562001-08-06VisibilitySOME VEHICLES MAY EXHIBIT HEATER CORE LEAKS. *SLC
011572001-08-06Unknown Or OtherINFORMATION REGARDING TRANSMISSION FLUID USAGE CHARTS. *SLC
0023102000-11-13Power TrainSUBJECT REGARDING CONTAMINATION FROM PRIOR TRANSMISSION CONCERNS OR EXCESS WEAR MAY BE…
00152000-01-10Power TrainINFORMATION REGARDING THE NEW TRANSMISSION COOLER FLUSHER- SERVICE TIP. *MJS

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 Crown Victoria. 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 Crown Victoria take?

4.0 qt of ABOVE 40 degrees F 20W-40 OR 20W-50, ABOVE 10 degreesF 15W-40, ABOVE 0 degrees F 10W-30 OR 10W-40, BELOW 100 degreesF 5W-30, per the factory manual.

Does the 1987 Crown Victoria have open recalls?

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