GMC Truck›Suburban 4WD›1987›Overview/gmc-truck/suburban-4wd/1987/base/

1987 GMC Truck Suburban 4WD

Factory specifications, fluid capacities, torque values, EPA fuel economy and the federal safety record for the 1987 Suburban 4WD.

The 1987 GMC Truck Suburban 4WD is a full-size, four-wheel-drive utility vehicle whose 6-quart engine oil capacity (filled with 10W-30 or 5W-30 viscosity) reflects the substantial powerplant at its core, and it stands as one of the cleaner entries in the Suburban's reliability record with just eight owner complaints on file and zero recalls. The top complaint area centers on the gasoline fuel system, but that small tally looks nearly insignificant when measured against the model's broader complaint history spanning 1990 through 2004 — a stretch that peaks at 480 complaints in 1994 alone and bottoms out at a single complaint in 2004. For a researcher mapping the Suburban's long-term durability arc, the 1987 model year represents a quiet, low-issue chapter that predates the trouble spike of the early-to-mid 1990s, suggesting that this vintage is worth considering among the more trouble-free iterations of the platform.

Model year1999 1998 1995 1987

Quick specs

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

Engine oil capacity6 qtOEM · verified

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

Fitment & sizes

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

From the factory this vehicle uses OE oil filter 25160561. Note the factory fuel filter is now discontinued — plan on a superseded or quality aftermarket equivalent, which the part pages below list where known.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	25160561
Engine air filter	06484235 alt 08996118
Fuel filter	25171792 discontinued · alt 25011765
Front wiper blades	15184702 alt 12363297
Serpentine belt	09442377 alt 09433722
Thermostat	14077122 alt 10105135

Service quick specs OEM factory data

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

This engine holds 6 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	4.2 qt
Differential Gear Oil	80W-90 · GL-5
Differential Gear Oil Capacity	14.0 qt
Differential Gear Oil	80W-90 · GL-5
Differential Gear Oil Capacity	5.5 qt
Differential Gear Oil	80W-90 · GL-5

Factory maintenance schedule OEM · verified

Normal service, condensed from the factory interval matrix.

Under the factory schedule, replace the engine oil and filter every 5,000 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 5,000 mi	Universal Vehicle Operation (inspect idle speed)
Every 5,000 mi	Brake System (inspect) · Engine Oil (drain & refill) · Engine Oil Filter (replace)
At 7,500 mi	Drive Axle Assembly (drain & refill) · Early Fuel Evaporation System (inspect) · Engine Oil Filter (replace) · Tire & Wheel Assembly (rotate)
Every 7,500 mi	Accessory Drive Belt (inspect) · Body Latches, Locks & Hinges (inspect) · Brake Line (inspect) · Brake Linings (inspect) · Differential (inspect fluid level) · Exhaust System (Complete) (inspect)
Every 10,000 mi	Air Intake System (inspect) · Radiator Fan Assembly (inspect) · Underbody Splash Shield (inspect)
Every 15,000 mi	CV Joint Boot (inspect) · Driveshaft U-Joint (lubricate) · Engine Oil Filter (replace) · Tire & Wheel Assembly (rotate)
Every 30,000 mi	Clutch Cross Shaft (lubricate) · Clutch Release Lever Pivot Points (lubricate) · EGR System (inspect) · Engine Air Filter Element (replace) · Engine Breather Filter (replace) · Engine Coolant System (drain, flush & refill)
Every 60,000 mi	Crankcase Depression Regulator Valve (inspect) · Exhaust Pressure Regulator (inspect) · PCV System (inspect) · Spark Plug Wires (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 GMC Truck Suburban 4WD dominate in one area — the fuel system, gasoline, 3 of 8 reports (38%), well ahead of the next concern. NHTSA has issued no recalls for this vehicle, so these are owner-reported concerns only. 1 of the reports describe a crash and 2 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.

Open recalls

NHTSA campaigns

Service bulletins

Manufacturer communications

ODI investigations

Office of Defects Investigation

Owner complaints

1 involved a crash · 2 a fire

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 8 complaints on record, top 6 components.

Fuel System, Gasoline3

Tires1

Power Train1

Seat Belts1

Suspension1

Service Brakes, Hydraulic1

Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint database.

Recalls NHTSA · verified

No recall campaigns on record with NHTSA for this vehicle as of the last data refresh.

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 Suburban 4WD. 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 6 qt Engine oil filter 25160561 Engine air filter 06484235 Fuel filter 25171792 Front wiper blades 15184702

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 Suburban 4WD take?

6 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 Suburban 4WD have open recalls?

NHTSA lists 0 recall campaign(s) for this model year. Check your specific vehicle by VIN.