MitsubishiGalant19872.4L/mitsubishi/galant/1987/2-4l/

1987 Mitsubishi Galant — 2.4L

Factory specifications, fluid capacities, torque values, EPA fuel economy and the federal safety record for the 1987 Galant 2.4L.

Engine 2.4LTransmission Automatic 4-spd

The 1987 Mitsubishi Galant 2.4L is the 2.4-liter-powered variant of Mitsubishi’s Galant line, paired with a four-speed automatic transmission and EPA-rated at 18 city/24 highway/20 combined mpg. Routine service calls for 3.7 quarts of engine oil, with listed viscosities of 20W-20, 20W-40, or 20W-50. Reliability records show just nine owner complaints and two recalls for this model year, with seat belts reported as the top complaint area. That low complaint total sits far below the 263-complaint peak logged for the 1994 Galant across the documented 1990–2012 model history and much closer to the 2011 low of three complaints, placing the 1987 model among the quieter entries in the recorded reliability profile.

Model year201220112010200920082007200620051987

Quick specs

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

Engine oil capacity3.7 qtOEM · verified
Engine oil type20W-20 / 20W-40 / 20W-50OEM · verified
EPA fuel economy18/24/20 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 MZ690116. 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.

Tire size4WD:P225-75R15OEM · verified
Wheel / rim6-JJ inOEM · verified

OE service part numbers OEM · verified

Engine oil filterMZ690116
Engine air filterMD620000 alt MR571477
Fuel filterMB503724
Spark plugMS851188
Front wiper bladesMZ693015 alt MZ690131
Serpentine beltMD176794 alt MB167066
ThermostatMD972903 alt MD184011

Full specifications

Engine, drivetrain, dimensions and economy.

Engine & drivetrain NHTSA vPIC

TransmissionAutomatic 4-spd

Ratings & economy EPA / vPIC

EPA city / highway / combined18 / 24 / 20 mpg
DrivetrainFront-Wheel Drive
Passenger volume93 cu ft
Cargo volume12 cu ft
Recommended fuelRegular Gasoline

Service quick specs OEM factory data

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

This engine holds 3.7 qt of 20W-20 / 20W-40 / 20W-50 engine oil, DOT 3 · DOT 4 brake fluid.

Lubricants & capacities

Brake FluidDOT 3 · DOT 4
Engine CoolantETHYLENE GLYCOL
Engine OilABOVE 32 degrees F
Engine Oil Capacity3.7 qt
Power Steering FluidUse Mitsubishi PS fluid

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; 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.

Every 7,500 miBrake Hydraulic System (inspect fluid level) · Clutch Master Cylinder (inspect fluid level) · Engine Oil (drain & refill) · Power Steering System (inspect)
Every 15,000 miBrake Line (inspect) · Brake Linings (inspect) · Engine Oil Filter (replace) · Exhaust System (Complete) (inspect) · Jet Valve (inspect)
Every 30,000 miAccessory Drive Belt (inspect) · Brake System (inspect) · CV Joint Boot (inspect) · Engine Air Filter Element (replace) · Engine Coolant System (drain, flush & refill) · Spark Plugs (replace)
Every 50,000 miEngine Coolant System Hoses (inspect) · Fuel Evaporative Canister (replace) · Fuel Evaporative Emission Control System Lines (inspect) · Fuel Filter (replace) · Fuel Line (inspect) · Fuel System (inspect)
Every 60,000 miBalance Shaft Drive Belt (replace) · Clutch Hydraulic System (drain & refill) · Fuel Evaporative Emission Control System (inspect) · PCV System (inspect) · Spark Plug Wires (inspect) · Timing Belt (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 supplied begins in 1990, showing 24 complaints and 1 recall that year. Complaint volumes then rise through the mid‑1990s, peaking at 263 complaints and 6 recalls in 1994 before a gradual decline to low single‑digit levels by 20082012 (e.g., 6 complaints and 0 recalls in 2008). Because the target year 1987 precedes the earliest entry in the dataset, the JSON provides no complaint, recall, investigation, or TSB figures for that specific model year. Consequently, we cannot place 1987 within the observed trend arc or infer its reliability from these numbers alone. Therefore, a purchase decision for a 1987 Mitsubishi Galant should rely on a pre‑purchase inspection and vehicle‑specific history rather than the federal complaint data presented here.

2
Open recalls
NHTSA campaigns
6
Service bulletins
Manufacturer communications
1
ODI investigations
Office of Defects Investigation
9
Owner complaints
0 involved a crash · 0 a fire

Owner complaints filed with NHTSA, by component

All 9 complaints on record, top 2 components.

Seat Belts7
Power Train2

Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint database.

Recalls NHTSA · verified

Showing 2 of 2 campaigns on record for this vehicle.

95V103004Seat Belts:Front:Buckle AssemblyReported 24/05/1995

THE FRONT SAFETY BELT BUCKLE RELEASE BUTTONS CAN BREAK. THESE RED PLASTIC RELEASE BUTTONS ARE MARKED "PRESS." IF A BUTTON BREAKS, PIECES CAN FALL INTO THE BUCKLE ASSEMBLY CAUSING THE BUCKLE TO OPERATE IMPROPERLY. Remedy: OWNERS SHOULD PROMPTLY CHECK THE CONDITION AND OPERATION OF BOTH FRONT SAFETY BELT BUCKLES AND CAREFULLY INSPECT THE RED RELEASE BUTTON FOR ANY BREAKS OR CRACKS. THEY SHOULD…

88E023000Engine And Engine Cooling:Exhaust System:Manifold/Header/Muffler/Tail PipeReported 19/09/1988

HEAT SHIELD WAS INSTALLED ON LOWER SIDE OF MUFFLER INSTEAD OF THE UPPER SIDE. Remedy: A HEAT SHIELD WILL BE INSTALLED ON THE UPPER PORTION OF THE MUFFLER.

Technical service bulletins NHTSA · verified

Showing 5 of 6 bulletins on record with NHTSA.

BulletinDateComponentSummary
TT2532019-11-26EquipmentThis is a service newsletter (Tech Talk) that was sent out to dealers.
TSB-19-00-0082019-07-30EquipmentThis is a Technical Service Bulletin sent to dealers. This bulletin supersedes…
TT2372018-02-26EquipmentThis is a service newsletter (Tech Talk) that was sent out to dealers.
TSB-13-42A-0022013-01-29StructureThis Technical Service Bulletin updates the door adjustment procedure in the Body Section…
TSB97110031997-05-01Unknown Or OtherVALVE LASH ADJUSTER PROCEDURES - SERVICE MANUAL REVISION. *TW

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 Galant. 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 Galant 2.4L take?

3.7 qt of ABOVE 32 degrees F: 20W-20, 20W-40, 20W-50, ABOVE -10 degrees F: 10W-30, 10W-40, 10W-50, BELOW 60 degrees F: 5W-20, 5W-30, 5W-40, per the factory manual.

Does the 1987 Galant have open recalls?

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

What gas mileage does the 2.4L get?

EPA figures are 18 city / 24 highway / 20 combined mpg.