OldsmobileCutlass Calais1987Overview/oldsmobile/cutlass-calais/1987/base/

1987 Oldsmobile Cutlass Calais

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

The 1987 Oldsmobile Cutlass Calais serves as a specific reference point for researchers examining late-eighties compacts, its mechanical profile underscored by an engine requiring 4 quarts of 5W-30 API oil. When situated within the model's reliability history, this year is characterized by 25 total owner complaints and 2 recalls, marking a contained but specific fault record. The concentration of these issues is distinctly skewed, as Seat Belts represent the top complaint area, meaning the vehicle's historical reliability concerns center on safety equipment integrity rather than fundamental powertrain durability.

Model year1991198919881987198619851984

Quick specs

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

Engine oil capacity4 qtOEM · verified
Engine oil type5W-30 APIOEM · verified

Fitment & sizes

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

From the factory this vehicle uses OE oil filter 12731175. Note the factory fuel filter is now discontinued — plan on a superseded or quality aftermarket equivalent, which the part pages below list where known.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 filter12731175 alt 25012305
Engine air filter25096763 alt 25043334
Fuel filter25171792 discontinued
Spark plug05614046 alt 19300749
Front wiper blades22155381
Serpentine belt25534241 alt 9433724
Thermostat24506986 alt 22545290

Full specifications

Engine, drivetrain, dimensions and economy.

Dimensions & weight NHTSA vPIC

Overall length190.6 in
Overall width69.7 in
Overall height54.3 in
Wheelbase104.7 in
Curb weight2738 lb
Weight distribution (front / rear)64/36

Service quick specs OEM factory data

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

This engine holds 4 qt of 5W-30 API engine oil, DOT 3 brake fluid.

Lubricants & capacities

Brake FluidDOT 3
Engine CoolantETHYLENE GLYCOL
Engine Oil5W-30 · API
Engine Oil Capacity4 qt
Engine Oil5W-30 · API
Engine Oil Capacity4 qt
Power Steering FluidUSE GM PART NO. 1050017 OR EQUIVALENT

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 miEngine Oil Filter (replace) · Throttle Body (torque) · Tire & Wheel Assembly (rotate)
Every 7,500 miAccessory Drive Belt (inspect) · Axle Shaft Oil Seal (inspect) · Body Latches, Locks & Hinges (inspect) · Brake System (inspect) · CV Joint Boot (inspect) · Engine Oil (drain & refill)
Every 15,000 miEngine Oil Filter (replace) · Tire & Wheel Assembly (rotate)
Every 30,000 miEGR System (inspect) · Engine Air Filter Element (replace) · Engine Breather Filter (replace) · Engine Coolant System (drain, flush & refill) · Fuel Line (inspect) · Fuel Tank (inspect)
Every 100,000 miTransmission 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.

Owner complaints about the 1987 Oldsmobile Cutlass Calais lead in one area — the seat belts, 7 of 25 reports (28%), well ahead of the next concern. None of this vehicle's 2 recall campaigns target the seat belts, so those reports read as owner-reported wear-and-tear rather than an acknowledged defect. 2 of the reports describe a crash and 3 a fire — a small share of the total, but worth weighing against the seat belts 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.

2
Open recalls
NHTSA campaigns
0
Service bulletins
Manufacturer communications
3
ODI investigations
Office of Defects Investigation
25
Owner complaints
2 involved a crash · 3 a fire
NHTSA crash-test rating federal NCAP · out of 5 stars
Overall★★★★★
Frontal★★★★
Side★★★★★
Rollover★★★★

Owner complaints filed with NHTSA, by component

All 25 complaints on record, top 8 components.

Seat Belts7
Engine & Engine Cooling6
Power Train2
Vehicle Speed Control2
Steering2
Structure1
Seats1
Steering,Engine & Engine Cooling1

Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint database.

Recalls NHTSA · verified

Showing 2 of 2 campaigns on record for this vehicle.

89V102000Vehicle Speed ControlReported 16/06/1989

A SMALL NYLON BUSHING IN THE CRUISE CONTROL SERVO BAIL MAY SLIP OUT OF PLACE, CAUSING INTERMITTENT AND UNEXPECTED INCREASES IN ENGINE SPEED OR DIESELING (ENGINE RUN ON WITH IGNITION OFF). Remedy: INSTALL A NEW BUSHING IN CRUISE CONTROL SERVO BAIL.

87V168000Power Train:Automatic Transmission:Lever And Linkage:Column ShiftReported 26/10/1987

MANUAL VALVE LINK IN THE TRANSMISSION MAY HAVE BEEN IMPROPERLY FORMED. Remedy: REPLACE THE MANUAL VALVE DETENT LEVER LINK.

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 Cutlass Calais. 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 Cutlass Calais take?

4 qt of 5W-30 API, per the factory manual.

Does the 1987 Cutlass Calais have open recalls?

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