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1987 Oldsmobile Cutlass Cruiser

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

The 1987 Oldsmobile Cutlass Cruiser called for 4 quarts of 5W-30 API oil, a straightforward maintenance requirement for its engine. With a total of just 25 owner complaints—the top area being seat belts—and only two recalls, this model year stands out as a particularly reliable chapter in the Cutlass Cruiser’s history, meaning fewer headaches for those who still own or consider one.

Model year1990 1989 1988 1987 1983 1982

Quick specs

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

Engine oil capacity4 qtOEM · verified

Engine oil type5W-30 APIOEM · verified

Full specifications

Engine, drivetrain, dimensions and economy.

Dimensions & weight NHTSA vPIC

Overall length	194.5 in
Overall width	69.7 in
Overall height	54.7 in
Wheelbase	104.7 in
Curb weight	2934 lb

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, 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	5W-30 · API
Engine Oil Capacity	4 qt
Engine Oil	5W-30 · API
Engine Oil Capacity	3 qt

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	Body Latches, Locks & Hinges (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	Accessory Drive Belt (inspect) · 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.

Owner complaints about the 1987 Oldsmobile Cutlass Cruiser 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.

Open recalls

NHTSA campaigns

Service bulletins

Manufacturer communications

ODI investigations

Office of Defects Investigation

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 Cruiser. 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 qt

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 Cutlass Cruiser take?

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

Does the 1987 Cutlass Cruiser have open recalls?

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