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1987 Pontiac Grand Am

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

The 1987 Pontiac Grand Am arrives as a compact two‑door coupe built on General Motors’ rear‑wheel‑drive platform and powered by an engine that requires a four‑quart oil capacity, typically serviced with 10W‑30 or 5W‑30 viscosity grades. While the model’s engineering is straightforward, owner feedback records 44 complaints overall, with the most frequent issues centered on the engine and its cooling system and three factory recalls documented for the year. Positioned well before the model’s highest complaint peak of 909 in 1999, the 1987 Grand Am represents an early point in the line’s reliability trajectory, indicating a comparatively modest level of documented problems for researchers examining its long‑term durability.

Model year2005 2004 2003 2002 2001 2000 1999 1998 1987

Quick specs

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

Engine oil capacity4 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 12731175. Note the factory engine air filter and fuel filter are now discontinued — plan on a superseded or quality aftermarket equivalent, which the part pages below list where known.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	12731175 alt 25012305
Engine air filter	25043119 discontinued · alt 25043334
Fuel filter	25171792 discontinued
Spark plug	19302733 alt 05614046
Front wiper blades	22155381
Serpentine belt	25534241 alt 10032192
Thermostat	10192505 alt 03059081

Full specifications

Engine, drivetrain, dimensions and economy.

Dimensions & weight NHTSA vPIC

Overall length	177.6 in
Overall width	66.9 in
Overall height	52.4 in
Wheelbase	103.5 in
Curb weight	2493 lb
Weight distribution (front / rear)	65/35

Performance & power Independent road tests

0–60 mph, quarter-mile, horsepower and torque from independent road tests.

Independent road tests for the Grand Am of this era, listed by trim and engine — this page spans more than one engine, so no single horsepower figure is shown.

8.6–11.0 sec0–60 mph (tested)quickest 8.60 sec — 1996 SE Sedan

Year	Trim / engine	0–60	¼ mile	HP	Drivetrain
1980	Coupe 4.9L V8	11.00 sec	18.10 sec	145 hp	RWD
1996	SE Sedan 2.4L I-4	8.60 sec	16.50 sec	150 hp	FWD

Service quick specs OEM factory data

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

This engine holds 4 qt of 10W-30 / 5W-30 engine oil, DOT 3 brake fluid.

Lubricants & capacities

Brake Fluid	DOT 3
Engine Coolant	ETHYLENE GLYCOL
Engine Oil	10W-30 · 5W-30
Engine Oil Capacity	4 qt
Power Steering Fluid	USE 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 every 3,000 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 3,000 mi	Engine Oil (drain & refill)
At 7,500 mi	Engine Oil Filter (replace) · Throttle Body (torque) · Tire & Wheel Assembly (rotate)
Every 7,500 mi	Accessory Drive Belt (inspect) · Axle Shaft Oil Seal (inspect) · Body Latches, Locks & Hinges (inspect) · Brake System (inspect) · CV Joint Boot (inspect) · Exhaust System (Complete) (inspect)
Every 15,000 mi	Engine Oil Filter (replace) · Tire & Wheel Assembly (rotate)
Every 30,000 mi	Distributor Cap (inspect) · EGR System (inspect) · Engine Air Filter Element (replace) · Engine Coolant System (drain, flush & refill) · Ignition Timing (inspect) · PCV System (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.

The 1987 Pontiac Grand Am sits early in the third generation, and the federal record for the later years of this generation—1990 and 1991—shows a clear upward trend, with complaints rising from 56 to 100 and recalls from 1 to 3. The 1987 model's own data highlights engine and engine cooling (15 complaints), electrical system (7), and steering (6) as the top areas, along with 7 crash complaints and 2 fire complaints. This suggests that while the 1987 model predates the escalation seen in 1990–1991, it still carries notable concerns in critical systems. The data does not specify root causes for these complaints, but the pattern implies that later third-generation years became more problematic. For a buyer, the 1987 Grand Am appears to be a relatively better choice within this generation, but a pre-purchase inspection focusing on the engine, electrical, and steering components is strongly recommended.

Open recalls

NHTSA campaigns

Service bulletins

Manufacturer communications

ODI investigations

Office of Defects Investigation

Owner complaints

7 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 ’05

Owner complaints filed with NHTSA, by component

All 44 complaints on record, top 8 components.

Engine & Engine Cooling15

Electrical System7

Steering6

Seat Belts5

Vehicle Speed Control2

Unknown Or Other1

Fuel System, Gasoline,Power Train,Seat Belts1

Engine & Engine Cooling,Fuel System, Gasoline,Power Train,Electrical System1

Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint database.

Recalls NHTSA · verified

Showing 2 of 3 campaigns on record for this vehicle.

06E043000Fuel System, GasolineReported 19/05/2006

CERTAIN REPLACEMENT FUEL FILTERS, FRAM BRAND NAME P/N G3727, WITH DATE CODES X52911 THROUGH X60801 SEQUENTIALLY OR X600141 AND A MEXICO COUNTRY OR ORIGIN MARKING ON THE FUEL FILTER HOUSING MANUFACTURED FROM OCTOBER 18… Remedy: HONEYWELL WILL NOTIFY OWNERS AND REPLACE THE FUEL FILTERS FREE OF CHARGE. THE RECALL BEGAN ON OCTOBER 18, 2006. OWNERS MAY CONTACT FRAM CUSTOMER SERVICE AT 1-800-890-2075 (OPTION…

88V032000Fuel System, Gasoline:Delivery:Hoses, Lines/Piping, And FittingsReported 15/03/1988

THE FUEL FEED OR FUEL RETURN HOSE AT THE ENGINE MAY RUB AGAINST A SHIFT LEVER ON THE 5 SPEED TRANSAXLE. Remedy: REPLACE THE FUEL FEED AND RETURN HOSE/PIPE ASSEMBLIES.

Technical service bulletins NHTSA · verified

Showing 1 of 1 bulletins on record with NHTSA.

Bulletin	Date	Component	Summary
000524001	2000-04-01	Service Brakes, Hydraulic	INFORMATION REGARDING SNOW INTRUSION INTO REAR DRUM BRAKE ASSEMBLIES. **MR

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 Grand Am. 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 Engine oil filter 12731175 Engine air filter 25043119 Fuel filter 25171792 Spark plug 19302733

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 Grand Am take?

4 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 Grand Am have open recalls?

NHTSA lists 3 recall campaign(s) for this model year. Check your specific vehicle by VIN.