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1987 Pontiac Safari

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

Transmission Automatic 4-spd

The 1987 Pontiac Safari called for 4 quarts of 10W-30 or 5W-30 engine oil, routed power through an automatic four-speed transmission, and carried EPA fuel-economy ratings of 15 city, 22 highway, and 17 combined mpg. Reliability data for this model year is notably sparse, with only four owner complaints on record, the largest share centered on vehicle speed control, and zero recalls issued. That low complaint volume and clean recall record place the 1987 Safari among the quieter model years in the nameplate’s reliability history, making it a useful baseline for researchers comparing more troubled or better-documented years.

Model year198919881987

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
EPA fuel economy15/22/17 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 12731179. Note the factory fuel filter is now discontinued — plan on a superseded or quality aftermarket equivalent, which the part pages below list where known.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 filter12731179
Engine air filter06484235
Fuel filter5651803 discontinued
Spark plug19366108
Serpentine belt22524186 alt 09433764
Thermostat10207373 alt 22547855

Full specifications

Engine, drivetrain, dimensions and economy.

Engine & drivetrain NHTSA vPIC

TransmissionAutomatic 4-spd

Dimensions & weight NHTSA vPIC

Overall length215 in
Overall width79.1 in
Overall height57.5 in
Wheelbase116.1 in
Curb weight4072 lb

Ratings & economy EPA / vPIC

EPA city / highway / combined15 / 22 / 17 mpg
DrivetrainRear-Wheel Drive
Passenger volume110 cu ft
Cargo volume50 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 4 qt of 10W-30 / 5W-30 engine oil, 80W-90 · GL-5 in the differential, DOT 3 brake fluid.

Lubricants & capacities

Brake FluidDOT 3
Differential Gear Oil80W-90 · GL-5
Differential Gear Oil Capacity4.0 qt
Engine CoolantETHYLENE GLYCOL
Engine Oil10W-30 · 5W-30
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.

At 7,500 miCarburetor Mounting Fasteners (inspect) · Choke System (inspect) · Drive Axle Assembly (drain & refill) · Engine Oil Filter (replace) · Tire & Wheel Assembly (rotate)
Every 7,500 miAccessory Drive Belt (inspect) · Body Latches, Locks & Hinges (inspect) · Brake System (inspect) · Differential (inspect fluid level) · Engine Oil (drain & refill) · Exhaust System (Complete) (inspect)
Every 15,000 miEngine Oil Filter (replace) · Tire & Wheel Assembly (rotate)
Every 30,000 miChoke System (inspect) · Distributor Cap (inspect) · Distributor Vacuum Advance (inspect) · EGR System (inspect) · Engine Air Filter Element (replace) · Engine Breather Filter (replace)
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 Pontiac Safari lead in one area — the vehicle speed control, 1 of 4 reports (25%), well ahead of the next concern. NHTSA has issued no recalls for this vehicle, so these are owner-reported concerns only. 0 of the reports describe a crash and 1 a fire — a small share of the total, but worth weighing against the vehicle speed control 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.

0
Open recalls
NHTSA campaigns
0
Service bulletins
Manufacturer communications
0
ODI investigations
Office of Defects Investigation
4
Owner complaints
0 involved a crash · 1 a fire

Owner complaints filed with NHTSA, by component

All 4 complaints on record, top 4 components.

Vehicle Speed Control1
Visibility1
Steering1
Electrical System1

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 Safari. 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 qtEngine oil filter 12731179Engine air filter 06484235Fuel filter 5651803Spark plug 19366108

Reference guides

Cross-vehicle references for the kinds of data on this page.

Vehicle recalls & TSBsOBD-II trouble codesMaintenance schedulesFluid capacities & specs

Frequently asked

How much oil does the 1987 Safari 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 Safari have open recalls?

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

What gas mileage does the Safari get?

EPA figures are 15 city / 22 highway / 17 combined mpg.