HondaCivic1987Overview/honda/civic/1987/base/

1987 Honda Civic

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

The 1987 Honda Civic overview lists a 3.7‑qt engine oil capacity and three recommended viscosities—20W‑40, 20W‑50, and 10W‑40. Owner complaints for this model total 41, with seat belts cited as the top complaint area and three recalls noted. The model’s documented complaint history begins in 1990, placing the 1987 year outside the later range that records complaint volumes from a low of 102 in 1990 to a high of 1,402 in 2006.

Model year202620242023202220212020201820171987

Quick specs

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

Engine oil capacity3.7 qtOEM · verified
Engine oil type20W-40 / 20W-50 / 10W-40OEM · verified

Full specifications

Engine, drivetrain, dimensions and economy.

Dimensions & weight NHTSA vPIC

Overall length150 in
Overall width64.2 in
Overall height52.8 in
Wheelbase93.7 in
Curb weight1962 lb

Performance & power Independent road tests

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

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

10.6–11.6 sec0–60 mph (tested)quickest 10.57 sec — 1986 Si 3-door Hatchback
YearTrim / engine0–60¼ mileHPDrivetrain
1986Si 3-door Hatchback 1.5L I-410.57 sec17.82 sec91 hpFWD
1984S 5-door Wagon 1.5L I-411.60 sec18.20 sec76 hpFWD

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-40 / 20W-50 / 10W-40 engine oil.

Lubricants & capacities

Engine CoolantETHYLENE GLYCOL
Engine Oil20W-40 · 20W-50 · 10W-40 · 10W-30 · 5W-30 · 5W-20
Engine Oil Capacity3.7 qt
Engine Oil20W-40 · 20W-50 · 10W-40 · 10W-30 · 5W-30 · 5W-20
Engine Oil Capacity3.7 qt

Engine torques

Engine Flywheel Bolts33 ft-lbs

Multi-step torque procedures OEM · verified

Connecting Rod (Large End) Bearings — tightening sequence 1 stages
17 ft. lbs., Step 2: 907 ft. lbs
Main Bearings — tightening sequence 1 stages
118 ft. lbs., Step 2: 4018 ft. lbs

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; coolant at 45,000 mi. The big-interval services (at 45,000 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 miAxle Shaft Oil Seal (inspect) · CV Joint Boot (inspect) · Exhaust System (Complete) (inspect) · Steering Gear Box Assembly (inspect) · Suspension System (torque) · Tie Rod (inspect)
Every 7,500 miBrake Linings (inspect) · Engine Oil (drain & refill) · Engine Oil Filter (replace) · Tire & Wheel Assembly (rotate)
At 15,000 miParking Brake System (inspect) · Steering System (inspect)
Every 15,000 miBrake Line (inspect) · Brake System (inspect) · Clutch Pedal Assembly (inspect) · Engine Valves (inspect valve lash) · Exhaust System (Complete) (inspect) · Power Steering System (inspect)
Every 30,000 miAccessory Drive Belt (inspect) · Axle Shaft Oil Seal (inspect) · Brake Drum Assembly (inspect) · Brake Hydraulic System (drain, refill & bleed) · CV Joint Boot (inspect) · Choke System (inspect)
At 45,000 miEngine Coolant System (drain, flush & refill)
Every 60,000 miAir Injection System (inspect) · Distributor Cap (inspect) · Distributor Rotor (inspect) · EGR System (inspect) · Exhaust System Heat Shield (inspect) · Fuel Evaporative Emission Control System (inspect)

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 Honda Civic precedes the first federal entry (1990), which recorded 102 complaints and 9 recalls, indicating that early‑generation models generally generated fewer documented issues than later years. Complaint volume in the dataset climbs to 1,128 complaints in 2001 and peaks later, a trend that the 1987 model predates. The target‑year complaint breakdown shows seat belts accounting for 21 complaints, the highest category, with six crash‑related complaints and zero fire complaints. This limited safety‑related complaint profile suggests that the 1987 model experienced fewer reported problems than the later surge years. Therefore, the 1987 Honda Civic is a good year to buy used.

3
Open recalls
NHTSA campaigns
0
Service bulletins
Manufacturer communications
3
ODI investigations
Office of Defects Investigation
41
Owner complaints
6 involved a crash · 0 a fire
NHTSA crash-test rating federal NCAP · out of 5 stars
Overall★★★★★
Frontal★★★★
Side★★★★★
Rollover★★★★

Owner complaints filed with NHTSA, by component

All 41 complaints on record, top 8 components.

Seat Belts21
Vehicle Speed Control4
Tires2
Fuel System, Gasoline2
Power Train2
Service Brakes, Hydraulic2
Suspension2
Structure2

Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint database.

Recalls NHTSA · verified

Showing 2 of 3 campaigns on record for this vehicle.

95V103001Seat 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. CAREFULLY INSPECT THE RED RELEASE BUTTON FOR ANY BREAKS OR CRACKS. CHECK THAT BOTH…

88V180000Visibility:Windshield Wiper/WasherReported 18/11/1988

UNDER HIGH AMBIENT TEMPERATURES FRONT WINDSHIELD WIPER CONTACT UNIT COULD LOOSEN AND BECOME DISLODGED. Remedy: INSTALL A CONTACT UNIT HOLDER THAT WOULD PREVENT LOOSENING.

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 Civic. 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 Civic take?

3.7 qt of ABOVE 14 degrees F: 20W-40 OR 20W-50, ABOVE -4 degrees F: 10W-40, -4 degrees TO 90 degrees F: 10W-30, BELOW 32 degrees F: 5W-30, BELOW 14 degrees F: 5W-20, per the factory manual.

Does the 1987 Civic have open recalls?

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