NissanMaxima1987Overview/nissan/maxima/1987/base/

1987 Nissan Maxima

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

Transmission Automatic 4-spd

The 1987 Nissan Maxima paired a four-speed automatic transmission with an engine requiring 4.1 quarts of oil across viscosities from 20W-40 to 5W-30, returning EPA figures of 16 city, 22 highway, and 18 combined miles per gallon. Owner-reported data for the model year totals 188 complaints, led by fuel-system concerns and accompanied by a single recall. Across the Maxima's broader complaint history covering 1990 through 2023, the line peaked at 1,425 complaints for 2004 and reached a low of one for 2015, placing the 1987 edition well below the series' worst but above its quietest — a mid-field reliability profile that points to typical age-related wear rather than systemic defects.

Model year202320222021202020192018201720161987

Quick specs

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

Engine oil capacity4.1 qtOEM · verified
Engine oil type20W-40 / 20W-50 / 5W-30OEM · verified
EPA fuel economy16/22/18 mpgEPA · verified

Full specifications

Engine, drivetrain, dimensions and economy.

Engine & drivetrain NHTSA vPIC

TransmissionAutomatic 4-spd

Dimensions & weight NHTSA vPIC

Overall length181.9 in
Overall width66.5 in
Overall height55.1 in
Wheelbase100.4 in
Curb weight3060 lb
Weight distribution (front / rear)65/35

Ratings & economy EPA / vPIC

EPA city / highway / combined16 / 22 / 18 mpg
DrivetrainFront-Wheel Drive
Passenger volume87 cu ft
Cargo volume14 cu ft
Recommended fuelRegular Gasoline

Performance & power Independent road tests

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

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

9.8 sec0–60 mph (tested)quickest 9.80 sec — 1985 SE
YearTrim / engine0–60¼ mileHPDrivetrain
1985SE 3.0L V69.80 sec17.50 sec157 hpFWD

Service quick specs OEM factory data

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

This engine holds 4.1 qt of 20W-40 / 20W-50 / 5W-30 engine oil, DOT 3 brake fluid.

Lubricants & capacities

Brake FluidDOT 3
Engine Oil20W-40 · 20W-50 · 5W-30 · 10W-30 · 10W-40
Engine Oil Capacity4.1 qt
Power Steering FluidATF

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; spark plugs every 60,000 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.

At 7,500 miEngine Oil Filter (replace)
Every 7,500 miEngine Oil (drain & refill)
Every 15,000 miBody Latches, Locks & Hinges (inspect) · Brake Line (inspect) · Brake Linings (inspect) · Brake Rotor (inspect) · Brake System (inspect) · Engine Oil Filter (replace)
Every 30,000 miAccessory Drive Belt (inspect) · Brake Hydraulic System (drain, refill & bleed) · Engine Air Filter Element (replace) · Engine Coolant System (drain, flush & refill) · Fuel Evaporative Emission Control System Lines (inspect) · Fuel Line (inspect)
Every 60,000 miSpark Plugs (replace) · Timing Belt (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 Nissan Maxima is marked by 102 complaints regarding the fuel system and 99 fire complaints, though the data does not specify the root cause of these issues. Other reported problems for the target year include engine and engine cooling (20), electrical systems (19), and seat belts (15). When compared to the provided federal record starting in 1990, the 1987 model's fire risks stand out against a generation that saw complaints range from 85 to 126 in the early 1990s before spiking to 1,425 in 2004. With only five crash complaints but nearly 100 fire reports, the 1987 model represents a high-risk outlier in the record. This is not a good year to buy.

1
Open recalls
NHTSA campaigns
3
Service bulletins
Manufacturer communications
2
ODI investigations
Office of Defects Investigation
188
Owner complaints
5 involved a crash · 99 a fire

Owner complaints filed with NHTSA, by component

All 188 complaints on record, top 8 components.

Fuel System, Gasoline102
Engine & Engine Cooling20
Electrical System19
Seat Belts15
Visibility6
Vehicle Speed Control5
Power Train4
Unknown Or Other3

Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint database.

Recalls NHTSA · verified

Showing 1 of 1 campaigns on record for this vehicle.

95I006000Fuel System, Gasoline:Fuel Injection SystemReported 01/11/1995

THIS IS NOT A SAFETY RECALL CAMPAIGN IN ACCORDANCE WITH FEDERAL REGULATION 573. HOWEVER, IT IS DEEMED A SAFETY IMPROVEMENT CAMPAIGN BY THE AGENCY. THE CAMPAIGN WILL REPLACE THE FUEL INJECTORS AND RELATED HOSES OF… Remedy: NISSAN DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE FUEL INJECTORS AND RELATED HOSES ON THE AFFECTED VEHICLES.

Technical service bulletins NHTSA · verified

Showing 3 of 3 bulletins on record with NHTSA.

BulletinDateComponentSummary
NTB-09-1012010-09-30TiresNISSAN: TIRE PRESSURE MONITORING SYSTEM (TPMS) WARNING LIGHT ON/FLASHING. NO MODELS OR…
NTB-09-1292010-09-13EquipmentNISSAN: VENT CONTROL VALVE REPLACEMENT. WHEN REPLACING THE EVAP CANISTER VENT CONTROL…
NTB-09-0302009-04-06Electrical SystemNISSAN: THE 12 VOLT BATTERY IS AN IMPORTANT PART OF THE VEHICLE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM AND IS…

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 Maxima. 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 Maxima take?

4.1 qt of ABOVE 50 degrees F: 20W-40 OR 20W-50, BELOW 60 degrees F: 5W-30 OR 10W-30, ABOVE 0 degrees F: 10W-30 OR 10W-40, per the factory manual.

Does the 1987 Maxima have open recalls?

NHTSA lists 1 recall campaign(s) for this model year. Check your specific vehicle by VIN.

What gas mileage does the Maxima get?

EPA figures are 16 city / 22 highway / 18 combined mpg.