NissanPulsar NX1987Overview/nissan/pulsar-nx/1987/base/

1987 Nissan Pulsar NX

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

Transmission Automatic 3-spd

The 1987 Nissan Pulsar NX was a compact hatchback built on Nissan's front-wheel-drive platform, featuring a four-cylinder engine paired with a 3-speed automatic transmission. This model achieved EPA fuel economy ratings of 21 city, 26 highway, and 23 combined mpg, and requires 3.5 quarts of engine oil within the viscosity range of 20W-40, 20W-50, or 5W-30. Reliability data for this model year shows just 3 owner complaints—primarily concerning wheels—alongside a single documented recall, positioning it as a notably trouble-free example within the Pulsar NX's production run.

Model year19901989198819871986198519841983

Quick specs

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

Engine oil capacity3.5 qtOEM · verified
Engine oil type20W-40 / 20W-50 / 5W-30OEM · verified
EPA fuel economy21/26/23 mpgEPA · verified

Full specifications

Engine, drivetrain, dimensions and economy.

Engine & drivetrain NHTSA vPIC

TransmissionAutomatic 3-spd

Dimensions & weight NHTSA vPIC

Overall length166.5 in
Overall width66.1 in
Overall height51.2 in
Wheelbase95.7 in
Curb weight2370 lb
Weight distribution (front / rear)64/36

Ratings & economy EPA / vPIC

EPA city / highway / combined21 / 26 / 23 mpg
DrivetrainFront-Wheel Drive
Recommended fuelRegular Gasoline

Service quick specs OEM factory data

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

This engine holds 3.5 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 Capacity3.5 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) · Tire & Wheel Assembly (rotate)
Every 15,000 miBody Latches, Locks & Hinges (inspect) · Brake System (inspect) · Engine Oil Filter (replace) · Engine Valves (inspect valve lash) · Exhaust System (Complete) (inspect) · Power Steering System (inspect)
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.

Owner complaints about the 1987 Nissan Pulsar NX dominate in one area — the wheels, 1 of 3 reports (33%), well ahead of the next concern. None of this vehicle's 1 recall campaigns target the wheels, so those reports read as owner-reported wear-and-tear rather than an acknowledged defect. 0 of the reports describe a crash and 1 a fire — a small share of the total, but worth weighing against the wheels 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.

1
Open recalls
NHTSA campaigns
3
Service bulletins
Manufacturer communications
0
ODI investigations
Office of Defects Investigation
3
Owner complaints
0 involved a crash · 1 a fire

Owner complaints filed with NHTSA, by component

All 3 complaints on record, top 3 components.

Wheels1
Fuel System, Gasoline1
Engine & Engine Cooling1

Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint database.

Recalls NHTSA · verified

Showing 1 of 1 campaigns on record for this vehicle.

87V191000Fuel System, Gasoline:Storage:Tank AssemblyReported 18/12/1987

THE SOLDERED JOINT WHERE INLET PIPE ATTACHES TO THE FUEL TANK MAY BE CRACKED. Remedy: REPLACE FUEL TANK IF THERE IS SEEPAGE OR CRACK.

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 Pulsar NX. 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 Pulsar NX take?

3.5 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 Pulsar NX have open recalls?

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

What gas mileage does the Pulsar NX get?

EPA figures are 21 city / 26 highway / 23 combined mpg.