ToyotaCelica1987Overview/toyota/celica/1987/base/

1987 Toyota Celica

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

Transmission Automatic 4-spd

The 1987 Toyota Celica, equipped with a 4-speed automatic transmission and achieving EPA fuel economy of 20 city/26 highway/22 combined mpg, requires 3.9 quarts of engine oil in viscosities ranging from 15W-40 to 20W-50 API SL. Its reliability record shows only five total owner complaints, with the most frequent issues involving steering and service brakes hydraulic, alongside a single recall. This model year’s low complaint count and minimal recall activity contrast sharply with the Celica’s later complaint peak of 108 in 2000, placing the 1987 among the most dependable years in the model’s documented history from 1990 to 2005.

Model year200019991998199519941989198819871986

Quick specs

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

Engine oil capacity3.9 qtOEM · verified
Engine oil type15W-40 / 20W-40 / 20W-50 API SLOEM · verified
EPA fuel economy20/26/22 mpgEPA · verified

Full specifications

Engine, drivetrain, dimensions and economy.

Engine & drivetrain NHTSA vPIC

TransmissionAutomatic 4-spd

Dimensions & weight NHTSA vPIC

Overall length173.6 in
Overall width67.3 in
Overall height50 in
Wheelbase99.6 in
Curb weight2564 lb
Weight distribution (front / rear)61/39

Ratings & economy EPA / vPIC

EPA city / highway / combined20 / 26 / 22 mpg
DrivetrainFront-Wheel Drive
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 Celica of this era, listed by trim and engine — this page spans more than one engine, so no single horsepower figure is shown.

7.3–10.4 sec0–60 mph (tested)quickest 7.30 sec — 1988 Turbo All-Trac Coupe
YearTrim / engine0–60¼ mileHPDrivetrain
1988Turbo All-Trac Coupe 2.0L Turbo I-47.30 sec15.60 sec190 hpAWD
1988Turbo All-Trac Coupe 2.0L Turbo I-47.90 sec15.90 sec190 hpAWD
1988GT-S Coupe 2.0L I-48.60 sec16.50 sec135 hpFWD
1988GT Convertible 2.0L I-410.40 sec17.70 sec116 hpFWD
1989GT-S
 Coupe 2.0L I-48.10 sec16.00 sec135 hpFWD

Service quick specs OEM factory data

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

This engine holds 3.9 qt of 15W-40 / 20W-40 / 20W-50 API SL engine oil, GL-5 · 80W-90 in the differential.

Lubricants & capacities

Differential Gear OilGL-5 · 80W-90
Differential Gear Oil Capacity3 Pints
Engine OilABOVE 10 degrees F
Engine Oil Capacity3.9 qt
Transfer Case FluidDEXRON
Transfer Case Fluid Capacity3.4 Pints

Factory maintenance schedule OEM · verified

Normal service, condensed from the factory interval matrix.

Under the factory schedule, replace the engine oil and filter every 10,000 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.

Every 10,000 miAccessory Drive Belt (inspect) · Engine Oil (drain & refill) · Engine Oil Filter (replace)
Every 20,000 miAxle Shaft Oil Seal (inspect) · Body Latches, Locks & Hinges (inspect) · Brake System (inspect) · CV Joint Boot (inspect) · Steering Gear Box Assembly (inspect) · Suspension System (inspect)
Every 30,000 miAccessory Drive Belt (inspect) · Engine Air Filter Element (replace) · Engine Coolant System (drain, flush & refill) · Exhaust System (Complete) (inspect) · Fuel Line (inspect) · Universal Vehicle Operation (inspect idle speed)
At 60,000 miAccessory Drive Belt (inspect) · Engine Coolant System (drain, flush & refill)
Every 60,000 miEngine Valves (inspect valve lash) · Fuel Evaporative Canister (inspect) · Fuel Tank Filler Cap O-Ring (inspect) · Spark Plugs (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 provided year-by-year federal record begins in 1990 and contains no entry for 1987, so the target year cannot be situated within that longitudinal arc. The dataset does show 1987-specific figures of one complaint apiece in steering/service brakes hydraulic, visibility, vehicle speed control, and seats, plus one crash complaint and zero fire complaints. Across the generation represented in the 1990–2005 span, total complaints trend from the twenties and thirties in the early nineties down to single digits by the late nineties before jumping to 108 in 2000, while TSBs generally climb and recalls occur sporadically. Because 1987 predates this entire record, no direct year-over-year comparison is available. Based strictly on the sparse but benign 1987 data provided—minimal category counts, one crash complaint, and zero fire complaints—it presents as a favorable used-car prospect, assuming an independent pre-purchase inspection confirms mechanical soundness.

1
Open recalls
NHTSA campaigns
17
Service bulletins
Manufacturer communications
2
ODI investigations
Office of Defects Investigation
5
Owner complaints
1 involved a crash · 0 a fire
Owner complaints by model year NHTSA · this generation & adjacent

Owner complaints filed with NHTSA, by component

All 5 complaints on record, top 5 components.

Steering,Service Brakes, Hydraulic1
Visibility1
Vehicle Speed Control1
Seats1
Power Train1

Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint database.

Recalls NHTSA · verified

Showing 1 of 1 campaigns on record for this vehicle.

10E002000SuspensionReported 11/02/2010

RIDE CONTROL IS RECALLING CERTAIN FRONT STRUT MOUNTS BRANDED AS GABRIEL RIDE CONTROL OR ARVINMERITOR, P/NOS. 142435, 142193, 142305, 142303, SOLD AS REPLACEMENT EQUIPMENT FOR THE VEHICLES LISTED ABOVE. THE AFFECTED… Remedy: RIDE CONTROL WILL NOTIFY OWNERS OF RECORD AND REPLACE THE AFFECTED PARTS FREE OF CHARGE. THE SAFETY RECALL BEGAN ON MARCH 15, 2010. OWNERS MAY CONTACT RIDE CONTROL AT…

Technical service bulletins NHTSA · verified

Showing 5 of 17 bulletins on record with NHTSA.

BulletinDateComponentSummary
TSB0032202023-08-17Air BagsTSB: Replacement certification labels (the vinyl label installed on the driver door or…
Toyota PRO19-022022-01-12TiresPOL: This consolidated Tire Warranty Guide contains the complete warranty terms for all…
T-SB-0032-20 Rev2021-02-03EquipmentTSB: Replacement certification labels (the vinyl label installed on the driver door or…
T-SB-0304-17 Obs2020-04-07EquipmentTSB: OBSOLETE NOTICE April 07, 2020: This bulletin is now obsolete. Please see…
T-SB-0032-202020-04-06EquipmentTSB: SUPERSESSION NOTICE The information contained in this bulletin supersedes Service…

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 Celica. 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 Celica take?

3.9 qt of ABOVE 10 degrees F 15W-40, 20W-40 OR 20W-50 API SL, ABOVE -10 degrees F 10W-30, 10W-40 OR 10W-50 API SL, BELOW 50 degrees F: 5W-30 API SL, per the factory manual.

Does the 1987 Celica have open recalls?

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

What gas mileage does the Celica get?

EPA figures are 20 city / 26 highway / 22 combined mpg.