ToyotaCorolla1987Overview/toyota/corolla/1987/base/

1987 Toyota Corolla

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

Transmission Automatic 3-spd

The 1987 Toyota Corolla is configured with a 3-speed automatic transmission and achieves an EPA fuel economy rating of 24/29/26 mpg. The engine requires 3.2 quarts of oil with a viscosity of 15W-40, 20W-40, or 20W-50 API SL. With zero recalls and only 14 total owner complaints, primarily involving vehicle speed control, this model year sits as a reliability benchmark compared to later years in the model's history, such as 2009, which saw a peak of 1,533 complaints.

Model year202620252024202320222021202020191987

Quick specs

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

Engine oil capacity3.2 qtOEM · verified
Engine oil type15W-40 / 20W-40 / 20W-50 API SLOEM · verified
EPA fuel economy24/29/26 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 width64.6 in
Overall height52.8 in
Wheelbase95.7 in
Curb weight2154 lb
Weight distribution (front / rear)62/38

Ratings & economy EPA / vPIC

EPA city / highway / combined24 / 29 / 26 mpg
DrivetrainFront-Wheel Drive
Passenger volume87 cu ft
Cargo volume13 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 Corolla of this era, listed by trim and engine — this page spans more than one engine, so no single horsepower figure is shown.

9.2–9.8 sec0–60 mph (tested)quickest 9.20 sec — 1987 FX16 GT-S 3-door Hatchback
YearTrim / engine0–60¼ mileHPDrivetrain
1987FX16 GT-S 3-door Hatchback 1.6L I-49.20 sec17.00 sec112 hpFWD
1987FX16 GT-S 3-door Hatchback 1.6L I-49.80 sec17.10 sec112 hpFWD
1988Sedan 1.6L I-411.30 sec18.20 sec102 hpFWD

Service quick specs OEM factory data

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

This engine holds 3.2 qt of 15W-40 / 20W-40 / 20W-50 API SL engine oil, GL-5 · 80W-90 in the differential, DOT 3 brake fluid.

Lubricants & capacities

Brake FluidDOT 3
Differential Gear OilGL-5 · 80W-90
Differential Gear Oil Capacity2.5 Pints
Engine CoolantETHYLENE GLYCOL
Engine OilABOVE 10 degrees F
Engine Oil Capacity3.2 qt
Power Steering FluidATF
Transfer Case Fluid75W-90 · 80W-90 · GL-4 · GL-5

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 7,500 miTire & Wheel Assembly (rotate)
Every 10,000 miAccessory Drive Belt (inspect) · Engine Oil (drain & refill) · Engine Oil Filter (replace)
Every 20,000 miBody Fasteners (torque) · Body Latches, Locks & Hinges (inspect) · Brake Drum Assembly (inspect) · Brake Line (inspect) · Brake Linings (inspect) · Brake Rotor (inspect)
At 30,000 miThrottle Position Sensor (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) · Throttle Position Sensor (inspect)
Every 40,000 miDrive Axle Assembly (drain & refill) · Wheel Bearing (inspect)
At 60,000 miAccessory Drive Belt (inspect) · Engine Coolant System (drain, flush & refill) · Universal Vehicle Operation (inspect idle speed)
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 1987 Toyota Corolla falls just outside the federal record dataset provided, which begins in 1990, but the early 1990s data offers a meaningful proxy for evaluating this model year. Complaints remained relatively low from 1990 to 1992 (30, 87, and 106 respectively) with only 1-2 recalls annually, suggesting the platform was stable in its initial years. The complaint trajectory then escalated through the mid-1990s, peaking dramatically in 2003-2010—a period dominated by the well-documented unintended acceleration recalls affecting millions of Toyota vehicles across generations. For a 1987 model, this means the vehicle is two generations removed from the crisis period and has aged beyond the years with the highest complaint volumes. With zero crash and fire complaints recorded for 1987-specific data and the target year's top issues (vehicle speed control, seat belts, exterior lighting, tires) reflecting typical aging-related concerns rather than systemic defects, this represents a comparatively low-risk model year within the Corolla's long-term reliability history.

0
Open recalls
NHTSA campaigns
17
Service bulletins
Manufacturer communications
1
ODI investigations
Office of Defects Investigation
14
Owner complaints
0 involved a crash · 0 a fire

Owner complaints filed with NHTSA, by component

All 14 complaints on record, top 8 components.

Vehicle Speed Control3
Seat Belts3
Exterior Lighting1
Tires1
Exterior Lighting,Visibility1
Seats1
Parking Brake1
Power Train1

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.

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 Corolla. OEM
Build data
Plant, GVWR class, engine and body data for any 17-character VIN.
Recalls
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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 Corolla take?

3.2 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 Corolla have open recalls?

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

What gas mileage does the Corolla get?

EPA figures are 24 city / 29 highway / 26 combined mpg.