BuickCascada2018Overview/buick/cascada/2018/base/

2018 Buick Cascada

Factory specifications, fluid capacities, torque values, EPA fuel economy and the federal safety record for the 2018 Cascada.

Body PASSENGER CARTransmission Automatic (S6)

The 2018 Buick Cascada is a passenger car equipped with an automatic six-speed transmission and an engine that takes 5.8 quarts of 5W-30 or 0W-30 oil, delivering EPA-rated fuel economy of 21 city, 29 highway, and 24 combined mpg. In the context of the model's 20162019 run, the 2018 year logged 11 owner complaints — well below the 2016 peak of 21 but above the 2019 low of 5 — with the engine cited as the top complaint area despite zero recalls issued. This positions the 2018 Cascada as a mid-range reliability entry in its generation, reflecting fewer reported issues than the launch year but not yet reaching the improved complaint levels seen at the end of production.

Model year2019201820172016

Quick specs

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

Engine oil capacity5.8 qtOEM · verified
Engine oil type5W-30 / 0W-30OEM · verified
Lug nut torque100 ft-lbsOEM · verified
EPA fuel economy21/29/24 mpgEPA · verified

Fitment & sizes

Replacement part sizes and factory part numbers — battery, bulbs, filters and belts.

From the factory this vehicle uses a BCI 94R · 730 CCA battery, OE oil filter 55593191. Each part links to every other vehicle that shares it, so a part you already stock may fit more of your fleet than you'd expect.

Battery groupBCI 94R · 730 CCAOEM · verified
Tire sizeP245/40R20OEM · verified

OE service part numbers OEM · verified

Engine oil filter55593191 alt 55578715
Engine air filter13272719
Spark plug12683541 alt 12673527
Battery88864542
Front wiper blades13348838 alt 13348836
Serpentine belt55569810
Thermostat55492940 alt 55492938
Cabin air filter13503677

Full specifications

Engine, drivetrain, dimensions and economy.

Engine & drivetrain NHTSA vPIC

TransmissionAutomatic (S6)

Ratings & economy EPA / vPIC

EPA city / highway / combined21 / 29 / 24 mpg
DrivetrainFront-Wheel Drive
Recommended fuelPremium Gasoline

Performance & power Independent road tests

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

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

8.3–8.9 sec0–60 mph (tested)quickest 8.30 sec — 2016 Premium Convertible
YearTrim / engine0–60¼ mileHPDrivetrain
2016Premium Convertible 1.6L Turbo I-48.30 sec16.50 sec200 hpFWD
2016Premium Convertible 1.6L Turbo I-48.90 sec16.80 sec200 hpFWD
2016Premium Convertible 1.6L Turbo I-48.90 sec16.90 sec200 hpFWD

Service quick specs OEM factory data

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

This engine holds 5.8 qt of 5W-30 / 0W-30 engine oil, DOT 4 brake fluid. Torque lug nuts to 100 ft-lbs. The firing order is 1-3-4-2. Note the cylinder-head bolts finish on a torque angle (torque-to-yield) — they stretch permanently and should be replaced, not reused, during any head service.

Lubricants & capacities

Automatic Transmission FluidUse DEXRON(R)-VI GM P/N 89020661
Automatic Transmission Fluid Capacity4.2-6.3
Brake FluidDOT 4
Engine Coolant Capacity6.7
Engine Oil5W-30 · 0W-30
Engine Oil Capacity5.8 qt

Engine torques

Crankshaft Position (CKP) Sensor Bolt(s)7.4 ft-lbs
Camshaft Position (CMP) Sensor Bolt(s)7.4 ft-lbs
Camshaft Bearing/Carrier Cap Bolts or Studs80.0 inch lbs. ft-lbs
Oxygen (O2S) Sensor Bolt(s)31.0 ft-lbs
Knock Sense (KS) Bolt(s)18.0 ft-lbs
Engine Flywheel Bolts44.0 ft-lbs
Intake Manifold to Engine Bolts18 ft-lbs
Exhaust Manifold to Cylinder Head Bolts15 ft-lbs

Chassis torques

Lug Nuts100 ft-lbs

Ignition

Cylinder Firing Order1-3-4-2
Spark Plug ManufacturerAC Delco
Spark Plug Gap.024 - .028 in
Spark Plug Torque13 ft-lbs

Battery & A/C

RefrigerantR1234yf
Refrigerant Capacity1.39 lbs
Oil Capacity3.70 oz
Standard BCI Group Number94R
Standard BCI Cranking Performance730 cca

Service checks

Key ON Engine OFF (KOEO)50.0-94.0
RPM43.0-58.0 @ Idle rpm
Engine Compression14.5

Brakes

Brake Caliper Bolt to Carrier Torque21
Vented Rotor Minimum Thickness for ReplacementFront: 1.063; Rear: .394
Variation from Parallelism Thickness Variation.0002
Maximum Rotor Runout.004

Multi-step torque procedures OEM · verified

Brake Caliper Carrier to Hub Bolt Torque — tightening sequence 1 stages

Prep Front: 111, final pass tighten 45-60 degrees · Rear: Step 1: 74

260-75 degrees over60–75 degrees
Front Wheel Hub — tightening sequence 1 stages
1111.0 ft. lbs., Step 2: Back off 45.0 degrees, Step 3: 185.0111 ft. lbs
Camshaft Sprocket and/or Gear Bolt(s) — tightening sequence 1 stages
148.0 ft. lbs. Step 2: 13548 ft. lbs
Connecting Rod (Large End) Bearings — tightening sequence 2 stages
133.0 ft. lbs.33 ft. lbs
260.0
Crankshaft Pulley and/or Damper Bolts — tightening sequence 1 stages
1184.0 ft. lbs., Step 2: 45 degrees. Tighten bolt below coolant hose outlet left side and lower right ear of pump. Tighten additional 30 degrees.184 ft. lbs
Cylinder Head — tightening sequence 5 stages

Prep Do not re-use old bolts. Do not allow oil to contaminate cylinder head surface or head bolt bosses.

118.0 ft. lbs.18 ft. lbs
290 degrees90 degrees
390 degrees90 degrees
490 degrees90 degrees
515 degrees15 degrees
Main Bearings — tightening sequence 2 stages
137.0 ft. lbs.37 ft. lbs
260

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; spark plugs every 60,000 mi; coolant at 150,000 mi. The big-interval services (at 150,000 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 miAccelerator Pedal (inspect) · Body Latches, Locks & Hinges (lubricate) · Brake Shift Interlock Solenoid (inspect) · Brake System (inspect) · Engine Oil (inspect fluid level) · Engine Oil Life Monitor (inspect)
Every 22,500 miCabin Air Filter (replace)
Every 45,000 miEngine Air Filter Element (replace) · Fuel Evaporative Emission Control System (inspect)
Every 60,000 miSpark Plug Wires (inspect) · Spark Plugs (replace)
At 150,000 miAccessory Drive Belt (inspect) · Engine Coolant System (drain, flush & refill)

Reliability & federal safety record

Owner-reported issues, recalls, investigations and service bulletins on record with NHTSA — an unfiltered look at what owners actually experience.

Across the generation, the Buick Cascada shows a consistent downward trend in both complaints and Technical Service Bulletins (TSBs), falling from 21 complaints and 983 TSBs in 2016 to just 5 complaints and 536 TSBs by 2019. While the 2016 model faced one recall and one investigation, the 2017, 2018, and 2019 models recorded zero of either. The 2018 model year fits this improving trajectory with 11 complaints and 714 TSBs, placing it as a more stable option than the earlier versions. Most 2018 complaints centered on the Engine (4) and Engine & Engine Cooling (2), though the data does not specify the root cause of these issues. Safety records for 2018 are minimal, with only one reported crash complaint and no fire complaints. Given the steady decline in reported issues and the absence of recalls, the 2018 model is a good year to buy.

0
Open recalls
NHTSA campaigns
714
Service bulletins
Manufacturer communications
0
ODI investigations
Office of Defects Investigation
11
Owner complaints
1 involved a crash · 0 a fire
NHTSA crash-test rating federal NCAP · out of 5 stars
Overall★★★★★
Frontal★★★★
Side★★★★★
Rollover★★★★
Owner complaints by model year NHTSA · this generation & adjacent

Owner complaints filed with NHTSA, by component

All 11 complaints on record, top 7 components.

Engine4
Engine & Engine Cooling2
Unknown Or Other1
Power Train1
Visibility/Wiper1
Air Bags,Service Brakes1
Structure1

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 714 bulletins on record with NHTSA.

BulletinDateComponentSummary
PIT3271Q2026-04-01Unknown Or OtherThis preliminary information communicates information about how to determine if a wheel…
PIP61042026-03-09Unknown Or OtherThis Preliminary information communicates the steps on how to save a GDS2 Session Log and…
PIP4902V2026-03-09Unknown Or OtherThis preliminary information advises a dealer on how to email GDS2 session logs into…
PIP4902U2026-01-08Unknown Or OtherThis preliminary information advises a dealer on how to email GDS2 session logs into…
PIT5214G2025-11-20Unknown Or OtherThis Preliminary Information communication provides information to the technician about…

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 Cascada. 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 2018 Cascada take?

5.8 qt of 5W-30 meeting GM Dexos 1 specification or equivalent. Where temperatures fall below -20 degreesF, GM recommends using 0W-30 oil meeting GM Dexos 1 specification., per the factory manual.

Does the 2018 Cascada have open recalls?

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

What gas mileage does the Cascada get?

EPA figures are 21 city / 29 highway / 24 combined mpg.