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1986 Buick Regal

Factory specifications, fluid capacities, torque values, EPA fuel economy and the federal safety record for the 1986 Regal.

The 1986 Buick Regal, a midsize sedan that shares its platform with the contemporary GM lineup, accepts a modest 4‑quart oil fill and is compatible with 20W‑20, 10W‑30, or 10W‑40 viscosities, reflecting the era’s flexible service requirements. In the realm of owner feedback the model registers a relatively low total of 14 complaints, with vehicle‑speed control issues emerging as the most frequently cited problem and five recalls recorded during its production run. When placed against the broader complaint chronology spanning 1990‑2020, the 1986 year sits well before the peak complaint period of 1998 and far above the single‑complaint low of 2008, suggesting that its reliability profile is solid for its generation but not immune to the speed‑control quirks that later plagued the series.

Model year2018 2017 2016 2015 2014 2013 2012 2011 1986

Quick specs

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

Engine oil capacity4 qtOEM · verified

Engine oil type20W-20 / 10W-30 / 10W-40OEM · verified

Fitment & sizes

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

From the factory this vehicle uses OE oil filter 12731175. Note the factory fuel filter is now discontinued — plan on a superseded or quality aftermarket equivalent, which the part pages below list where known. 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.

OE service part numbers OEM · verified

Engine oil filter	12731175 alt 12731179
Engine air filter	06484235 alt 06419892
Fuel filter	5651803 discontinued · alt 25171792
Spark plug	19366108 alt 19354430
Front wiper blades	15184702
Serpentine belt	25512309 alt 9433728
Thermostat	10207373 alt 12353872

Full specifications

Engine, drivetrain, dimensions and economy.

Dimensions & weight NHTSA vPIC

Overall length	200.4 in
Overall width	71.7 in
Overall height	54.7 in
Wheelbase	108.3 in
Curb weight	3199 lb
Weight distribution (front / rear)	56/44

Performance & power Independent road tests

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

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

4.9–5.8 sec0–60 mph (tested)quickest 4.90 sec — 1986 Grand National Coupe

Year	Trim / engine	0–60	¼ mile	HP	Drivetrain
1986	Grand National Coupe 3.8L Turbo V6	4.90 sec	13.90 sec	235 hp	RWD
1986	T-Type Coupe 3.8L Turbo V6	5.85 sec	14.30 sec	235 hp	RWD
1985	Grand National Coupe 3.8L Turbo V6	7.50 sec	15.70 sec	200 hp	RWD
1987	Grand National Coupe 3.8L Turbo V6	5.40 sec	14.20 sec	245 hp	RWD
1987	Grand National Coupe 3.8L Turbo V6	6.00 sec	14.70 sec	245 hp	RWD
1987	Grand National Coupe 3.8L Turbo V6	6.10 sec	14.70 sec	245 hp	RWD
1984	T-Type Coupe 3.8L Turbo V6	8.00 sec	16.00 sec	200 hp	RWD
1988	Custom Coupe (Grand Touring Pkg) 2.8L V6	11.20 sec	18.20 sec	125 hp	FWD

Service quick specs OEM factory data

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

This engine holds 4 qt of 20W-20 / 10W-30 / 10W-40 engine oil, DOT 3 brake fluid.

Lubricants & capacities

Brake Fluid	DOT 3
Engine Coolant	ETHYLENE GLYCOL
Engine Oil	ABOVE 40 degrees F
Engine Oil Capacity	4 qt
Engine Oil	ABOVE 40 degrees F
Engine Oil Capacity	4 qt
Power Steering Fluid	USE GM PART NO. 1050017 OR EQUIVALENT

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.

At 7,500 mi	Carburetor Mounting Fasteners (inspect) · Choke System (inspect) · Drive Axle Assembly (drain & refill) · Engine Oil Filter (replace) · Throttle Body (torque) · Tire & Wheel Assembly (rotate)
Every 7,500 mi	Body Latches, Locks & Hinges (inspect) · Brake System (inspect) · Differential (inspect fluid level) · Engine Oil (drain & refill) · Exhaust System (Complete) (inspect) · Parking Brake Cable (lubricate)
Every 15,000 mi	Engine Oil Filter (replace) · Tire & Wheel Assembly (rotate)
Every 30,000 mi	Accessory Drive Belt (inspect) · Choke System (inspect) · Distributor Cap (inspect) · Distributor Vacuum Advance (inspect) · EGR System (inspect) · Engine Air Filter Element (replace)
Every 100,000 mi	Transmission Fluid & Filter (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 1986 Buick Regal’s federal record shows its top complaint areas were Vehicle Speed Control and Service Brakes, Hydraulic, each with 4 reports, along with 3 crash and 2 fire incidents. Across the generation, complaint volumes rose to a peak of 325 in 1998 before declining, while recalls were frequent in the 1990s and TSBs surged into the thousands by the 2010s, indicating extensive documented issues over time. The 1986 model year sits early in this arc, before the highest complaint years, which may imply its specific problems were less prevalent or addressed sooner. However, the data does not specify root causes for the speed control or brake complaints, so a direct connection to the generation’s many recalls cannot be confirmed. Given the overall pattern of safety-related activity, a thorough inspection of the brake and throttle systems is critical. This can be a decent year to buy if those systems check out, but the crash and fire reports warrant extra caution.

Open recalls

NHTSA campaigns

Service bulletins

Manufacturer communications

ODI investigations

Office of Defects Investigation

Owner complaints

3 involved a crash · 2 a fire

Owner complaints by model year NHTSA · this generation & adjacent

’90 ’91 ’92 ’93 ’94 ’95 ’96 ’97 ’98 ’99 ’00 ’01 ’02 ’03 ’04 ’05 ’08 ’09 ’10 ’11 ’12 ’13 ’14 ’15 ’16 ’17 ’18 ’19 ’20

Owner complaints filed with NHTSA, by component

All 14 complaints on record, top 7 components.

Vehicle Speed Control4

Service Brakes, Hydraulic4

Structure2

Tires1

Engine & Engine Cooling,Power Train1

Wheels1

Engine & Engine Cooling1

Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint database.

Recalls NHTSA · verified

Showing 2 of 5 campaigns on record for this vehicle.

06E043000Fuel System, GasolineReported 19/05/2006

CERTAIN REPLACEMENT FUEL FILTERS, FRAM BRAND NAME P/N G3727, WITH DATE CODES X52911 THROUGH X60801 SEQUENTIALLY OR X600141 AND A MEXICO COUNTRY OR ORIGIN MARKING ON THE FUEL FILTER HOUSING MANUFACTURED FROM OCTOBER 18… Remedy: HONEYWELL WILL NOTIFY OWNERS AND REPLACE THE FUEL FILTERS FREE OF CHARGE. THE RECALL BEGAN ON OCTOBER 18, 2006. OWNERS MAY CONTACT FRAM CUSTOMER SERVICE AT 1-800-890-2075 (OPTION…

89V102000Vehicle Speed ControlReported 16/06/1989

A SMALL NYLON BUSHING IN THE CRUISE CONTROL SERVO BAIL MAY SLIP OUT OF PLACE, CAUSING INTERMITTENT AND UNEXPECTED INCREASES IN ENGINE SPEED OR DIESELING (ENGINE RUN ON WITH IGNITION OFF). Remedy: INSTALL A NEW BUSHING IN CRUISE CONTROL SERVO BAIL.

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 Regal. 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.

Vehicles taking 4 qt Engine oil filter 12731175 Engine air filter 06484235 Fuel filter 5651803 Spark plug 19366108

Reference guides

Cross-vehicle references for the kinds of data on this page.

Vehicle recalls & TSBs OBD-II trouble codes Maintenance schedules Fluid capacities & specs

Frequently asked

How much oil does the 1986 Regal take?

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

Does the 1986 Regal have open recalls?

NHTSA lists 5 recall campaign(s) for this model year. Check your specific vehicle by VIN.