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1986 Cadillac Cimarron

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

The 1986 Cadillac Cimarron required 4.5 quarts of engine oil with viscosity options ranging from 20W-20 to 10W-30, specifications that aligned with the compact sedan standards of its era, and with only six total owner complaints recorded alongside three recalls, this model year appears to represent a relatively trouble-free iteration in the Cimarron's production run; the fact that seats emerged as the sole dominant complaint area suggests specific component concerns rather than systemic mechanical failures, offering researchers a relatively clean data point when assessing the model's overall reliability trajectory.

Model year1988 1987 1986 1985 1984 1983 1982

Quick specs

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

Engine oil capacity4.5 qtOEM · verified

Engine oil type20W-20 / 15W-40 / 10W-30OEM · 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 Note the factory engine air filter and fuel filter are now discontinued — plan on a superseded or quality aftermarket equivalent, which the part pages below list where known.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 12737090
Engine air filter	25040881 discontinued · alt 25043119
Fuel filter	25171792 discontinued
Spark plug	19354418 alt 19300874
Front wiper blades	15184702
Serpentine belt	09433754 alt 09433716
Thermostat	10115800 alt 03043066

Full specifications

Engine, drivetrain, dimensions and economy.

Dimensions & weight NHTSA vPIC

Overall length	172.8 in
Overall width	65 in
Overall height	52 in
Wheelbase	101.2 in
Curb weight	2575 lb
Weight distribution (front / rear)	64/36

Performance & power Independent road tests

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

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

13.7–15.9 sec0–60 mph (tested)quickest 13.70 sec — 1982 Sedan

Year	Trim / engine	0–60	¼ mile	HP	Drivetrain
1983	Sedan 2.0L I-4	14.60 sec	20.30 sec	88 hp	FWD
1982	Sedan 1.8L I-4	13.70 sec	19.50 sec	88 hp	FWD
1982	Sedan 1.8L I-4	15.80 sec	22.00 sec	88 hp	FWD
1982	Sedan 1.8L I-4	15.90 sec	20.30 sec	88 hp	FWD

Service quick specs OEM factory data

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

This engine holds 4.5 qt of 20W-20 / 15W-40 / 10W-30 engine oil, DOT 3 brake fluid.

Lubricants & capacities

Brake Fluid	DOT 3
Engine Coolant	ETHYLENE GLYCOL
Engine Oil	20W-20 · 15W-40 · 10W-30
Engine Oil Capacity	4.5 qt
Engine Oil	20W-20 · 15W-40 · 10W-30
Engine Oil Capacity	4.5 qt
Engine Oil	20W-20 · 15W-40 · 10W-30
Engine Oil Capacity	4.0-5.0

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; 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 mi	Engine Oil Filter (replace) · Throttle Body (torque) · Tire & Wheel Assembly (rotate)
Every 7,500 mi	Brake System (inspect) · Engine Oil (drain & refill) · Exhaust System (Complete) (inspect) · Parking Brake Cable (lubricate) · Shift Linkage (inspect) · Steering Linkage (inspect)
Every 15,000 mi	Engine Oil Filter (replace) · Tire & Wheel Assembly (rotate)
Every 30,000 mi	Accessory Drive Belt (inspect) · EGR System (inspect) · Engine Coolant System (drain, flush & refill) · Fuel Line (inspect) · Fuel Tank (inspect) · Fuel Tank Filler Cap (inspect)
Every 50,000 mi	Engine Air Filter Element (replace) · Engine Breather Filter (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.

Owner complaints about the 1986 Cadillac Cimarron top in one area — the seats, 1 of 6 reports (17%), well ahead of the next concern. None of this vehicle's 3 recall campaigns target the seats, so those reports read as owner-reported wear-and-tear rather than an acknowledged defect. 0 of the reports describe a crash and 0 a fire — a small share of the total, but worth weighing against the seats 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.

Open recalls

NHTSA campaigns

Service bulletins

Manufacturer communications

ODI investigations

Office of Defects Investigation

Owner complaints

0 involved a crash · 0 a fire

Owner complaints filed with NHTSA, by component

All 6 complaints on record, top 6 components.

Seats1

Seat Belts1

Structure1

Steering1

Equipment1

Fuel System, Gasoline1

Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint database.

Recalls NHTSA · verified

Showing 2 of 3 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…

86V056000Exterior Lighting:Headlights:SwitchReported 28/04/1986

THE PUSH-PULL HEADLIGHT SWITCH MAY HAVE ELECTRICAL CONTACTS WHICH ALLOW AN INTERMITTENT HEADLIGHT CIRCUIT CAUSING HEADLIGHT TO FLICKER OR SUDDENLY GO OUT. CONSEQUENCE OF DEFECT: SUDDEN LOSS OF THE HEADLIGHTS UNDER… Remedy: REPLACE HEADLIGHT SWITCH AS NECESSARY.

Technical service bulletins NHTSA · verified

Showing 1 of 1 bulletins on record with NHTSA.

Bulletin	Date	Component	Summary
000524001	2000-04-01	Service Brakes, Hydraulic	INFORMATION REGARDING SNOW INTRUSION INTO REAR DRUM BRAKE ASSEMBLIES. **MR

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 Cimarron. 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 4.5 qt Engine oil filter 12731175 Engine air filter 25040881 Fuel filter 25171792 Spark plug 19354418

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 Cimarron take?

4.5 qt of ABOVE 40 degrees F: 30, ABOVE 20 degrees F: 20W-20, ABOVE 10 degrees F: 15W-40, ABOVE 0 degrees F: 10W-30,, per the factory manual.

Does the 1986 Cimarron have open recalls?

NHTSA lists 3 recall campaign(s) for this model year. Check your specific vehicle by VIN.