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1985 Chevrolet Citation

Factory specifications, fluid capacities, torque values, EPA fuel economy and the federal safety record for the 1985 Citation.

The 1985 Chevrolet Citation is anchored by a 3-quart engine oil fill and 20W-20, 20W-40, or 20W-50 viscosity recommendations, the core service specifications that shape its upkeep. Within the model’s reliability history, this model year registers a notably light footprint, with records showing only one owner complaint—filed under seat belts—and one recall. That minimal paper trail means researchers will find a narrow field of documented owner distress or verified defects to examine. Consequently, the 1985 model occupies a quiet corner of the Citation’s reliability arc, offering little recorded friction beyond those isolated entries.

Model year1985 1984 1983 1982 1981 1980

Quick specs

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

Engine oil capacity3 qtOEM · verified

Engine oil type20W-20 / 20W-40 / 20W-50OEM · 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 Note the factory front wiper blades is now discontinued — plan on a superseded or quality aftermarket equivalent, which the part pages below list where known.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
Engine air filter	25043317 alt 25043119
Fuel filter	25055083 alt 5651803
Spark plug	19300382 alt 05614046
Front wiper blades	20350040 discontinued
Serpentine belt	09433746 alt 09433732
Thermostat	10192505 alt 03043066

Full specifications

Engine, drivetrain, dimensions and economy.

Dimensions & weight NHTSA vPIC

Overall length	176.8 in
Overall width	68.5 in
Overall height	53.9 in
Wheelbase	104.7 in
Curb weight	2504 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 Citation of this era, listed by trim and engine — this page spans more than one engine, so no single horsepower figure is shown.

9.9 sec0–60 mph (tested)quickest 9.90 sec — 1982 X11 Coupe

Year	Trim / engine	0–60	¼ mile	HP	Drivetrain
1982	X11 Coupe 2.8L V6	9.90 sec	17.30 sec	135 hp	FWD

Service quick specs OEM factory data

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

This engine holds 3 qt of 20W-20 / 20W-40 / 20W-50 engine oil, DOT 3 brake fluid.

Lubricants & capacities

Brake Fluid	DOT 3
Engine Coolant	ETHYLENE GLYCOL
Engine Oil	20W-20 · 20W-40 · 20W-50 · 15W-40 · 5W-30
Engine Oil Capacity	3 qt
Engine Oil	20W-20 · 20W-40 · 20W-50 · 15W-40 · 5W-30
Engine Oil Capacity	4 qt
Engine Oil	20W-20 · 20W-40 · 20W-50 · 15W-40 · 5W-30
Engine Oil Capacity	3.0 qt

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.

Every 5,000 mi	Clutch Pedal Assembly (inspect)
At 7,500 mi	Carburetor Mounting Fasteners (inspect) · Choke System (inspect) · Engine Oil Filter (replace) · Throttle Body (torque) · Tire & Wheel Assembly (rotate)
Every 7,500 mi	Accessory Drive Belt (inspect) · Axle Shaft Oil Seal (inspect) · Body Latches, Locks & Hinges (inspect) · Brake System (inspect) · CV Joint Boot (inspect) · Engine Oil (drain & refill)
Every 15,000 mi	Engine Oil Filter (replace) · Tire & Wheel Assembly (rotate)
Every 30,000 mi	Choke System (inspect) · Distributor Cap (inspect) · Distributor Vacuum Advance (inspect) · EGR System (inspect) · 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 1985 Chevrolet Citation dominate in one area — the seat belts, 1 of 1 reports (100%), well ahead of the next concern. None of this vehicle's 1 recall campaigns target the seat belts, 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 seat belts 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

NHTSA crash-test rating federal NCAP · out of 5 stars

Overall★★★★★

Frontal★★★★★

Side★★★★★

Rollover★★★★★

Owner complaints filed with NHTSA, by component

All 1 complaints on record, top 1 components.

Seat Belts1

Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint database.

Recalls NHTSA · verified

Showing 1 of 1 campaigns on record for this vehicle.

84V132000Vehicle Speed Control:SpringsReported 16/10/1984

THE THROTTLE LINKAGE MAY BIND BECAUSE DURING NORMAL OPERATION, THE THROTTLE BODY CASE MAY INTERFERE WITH THE LINKAGE. THIS INTERFERENCE COULD PREVENT THE THROTTLE FROM CLOSING EVEN THOUGH THE DRIVER HAS REMOVED HIS FOOT… Remedy: THE DEALER WILL INSPECT VEHICLES AND IMPROVE THE CLEARANCE BETWEEN THE ACCELERATOR LINKAGE AND THROTTLE BODY CASING IF NEEDED, AT NO CHARGE TO OWNER.

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 Citation. 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 3 qt Engine oil filter 12731175 Engine air filter 25043317 Fuel filter 25055083 Spark plug 19300382

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 1985 Citation take?

3 qt of ABOVE 40 degrees F 30, ABOVE 20 degrees F: 20W-20, 20W-40, 20W-50, ABOVE 10 degrees F: 15W-40, BELOW 60 degrees F: 5W-30, per the factory manual.

Does the 1985 Citation have open recalls?

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