ChevroletCity Express2018Overview/chevrolet/city-express/2018/base/

2018 Chevrolet City Express

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

Body TRUCKTransmission Automatic (variable gear ratios)

The 2018 Chevrolet City Express is a compact truck that pairs a 4.6‑quart oil capacity (specified for 5W‑30 or 0W‑30) with a continuously variable automatic transmission, achieving EPA fuel economy of 24 city, 26 highway, and 25 combined mpg. With just one owner complaint on record—focused on the electrical system, air bags, and seats—and a single recall, this model year marks the lowest complaint count in the City Express’s 2015–2018 run, indicating that the 2018 represents the most trouble‑free iteration of the generation.

Model year2018201720162015

Quick specs

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

Engine oil capacity4.6 qtOEM · verified
Engine oil type5W-30 / 0W-30OEM · verified
Lug nut torque83 ft-lbsOEM · verified
EPA fuel economy24/26/25 mpgEPA · verified

Fitment & sizes

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

From the factory this vehicle uses a BCI 121R · 500 CCA battery, OE oil filter 19317651. 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 121R · 500 CCAOEM · verified
Tire size185/60R15OEM · verified

OE service part numbers OEM · verified

Engine oil filter19317651
Engine air filter19316246
Spark plug19316339
Battery88866270
Front wiper blades19318082 alt 19318364
Serpentine belt19316080
Thermostat19316306 alt 19316308

Full specifications

Engine, drivetrain, dimensions and economy.

Engine & drivetrain NHTSA vPIC

TransmissionAutomatic (variable gear ratios)

Dimensions & weight NHTSA vPIC

Overall length186.2 in
Overall width68.1 in
Overall height73.6 in
Wheelbase115.4 in
Curb weight3252 lb
Track (front / rear)59.8 / 59.8 in
Weight distribution (front / rear)52/48

Ratings & economy EPA / vPIC

EPA city / highway / combined24 / 26 / 25 mpg
DrivetrainFront-Wheel Drive
Recommended fuelRegular Gasoline

Service quick specs OEM factory data

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

This engine holds 4.6 qt of 5W-30 / 0W-30 engine oil, DOT 3 brake fluid. Torque lug nuts to 83 ft-lbs. The firing order is 1-2-7-8-4-5-6-3. 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 GM CVT fluid GM part number 19260800
Automatic Transmission Fluid Capacity7.8
Brake FluidDOT 3
Engine CoolantUse GM part number 19317140
Engine Coolant Capacity8.0
Engine Oil5W-30 · 0W-30
Engine Oil Capacity4.6 qt
Power Steering FluidEPS

Engine torques

Crankshaft Position (CKP) Sensor Bolt(s)5.1 ft-lbs
Camshaft Position (CMP) Sensor Bolt(s)5.1 ft-lbs
Camshaft Bearing/Carrier Cap Bolts or Studs89.0 inch lbs. ft-lbs
Oxygen (O2S) Sensor Bolt(s)37.0 ft-lbs
Knock Sense (KS) Bolt(s)16.0 ft-lbs
Engine Flywheel Bolts80.0 ft-lbs
Intake Manifold to Engine Bolts20 ft-lbs
Exhaust Manifold to Cylinder Head Bolts24 ft-lbs

Chassis torques

Lug Nuts83 ft-lbs
Front Wheel Hub96.0 ft-lbs

Ignition

Cylinder Firing Order1-3-4-2
Cylinder Firing Order1-3-4-2
Cylinder Firing Order1-6-5-4-3-2
Cylinder Firing Order1-2-3-4-5-6
Cylinder Firing Order1-8-7-2-6-5-4-3
Cylinder Firing Order1-2-7-8-4-5-6-3
Spark Plug ManufacturerAC Delco
Spark Plug Gap.043 in

Battery & A/C

RefrigerantR134a
Refrigerant Capacity0.88-1.00 lbs
Standard BCI Group Number121R
Standard BCI Cranking Performance500 cca

Service checks

Key ON Engine OFF (KOEO)50.0-60.0

Brakes

Brake Caliper Bolt to Carrier TorqueFront: 21
Brake Caliper Carrier to Hub Bolt TorqueFront: 122
Vented Rotor Minimum Thickness for ReplacementFront: 1.024
Variation from Parallelism Thickness VariationFront: .0006, Rear: NS
Maximum Rotor RunoutFront: .0014, Rear: NS
Maximum Drum DiameterRear: 9.060

Multi-step torque procedures OEM · verified

Connecting Rod (Large End) Bearings — tightening sequence 1 stages
120.0 ft. lbs., Step 2: Back off 360 degrees, Step 3: 15.0 ft. lbs., Step 4: 60.020 ft. lbs
Crankshaft Pulley and/or Damper Bolts — tightening sequence 1 stages
126.0 ft. lbs., Step 2: 6026 ft. lbs
Cylinder Head — tightening sequence 6 stages

Prep Do not re-use old bolts. Lubricate bolt threads, heads and flanges with specified oil.

130.0 ft. lbs.30 ft. lbs
2100 degrees100 degrees
3Loosen all bolts completely in reverse order.
430.0 ft. lbs.30 ft. lbs
5100 degrees100 degrees
6100 degrees100 degrees
Main Bearings — tightening sequence 2 stages
125.0 ft. lbs.25 ft. lbs
270.0

Factory maintenance schedule OEM · verified

Normal service, condensed from the factory interval matrix.

Under the factory schedule, replace the engine oil and filter every 5,000 mi; spark plugs at 105,000 mi; coolant at 105,000 mi. The big-interval services (at 105,000 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 5,000 miEngine Oil (drain & refill) · Engine Oil Filter (replace) · Tire & Wheel Assembly (rotate) · Underbody (inspect)
Every 10,000 miAccessory Drive Belt (inspect) · Brake Drum Assembly (inspect) · Brake Line (inspect) · Brake Linings (inspect) · Brake Rotor (inspect) · CV Joint Boot (inspect)
Every 20,000 miBrake Hydraulic System (drain, refill & bleed) · Drive Axle Assembly (inspect) · Exhaust System (Complete) (inspect) · Fuel Evaporative Emission Control System Lines (inspect) · Steering Gear Box Assembly (inspect) · Steering Linkage (inspect)
Every 30,000 miEngine Air Filter Element (replace)
At 40,000 miAccessory Drive Belt (inspect)
At 105,000 miEngine Coolant System (drain, flush & refill) · Spark Plugs (replace)
At 180,000 miEngine 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.

The 2018 Chevrolet City Express sits at the end of this generation’s federal record with the lowest complaint, recall, and TSB volumes of any model year shown. After opening in 2015 with 10 complaints, 2 recalls, and 1,093 TSBs, the series trended downward through 2016 and 2017—years that each carried 2 recalls and progressively fewer bulletins—before reaching its nadir in 2018 with just 1 complaint, 1 recall, and 275 TSBs. The lone 2018 complaint touches the Electrical System, Air Bags, and Seats, but with only one report the data does not specify a root cause or indicate a broader pattern. Notably, the target year registers zero crash-related and zero fire-related complaints. Because 2018 marks the clearest low point across every federal metric in this dataset, it stands out as the most favorable model year to buy.

1
Open recalls
NHTSA campaigns
275
Service bulletins
Manufacturer communications
0
ODI investigations
Office of Defects Investigation
1
Owner complaints
0 involved a crash · 0 a fire
Owner complaints by model year NHTSA · this generation & adjacent

Owner complaints filed with NHTSA, by component

All 1 complaints on record, top 1 components.

Electrical System,Air Bags,Seats1

Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint database.

Recalls NHTSA · verified

Showing 1 of 1 campaigns on record for this vehicle.

25V676000Fuel System, Gasoline:Delivery:Fuel Pump:Control/Drive ModuleReported 09/10/2025

Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain 2013-2021 NV200 Van, 2014-2017, 2019 NV200 Taxi, and 2015-2018 Chevrolet City Express vehicles. The Fuel Tank Temperature (FTT) sensor harness may have been… Remedy: Dealers will inspect and reroute the FTT sensor harness or replace the fuel pump assembly as necessary, free of charge. Owner letters were mailed January 2, 2026. Owners may…

Technical service bulletins NHTSA · verified

Showing 5 of 275 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 City Express. 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 City Express take?

4.6 qt of 5W-30 Use GM Dexos 1 Oil or equivalentalls below -20 degreesF Use 0W-30, per the factory manual.

Does the 2018 City Express have open recalls?

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

What gas mileage does the City Express get?

EPA figures are 24 city / 26 highway / 25 combined mpg.