FordLTD1986Overview/ford/ltd/1986/base/

1986 Ford LTD

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

The 1986 Ford LTD, a full-size sedan, calls for 4.0 quarts of 5W-30 API oil in its engine. With only 11 total owner complaints and a single recall—primarily concerning the electrical system—this model year sits at the start of a decade-long reliability record that saw a peak of just three complaints in 1991 and a low of one in 1993, underscoring a consistently low incidence of reported issues.

Model year198619851984198319821981198019791978

Quick specs

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

Engine oil capacity4.0 qtOEM · verified
Engine oil type5W-30 APIOEM · verified

Fitment & sizes

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

OE service part numbers OEM · verified

Serpentine beltJH325 alt D9PZ8620H
ThermostatRT1106 alt RT1053

Full specifications

Engine, drivetrain, dimensions and economy.

Dimensions & weight NHTSA vPIC

Overall length196.5 in
Overall width70.9 in
Overall height53.9 in
Wheelbase105.5 in
Curb weight2923 lb

Service quick specs OEM factory data

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

This engine holds 4.0 qt of 5W-30 API engine oil, DOT 3 brake fluid.

Lubricants & capacities

Brake FluidDOT 3
Engine CoolantETHYLENE GLYCOL
Engine Oil5W-30 · API
Engine Oil Capacity4.0 qt
Engine Oil20W-40 · 20W-50 · 15W-40 · 10W-30 · 10W-40 · 5W-30
Engine Oil Capacity4.0 qt
Engine Oil20W-40 · 20W-50 · 15W-40 · 10W-30 · 10W-40 · 5W-30
Engine Oil Capacity4.0 qt

Factory maintenance schedule OEM · verified

Normal service, condensed from the factory interval matrix.

Under the factory schedule, replace the engine oil and filter every 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.

Every 7,500 miEngine Oil (drain & refill)
Every 15,000 miEngine Oil Filter (replace)
Every 30,000 miAccessory Drive Belt (inspect) · Air Cleaner Manifold Heat Control Actuator (inspect) · Choke System (inspect) · Engine Air Filter Element (replace) · Engine Breather Filter (replace) · Engine Coolant System (drain, flush & refill)
Every 60,000 miEGR Vacuum Control Solenoid 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 federal record provided spans 1990–2000 and shows consistently low complaint volumes (1–3 per year), zero recalls, and a rising TSB count peaking at four in 1996. The 1986 model year itself is not represented in that year-by-year series, but its own complaint profile lists Electrical System (4), Engine & Engine Cooling (2), Seats (2), and Structure (1) as top areas, along with two crash complaints and two fire complaints. Because the 1986 totals are not aggregated in the same format as later years, a direct numerical comparison cannot be made from this dataset. The data does not specify root causes for the electrical, engine, seat, or structural complaints, nor for the crash or fire incidents. Across the documented generation, federal intervention remained minimal with no recalls at any point. Based on the available figures, the 1986 LTD presents a mixed picture: notable complaint counts in several systems but no recall history in the surrounding years, suggesting a cautious purchase with thorough pre-buy inspection of electrical and cooling systems.

1
Open recalls
NHTSA campaigns
5
Service bulletins
Manufacturer communications
3
ODI investigations
Office of Defects Investigation
11
Owner complaints
2 involved a crash · 2 a fire
Owner complaints by model year NHTSA · this generation & adjacent

Owner complaints filed with NHTSA, by component

All 11 complaints on record, top 6 components.

Electrical System4
Engine & Engine Cooling2
Seats2
Structure1
Seat Belts1
Fuel System, Gasoline1

Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint database.

Recalls NHTSA · verified

Showing 1 of 1 campaigns on record for this vehicle.

07E064000Fuel System, Gasoline:Delivery:Fuel PumpReported 27/08/2007

CERTAIN FEDERAL-MOGUL AFTERMARKET FUEL PUMPS SOLD UNDER THE BRAND NAMES OF CARTER, ACCUFLOW, NAPA, TRUFLOW, PARTS DEPO, AND PARTS MASTER, SHIPPED BETWEEN AUGUST 2006 AND JULY 2007 FOR USE ON THE VEHICLES LISTED ABOVE… Remedy: FEDERAL-MOGUL WILL NOTIFY OWNERS AND REPLACE THE DEFECTIVE FUEL PUMPS FREE OF CHARGE. THE RECALL BEGAN ON OCTOBER 15, 2007. OWNERS CAN CONTACT FEDERAL-MOGUL AT 248-354-7700.

Technical service bulletins NHTSA · verified

Showing 5 of 5 bulletins on record with NHTSA.

BulletinDateComponentSummary
991961999-09-20EquipmentINFORMATION ON IDENTIFYING NON-APPROVED / ALTERNATE REFRIGERANTS WHICH COULD CAUSE…
98521998-04-13TiresINFORMATION ON TIRE COMPANY TELEPHONE NUMBERS FOR CUSTOMER ASSISTANCE. *YC
9626121996-12-16Power TrainTRANSAXLE - TORQUE CONVERTER REPLACEMENT GUIDELINES AND TORQUE CONVERTER/TRANSAXLE…
962461996-11-18Electrical SystemWIRING - ELECTRICAL DIODE IDENTIFICATION AND SERVICE REPLACEMENTS. *TW
962211996-10-21VisibilityWINDSHIELD AND INTERIOR GLASS - FOG/FILM. *TW

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 LTD. 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 1986 LTD take?

4.0 qt of 5W-30 API, per the factory manual.

Does the 1986 LTD have open recalls?

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