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1996 Oldsmobile Eighty Eight

Factory specifications, fluid capacities, torque values, EPA fuel economy and the federal safety record for the 1996 Eighty Eight.

Body PASSENGER CARTransmission Automatic 4-spd

The 1996 Oldsmobile Eighty Eight is a passenger car built on the brand’s front‑wheel‑drive platform, powered by an engine that requires 4.5 qt of 10W‑30 API‑rated oil and delivers EPA ratings of 17 mpg city, 27 mpg highway, and 21 mpg combined. Its automatic 4‑speed transmission pairs with the engine to provide a smooth, fuel‑efficient ride, while the vehicle’s design emphasizes comfortable interior space and a robust chassis. In terms of reliability, the model year sits within a relatively mild period of owner complaints—only 99 complaints overall, with the most frequent issues centered on engine and cooling systems—indicating a modest improvement over the 1995 peak of 147 complaints and suggesting a more dependable platform for that generation.

Model year1999 1998 1997 1996 1995 1994 1993 1992 1991

Quick specs

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

Engine oil capacity4.5 qtOEM · verified

Engine oil type10W-30 APIOEM · verified

Lug nut torque100 ft-lbsOEM · verified

EPA fuel economy17/27/21 mpgEPA · verified

Fitment & sizes

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

From the factory this vehicle uses a BCI 78 · 690 CCA battery, OE oil filter 12731175. Note the factory fuel filter, front wiper blades and serpentine belt are now discontinued — plan on a superseded or quality aftermarket equivalent, which the part pages below list where known.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.

Battery groupBCI 78 · 690 CCAOEM · verified

Tail / brake / turnLAMPOEM · verified

Tire sizeP205-70R15OEM · verified

Wheel / rim7-JJ inOEM · verified

OE service part numbers OEM · verified

Engine oil filter	12731175
Engine air filter	19259030
Fuel filter	25121293 discontinued
Spark plug	12681664
Front wiper blades	25689175 discontinued
Serpentine belt	19244953 discontinued
Thermostat	24505924 alt 24502433

Full specifications

Engine, drivetrain, dimensions and economy.

Engine & drivetrain NHTSA vPIC

Transmission

Automatic 4-spd

Ratings & economy EPA / vPIC

EPA city / highway / combined	17 / 27 / 21 mpg
Drivetrain	Front-Wheel Drive
Recommended fuel	Regular Gasoline

Service quick specs OEM factory data

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

This engine holds 4.5 qt of 10W-30 API engine oil. Torque lug nuts to 100 ft-lbs.

Lubricants & capacities

Engine Oil	10W-30 · API
Engine Oil Capacity	4.5 qt

Engine torques

Crankshaft Position (CKP) Sensor Bolt(s)	22 ft-lbs
Camshaft Position (CMP) Sensor Bolt(s)	6.2 ft-lbs
Engine Coolant Temperature (ECT) Sensor Bolt(s)	15 ft-lbs
Oxygen (O2S) Sensor Bolt(s)	31 ft-lbs
Knock Sense (KS) Bolt(s)	13 ft-lbs
Intake Manifold to Engine Bolts	Lower: 11 ft-lbs; Upper: 7.4 ft-lbs
Exhaust Manifold to Cylinder Head Bolts	22 ft-lbs
Oil Pan to Block Bolts	10 ft-lbs

Chassis torques

Lug Nuts	100 ft-lbs
Steering Track (Rod End) Bolts	35 ft-lbs
Front Wheel Hub	107 ft-lbs

Ignition

Ignition Coil Primary Resistance	.5-.9 ohms
Ignition Coil Secondary Resistance	5,000-8,000 ohms
Spark Plug Manufacturer	AC Delco
Spark Plug Gap	0.060 in
Spark Plug Torque	11.0 ft-lbs

Battery & A/C

Refrigerant	R134a
Refrigerant Capacity	2.00 lbs
Oil Group	PAG
Oil Type	46
Oil Capacity	8-00-9.00 oz
Standard BCI Group Number	78
Standard BCI Cranking Performance	690 cca
Optional BCI Group Number	78

Service checks

Pressure Test	15 psi
Radiator Cap Pressure Relief	15 psi
Thermostat Opening Temperature	188-206 °F
Fuel Pump Pressure Minimum	55.0 psi
Key ON Engine OFF (KOEO)	48-55
RPM	38-52 @ Idle rpm
Injector Primary Resistance	11.4-12.6 na ohms
Engine Compression	100

Brakes

Torque Caliper to Bracket	38 ft-lbs
Torque to Knuckle	100 ft-lbs
Minimum Pad Thickness	Front: 0.030; Rear: 0.030 specification
Rotor Max Parallel Variation	0.0005 in
Rotor Runout Limit	0.002 in
Rotor Nominal Thickness From	1.26 in
Rotor Nominal Thickness To	1.26 in
Rotor Minimum Machining	1.224 in

Multi-step torque procedures OEM · verified

Camshaft Sprocket and/or Gear Bolt(s) — tightening sequence 1 stages

74 ft. lbs., Step 2: 105

74 ft. lbs

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; spark plugs every 100,000 mi; coolant every 100,000 mi. The big-interval services (every 100,000 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	Tire & Wheel Assembly (rotate)
Every 7,500 mi	Door Hinge (lubricate) · Engine Oil (drain & refill) · Engine Oil Filter (replace) · Hood Hinge (lubricate) · Hood Latch (lubricate) · Parking Brake Cable (lubricate)
Every 15,000 mi	Cabin Air Filter (replace) · Tire & Wheel Assembly (rotate)
Every 30,000 mi	Engine Air Filter Element (replace) · Fuel Line (inspect) · Fuel Tank (inspect) · Fuel Tank Filler Cap (inspect)
Every 60,000 mi	Accessory Drive Belt (inspect)
Every 100,000 mi	Engine Coolant System (drain, flush & refill) · Spark Plug Wires (inspect) · Spark Plugs (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.

Federal data positions the 1996 model year as a moderation from the 1995 peak—complaints declined from 147 to 99 and technical service bulletins dropped from 49 to 39—yet regulatory exposure intensified with the generation’s first investigation and a doubling of recalls to two, compared to one in both prior years. While 1996 improves upon the 1995 high-water mark for volume complaints, it remains elevated above 1994 baseline levels and carries the only investigation in this three-year arc, suggesting persistent systemic concerns. Consumer reports cluster heavily in Engine & Engine Cooling (22 filings), followed by Air Bags and Electrical System (8 each), with the dataset additionally logging 9 fire complaints and 5 crash complaints, though the data does not specify root causes for these incidents. Despite the year-over-year improvement in complaint volume, the elevated recall activity and new federal investigation indicate lingering quality issues. Consequently, 1996 is a marginally safer bet than the 1995 peak but remains a cautious purchase relative to the 1994 baseline.

Open recalls

NHTSA campaigns

Service bulletins

Manufacturer communications

ODI investigations

Office of Defects Investigation

Owner complaints

5 involved a crash · 9 a fire

Owner complaints by model year NHTSA · this generation & adjacent

’94 ’95’96

Owner complaints filed with NHTSA, by component

All 99 complaints on record, top 8 components.

Engine & Engine Cooling22

Air Bags8

Electrical System8

Fuel System, Gasoline6

Tires6

Exterior Lighting5

Structure4

Power Train4

Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint database.

Recalls NHTSA · verified

No recall campaigns on record with NHTSA for this vehicle as of the last data refresh.

Technical service bulletins NHTSA · verified

Showing 5 of 39 bulletins on record with NHTSA.

Bulletin	Date	Component	Summary
19NA273	2019-12-02	Electrical System	This informational bulletin provides information for dealers/technicians on Procedures to…
17-NA-073	2017-03-15	Equipment	This warranty administration bulletin provides policy information with the field action…
130089009	2013-09-01	Engine And Engine Cooling	Expanded Availability for Remanufacture and Return (R&R) Electronic Control Modules
010601007	2007-09-01	Engine And Engine Cooling	ENGINE COOLANT CONSUMPTION OR COOLANT LEAK (INSPECT FOR MATERIAL DEGRADATION/REPLACE…
050604058	2005-09-01	Vehicle Speed Control	INTERMITTENT CHUGGLE OR FISHBITE ON LIGHT ACCELERATION OR A HIGHWAY SPEEDS WITH NO…

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 Eighty Eight. 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.

Group 78 battery Vehicles taking 4.5 qt Engine oil filter 12731175 Engine air filter 19259030 Fuel filter 25121293 Spark plug 12681664

Reference guides

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

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

Frequently asked

How much oil does the 1996 Eighty Eight take?

4.5 qt of 10W-30 API, per the factory manual.

Does the 1996 Eighty Eight have open recalls?

NHTSA lists 2 recall campaign(s) for this model year. Check your specific vehicle by VIN.

What gas mileage does the Eighty Eight get?

EPA figures are 17 city / 27 highway / 21 combined mpg.