Subaru›Brat›1986›Overview/subaru/brat/1986/base/

1986 Subaru Brat

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

Transmission Manual 4-spd

The 1986 Subaru Brat is a compact two-door pickup built on Subaru's rear-wheel-drive platform, pairing a horizontally opposed four-cylinder engine with a manual four-speed transmission that sends power to the rear wheels, and it offers EPA-estimated fuel economy of 21 mpg city, 26 mpg highway, and 23 mpg combined; the engine holds 4.2 quarts of oil with manufacturer recommendations allowing 10W-30, 10W-40, or 10W-50 viscosity grades meeting API SM specification.

Model year1987 1986 1985 1984 1983 1982 1981 1980 1979

Quick specs

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

Engine oil capacity4.2 qtOEM · verified

Engine oil type10W-30 / 10W-40 / 10W-50 API SMOEM · verified

EPA fuel economy21/26/23 mpgEPA · verified

Full specifications

Engine, drivetrain, dimensions and economy.

Engine & drivetrain NHTSA vPIC

Transmission

Manual 4-spd

Ratings & economy EPA / vPIC

EPA city / highway / combined	21 / 26 / 23 mpg
Drivetrain	4-Wheel or All-Wheel Drive
Recommended fuel	Regular Gasoline

Performance & power Independent road tests

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

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

14.3 sec0–60 mph (tested)quickest 14.30 sec — 1982 GL Regular Cab (5'3" Bed)

Year	Trim / engine	0–60	¼ mile	HP	Drivetrain
1982	GL Regular Cab (5'3" Bed) 1.8L F-4	14.30 sec	19.40 sec	73 hp	4WD

Service quick specs OEM factory data

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

This engine holds 4.2 qt of 10W-30 / 10W-40 / 10W-50 API SM engine oil, 80W-90 · GL-5 in the differential, DOT 3 brake fluid.

Lubricants & capacities

Brake Fluid	DOT 3
Differential Gear Oil	80W-90 · GL-5
Differential Gear Oil Capacity	1.5 Pints
Engine Coolant	ETHYLENE GLYCOL
Engine Oil	10W-30 · 10W-40 · 10W-50 · API
Engine Oil Capacity	4.2 qt
Transfer Case Fluid	75W-90 · GL-5
Transfer Case Fluid Capacity	2 Pints

Factory maintenance schedule OEM · verified

Normal service, condensed from the factory interval matrix.

Under the factory schedule, replace the engine oil and filter at 3,000 mi.

At 3,000 mi	Engine Oil (drain & refill) · Engine Oil Filter (replace)
Every 7,500 mi	Axle Shaft Oil Seal (inspect) · Brake Linings (inspect) · Brake Rotor (inspect) · CV Joint Boot (inspect) · Engine Oil (drain & refill) · Engine Oil Filter (replace)
Every 15,000 mi	Body Latches, Locks & Hinges (inspect) · Brake System (inspect) · Clutch Assembly (inspect) · Engine Coolant System (leak inspection) · Hill Holder System (inspect) · Power Steering System (inspect)
Every 30,000 mi	Brake Drum Assembly (inspect) · Brake Hydraulic System (drain, refill & bleed) · Brake Power Booster Unit (inspect) · Choke System (inspect) · Differential (inspect fluid level) · Engine Air Filter Element (replace)
Every 60,000 mi	Accessory Drive Belt (inspect) · Carburetor (adjust fuel mixture) · EGR System (inspect) · Emission Control System (inspect) · Fuel Evaporative Canister (replace) · PCV Valve (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.

Open recalls

NHTSA campaigns

Service bulletins

Manufacturer communications

ODI investigations

Office of Defects Investigation

Owner complaints

0 involved a crash · 0 a fire

No owner complaints on record with NHTSA for this vehicle.

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 10 bulletins on record with NHTSA.

Bulletin	Date	Component	Summary
15-302-22	2022-08-23	Equipment	This bulletin contains illustrations of exchange components and their manufacturer as…
01-167-08R	2022-08-23	Equipment	This bulletin contains additional information for recommended materials listed in the…
15-192-22R	2022-03-18	Electrical System	This bulletin has been developed to outline the steps for gathering basic essential…
01-167-08R	2021-06-17	Electrical System	This bulletin contains additional information for recommended materials listed in the…
09-51-08R	2021-06-07	Equipment	This bulletin is to advise of SOAâs revised catalytic converter recycling program…

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 Brat. 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 4.2 qt

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 Brat take?

4.2 qt of 10W-30, 10W-40 OR 10W-50 API SM, per the factory manual.

Does the 1986 Brat have open recalls?

NHTSA lists 0 recall campaign(s) for this model year. Check your specific vehicle by VIN.

What gas mileage does the Brat get?

EPA figures are 21 city / 26 highway / 23 combined mpg.