VolkswagenCabriolet1986Overview/volkswagen/cabriolet/1986/base/

1986 Volkswagen Cabriolet

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

Transmission Automatic 3-spd

The 1986 Volkswagen Cabriolet, a front-engine, front-wheel-drive convertible, was offered with a gasoline engine requiring 3.7 quarts of oil (viscosity options included 2W-40, 20W-50, or 15W-40 API SL) and paired with a 3-speed automatic transmission, achieving EPA fuel economy of 20 city, 23 highway, and 21 combined mpg. In terms of reliability, the model recorded only three owner complaints—primarily concerning the fuel system—and one recall, indicating that while not without issues, it did not suffer from widespread or severe problems for its era.

Model year199319921991199019891988198719861985

Quick specs

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

Engine oil capacity3.7 qtOEM · verified
Engine oil type2W-40 / 20W-50 / 15W-40 API SLOEM · verified
EPA fuel economy20/23/21 mpgEPA · verified

Full specifications

Engine, drivetrain, dimensions and economy.

Engine & drivetrain NHTSA vPIC

TransmissionAutomatic 3-spd

Dimensions & weight NHTSA vPIC

Overall length151.2 in
Overall width64.2 in
Overall height55.5 in
Wheelbase94.5 in
Curb weight2253 lb

Ratings & economy EPA / vPIC

EPA city / highway / combined20 / 23 / 21 mpg
DrivetrainFront-Wheel Drive
Recommended fuelRegular Gasoline

Performance & power Independent road tests

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

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

11.6–12.5 sec0–60 mph (tested)quickest 11.60 sec — 1990 Convertible
YearTrim / engine0–60¼ mileHPDrivetrain
1989Convertible 1.8L I-412.50 sec94 hpFWD
1990Convertible 1.8L I-411.60 sec18.30 sec94 hpFWD

Service quick specs OEM factory data

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

This engine holds 3.7 qt of 2W-40 / 20W-50 / 15W-40 API SL engine oil, DOT 4 brake fluid.

Lubricants & capacities

Brake FluidDOT 4
Engine CoolantETHYLENE GLYCOL
Engine OilAPI · 2W-40 · 20W-50 · 15W-40 · 15W-50
Engine Oil Capacity3.7 qt
Power Steering FluidATF

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; coolant every 7,500 mi. The big-interval services (every 7,500 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 miClutch Assembly (inspect) · Engine Oil Filter (replace)
Every 7,500 miEngine Coolant System (leak inspection) · Engine Oil (drain & refill)
Every 15,000 miAxle Shaft Oil Seal (inspect) · Battery (inspect electrolyte level) · Brake System (inspect) · CV Joint Boot (inspect) · Clutch Assembly (inspect) · Door Stop (lubricate)
Every 30,000 miAccessory Drive Belt (inspect) · Fuel Filter (replace) · Oxygen Sensor (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 1986 Volkswagen Cabriolet dominate in one area — the fuel system, gasoline, 1 of 3 reports (33%), well ahead of the next concern. That matters, because the fuel system, gasoline are also the target of recall 87V-053 on this vehicle — so the single most useful check before buying or servicing one is confirming it was actually performed. 0 of the reports describe a crash and 0 a fire — a small share of the total, but worth weighing against the fuel system, gasoline 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.

1
Open recalls
NHTSA campaigns
1
Service bulletins
Manufacturer communications
1
ODI investigations
Office of Defects Investigation
3
Owner complaints
0 involved a crash · 0 a fire
NHTSA crash-test rating federal NCAP · out of 5 stars
Frontal★★★★★
Side★★★★★

Owner complaints filed with NHTSA, by component

All 3 complaints on record, top 3 components.

Fuel System, Gasoline1
Engine & Engine Cooling,Electrical System,Unknown Or Other1
Visibility1

Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint database.

Recalls NHTSA · verified

Showing 1 of 1 campaigns on record for this vehicle.

87V053000Fuel System, Gasoline:Delivery:Fuel PumpReported 14/04/1987

FUEL PUMP, LOCATED INSIDE FUEL TANK, COULD SEIZE DURING HIGH AMBIENT TEMPERATURES BECAUSE OF AN EXTREME FINE MESH FUEL FILTER RESTRICTING THE FUEL FLOW. Remedy: INSTALL A MODIFIED FUEL PUMP AND FILTER.

Technical service bulletins NHTSA · verified

Showing 1 of 1 bulletins on record with NHTSA.

BulletinDateComponentSummary
01012001-06-12SeatsSUBJECT REGARDING LATCH SYSTEM LOWER ANCHORS AND TETHERS FOR CHILDREN, INSTALLING /…

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 Cabriolet. 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 Cabriolet take?

3.7 qt of 68 degrees F TO 104 degrees F 40 API SL OR GREATER, 32 degrees F TO 86 degrees F: 30 API SL OR GREATER, 14 degrees F TO 86 degrees F: 2W-40 OR 20W-50 API SL OR GREATER, 5 degrees F TO 86 degrees F 15W-40 OR 15W-50 API SL OR GREATER, -4 degrees F T, per the factory manual.

Does the 1986 Cabriolet have open recalls?

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

What gas mileage does the Cabriolet get?

EPA figures are 20 city / 23 highway / 21 combined mpg.