Factory specifications, fluid capacities, torque values, EPA fuel economy and the federal safety record for the 1983 Skyhawk.
The 1983 Buick Skyhawk carries a 3-quart engine oil capacity specifying viscosity grades of 20W-20, 10W-30, or 10W-40. Reliability records document a single owner complaint—centered on the steering system—alongside five recalls, figures that place this model year at the favorable end of the spectrum when set against the 1991–1993 span where annual complaints ranged from one to two incidents. This minimal complaint volume establishes the 1983 Skyhawk as a relatively stable data point within the model’s documented reliability history.
Fluid capacities, tune-up values and fuel economy at a glance.
Engine, drivetrain, dimensions and economy.
| Overall length | 175.2 in |
| Overall width | 65 in |
| Overall height | 53.9 in |
| Wheelbase | 101.2 in |
| Curb weight | 2881 lb |
0–60 mph, quarter-mile, horsepower and torque from independent road tests.
Independent road tests for the Skyhawk of this era, listed by trim and engine — this page spans more than one engine, so no single horsepower figure is shown.
| Year | Trim / engine | 0–60 | ¼ mile | HP | Drivetrain |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1975 | 3-door Hatchback Coupe 3.8L V6 | 11.30 sec | 18.60 sec | 110 hp | RWD |
| 1975 | 3-door Hatchback Coupe 3.8L V6 | 14.20 sec | 19.70 sec | 110 hp | RWD |
Capacities, torques and tune-up values from the factory service manual.
This engine holds 3 qt of 20W-20 / 10W-30 / 10W-40 engine oil, DOT 3 brake fluid.
| Brake Fluid | DOT 3 |
| Engine Coolant | ETHYLENE GLYCOL |
| Engine Oil | ABOVE 40 degrees F |
| Engine Oil Capacity | 3 qt |
| Engine Oil | ABOVE 40 degrees F |
| Engine Oil Capacity | 4 qt |
| Power Steering Fluid | USE GM PART NO. 1050017 OR EQUIVALENT |
Owner-reported issues, recalls, investigations and service bulletins on record with NHTSA — an unfiltered look at what owners actually experience.
The federal record provided for this vehicle platform spans only 1991–1993, meaning no year-by-year data is available for the 1983 target year itself, which limits direct comparison to adjacent model years. What the record does show is a generation with consistently minimal federal activity: complaints held at just 1–2 per year across all three documented years, with zero recalls, zero investigations, and a single TSB each year — suggesting a low-scrutiny, low-incident profile in the later years of the platform's federal footprint. For the 1983 model year specifically, the data indicates a single complaint in the Steering category, with zero crash complaints and zero fire complaints recorded. Because 1983 falls entirely outside the documented year-by-year arc, there is no trend line into which it can be placed, and the data does not specify any root cause for the lone steering complaint. **Takeaway:** With only one recorded complaint and no recalls, crashes, or fires, the 1983 Skyhawk presents a thin but unremarkable federal record; however, the absence of surrounding-year data means buyers should rely on a mechanical inspection — particularly of the steering system — rather than federal defect data when evaluating this model year.
All 1 complaints on record, top 1 components.
Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint database.
Showing 2 of 5 campaigns on record for this vehicle.
CERTAIN REPLACEMENT FUEL FILTERS, FRAM BRAND NAME P/N G3727, WITH DATE CODES X52911 THROUGH X60801 SEQUENTIALLY OR X600141 AND A MEXICO COUNTRY OR ORIGIN MARKING ON THE FUEL FILTER HOUSING MANUFACTURED FROM OCTOBER 18… Remedy: HONEYWELL WILL NOTIFY OWNERS AND REPLACE THE FUEL FILTERS FREE OF CHARGE. THE RECALL BEGAN ON OCTOBER 18, 2006. OWNERS MAY CONTACT FRAM CUSTOMER SERVICE AT 1-800-890-2075 (OPTION…
THE METAL FLOOR PAN ANCHOR BAR COULD FATIGUE AND BREAK AROUND THE LEFT FRONT OUTER SEAT ADJUSTER STUD OF THE DRIVERS SEAT, ALLOWING THE STUD TO SEPARATE FROM THE FLOOR PAN ANCHOR BAR. Remedy: INSTALL A REINFORCEMENT BRACKET ON THE FLOOR PAN ANCHOR BAR AT THE LEFT FRONT OUTER SEAT ADJUSTER POSITION OF THE DRIVERS SEAT.
The most common OBD-II codes for this vehicle's emissions system. These are standardized SAE J2012 definitions, not vehicle-specific fault reports.
Decode factory build data for a specific vehicle by VIN.
Find every vehicle that shares this one's battery, bulbs, oil capacity, platform or parts.
Cross-vehicle references for the kinds of data on this page.
3 qt of ABOVE 40 degrees F: 30, ABOVE 20 degrees F: 20W-20, 10W-30, 10W-40, 20W-40 OR 20W-50, ABOVE 10 degrees F 15W-40, BELOW 20 degrees F: 5W-20 OR 5W-30, per the factory manual.
NHTSA lists 5 recall campaign(s) for this model year. Check your specific vehicle by VIN.