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1988 Cadillac Cimarron

Factory specifications, fluid capacities, torque values, EPA fuel economy and the federal safety record for the 1988 Cimarron.

Transmission Automatic 3-spd

The 1988 Cadillac Cimarron is equipped with an engine that calls for 4.5 quarts of 5W‑30 API oil and is paired with a three‑speed automatic transmission. Fuel economy is rated at 18 mpg city, 25 mpg highway and 20 mpg combined. Reliability records show a low total of three owner complaints, with the electrical system noted as the most frequent issue area and a single recall filed for the model year.

Model year1988 1987 1986 1985 1984 1983 1982

Quick specs

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

Engine oil capacity4.5 qtOEM · verified

Engine oil type5W-30 APIOEM · verified

EPA fuel economy18/25/20 mpgEPA · verified

Fitment & sizes

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

From the factory this vehicle uses OE oil filter 12737092. Note the factory engine air filter and fuel filter are now discontinued — plan on a superseded or quality aftermarket equivalent, which the part pages below list where known.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.

OE service part numbers OEM · verified

Engine oil filter	12737092
Engine air filter	25043119 discontinued
Fuel filter	25171792 discontinued
Spark plug	19354418
Front wiper blades	15184702
Thermostat	24507563 alt 10226107

Full specifications

Engine, drivetrain, dimensions and economy.

Engine & drivetrain NHTSA vPIC

Transmission

Automatic 3-spd

Ratings & economy EPA / vPIC

EPA city / highway / combined	18 / 25 / 20 mpg
Drivetrain	Front-Wheel Drive
Passenger volume	89 cu ft
Cargo volume	13 cu ft
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 Cimarron of this era, listed by trim and engine — this page spans more than one engine, so no single horsepower figure is shown.

13.7–15.9 sec0–60 mph (tested)quickest 13.70 sec — 1982 Sedan

Year	Trim / engine	0–60	¼ mile	HP	Drivetrain
1983	Sedan 2.0L I-4	14.60 sec	20.30 sec	88 hp	FWD
1982	Sedan 1.8L I-4	13.70 sec	19.50 sec	88 hp	FWD
1982	Sedan 1.8L I-4	15.80 sec	22.00 sec	88 hp	FWD
1982	Sedan 1.8L I-4	15.90 sec	20.30 sec	88 hp	FWD

Service quick specs OEM factory data

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

This engine holds 4.5 qt of 5W-30 API engine oil, DOT 3 brake fluid.

Lubricants & capacities

Brake Fluid	DOT 3
Engine Coolant	ETHYLENE GLYCOL
Engine Oil	5W-30 · API
Engine Oil Capacity	4.5 qt
Power Steering Fluid	USE GM PART NO. 1050017 OR EQUIVALENT

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 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.

At 7,500 mi	Engine Oil Filter (replace) · Throttle Body (torque) · Tire & Wheel Assembly (rotate)
Every 7,500 mi	Brake System (inspect) · Engine Oil (drain & refill) · Exhaust System (Complete) (inspect) · Parking Brake Cable (lubricate) · Shift Linkage (inspect) · Steering Linkage (inspect)
Every 15,000 mi	Engine Oil Filter (replace) · Tire & Wheel Assembly (rotate)
Every 30,000 mi	Accessory Drive Belt (inspect) · Air Injection System Air Pump Filter Element (replace) · Engine Breather Filter (replace) · Engine Coolant System (drain, flush & refill) · Fuel Line (inspect) · Fuel Tank (inspect)
Every 100,000 mi	Transmission Fluid & 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.

Owner complaints about the 1988 Cadillac Cimarron dominate in one area — the electrical system, 2 of 3 reports (67%), well ahead of the next concern. None of this vehicle's 1 recall campaigns target the electrical system, so those reports read as owner-reported wear-and-tear rather than an acknowledged defect. 0 of the reports describe a crash and 0 a fire — a small share of the total, but worth weighing against the electrical system 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.

Open recalls

NHTSA campaigns

Service bulletins

Manufacturer communications

ODI investigations

Office of Defects Investigation

Owner complaints

0 involved a crash · 0 a fire

Owner complaints filed with NHTSA, by component

All 3 complaints on record, top 2 components.

Electrical System2

Seats1

Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint database.

Recalls NHTSA · verified

Showing 1 of 1 campaigns on record for this vehicle.

06E043000Fuel System, GasolineReported 19/05/2006

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…

Technical service bulletins NHTSA · verified

Showing 1 of 1 bulletins on record with NHTSA.

Bulletin	Date	Component	Summary
000524001	2000-04-01	Service Brakes, Hydraulic	INFORMATION REGARDING SNOW INTRUSION INTO REAR DRUM BRAKE ASSEMBLIES. **MR

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 Cimarron. 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 4.5 qt Engine oil filter 12737092 Engine air filter 25043119 Fuel filter 25171792 Spark plug 19354418

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 1988 Cimarron take?

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

Does the 1988 Cimarron have open recalls?

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

What gas mileage does the Cimarron get?

EPA figures are 18 city / 25 highway / 20 combined mpg.