CadillacFleetwood Broughham1988Overview/cadillac/fleetwood-broughham/1988/base/

1988 Cadillac Fleetwood Broughham

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

Transmission Automatic 4-spd

The 1988 Cadillac Fleetwood Broughham represents the traditional American full-size luxury sedan, built on GM's rear-wheel-drive platform with a smooth automatic 4-speed transmission. Fuel economy registered at 15 city, 22 highway, and 17 combined MPG according to EPA testing, while the engine requires 4.5 quarts of 5W-30 API-rated oil for service intervals. In terms of owner-reported issues, this model year recorded just three total complaints across the model population, with electrical systems and vehicle speed control emerging as the primary concern areas alongside three documented recalls. For researchers examining long-term ownership patterns, the 1988 Fleetwood Broughham's complaint volume suggests this generation holds relatively stable reliability metrics within the model's broader production run, though the noted complaint categories indicate areas warranting closer inspection during pre-purchase evaluation.

Model year1993199219911989198819871985

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 economy15/22/17 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 12731179. Note the factory fuel filter is now discontinued — plan on a superseded or quality aftermarket equivalent, which the part pages below list where known.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 filter12731179
Engine air filter19259030
Fuel filter25171792 discontinued
Spark plug19354416
Front wiper blades22155381
Serpentine belt03531941
Thermostat03539588 alt 03522676

Full specifications

Engine, drivetrain, dimensions and economy.

Engine & drivetrain NHTSA vPIC

TransmissionAutomatic 4-spd

Dimensions & weight NHTSA vPIC

Overall length201.6 in
Overall width71.7 in
Overall height55.1 in
Wheelbase116.1 in
Curb weight3547 lb

Ratings & economy EPA / vPIC

EPA city / highway / combined15 / 22 / 17 mpg
DrivetrainFront-Wheel Drive
Passenger volume110 cu ft
Cargo volume16 cu ft
Recommended fuelRegular 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 5W-30 API engine oil, 80W-90 · GL-5 in the differential, DOT 3 brake fluid.

Lubricants & capacities

Brake FluidDOT 3
Differential Gear Oil80W-90 · GL-5
Differential Gear Oil Capacity4.3 qt
Engine CoolantETHYLENE GLYCOL
Engine Oil5W-30 · API
Engine Oil Capacity4.5 qt
Engine Oil10W-30 · 5W-30
Engine Oil Capacity4.5 qt

Factory maintenance schedule OEM · verified

Normal service, condensed from the factory interval matrix.

Under the factory schedule, replace the engine oil and filter every 5,000 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.

Every 5,000 miEngine Oil Filter (replace)
At 7,500 miCarburetor Mounting Fasteners (inspect) · Choke System (inspect) · Drive Axle Assembly (drain & refill) · Engine Oil Filter (replace) · Throttle Body (torque) · Tire & Wheel Assembly (rotate)
Every 7,500 miAccessory Drive Belt (inspect) · Brake System (inspect) · Differential (inspect fluid level) · Engine Oil (drain & refill) · Exhaust System (Complete) (inspect) · Parking Brake Cable (lubricate)
Every 15,000 miEngine Oil Filter (replace) · Tire & Wheel Assembly (rotate)
Every 30,000 miAir Injection System Air Pump Filter Element (replace) · Choke System (inspect) · EGR System (inspect) · Engine Air Filter Element (replace) · Engine Breather Filter (replace) · Engine Coolant System (drain, flush & refill)
Every 100,000 miTransmission 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 Fleetwood Broughham dominate in one area — the electrical system,vehicle speed control, 1 of 3 reports (33%), well ahead of the next concern. None of this vehicle's 3 recall campaigns target the electrical system,vehicle speed control, so those reports read as owner-reported wear-and-tear rather than an acknowledged defect. 1 of the reports describe a crash and 0 a fire — a small share of the total, but worth weighing against the electrical system,vehicle speed control 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.

3
Open recalls
NHTSA campaigns
0
Service bulletins
Manufacturer communications
2
ODI investigations
Office of Defects Investigation
3
Owner complaints
1 involved a crash · 0 a fire
NHTSA crash-test rating federal NCAP · out of 5 stars
Overall★★★★★
Frontal★★★★★
Side★★★★★
Rollover★★★★

Owner complaints filed with NHTSA, by component

All 3 complaints on record, top 3 components.

Electrical System,Vehicle Speed Control1
Service Brakes, Hydraulic1
Vehicle Speed Control1

Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint database.

Recalls NHTSA · verified

Showing 2 of 3 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…

90V093000Equipment:Other:LabelsReported 09/05/1990

VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: LIMOUSINES BUILT BY EMPIRE COACH. VEHICLE ALTERERS LABEL MAY BE MISSING OR INCOMPLETE. Remedy: ADD COMPLIANCE LABEL.

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 Fleetwood Broughham. 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 1988 Fleetwood Broughham take?

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

Does the 1988 Fleetwood Broughham have open recalls?

NHTSA lists 3 recall campaign(s) for this model year. Check your specific vehicle by VIN.

What gas mileage does the Fleetwood Broughham get?

EPA figures are 15 city / 22 highway / 17 combined mpg.