ChevroletAstro1986Overview/chevrolet/astro/1986/base/

1986 Chevrolet Astro

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

The 1986 Chevrolet Astro, with its 3-quart oil capacity and recommended 10W-30 or 5W-30 viscosity, recorded just 25 owner complaints and 4 recalls, the primary concern being seat belts. This early model year’s reliability record stands in sharp contrast to the Astro’s later history, where complaints would peak at 499 in 1995, positioning the 1986 version as a notably trouble-free entry in the model’s lifespan.

Model year199019891988198719861985

Quick specs

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

Engine oil capacity3 qtOEM · verified
Engine oil type10W-30 / 5W-30OEM · verified

Fitment & sizes

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

From the factory this vehicle uses OE oil filter 12731175. Note the factory fuel filter is now discontinued — plan on a superseded or quality aftermarket equivalent, which the part pages below list where known.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 filter12731175 alt 12737090
Engine air filter25040929 alt 25040881
Fuel filter25171792 discontinued
Spark plug19300382 alt 05614046
Front wiper blades15184702
Serpentine belt10112415 alt 09433722
Thermostat03050922 alt 10207373

Full specifications

Engine, drivetrain, dimensions and economy.

Dimensions & weight NHTSA vPIC

Overall length176.8 in
Overall width77.2 in
Overall height71.7 in
Wheelbase111 in
Curb weight3441 lb
Weight distribution (front / rear)56/44

Service quick specs OEM factory data

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

This engine holds 3 qt of 10W-30 / 5W-30 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 Capacity4.0 qt
Engine CoolantETHYLENE GLYCOL
Engine Oil10W-30 · 5W-30
Engine Oil Capacity3 qt
Engine Oil10W-30 · 5W-30
Engine Oil Capacity6 qt

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 miDrive Axle Assembly (drain & refill) · Engine Oil Filter (replace) · Throttle Body (torque) · Tire & Wheel Assembly (rotate)
Every 7,500 miBody Latches, Locks & Hinges (inspect) · Brake Line (inspect) · Brake Linings (inspect) · Driveshaft U-Joint (lubricate) · Engine Coolant System (leak inspection) · Engine Oil (drain & refill)
Every 15,000 miEngine Oil Filter (replace) · Tire & Wheel Assembly (rotate)
Every 30,000 miAccessory Drive Belt (inspect) · Clutch Release Lever Pivot Points (lubricate) · EGR System (inspect) · Early Fuel Evaporation System (inspect) · Engine Air Filter Element (replace) · Engine Breather Filter (replace)
Every 60,000 miFuel Filter (replace) · Throttle Body (torque)

Reliability & federal safety record

Owner-reported issues, recalls, investigations and service bulletins on record with NHTSA — an unfiltered look at what owners actually experience.

The provided federal record begins in 1990, making direct comparison with 1986 impossible. This means I cannot assess where the target year falls within the generation's complaint/recall trend, nor compare it to years before and after. The data doesn't specify why 1986 records are absent from the dataset. What the data does show: From 1990 through 2005, complaints escalated from 80 to a peak of 499 in 1995, then gradually declined to just 9 by 2005. Recalls remained relatively stable (2-7 annually), while TSBs surged dramatically from 10 to 515. Investigations dropped from 9 in 1990 to 0 by 1999 and remained absent through 2005. For 1986 specifically, the data indicates four complaints each in Seat Belts, Seats, Steering, and Service Brakes/Hydraulic; 4 crash-related complaints; and 1 fire complaint. However, without temporal context, the significance of these figures relative to the generation's arc remains unspecified. **Concrete takeaway:** The federal record data doesn't include 1986, preventing trend analysis for this specific model year. Since you cannot assess how 1986 compares to the documented trajectory, and early-model-year issues often differ from mid-cycle patterns, purchasing a 1986 Astro based on this dataset alone carries unquantifiable risk.

4
Open recalls
NHTSA campaigns
1
Service bulletins
Manufacturer communications
7
ODI investigations
Office of Defects Investigation
25
Owner complaints
4 involved a crash · 1 a fire
NHTSA crash-test rating federal NCAP · out of 5 stars
Overall★★★★
Frontal★★★★
Side★★★★★
Rollover★★★★★
Owner complaints by model year NHTSA · this generation & adjacent

Owner complaints filed with NHTSA, by component

All 25 complaints on record, top 8 components.

Seat Belts4
Seats4
Steering4
Service Brakes, Hydraulic4
Vehicle Speed Control2
Power Train2
Electrical System1
Wheels1

Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint database.

Recalls NHTSA · verified

Showing 2 of 4 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…

06E049000Exterior LightingReported 24/05/2006

CERTAIN CK MOTORSPORTS COMBINATION HEADLIGHTS, CLEAR CORNER, BUMPER, AND SIDE MARKER LIGHTS SOLD AS REPLACEMENT LAMPS FOR USE ON THE PASSENGER VEHICLES LISTED ABOVE. SOME COMBINATION LAMPS THAT ARE NOT EQUIPPED WITH… Remedy: CK MOTORSPORT WILL NOTIFY OWNERS AND REPLACE THE NONCOMPLIANT LAMPS FREE OF CHARGE. THE RECALL BEGAN ON JULY 1, 2006. OWNERS MAY CONTACT CK MOTORSPORT AT 1-909-610-7211.

Technical service bulletins NHTSA · verified

Showing 1 of 1 bulletins on record with NHTSA.

BulletinDateComponentSummary
016672004-01-01VisibilityWINDOW REGULATOR MOTOR DOES NOT FIT. *TT

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 Astro. 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 Astro take?

3 qt of ABOVE 40 degrees F: 30, ABOVE 0 degrees F: 10W-30, BELOW 60 degrees F: 5W-30, per the factory manual.

Does the 1986 Astro have open recalls?

NHTSA lists 4 recall campaign(s) for this model year. Check your specific vehicle by VIN.