Chevrolet›Celebrity›1986›Overview/chevrolet/celebrity/1986/base/

1986 Chevrolet Celebrity

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

The 1986 Chevrolet Celebrity carried a 4-quart oil capacity requiring 5W-30 API lubricant, specifications that ground its maintenance regimen in concrete service data. Owner reports catalog 41 total complaints for this vintage, with steering systems generating the most frequent grievances across three separate recalls. Against the model’s later 1990-1992 track record—when complaint volumes dropped to just two in 1991 after peaking at eight in 1990—this model year sits at the highest end of the documented reliability spectrum, signaling a more problematic production cycle than the subdued years that followed.

Model year1990 1989 1988 1987 1986 1985 1984 1983 1982

Quick specs

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

Engine oil capacity4 qtOEM · verified

Engine oil type5W-30 APIOEM · 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 Note the factory fuel filter is now discontinued — plan on a superseded or quality aftermarket equivalent, which the part pages below list where known.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 filter	12731175
Engine air filter	25043317 alt 25043119
Fuel filter	25171792 discontinued · alt 5651803
Spark plug	05614046 alt 19300874
Front wiper blades	15184702
Serpentine belt	10034799 alt 14062237
Thermostat	10207373 alt 10101864

Full specifications

Engine, drivetrain, dimensions and economy.

Dimensions & weight NHTSA vPIC

Overall length	188.2 in
Overall width	69.3 in
Overall height	54.3 in
Wheelbase	104.7 in
Curb weight	2690 lb
Weight distribution (front / rear)	63/37

Service quick specs OEM factory data

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

This engine holds 4 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 qt
Engine Oil	5W-30 · API
Engine Oil Capacity	3 qt
Engine Oil	5W-30 · API
Engine Oil Capacity	3.0 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.

Every 5,000 mi	Clutch Pedal Assembly (inspect)
At 7,500 mi	Carburetor Mounting Fasteners (inspect) · Choke System (inspect) · Engine Oil Filter (replace) · Throttle Body (torque) · Tire & Wheel Assembly (rotate)
Every 7,500 mi	Accessory Drive Belt (inspect) · Axle Shaft Oil Seal (inspect) · Body Latches, Locks & Hinges (inspect) · Brake System (inspect) · CV Joint Boot (inspect) · Engine Oil (drain & refill)
Every 15,000 mi	Engine Oil Filter (replace) · Tire & Wheel Assembly (rotate)
Every 30,000 mi	Choke System (inspect) · Distributor Cap (inspect) · Distributor Vacuum Advance (inspect) · EGR System (inspect) · Engine Air Filter Element (replace) · Engine Breather Filter (replace)
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.

The provided federal record for the Chevrolet Celebrity's later years (1990-1992) shows a downward trend in complaints (declining from 8 to 2) and recalls (declining from 2 to 0), with one investigation logged each year. The target year, 1986, falls earlier in this generation's lifecycle and exhibits a higher concentration of specific component issues, led by Steering (12 complaints), Electrical System (7), Seat Belts (5), and Structure (3). This early-model data also includes 5 crash and 2 fire complaints, though the data does not specify the root causes for these incidents. Compared to the minimal complaint volumes of the 1990-1992 models, the 1986 data implies that the earlier production years carried substantially greater operational and safety risks. Given the elevated steering and electrical issues alongside fire-related complaints, the 1986 Chevrolet Celebrity is not a recommended purchase unless those specific systems have been comprehensively verified and remedied.

Open recalls

NHTSA campaigns

Service bulletins

Manufacturer communications

ODI investigations

Office of Defects Investigation

Owner complaints

5 involved a crash · 2 a fire

NHTSA crash-test rating federal NCAP · out of 5 stars

Side★★★★★

Rollover★★★★★

Owner complaints by model year NHTSA · this generation & adjacent

’90 ’91 ’92

Owner complaints filed with NHTSA, by component

All 41 complaints on record, top 8 components.

Steering12

Electrical System7

Seat Belts5

Structure3

Exterior Lighting2

Seats2

Service Brakes, Air2

Vehicle Speed Control2

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…

86V056000Exterior Lighting:Headlights:SwitchReported 28/04/1986

THE PUSH-PULL HEADLIGHT SWITCH MAY HAVE ELECTRICAL CONTACTS WHICH ALLOW AN INTERMITTENT HEADLIGHT CIRCUIT CAUSING HEADLIGHT TO FLICKER OR SUDDENLY GO OUT. CONSEQUENCE OF DEFECT: SUDDEN LOSS OF THE HEADLIGHTS UNDER… Remedy: REPLACE HEADLIGHT SWITCH AS NECESSARY.

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 Celebrity. 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 qt Engine oil filter 12731175 Engine air filter 25043317 Fuel filter 25171792 Spark plug 05614046

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 1986 Celebrity take?

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

Does the 1986 Celebrity have open recalls?

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