DodgeD2501986Overview/dodge/d250/1986/base/

1986 Dodge D250

Factory specifications, fluid capacities, torque values, EPA fuel economy and the federal safety record for the 1986 D250.

Transmission Automatic 3-spd

The 1986 Dodge D250 is a Dodge pickup truck paired with a three-speed automatic transmission and an engine lubricated by a 5-quart oil capacity that accepts 20W-20, 15W-40, or 5W-30 viscosity grades. EPA fuel economy is rated at 10 city / 12 highway / 11 combined mpg, a modest figure that underscores the truck's work-oriented stance. With only one owner complaint filed across the model year — concentrated in the electrical system — and zero recalls on record, 1986 stands as one of the cleanest years in the D250's reliability history, a meaningful data point for researchers weighing long-term dependability.

Model year19881987198619851984198319821981

Quick specs

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

Engine oil capacity5 qt w/ filterOEM · verified
Engine oil type20W-20 / 15W-40 / 5W-30OEM · verified
EPA fuel economy10/12/11 mpgEPA · verified

Full specifications

Engine, drivetrain, dimensions and economy.

Engine & drivetrain NHTSA vPIC

TransmissionAutomatic 3-spd

Ratings & economy EPA / vPIC

EPA city / highway / combined10 / 12 / 11 mpg
DrivetrainRear-Wheel Drive
Recommended fuelRegular Gasoline

Service quick specs OEM factory data

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

This engine holds 5 qt w/ filter of 20W-20 / 15W-40 / 5W-30 engine oil, Front: 90 in the differential.

Lubricants & capacities

Differential Gear OilFront: 90
Differential Gear Oil Capacity4 Pints,
Engine CoolantETHYLENE GLYCOL
Engine Oil20W-20 · 15W-40 · 5W-30 · 5W-40
Engine Oil Capacity5 qt w/ filter
Engine Oil20W-20 · 15W-40 · 5W-30 · 5W-40
Engine Oil Capacity5 qt w/ filter
Engine Oil20W-20 · 15W-40 · 5W-30 · 5W-40

Factory maintenance schedule OEM · verified

Normal service, condensed from the factory interval matrix.

Under the factory schedule, replace the engine oil and filter every 6,000 mi; spark plugs every 15,000 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 6,000 miAir Intake System (inspect) · Brake Hydraulic System (inspect fluid level) · Clutch Release Lever Pivot Points (lubricate) · Engine Oil (drain & refill) · Power Steering System (inspect)
Every 7,500 miBody Latches, Locks & Hinges (lubricate) · Brake Line (inspect) · Differential (inspect fluid level) · Exhaust System (Complete) (inspect) · Parking Brake Cable (lubricate) · Suspension System (inspect)
Every 10,000 miTire & Wheel Assembly (rotate)
Every 12,000 miChoke System (inspect) · Choke Vacuum Pulloff Valve (inspect) · EGR System (inspect) · Engine Air Filter Element (inspect) · Engine Breather Filter (clean) · PCV System (inspect)
Every 15,000 miAccessory Drive Belt (inspect) · Engine Oil Filter (replace) · Spark Plugs (replace)
Every 18,000 miEmission Control System (inspect) · Fuel Filter (replace) · Fuel Line (inspect) · Spark Plug Wires (inspect)
Every 22,500 miSteering Linkage (inspect)
Every 24,000 miBrake Linings (inspect) · CV Joint Boot (inspect) · Driveshaft U-Joint (lubricate) · Engine Assembly (leak inspection) · Parking Brake Linkage (lubricate) · Shift Linkage (inspect)
Every 30,000 miCarburetor (inspect) · Engine Coolant System (drain, flush & refill) · Fast Idle Cam (inspect)

Owner how-tos

Condensed service procedures for routine maintenance. Procedures that require dealer diagnostic equipment are identified and summarized only.

Common procedures

Key fob — remote (RKE) programming programming new fob buttons Dealer tool OEM · verified
Tool requiredDRBIII scan tool (dealer / locksmith)
WhyTransmitter codes are written into the receiver in the passenger door module
Anti-theft (SKIS) — module initialization after immobilizer module replacement Dealer tool OEM · verified
When neededAfter Sentry Key Immobilizer Module (SKIM) replacement
Tool requiredDRBIII scan tool
Also requiredThe vehicle's four-digit PIN code

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 1986 Dodge D250 dominate in one area — the electrical system, 1 of 1 reports (100%), well ahead of the next concern. NHTSA has issued no recalls for this vehicle, so these are owner-reported concerns only. 0 of the reports describe a crash and 1 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.

0
Open recalls
NHTSA campaigns
0
Service bulletins
Manufacturer communications
2
ODI investigations
Office of Defects Investigation
1
Owner complaints
0 involved a crash · 1 a fire

Owner complaints filed with NHTSA, by component

All 1 complaints on record, top 1 components.

Electrical System1

Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint database.

Recalls NHTSA · verified

No recall campaigns on record with NHTSA for this vehicle as of the last data refresh.

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 D250. 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 D250 take?

5 qt w/ filter of ABOVE 20 degrees F: 30, 20 degrees F TO 80 degrees F: 20W-20, ABOVE 10 degrees F: 15W-40, BELOW 100 degrees F 5W-30 OR 5W-40, BELOW 60 degrees F: 5W-30, 5W-40, per the factory manual.

Does the 1986 D250 have open recalls?

NHTSA lists 0 recall campaign(s) for this model year. Check your specific vehicle by VIN.

What gas mileage does the D250 get?

EPA figures are 10 city / 12 highway / 11 combined mpg.