DodgeRam 501985Overview/dodge/ram-50/1985/base/

1985 Dodge Ram 50

Factory specifications, fluid capacities, torque values, EPA fuel economy and the federal safety record for the 1985 Ram 50.

The 1985 Dodge Ram 50 is a compact pickup that, under the hood, requires 5 quarts of oil with a filter, using a viscosity of 10W-30, 10W-40, or 10W-50 meeting API CF-4 standards—a detail that hints at its workhorse nature. In terms of reliability, this model year stands out with only one owner complaint on record, focused on the fuel system (gasoline), and a single recall, suggesting that while the truck was generally dependable, its fuel system was a known weak point that owners should monitor.

Model year199119901989198819871986198519841983

Quick specs

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

Engine oil capacity5 qt w/ filterOEM · verified
Engine oil type10W-30 / 10W-40 / 10W-50 API CF-4OEM · verified

Full specifications

Engine, drivetrain, dimensions and economy.

Dimensions & weight NHTSA vPIC

Overall length184.6 in
Overall width65 in
Overall height63.4 in
Wheelbase109.8 in

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 10W-30 / 10W-40 / 10W-50 API CF-4 engine oil, Front: 90 in the differential.

Lubricants & capacities

Differential Gear OilFront: 90
Differential Gear Oil Capacity4 Pints,
Engine CoolantETHYLENE GLYCOL
Engine Oil10W-30 · 10W-40 · 10W-50 · API
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 5,000 mi; coolant every 15,000 mi. The big-interval services (every 15,000 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 3,000 miPower Steering System (inspect)
Every 5,000 miEngine Oil Filter (replace)
At 7,500 miEngine Oil Filter (replace)
Every 7,500 miBody Latches, Locks & Hinges (inspect) · Brake Hydraulic System (inspect fluid level) · Engine Oil (drain & refill) · Weatherstrip Seal (inspect)
At 15,000 miThrottle Position Sensor (inspect)
Every 15,000 miAccessory Drive Belt (inspect) · Air Conditioning System (inspect) · Brake System (inspect) · Drive Axle Assembly (drain & refill) · Engine Coolant System (leak inspection) · Engine Oil Filter (replace)
At 20,000 miEngine Oil Filter (replace)
Every 30,000 miAccessory Drive Belt (inspect) · Air Intake Duct (inspect) · Choke System (inspect) · Differential (inspect fluid level) · Driveshaft U-Joint (inspect) · Engine Air Filter Element (replace)
Every 50,000 miAir Injection System (inspect) · Air Injection System Solenoid Control Valve Air (replace) · Balance Shaft Drive Belt (replace) · Carburetor Mounting Fasteners (inspect) · Distributor Cap (inspect) · Distributor Rotor (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.

The supplied federal year-by-year record contains data only for 1990 and 1991, so no direct before-or-after comparison with 1985 is available; across those later years, complaints trended downward from four to two while recalls remained flat at one annually and investigations stayed at zero. For the 1985 model year itself, the record registers exactly one complaint in the Fuel System, Gasoline category, with zero crash-related and zero fire-related complaints. Because the documented arc begins five years after the target model, 1985 sits outside that observed trend, though its sparse profile—limited to a single non-crash, non-fire fuel-system complaint—suggests minimal federal activity. Against the 1990–1991 benchmark of higher complaint volumes and active recalls, the 1985 Ram 50 shows a markedly cleaner regulatory record. That relative absence of reported issues makes it the stronger candidate for purchase among the years evaluated.

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

Owner complaints filed with NHTSA, by component

All 1 complaints on record, top 1 components.

Fuel System, Gasoline1

Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint database.

Recalls NHTSA · verified

Showing 1 of 1 campaigns on record for this vehicle.

84V157000Engine And Engine Cooling:EngineReported 07/12/1984

THE ENGINE OIL PRESSURE SENDING UNIT MAY DEVELOP AN OIL LEAK. Remedy: OIL PRESSURE SENDING UNIT WILL BE REPLACED WITH A MODIFIED TYPE FREE OF CHARGE.

Technical service bulletins NHTSA · verified

Showing 1 of 1 bulletins on record with NHTSA.

BulletinDateComponentSummary
90026882013-02-13Engine And Engine Cooling68069384A$, R8069384A$, 68086182A$, R8027067A$, RL002012A$ - Gasket, Cylinder Head Cover…

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 Ram 50. 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 1985 Ram 50 take?

5 qt w/ filter of 10W-30, 10W-40 OR 10W-50 API CF-4, per the factory manual.

Does the 1985 Ram 50 have open recalls?

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