FordEXP1986Overview/ford/exp/1986/base/

1986 Ford EXP

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

Transmission Automatic 3-spd

The 1986 Ford EXP combines a 3-speed automatic transmission with an EPA rating of 21/26/23 mpg. This model year maintains a strong reliability record, consisting of zero recalls and only three total owner complaints. These reports specifically highlight exterior lighting as the top complaint area, framing the vehicle as having very few documented failures.

Model year198719861985

Quick specs

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

EPA fuel economy21/26/23 mpgEPA · verified

Fitment & sizes

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

OE service part numbers OEM · verified

Serpentine beltE1FZ8620L alt JK4296
ThermostatRT1106

Full specifications

Engine, drivetrain, dimensions and economy.

Engine & drivetrain NHTSA vPIC

TransmissionAutomatic 3-spd

Dimensions & weight NHTSA vPIC

Overall length170.5 in
Overall width65.7 in
Overall height50.4 in
Wheelbase94.1 in
Curb weight2310 lb
Weight distribution (front / rear)62/38

Ratings & economy EPA / vPIC

EPA city / highway / combined21 / 26 / 23 mpg
DrivetrainFront-Wheel Drive
Recommended fuelRegular Gasoline

Service quick specs OEM factory data

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

This engine DOT 3 brake fluid.

Lubricants & capacities

Brake FluidDOT 3

Factory maintenance schedule OEM · verified

Normal service, condensed from the factory interval matrix.

Under the factory schedule, replace the engine oil and filter every 7,500 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 7,500 miEngine Oil (drain & refill)
Every 15,000 miEngine Oil Filter (replace)
Every 30,000 miAccessory Drive Belt (inspect) · Choke System (inspect) · Distributor Vacuum Advance Delay Valve (replace) · Engine Air Filter Element (replace) · Engine Breather Filter (replace) · Engine Coolant System (drain, flush & refill)

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 Ford EXP dominate in one area — the exterior lighting, 1 of 3 reports (33%), 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 0 a fire — a small share of the total, but worth weighing against the exterior lighting 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
1
Service bulletins
Manufacturer communications
1
ODI investigations
Office of Defects Investigation
3
Owner complaints
0 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.

Exterior Lighting1
Steering1
Service Brakes, Hydraulic1

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.

Technical service bulletins NHTSA · verified

Showing 1 of 1 bulletins on record with NHTSA.

BulletinDateComponentSummary
BC52259610011996-10-01Power TrainVEHICLES MAY EXPERIENCE A VIBRATION DURING WIDE OPEN THROTTLE ACCELERATION OR WHILE…

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 EXP. 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

Does the 1986 EXP have open recalls?

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

What gas mileage does the EXP get?

EPA figures are 21 city / 26 highway / 23 combined mpg.