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1986 Ford Taurus

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

Defined by an engine oil capacity of 4.5 qt using 5W-30 API viscosity, the 1986 Ford Taurus holds a reliability profile separate from the model's later documented history spanning 1990 to 2019. This specific model year generated 145 total owner complaints and 9 recalls, with the Power Train identified as the top complaint area. The broader complaint timeline starts in 1990 and ranges from a high of 1822 complaints in 1993 to a low of 11 in 2019, placing the 1986 data independently prior to this period. Researchers must therefore treat these figures as a standalone baseline rather than comparing them directly to the subsequent trend.

Model year2019 2018 2017 2016 2015 2014 2013 2012 1986

Quick specs

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

Engine oil capacity4.5 qtOEM · verified

Engine oil type5W-30 APIOEM · verified

Fitment & sizes

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

OE service part numbers OEM · verified

Thermostat

RT1054 alt RT1062

Full specifications

Engine, drivetrain, dimensions and economy.

Dimensions & weight NHTSA vPIC

Overall length	191.7 in
Overall width	70.9 in
Overall height	55.1 in
Wheelbase	105.9 in
Curb weight	3164 lb

Performance & power Independent road tests

0–60 mph, quarter-mile, horsepower and torque from independent road tests.

Independent road tests for the Taurus of this era, listed by trim and engine — this page spans more than one engine, so no single horsepower figure is shown.

9.8–10.7 sec0–60 mph (tested)quickest 9.80 sec — 1986 LX Sedan

Year	Trim / engine	0–60	¼ mile	HP	Drivetrain
1986	LX Sedan 3.0L V6	9.80 sec	17.40 sec	140 hp	FWD
1986	LX Wagon 3.0L V6	10.70 sec	17.80 sec	140 hp	FWD
1989	SHO Sedan 3.0L V6	6.70 sec	15.10 sec	220 hp	FWD
1991	SHO Sedan 3.0L V6	6.60 sec	15.20 sec	220 hp	FWD
1991	SHO Sedan 3.0L V6	7.70 sec	16.20 sec	220 hp	FWD
1992	SHO Sedan 3.0L V6	6.80 sec	15.20 sec	220 hp	FWD
1993	SHO Sedan 3.2L V6	7.50 sec	15.40 sec	220 hp	FWD
1995	SHO Sedan 3.2L V6	7.70 sec	15.80 sec	220 hp	FWD

Service quick specs OEM factory data

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

This engine holds 4.5 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	4.5 qt

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; spark plugs every 30,000 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 7,500 mi	Engine Oil (drain & refill) · Engine Oil Filter (replace)
Every 30,000 mi	Accessory Drive Belt (inspect) · Engine Air Filter Element (replace) · Engine Breather Filter (replace) · Engine Coolant System (drain, flush & refill) · Exhaust System Heat Shield (inspect) · Spark Plugs (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 1986 Ford Taurus — the inaugural year of the first-generation platform — appears in the federal record with its complaint concentration split across powertrain (23), engine and engine cooling (23), electrical system (20), and structure (16), plus 2 crash-related and a noteworthy 7 fire-related complaints; however, the year-by-year data set provided begins in 1990, so a direct apples-to-apples comparison to 1986 is not possible from the supplied figures. What we can say is that the first-generation arc documented from 1990 onward climbs sharply, with complaints more than tripling from 522 in 1990 to a generation peak of 1,822 in 1993 — the same year that recorded 16 investigations, the highest of the early era — while TSBs steadily accumulated from 73 in 1990 to 313 by 1996, indicating a platform that needed continual refinement as the fleet aged. Recall activity held in a heavy 5–10 per year band through most of the 1990s, reinforcing the picture of a vehicle that was innovative at launch but generated significant durability and engineering follow-up. Because 1986 sits at the very leading edge of this arc, its lower raw complaint count likely reflects its novelty rather than proven reliability, and the disproportionate share of fire complaints among a small total is a flag worth investigating. The data does not specify root causes for any of these 1986 issues, but the unmistakable downward-and-then-spiking complaint trend that follows suggests this is not the strongest model year to target; a pre-purchase inspection emphasizing the cooling system, wiring harness, and transmission is essential, and buyers should realistically budget for age-related drivability repairs.

Open recalls

NHTSA campaigns

Service bulletins

Manufacturer communications

ODI investigations

Office of Defects Investigation

145

Owner complaints

2 involved a crash · 7 a fire

Owner complaints by model year NHTSA · this generation & adjacent

’90 ’91 ’92 ’93 ’94 ’95 ’96 ’97 ’98 ’99 ’00 ’01 ’02 ’03 ’04 ’05 ’06 ’07 ’08 ’09 ’10 ’11 ’12 ’13 ’14 ’15 ’16 ’17 ’18 ’19

Owner complaints filed with NHTSA, by component

All 145 complaints on record, top 8 components.

Power Train23

Engine & Engine Cooling23

Electrical System20

Structure16

Steering9

Seat Belts7

Service Brakes, Hydraulic6

Suspension6

Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint database.

Recalls NHTSA · verified

Showing 2 of 9 campaigns on record for this vehicle.

94E036000Suspension:Front:Shock AbsorberReported 25/11/1994

THE ARC WELDS ON THE SWAY BAR BRACKET, WHERE IT ATTACHES TO THE STRUT RESERVE TUBE, DID NOT FUSE PROPERLY. Remedy: MONROE DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE STRUT FREE OF CHARGE.

92V065000WheelsReported 11/05/1992

CHILDREN CAN ACCIDENTALLY LOCK THEMSELVES IN THE FOOTWELL AREA OF THE REAR-FACING THIRD SEAT, OR IN THE STORAGE COMPARTMENT IN STATION WAGONS NOT EQUIPPED WITH AN OPTIONAL THIRD SEAT. ONCE THE COMPARTMENT IS CLOSED IT… Remedy: REPLACE THE SELF-LATCHING ASSEMBLY CURRENTLY USED IN THE REAR STORAGE COMPARTMENT WITH A LATCH ASSEMBLY THAT CAN ONLY BE CLOSED WITH A KEY.

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 Taurus. 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 4.5 qt Thermostat RT1054

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 Taurus take?

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

Does the 1986 Taurus have open recalls?

NHTSA lists 9 recall campaign(s) for this model year. Check your specific vehicle by VIN.