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1986 GMC Truck S15 2WD

Factory specifications, fluid capacities, torque values, EPA fuel economy and the federal safety record for the 1986 S15 2WD.

The 1986 GMC S15 2WD was a compact pickup built on GM's rear-wheel-drive platform, powered by an engine requiring 3 quarts of oil with viscosity options spanning 20W-20, 15W-40, and 5W-30, and it rolled off the assembly line with three recalls on record. During its production era, owner complaints remained relatively low at three total filings, with steering emerging as the most frequently cited concern. This model year precedes the detailed complaint tracking period of 1990-2001, during which the S15 lineup saw complaint volumes fluctuate from a peak of nine in 1991 down to just one in 1999, suggesting that while early generations like the 1986 maintained modest complaint levels, the model's long-term reliability trajectory showed notable variation across subsequent years.

Model year1992 1991 1986 1985

Quick specs

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

Engine oil capacity3 qtOEM · verified

Engine oil type20W-20 / 15W-40 / 5W-30OEM · verified

Fitment & sizes

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

From the factory this vehicle uses OE oil filter 12737092. Note the factory front wiper blades is now discontinued — plan on a superseded or quality aftermarket equivalent, which the part pages below list where known.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	12737092 alt 12731175
Engine air filter	25040929 alt 25040881
Fuel filter	25055083 alt 25171792
Spark plug	05614046 alt 19300874
Front wiper blades	12363297 discontinued
Serpentine belt	15599208 alt 10024881
Thermostat	03050922 alt 10017079

Service quick specs OEM factory data

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

This engine holds 3 qt of 20W-20 / 15W-40 / 5W-30 engine oil, 80W-90 · GL-5 in the differential, DOT 3 brake fluid.

Lubricants & capacities

Brake Fluid	DOT 3
Differential Gear Oil	80W-90 · GL-5
Differential Gear Oil Capacity	4.0 qt
Differential Gear Oil	80W-90 · GL-5
Differential Gear Oil Capacity	2.6 qt
Engine Coolant	ETHYLENE GLYCOL
Engine Oil	20W-20 · 15W-40 · 5W-30
Engine Oil Capacity	3 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.

At 7,500 mi	Drive Axle Assembly (drain & refill) · Engine Oil Filter (replace) · Throttle Body (torque) · Tire & Wheel Assembly (rotate) · Transmission Assembly (drain & refill)
Every 7,500 mi	Body Latches, Locks & Hinges (inspect) · Brake Line (inspect) · Brake Linings (inspect) · CV Joint Boot (inspect) · Differential (inspect fluid level) · Driveshaft U-Joint (lubricate)
Every 15,000 mi	Engine Oil Filter (replace) · Tire & Wheel Assembly (rotate)
Every 30,000 mi	Accessory Drive Belt (inspect) · Clutch Release Lever Pivot Points (lubricate) · EGR System (inspect) · Early Fuel Evaporation System (inspect) · Engine Air Filter Element (replace) · Engine Breather Filter (replace)
Every 60,000 mi	Fuel Filter (replace) · Throttle Body (torque)

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 GMC Truck S15 2WD dominate in one area — the steering, 1 of 3 reports (33%), well ahead of the next concern. None of this vehicle's 3 recall campaigns target the steering, so those reports read as owner-reported wear-and-tear rather than an acknowledged defect. 0 of the reports describe a crash and 1 a fire — a small share of the total, but worth weighing against the steering 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.

Open recalls

NHTSA campaigns

Service bulletins

Manufacturer communications

ODI investigations

Office of Defects Investigation

Owner complaints

0 involved a crash · 1 a fire

Owner complaints by model year NHTSA · this generation & adjacent

’90 ’91 ’92 ’93 ’94 ’95 ’96 ’97 ’98 ’99 ’01

Owner complaints filed with NHTSA, by component

All 3 complaints on record, top 3 components.

Steering1

Fuel System, Gasoline1

Seat Belts1

Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint database.

Recalls NHTSA · verified

Showing 2 of 3 campaigns on record for this vehicle.

06E049000Exterior LightingReported 24/05/2006

CERTAIN CK MOTORSPORTS COMBINATION HEADLIGHTS, CLEAR CORNER, BUMPER, AND SIDE MARKER LIGHTS SOLD AS REPLACEMENT LAMPS FOR USE ON THE PASSENGER VEHICLES LISTED ABOVE. SOME COMBINATION LAMPS THAT ARE NOT EQUIPPED WITH… Remedy: CK MOTORSPORT WILL NOTIFY OWNERS AND REPLACE THE NONCOMPLIANT LAMPS FREE OF CHARGE. THE RECALL BEGAN ON JULY 1, 2006. OWNERS MAY CONTACT CK MOTORSPORT AT 1-909-610-7211.

86V140000Equipment:Other:LabelsReported 21/10/1986

TIRE AND WHEEL INFORMATION ON CERTIFICATION LABEL MAY BE INCORRECT. CONSEQUENCE OF DEFECT: TRUCKS FAIL TO COMPLY WITH FMVSS 120. Remedy: INSTALL CERTIFIED LABEL WITH CORRECT INFORMATION.

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 S15 2WD. 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 3 qt Engine oil filter 12737092 Engine air filter 25040929 Fuel filter 25055083 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 S15 2WD take?

3 qt of ABOVE 40 degrees F: 30, ABOVE 20 degrees F: 20W-20, ABOVE 10 degrees F: 15W-40, BELOW 60 degrees F: 5W-30, per the factory manual.

Does the 1986 S15 2WD have open recalls?

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