JeepCJ71986Overview/jeep/cj7/1986/base/

1986 Jeep CJ7

Factory specifications, fluid capacities, torque values, EPA fuel economy and the federal safety record for the 1986 CJ7.

The 1986 Jeep CJ7 is specified with a 4-quart oil capacity (with filter) and accepts 20W-40, 20W-50, or 10W-30 API viscosities. Its ownership record is remarkably sparse, totaling just two complaints—both tied to the service brakes—and zero recalls. This places the model year among the most uneventful in documented reliability, signaling a straightforward maintenance history for researchers.

Model year198619851984198319821981198019791978

Quick specs

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

Engine oil capacity4 qt w/ filterOEM · verified
Engine oil type20W-40 / 20W-50 / 10W-30 APIOEM · verified

Service quick specs OEM factory data

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

This engine holds 4 qt w/ filter of 20W-40 / 20W-50 / 10W-30 API engine oil, Front: 75W- in the differential.

Lubricants & capacities

Differential Gear OilFront: 75W-
Differential Gear Oil Capacity4.8 Pints
Engine CoolantETHYLENE GLYCOL
Engine Oil20W-40 · 20W-50 · API · 10W-30 · 10W-40 · 5W-30
Engine Oil Capacity4 qt w/ filter
Engine Oil20W-40 · 20W-50 · API · 10W-30 · 10W-40 · 5W-30
Engine Oil Capacity5 qt w/ filter
Power Steering FluidMS-5931

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 22,500 mi. The big-interval services (every 22,500 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.

At 7,500 miAccessory Drive Belt (inspect)
Every 7,500 miBattery (inspect electrolyte level) · Brake Hydraulic System (inspect fluid level) · CV Joint Boot (inspect) · Clutch Master Cylinder (inspect fluid level) · Driveshaft U-Joint (lubricate) · Engine Oil (drain & refill)
Every 15,000 miAccessory Drive Belt (inspect)
Every 22,500 miEngine Coolant System (drain, flush & refill)
Every 30,000 miBands (adjust) · Body Fasteners (torque) · Body Latches, Locks & Hinges (inspect) · Brake System (inspect) · Choke System (inspect) · Clutch Assembly (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 Jeep CJ7 dominate in one area — the service brakes, 1 of 2 reports (50%), 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 service brakes 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
2
Service bulletins
Manufacturer communications
1
ODI investigations
Office of Defects Investigation
2
Owner complaints
0 involved a crash · 1 a fire

Owner complaints filed with NHTSA, by component

All 2 complaints on record, top 2 components.

Service Brakes1
Engine & Engine Cooling1

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 2 of 2 bulletins on record with NHTSA.

BulletinDateComponentSummary
RCL/6231995-05-01Electrical SystemUNKNOWN
RCL/6221995-05-01Electrical SystemUNKNOWN

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 CJ7. 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 CJ7 take?

4 qt w/ filter of ABOVE 30 degrees F: 20W-40 OR 20W-50 API, ABOVE 0 degrees F: 10W-30 OR 10W-40 API, BELOW 60 degrees F: 5W-30 API, per the factory manual.

Does the 1986 CJ7 have open recalls?

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