Nissan200SX1985Overview/nissan/200sx/1985/base/

1985 Nissan 200SX

Factory specifications, fluid capacities, torque values, EPA fuel economy and the federal safety record for the 1985 200SX.

The 1985 Nissan 200SX is equipped with an engine that holds 3.8 qt of oil and accepts 20W‑40, 20W‑50 or 5W‑30 viscosity grades. With only six owner complaints recorded, the top issue being the fuel‑system gasoline circuit and no recalls issued, its reliability record is modest. When viewed against the 1991‑2001 complaint history — where the highest yearly total reached 58 in 1995 and the lowest was just one in 1991 — the 1985 model’s six complaints sit at the low‑end of that range. This positions the 1985 200SX as a relatively trouble‑free example within the broader model’s reliability trend.

Model year198819871986198519841983198219811980

Quick specs

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

Engine oil capacity3.8 qtOEM · verified
Engine oil type20W-40 / 20W-50 / 5W-30OEM · verified

Performance & power Independent road tests

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

Independent road tests for the 200SX of this era, listed by trim and engine — this page spans more than one engine, so no single horsepower figure is shown.

10.0 sec0–60 mph (tested)quickest 10.00 sec — 1987 SE 3-door Hatchback
YearTrim / engine0–60¼ mileHPDrivetrain
1987SE 3-door Hatchback 3.0L V610.00 sec17.50 sec160 hpRWD

Service quick specs OEM factory data

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

This engine holds 3.8 qt of 20W-40 / 20W-50 / 5W-30 engine oil, GL-5 · 80W-90 in the differential, DOT 3 brake fluid.

Lubricants & capacities

Brake FluidDOT 3
Differential Gear OilGL-5 · 80W-90
Differential Gear Oil Capacity2.8 Pints
Engine Oil20W-40 · 20W-50 · 5W-30 · 10W-30 · 10W-40
Engine Oil Capacity3.8 qt
Engine Oil20W-40 · 20W-50 · 5W-30 · 10W-30 · 10W-40
Engine Oil Capacity3.8 qt
Power Steering FluidATF

Factory maintenance schedule OEM · verified

Normal service, condensed from the factory interval matrix.

Under the factory schedule, replace the engine oil and filter at 5,000 mi; spark plugs every 60,000 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.

At 5,000 miEngine Oil Filter (replace)
Every 7,500 miEngine Oil (drain & refill)
Every 10,000 miEngine Oil Filter (replace)
Every 15,000 miBody Latches, Locks & Hinges (inspect) · Brake System (inspect) · Differential (inspect fluid level) · Engine Valves (inspect valve lash) · Exhaust System (Complete) (inspect) · Power Steering System (inspect)
Every 30,000 miAccessory Drive Belt (inspect) · Engine Air Filter Element (replace) · Engine Coolant System (drain, flush & refill) · Fuel Evaporative Emission Control System Lines (inspect) · Fuel Line (inspect) · Oxygen Sensor (inspect)
Every 60,000 miSpark 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 1985 Nissan 200SX precedes the first recorded federal complaints in 1991, placing it outside the period of documented issue accumulation. Federal complaint data show a peak of 58 complaints in 1995, followed by a decline to 22 complaints by 1998 and zero complaints in 1999, indicating that complaint frequency generally fell after that peak. For the 1985 model year, the most frequently cited complaint category is Fuel System, Gasoline with three reports, while Engine & Engine Cooling, Exterior Lighting, Visibility, Power Train, and Seat Belts each account for one report, and no crash or fire complaints are documented. No recall, investigation, or fire entries are listed for 1985 in the provided federal record. Because the model predates the period of heightened complaints and shows no serious safety filings, it represents a relatively low‑risk entry point, making it a sensible choice for a used‑car purchase provided a thorough mechanical inspection is performed.

0
Open recalls
NHTSA campaigns
3
Service bulletins
Manufacturer communications
0
ODI investigations
Office of Defects Investigation
6
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 by model year NHTSA · this generation & adjacent

Owner complaints filed with NHTSA, by component

All 6 complaints on record, top 4 components.

Fuel System, Gasoline3
Engine & Engine Cooling,Exterior Lighting,Visibility1
Power Train1
Seat Belts1

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 3 of 3 bulletins on record with NHTSA.

BulletinDateComponentSummary
NTB-09-1012010-09-30TiresNISSAN: TIRE PRESSURE MONITORING SYSTEM (TPMS) WARNING LIGHT ON/FLASHING. NO MODELS OR…
NTB-09-1292010-09-13EquipmentNISSAN: VENT CONTROL VALVE REPLACEMENT. WHEN REPLACING THE EVAP CANISTER VENT CONTROL…
NTB-09-0302009-04-06Electrical SystemNISSAN: THE 12 VOLT BATTERY IS AN IMPORTANT PART OF THE VEHICLE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM AND IS…

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 200SX. 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 200SX take?

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

Does the 1985 200SX have open recalls?

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