OldsmobileCutlass Calais1986Overview/oldsmobile/cutlass-calais/1986/base/

1986 Oldsmobile Cutlass Calais

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

The 1986 Oldsmobile Cutlass Calais is specified with a 4-quart engine oil capacity utilizing 5W-30 API viscosity. From a reliability standpoint, the model is characterized by 3 recalls and a total of 31 owner complaints. Because the top complaint area is Engine & Engine Cooling, these figures highlight the primary mechanical concerns associated with this production year.

Model year1991198919881987198619851984

Quick specs

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

Engine oil capacity4 qtOEM · verified
Engine oil type5W-30 APIOEM · verified

Fitment & sizes

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

From the factory this vehicle uses OE oil filter 12731175. Note the factory engine air filter and fuel filter are now discontinued — plan on a superseded or quality aftermarket equivalent, which the part pages below list where known.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 filter12731175
Engine air filter25040881 discontinued · alt 25043334
Fuel filter25171792 discontinued
Spark plug19300749 alt 05614046
Front wiper blades22155381
Serpentine belt25534241 alt 10032615
Thermostat24506986 alt 10192505

Full specifications

Engine, drivetrain, dimensions and economy.

Dimensions & weight NHTSA vPIC

Overall length190.6 in
Overall width69.7 in
Overall height54.3 in
Wheelbase104.7 in
Curb weight2734 lb
Weight distribution (front / rear)64/36

Service quick specs OEM factory data

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

This engine holds 4 qt of 5W-30 API engine oil, DOT 3 brake fluid.

Lubricants & capacities

Brake FluidDOT 3
Engine CoolantETHYLENE GLYCOL
Engine Oil5W-30 · API
Engine Oil Capacity4 qt
Engine Oil5W-30 · API
Engine Oil Capacity3 qt
Power Steering FluidUSE GM PART NO. 1050017 OR EQUIVALENT

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; 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 5,000 miClutch Pedal Assembly (inspect)
At 7,500 miEngine Oil Filter (replace) · Throttle Body (torque) · Tire & Wheel Assembly (rotate)
Every 7,500 miAccessory Drive Belt (inspect) · Axle Shaft Oil Seal (inspect) · Body Latches, Locks & Hinges (inspect) · Brake System (inspect) · CV Joint Boot (inspect) · Engine Oil (drain & refill)
Every 15,000 miEngine Oil Filter (replace) · Tire & Wheel Assembly (rotate)
Every 30,000 miDistributor Cap (inspect) · EGR System (inspect) · Engine Air Filter Element (replace) · Engine Breather Filter (replace) · Engine Coolant System (drain, flush & refill) · Fuel Line (inspect)
Every 100,000 miTransmission Fluid & Filter (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.

Owner complaints about the 1986 Oldsmobile Cutlass Calais lead in one area — the engine & engine cooling, 6 of 31 reports (19%), well ahead of the next concern. None of this vehicle's 3 recall campaigns target the engine & engine cooling, so those reports read as owner-reported wear-and-tear rather than an acknowledged defect. 1 of the reports describe a crash and 3 a fire — a small share of the total, but worth weighing against the engine & engine cooling 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.

3
Open recalls
NHTSA campaigns
0
Service bulletins
Manufacturer communications
3
ODI investigations
Office of Defects Investigation
31
Owner complaints
1 involved a crash · 3 a fire
NHTSA crash-test rating federal NCAP · out of 5 stars
Overall★★★★★
Frontal★★★★
Side★★★★★
Rollover★★★★

Owner complaints filed with NHTSA, by component

All 31 complaints on record, top 8 components.

Engine & Engine Cooling6
Structure4
Power Train3
Vehicle Speed Control3
Service Brakes, Hydraulic3
Steering3
Tires2
Electrical System2

Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint database.

Recalls NHTSA · verified

Showing 2 of 3 campaigns on record for this vehicle.

89V102000Vehicle Speed ControlReported 16/06/1989

A SMALL NYLON BUSHING IN THE CRUISE CONTROL SERVO BAIL MAY SLIP OUT OF PLACE, CAUSING INTERMITTENT AND UNEXPECTED INCREASES IN ENGINE SPEED OR DIESELING (ENGINE RUN ON WITH IGNITION OFF). Remedy: INSTALL A NEW BUSHING IN CRUISE CONTROL SERVO BAIL.

86V061000Electrical System:Wiring: Rear Compartment/TrunkReported 13/05/1986

AN INCORRECTLY INDEXED WIRING HARNESS MAY CAUSE THE CENTER HIGH MOUNTED STOP LAMP TO REMAIN ILLUMINATED WHEN THE HEADLIGHTS OR PARKING LAMPS ARE ON. FMVSS 108 LAMPS, REFLECTIVE DEVICES AND ASSOCIATED EQUIPMENT REQUIRES… Remedy: CORRECTLY INDEX WIRING HARNESS TERMINALS.

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 Cutlass Calais. 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 Cutlass Calais take?

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

Does the 1986 Cutlass Calais have open recalls?

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