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1986 Pontiac Bonneville

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

The 1986 Pontiac Bonneville, a full-size front-wheel-drive sedan built on GM's E-body platform, requires 4 quarts of 10W-30 or 5W-30 engine oil for routine service, a straightforward maintenance specification consistent with its era. With only three total owner complaints and three recalls on record, this model year represented a notably trouble-free period compared to the broader 1990–2005 complaint history, where complaints peaked at 299 in 1998 before declining to a low of 27 by 2005. The power train emerged as the primary complaint area across the Bonneville lineage, though the 1986's minimal complaint volume suggests these early examples established a relatively solid reliability foundation for the model.

Model year2005 2004 2003 2002 2001 2000 1999 1998 1986

Quick specs

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

Engine oil capacity4 qtOEM · verified

Engine oil type10W-30 / 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 12737090. Note the factory fuel filter is now discontinued — plan on a superseded or quality aftermarket equivalent, which the part pages below list where known.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	12737090 alt 12708762
Engine air filter	06484235 alt 06483645
Fuel filter	5651803 discontinued · alt 25171792
Spark plug	19300382 alt 19354415
Front wiper blades	15184702
Serpentine belt	09433719 alt 09433738
Thermostat	10207373 alt 01250390

Full specifications

Engine, drivetrain, dimensions and economy.

Dimensions & weight NHTSA vPIC

Overall length	200.4 in
Overall width	71.7 in
Overall height	55.9 in
Wheelbase	108.3 in
Curb weight	3217 lb
Weight distribution (front / rear)	55/45

Performance & power Independent road tests

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

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

7.1–7.7 sec0–60 mph (tested)quickest 7.10 sec — 1995 SE Sedan

Year	Trim / engine	0–60	¼ mile	HP	Drivetrain
1995	SE Sedan 3.8L Supercharger V6	7.10 sec	15.40 sec	225 hp	FWD
1996	SE Sedan 3.8L Supercharger V6	7.70 sec	15.80 sec	225 hp	FWD

Service quick specs OEM factory data

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

This engine holds 4 qt of 10W-30 / 5W-30 engine oil, 80W-90 · GL-5 in the differential.

Lubricants & capacities

Differential Gear Oil	80W-90 · GL-5
Differential Gear Oil Capacity	3.5 qt
Engine Coolant	ETHYLENE GLYCOL
Engine Oil	10W-30 · 5W-30
Engine Oil Capacity	4 qt
Engine Oil	ABOVE 40 degrees F
Engine Oil Capacity	4 qt
Engine Oil	ABOVE 40 degrees F

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	Carburetor Mounting Fasteners (inspect) · Choke System (inspect) · Drive Axle Assembly (drain & refill) · Engine Oil Filter (replace)
Every 7,500 mi	Accessory Drive Belt (inspect) · Body Latches, Locks & Hinges (inspect) · Brake System (inspect) · Differential (inspect fluid level) · Engine Oil (drain & refill) · Exhaust System (Complete) (inspect)
Every 15,000 mi	Engine Oil Filter (replace)
Every 30,000 mi	Choke System (inspect) · Distributor Cap (inspect) · Distributor Vacuum Advance (inspect) · EGR System (inspect) · Engine Air Filter Element (replace) · Engine Breather Filter (replace)
Every 100,000 mi	Transmission 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.

The 1986 Pontiac Bonneville records only three complaints in the federal database — one each for Power Train, Exterior Lighting, and Structure — with zero crash or fire incidents reported. The supplied year-by-year federal record begins in 1990, four model years later, and reflects a different front-wheel-drive platform generation, so no within-generation trend for the 1986 rear-wheel-drive model can be established. Complaint volumes in the provided data rise sharply from 44 in 1990 to a peak of 299 in 1998 before declining, but this trajectory pertains to a later architecture and cannot be extrapolated backward. The minimal 1986 complaint count may indicate either genuine reliability or simply sparse historical reporting, as the data does not specify root causes or reporting rates. Consequently, this federal record alone cannot support a definitive judgment on whether 1986 is a good year to buy, and a comprehensive mechanical inspection remains essential.

Open recalls

NHTSA campaigns

Service bulletins

Manufacturer communications

ODI investigations

Office of Defects Investigation

Owner complaints

0 involved a crash · 0 a fire

Owner complaints by model year NHTSA · this generation & adjacent

’90 ’91 ’92 ’94 ’95 ’96 ’97 ’98 ’99 ’00 ’01 ’02 ’03 ’04 ’05

Owner complaints filed with NHTSA, by component

All 3 complaints on record, top 3 components.

Power Train1

Exterior Lighting1

Structure1

Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint database.

Recalls NHTSA · verified

Showing 2 of 3 campaigns on record for this vehicle.

06E043000Fuel System, GasolineReported 19/05/2006

CERTAIN REPLACEMENT FUEL FILTERS, FRAM BRAND NAME P/N G3727, WITH DATE CODES X52911 THROUGH X60801 SEQUENTIALLY OR X600141 AND A MEXICO COUNTRY OR ORIGIN MARKING ON THE FUEL FILTER HOUSING MANUFACTURED FROM OCTOBER 18… Remedy: HONEYWELL WILL NOTIFY OWNERS AND REPLACE THE FUEL FILTERS FREE OF CHARGE. THE RECALL BEGAN ON OCTOBER 18, 2006. OWNERS MAY CONTACT FRAM CUSTOMER SERVICE AT 1-800-890-2075 (OPTION…

07E088000EquipmentReported 24/10/2007

CERTAIN HONEYWELL FRAM RACING BRAND HP4 AND HP8 OIL FILTERS THAT WERE MANUFACTURED FROM MAY 25, 2006, THROUGH SEPTEMBER 14, 2007, AND SOLD FOR USE AS REPLACEMENT EQUIPMENT FOR VEHICLES LIST ABOVE. THE AFFECTED FILTERS… Remedy: HONEYWELL WILL REPLACE THE AFFECTED OIL FILTERS FREE OF CHARGE. THE RECALL BEGAN DURING NOVEMBER 2007. OWNERS CAN CONTACT FRAM CUSTOMER SERVICE TOLL-FREE AT 1-800-890-2075.

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 Bonneville. 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 qt Engine oil filter 12737090 Engine air filter 06484235 Fuel filter 5651803 Spark plug 19300382

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 Bonneville take?

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

Does the 1986 Bonneville have open recalls?

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