SubaruBrat1983Overview/subaru/brat/1983/base/

1983 Subaru Brat

Factory specifications, fluid capacities, torque values, EPA fuel economy and the federal safety record for the 1983 Brat.

The 1983 Subaru Brat represents a distinctive entry in Subaru's model history, offering buyers a compact utility vehicle with practical versatility, though specific details regarding its platform and powertrain specifications are not comprehensively documented in available records for this model year; the vehicle required 4.2 quarts of engine oil during servicing, with Subaru specifying viscosity grades of 10W-30, 10W-40, or 10W-50 meeting API SM certification standards to ensure adequate protection under varying operating conditions.

Model year198719861985198419831982198119801979

Quick specs

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

Engine oil capacity4.2 qtOEM · verified
Engine oil type10W-30 / 10W-40 / 10W-50 API SMOEM · verified

Performance & power Independent road tests

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

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

14.3 sec0–60 mph (tested)quickest 14.30 sec — 1982 GL Regular Cab (5'3" Bed)
YearTrim / engine0–60¼ mileHPDrivetrain
1982GL Regular Cab (5'3" Bed) 1.8L F-414.30 sec19.40 sec73 hp4WD

Service quick specs OEM factory data

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

This engine holds 4.2 qt of 10W-30 / 10W-40 / 10W-50 API SM engine oil, 80W-90 · GL-5 in the differential, DOT 3 brake fluid.

Lubricants & capacities

Brake FluidDOT 3
Differential Gear Oil80W-90 · GL-5
Differential Gear Oil Capacity1.5 Pints
Engine CoolantETHYLENE GLYCOL
Engine Oil10W-30 · 10W-40 · 10W-50 · API
Engine Oil Capacity4.2 qt
Transfer Case Fluid75W-90 · GL-5
Transfer Case Fluid Capacity2 Pints

Reliability & federal safety record

Owner-reported issues, recalls, investigations and service bulletins on record with NHTSA — an unfiltered look at what owners actually experience.

0
Open recalls
NHTSA campaigns
10
Service bulletins
Manufacturer communications
0
ODI investigations
Office of Defects Investigation
0
Owner complaints
0 involved a crash · 0 a fire

No owner complaints on record with NHTSA for this vehicle.

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 5 of 10 bulletins on record with NHTSA.

BulletinDateComponentSummary
15-302-222022-08-23EquipmentThis bulletin contains illustrations of exchange components and their manufacturer as…
01-167-08R2022-08-23EquipmentThis bulletin contains additional information for recommended materials listed in the…
15-192-22R2022-03-18Electrical SystemThis bulletin has been developed to outline the steps for gathering basic essential…
01-167-08R2021-06-17Electrical SystemThis bulletin contains additional information for recommended materials listed in the…
09-51-08R2021-06-07EquipmentThis bulletin is to advise of SOA’s revised catalytic converter recycling program…

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 Brat. 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 1983 Brat take?

4.2 qt of 10W-30, 10W-40 OR 10W-50 API SM, per the factory manual.

Does the 1983 Brat have open recalls?

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