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1985 Buick Somerset

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

The 1985 Buick Somerset, a compact coupe from GM’s N-body lineup, called for 3 quarts of oil with a recommended viscosity of 20W-20, 10W-30, or 10W-40. Its reliability record is notably clean, with just three owner complaints logged—primarily concerning the engine and engine cooling—and a single recall. This modest tally places the 1985 model year among the more trouble-free entries in the Somerset’s history, suggesting a generally dependable ownership experience for its era.

Model year1987 1986 1985

Quick specs

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

Engine oil capacity3 qtOEM · verified

Engine oil type20W-20 / 10W-30 / 10W-40OEM · 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 Note the factory engine air filter and fuel filter are now discontinued — plan on a superseded or quality aftermarket equivalent, which the part pages below list where known.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 filter	12731175
Engine air filter	25040881 discontinued · alt 25043334
Fuel filter	25171792 discontinued
Spark plug	19300749 alt 05614046
Front wiper blades	22155381
Serpentine belt	25534241 alt 10032615
Thermostat	10192505 alt 24506986

Full specifications

Engine, drivetrain, dimensions and economy.

Dimensions & weight NHTSA vPIC

Overall length	179.9 in
Overall width	67.7 in
Overall height	52 in
Wheelbase	103.5 in
Curb weight	2542 lb
Weight distribution (front / rear)	66/34

Service quick specs OEM factory data

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

This engine holds 3 qt of 20W-20 / 10W-30 / 10W-40 engine oil, DOT 3 brake fluid.

Lubricants & capacities

Brake Fluid	DOT 3
Engine Coolant	ETHYLENE GLYCOL
Engine Oil	ABOVE 40 degrees F
Engine Oil Capacity	3 qt
Engine Oil	ABOVE 40 degrees F
Engine Oil Capacity	4 qt
Power Steering Fluid	USE 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 mi	Clutch Pedal Assembly (inspect)
At 7,500 mi	Engine Oil Filter (replace) · Throttle Body (torque) · Tire & Wheel Assembly (rotate)
Every 7,500 mi	Axle Shaft Oil Seal (inspect) · Body Latches, Locks & Hinges (inspect) · Brake System (inspect) · CV Joint Boot (inspect) · Engine Oil (drain & refill) · Exhaust System (Complete) (inspect)
Every 15,000 mi	Engine Oil Filter (replace) · Tire & Wheel Assembly (rotate)
Every 30,000 mi	Accessory Drive Belt (inspect) · Distributor Cap (inspect) · EGR System (inspect) · Engine Air Filter Element (replace) · Engine Breather Filter (replace) · Engine Coolant System (drain, flush & refill)
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.

Owner complaints about the 1985 Buick Somerset dominate in one area — the engine & engine cooling, 2 of 3 reports (67%), well ahead of the next concern. None of this vehicle's 1 recall campaigns target the engine & engine cooling, so those reports read as owner-reported wear-and-tear rather than an acknowledged defect. 0 of the reports describe a crash and 1 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.

Open recalls

NHTSA campaigns

Service bulletins

Manufacturer communications

ODI investigations

Office of Defects Investigation

Owner complaints

0 involved a crash · 1 a fire

Owner complaints filed with NHTSA, by component

All 3 complaints on record, top 2 components.

Engine & Engine Cooling2

Electrical System1

Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint database.

Recalls NHTSA · verified

Showing 1 of 1 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…

Technical service bulletins NHTSA · verified

Showing 1 of 1 bulletins on record with NHTSA.

Bulletin	Date	Component	Summary
000524001	2000-04-01	Service Brakes, Hydraulic	INFORMATION REGARDING SNOW INTRUSION INTO REAR DRUM BRAKE ASSEMBLIES. **MR

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 Somerset. 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 3 qt Engine oil filter 12731175 Engine air filter 25040881 Fuel filter 25171792 Spark plug 19300749

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 1985 Somerset take?

3 qt of ABOVE 40 degrees F: 30, ABOVE 20 degrees F: 20W-20, 10W-30, 10W-40, 20W-40 OR 20W-50, ABOVE 10 degrees F 15W-40, BELOW 20 degrees F: 5W-20 OR 5W-30, per the factory manual.

Does the 1985 Somerset have open recalls?

NHTSA lists 1 recall campaign(s) for this model year. Check your specific vehicle by VIN.