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1985 GMC Truck Jimmy 4WD

Factory specifications, fluid capacities, torque values, EPA fuel economy and the federal safety record for the 1985 Jimmy 4WD.

The 1985 GMC Jimmy 4WD sits within GMC's truck-based SUV lineage as a four-wheel-drive utility vehicle that calls for just 3 quarts of engine oil at service, with a manufacturer-supported viscosity range of 20W-20, 15W-40, or 5W-30 depending on operating conditions. The model year's own reliability record is notably quiet — only 6 total owner complaints on file, visibility as the most-cited concern area, and a single recall — placing it well below the noise floor of the broader complaint dataset that spans 1990 through 2004. Within that dataset, the 1995 model year stands as the trouble peak at 620 complaints while 2003 represents the floor at a single complaint, framing the 1985 Jimmy as a relatively untroubled early benchmark rather than a predictor of the platform's later difficulties.

Model year20011992199119861985

Quick specs

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

Engine oil capacity3 qtOEM · verified
Engine oil type20W-20 / 15W-40 / 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 25160561. Note the factory fuel filter is now discontinued — plan on a superseded or quality aftermarket equivalent, which the part pages below list where known.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 filter25160561
Engine air filter08996118 alt 08997890
Fuel filter5651803 discontinued · alt 25011765
Spark plug19300382
Front wiper blades15184702
Serpentine belt14050459 alt 09433749
Thermostat14077122 alt 12514334

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 / 15W-40 / 5W-30 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 Capacity4.0 qt
Differential Gear Oil80W-90 · GL-5
Differential Gear Oil Capacity2.6 qt
Engine CoolantETHYLENE GLYCOL
Engine Oil20W-20 · 15W-40 · 5W-30
Engine Oil Capacity3 qt

Factory maintenance schedule OEM · verified

Normal service, condensed from the factory interval matrix.

Under the factory schedule, replace the engine oil and filter every 5,000 mi.

At 5,000 miExhaust Pressure Regulator (inspect)
Every 5,000 miBrake System (inspect) · Engine Oil Filter (replace) · Throttle Linkage (inspect)
At 7,500 miChoke System (inspect) · Distributor Vacuum Advance (inspect) · Drive Axle Assembly (drain & refill) · Early Fuel Evaporation System (inspect) · Engine Oil Filter (replace) · Throttle Body (torque)
Every 7,500 miAccessory Drive Belt (inspect) · Body Latches, Locks & Hinges (inspect) · Brake Line (inspect) · Brake Linings (inspect) · CV Joint Boot (inspect) · Differential (inspect fluid level)
Every 10,000 miAir Intake System (inspect) · Radiator Fan Assembly (inspect) · Underbody Splash Shield (inspect)
Every 15,000 miEngine Oil Filter (replace) · Exhaust Pressure Regulator (inspect) · PCV System (inspect) · Tire & Wheel Assembly (rotate)
At 30,000 miEarly Fuel Evaporation System (inspect)
Every 30,000 miChoke System (inspect) · Clutch Cross Shaft (lubricate) · Distributor Assembly (inspect) · Distributor Vacuum Advance (inspect) · EGR System (inspect) · Early Fuel Evaporation System (inspect)
At 45,000 miDistributor Vacuum Advance (inspect)

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 GMC Truck Jimmy 4WD top in one area — the visibility, 1 of 6 reports (17%), well ahead of the next concern. None of this vehicle's 1 recall campaigns target the visibility, so those reports read as owner-reported wear-and-tear rather than an acknowledged defect. 1 of the reports describe a crash and 0 a fire — a small share of the total, but worth weighing against the visibility 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.

1
Open recalls
NHTSA campaigns
2
Service bulletins
Manufacturer communications
2
ODI investigations
Office of Defects Investigation
6
Owner complaints
1 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
’90’92’93’94’95’96’97’98’99’00’01’03’04

Owner complaints filed with NHTSA, by component

All 6 complaints on record, top 6 components.

Visibility1
Seat Belts1
Service Brakes, Hydraulic1
Vehicle Speed Control1
Parking Brake1
Power Train1

Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint database.

Recalls NHTSA · verified

Showing 1 of 1 campaigns on record for this vehicle.

06E026000Exterior LightingReported 23/03/2006

CERTAIN PRO-A MOTORS CORNER LAMPS, TURN SIGNALS, AND HEADLIGHTS SOLD AS REPLACEMENT LAMPS FOR USE ON CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES LISTED ABOVE. SOME COMBINATION LAMPS THAT ARE NOT EQUIPPED WITH AMBER SIDE REFLECTORS FAIL… Remedy: PRO-A MOTORS WILL NOTIFY OWNERS AND OFFER TO REPURCHASE THE LAMPS. THE RECALL BEGAN ON APRIL 3, 2006. OWNERS MAY CONTACT PRO-A MOTORS AT 323-838-2988.

Technical service bulletins NHTSA · verified

Showing 2 of 2 bulletins on record with NHTSA.

BulletinDateComponentSummary
GM5612041995-04-01StructureWATER LEAK AT THE A/C RECIRCULATION DOOR (INSTALL NEW HOOD HINGE SEAL). *TW
GM1615141995-04-01Latches/Locks/LinkagesEND GATE LATCH RATTLE (INSTALL REVISED STRIKER). *TW

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 Jimmy 4WD. 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 qtEngine oil filter 25160561Engine air filter 08996118Fuel filter 5651803Spark plug 19300382

Reference guides

Cross-vehicle references for the kinds of data on this page.

Vehicle recalls & TSBsOBD-II trouble codesMaintenance schedulesFluid capacities & specs

Frequently asked

How much oil does the 1985 Jimmy 4WD take?

3 qt of ABOVE 40 degrees F: 30, ABOVE 20 degrees F: 20W-20, ABOVE 10 degrees F: 15W-40, BELOW 60 degrees F: 5W-30, per the factory manual.

Does the 1985 Jimmy 4WD have open recalls?

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