GMC Truck›S15 4WD›1986›Overview/gmc-truck/s15-4wd/1986/base/

1986 GMC Truck S15 4WD

Factory specifications, fluid capacities, torque values, EPA fuel economy and the federal safety record for the 1986 S15 4WD.

The 1986 GMC Truck S15 4WD represents the compact pickup segment with selectable four-wheel drive capability, built on GM's S-platform and requiring 3 quarts of engine oil with viscosity options spanning 20W-20, 15W-40, and 5W-30 for maintenance. According to available owner feedback data, this specific model year recorded three total complaints with steering emerging as the primary concern, alongside three separate recall campaigns during production. While the 1986 model year precedes the complaint tracking period spanning 1990 to 2001, the broader historical data for the S15 platform shows complaint frequency peaked at 9 in 1991 and reached its lowest point at 1 in 1999, indicating that later model years generally demonstrated improved owner satisfaction compared to earlier iterations.

Model year1992199119861985

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 12737092. Note the factory front wiper blades is now discontinued — plan on a superseded or quality aftermarket equivalent, which the part pages below list where known.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 filter12737092 alt 12731175
Engine air filter25040929 alt 25040881
Fuel filter25055083 alt 25171792
Spark plug05614046 alt 19300874
Front wiper blades12363297 discontinued
Serpentine belt15599208 alt 10024881
Thermostat03050922 alt 10017079

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 at 7,500 mi.

At 7,500 miDrive Axle Assembly (drain & refill) · Engine Oil Filter (replace) · Throttle Body (torque) · Tire & Wheel Assembly (rotate) · Transmission Assembly (drain & refill)
Every 7,500 miBody Latches, Locks & Hinges (inspect) · Brake Line (inspect) · Brake Linings (inspect) · CV Joint Boot (inspect) · Differential (inspect fluid level) · Driveshaft U-Joint (lubricate)
Every 15,000 miEngine Oil Filter (replace) · Tire & Wheel Assembly (rotate)
Every 30,000 miAccessory Drive Belt (inspect) · Clutch Release Lever Pivot Points (lubricate) · EGR System (inspect) · Early Fuel Evaporation System (inspect) · Engine Air Filter Element (replace) · Engine Breather Filter (replace)
Every 60,000 miFuel Filter (replace) · Throttle Body (torque)

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 GMC Truck S15 4WD dominate in one area — the steering, 1 of 3 reports (33%), well ahead of the next concern. None of this vehicle's 3 recall campaigns target the steering, 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 steering 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
3
Owner complaints
0 involved a crash · 1 a fire
Owner complaints by model year NHTSA · this generation & adjacent
’90’91’92’93’94’95’96’97’98’99’01

Owner complaints filed with NHTSA, by component

All 3 complaints on record, top 3 components.

Steering1
Fuel System, Gasoline1
Seat Belts1

Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint database.

Recalls NHTSA · verified

Showing 2 of 3 campaigns on record for this vehicle.

06E049000Exterior LightingReported 24/05/2006

CERTAIN CK MOTORSPORTS COMBINATION HEADLIGHTS, CLEAR CORNER, BUMPER, AND SIDE MARKER LIGHTS SOLD AS REPLACEMENT LAMPS FOR USE ON THE PASSENGER VEHICLES LISTED ABOVE. SOME COMBINATION LAMPS THAT ARE NOT EQUIPPED WITH… Remedy: CK MOTORSPORT WILL NOTIFY OWNERS AND REPLACE THE NONCOMPLIANT LAMPS FREE OF CHARGE. THE RECALL BEGAN ON JULY 1, 2006. OWNERS MAY CONTACT CK MOTORSPORT AT 1-909-610-7211.

86V140000Equipment:Other:LabelsReported 21/10/1986

TIRE AND WHEEL INFORMATION ON CERTIFICATION LABEL MAY BE INCORRECT. CONSEQUENCE OF DEFECT: TRUCKS FAIL TO COMPLY WITH FMVSS 120. Remedy: INSTALL CERTIFIED LABEL WITH CORRECT INFORMATION.

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 S15 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 12737092Engine air filter 25040929Fuel filter 25055083Spark plug 05614046

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 1986 S15 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 1986 S15 4WD have open recalls?

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