ToyotaPickup1983Overview/toyota/pickup/1983/base/

1983 Toyota Pickup

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

The 1983 Toyota Pickup is a straightforward machine, its engine lubricated by a 4-quart capacity of 15W-40, 20W-40, or 20W-50 API SL oil. This model year demonstrates strong initial reliability, recording zero recalls and only two total owner complaints, with tires serving as the top complaint area. When contextualized against the model's broader complaint history from 1990 to 2002—a span that saw a peak of 105 complaints in 1994 and a low of one in 2002—the 1983 Pickup's minimal issues establish it as an exceptionally trouble-free chapter in the vehicle's lineage.

Model year198919881987198619851984198319821981

Quick specs

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

Engine oil capacity4 qtOEM · verified
Engine oil type15W-40 / 20W-40 / 20W-50 API SLOEM · verified

Performance & power Independent road tests

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

Independent road tests for the Pickup 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 — 1979 Regular Cab
YearTrim / engine0–60¼ mileHPDrivetrain
1979Regular Cab 2.2L I-414.30 sec19.80 sec90 hp4x4

Service quick specs OEM factory data

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

This engine holds 4 qt of 15W-40 / 20W-40 / 20W-50 API SL engine oil, DOT 3 brake fluid.

Lubricants & capacities

Brake FluidDOT 3
Engine OilABOVE 10 degrees F
Engine Oil Capacity4 qt
Engine OilAPI
Engine Oil Capacity4 qt
Power Steering FluidATF
Transfer Case Fluid75W-90 · 80W-90 · GL-4 · GL-5
Transfer Case Fluid Capacity3.4 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.

The 1983 Toyota Pickup sits outside the available year-by-year federal record, which begins in 1990, so direct comparison to earlier models is not possible. However, the trend from 1990 onward shows complaints rising from 30 in 1990 to a peak of 105 in 1994, then dropping sharply to single digits by 1996 and remaining low through 2002. The 1983 model itself has only two total complaints (tires and wheels) and zero crash or fire complaints in the data provided, which is far lower than any year in the 1990–1995 period. Because the 1983 predates the high-complaint arc and its own reported issues are minimal, the data suggests it is a relatively trouble-free year—though recall information for 1983 is absent from this record. **Takeaway: This is a good year to buy, provided you verify the vehicle’s condition independently, as the federal data shows no significant safety or reliability red flags for the 1983 model.**

0
Open recalls
NHTSA campaigns
15
Service bulletins
Manufacturer communications
0
ODI investigations
Office of Defects Investigation
2
Owner complaints
0 involved a crash · 0 a fire
Owner complaints by model year NHTSA · this generation & adjacent

Owner complaints filed with NHTSA, by component

All 2 complaints on record, top 2 components.

Tires1
Wheels1

Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint database.

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 15 bulletins on record with NHTSA.

BulletinDateComponentSummary
TSB0032202023-08-17Air BagsTSB: Replacement certification labels (the vinyl label installed on the driver door or…
Toyota PRO19-022022-01-12TiresPOL: This consolidated Tire Warranty Guide contains the complete warranty terms for all…
T-SB-0032-20 Rev2021-02-03EquipmentTSB: Replacement certification labels (the vinyl label installed on the driver door or…
T-SB-0304-17 Obs2020-04-07EquipmentTSB: OBSOLETE NOTICE April 07, 2020: This bulletin is now obsolete. Please see…
T-SB-0032-202020-04-06EquipmentTSB: SUPERSESSION NOTICE The information contained in this bulletin supersedes Service…

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 Pickup. 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 Pickup take?

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

Does the 1983 Pickup have open recalls?

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