CadillacDeVille1992Overview/cadillac/deville/1992/base/

1992 Cadillac DeVille

Factory specifications, fluid capacities, torque values, EPA fuel economy and the federal safety record for the 1992 DeVille.

Body PASSENGER CARTransmission Automatic 4-spd

The 1992 Cadillac DeVille was offered as a passenger car paired with a four-speed automatic transmission, returning EPA figures of 15 mpg city, 23 mpg highway, and 18 mpg combined, and requiring 4 quarts of 5W-30 API oil for service. Set against the DeVille's broader 1990–2005 complaint history — which runs from a low of 94 reports in 1990 to a peak of 306 in 1997 — the 1992 model year lands in the middle of the range with 169 owner complaints, fuel-system issues as the most-cited trouble area, and a single recall on file. For a researcher, that positioning makes the 1992 DeVille a useful mid-range data point in a generation whose complaint volume would nearly double over the following five years.

Model year200520042003200220012000199919981992

Quick specs

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

Engine oil capacity4 qtOEM · verified
Engine oil type5W-30 APIOEM · verified
EPA fuel economy15/23/18 mpgEPA · verified

Fitment & sizes

Replacement part sizes and factory part numbers — battery, bulbs, filters and belts.

From the factory this vehicle uses OE oil filter 12731179. Note the factory front wiper blades and serpentine belt are now discontinued — plan on a superseded or quality aftermarket equivalent, which the part pages below list where known.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 filter12731179
Engine air filter19259030
Fuel filter25121468
Spark plug19300875
Front wiper blades25689175 discontinued
Serpentine belt19355279 discontinued
Thermostat03539588 alt 03522676

Full specifications

Engine, drivetrain, dimensions and economy.

Engine & drivetrain NHTSA vPIC

TransmissionAutomatic 4-spd

Ratings & economy EPA / vPIC

EPA city / highway / combined15 / 23 / 18 mpg
DrivetrainFront-Wheel Drive
Passenger volume113 cu ft
Cargo volume16 cu ft
Recommended fuelPremium Gasoline

Performance & power Independent road tests

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

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

6.4–8.3 sec0–60 mph (tested)quickest 6.40 sec — 2002 DTS Sedan
YearTrim / engine0–60¼ mileHPDrivetrain
1994Concours Sedan 4.6L V87.80 sec15.80 sec270 hpFWD
1994Sedan 4.9L V88.30 sec16.50 sec200 hpFWD
1995Concours Sedan 4.6L V86.90 sec15.20 sec300 hpFWD
1996Concours Sedan 4.6L V87.20 sec15.40 sec300 hpFWD
1997Concours Sedan 4.6L V86.60 sec14.90 sec300 hpFWD
1998Concours Sedan 4.6L V86.90 sec15.10 sec300 hpFWD
2000DTS Sedan 4.6L V86.60 sec15.00 sec300 hpFWD
2000DTS Sedan 4.6L V86.80 sec15.10 sec300 hpFWD

Service quick specs OEM factory data

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

This engine holds 4 qt of 5W-30 API engine oil, DOT 3 brake fluid.

Lubricants & capacities

Brake FluidDOT 3
Engine CoolantETHYLENE GLYCOL
Engine Oil5W-30 · API
Engine Oil Capacity4 qt
Power Steering FluidUSE GM PART NO. 1052884 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; spark plugs every 100,000 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.

At 7,500 miEngine Oil Filter (replace) · Throttle Body (torque) · Tire & Wheel Assembly (rotate)
Every 7,500 miBody Latches, Locks & Hinges (inspect) · Engine Oil (drain & refill) · Parking Brake Cable (lubricate) · Shift Linkage (inspect) · Steering Linkage (inspect) · Suspension System (inspect)
Every 15,000 miEngine Oil Filter (replace) · Tire & Wheel Assembly (rotate)
Every 30,000 miAccessory Drive Belt (inspect) · EGR System (inspect) · Engine Air Filter Element (replace) · Engine Breather Filter (replace) · Engine Coolant System (drain, flush & refill) · Fuel Line (inspect)
Every 100,000 miSpark Plugs (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.

The 1992 Cadillac DeVille stands out within its 1990–1993 generation with 169 complaints, a sharp rise from 94 in 1990 and 100 in 1991, before dipping to 120 in 1993. While recalls remained constant at one across these years, investigations dropped from three and four in the prior years to just one in 1992, and technical service bulletins increased to eight, matching 1991. The top complaint areas—fuel system (27), service brakes (26), and engine cooling (22)—along with 17 crash and 13 fire complaints, highlight specific trouble spots. This spike in reported issues, particularly in safety-related systems, suggests the 1992 model year is a less reliable choice within its generation, especially when compared to the lower complaint counts of the 1990 and 1991 models.

1
Open recalls
NHTSA campaigns
8
Service bulletins
Manufacturer communications
1
ODI investigations
Office of Defects Investigation
169
Owner complaints
17 involved a crash · 13 a fire
Owner complaints by model year NHTSA · this generation & adjacent

Owner complaints filed with NHTSA, by component

All 169 complaints on record, top 8 components.

Fuel System, Gasoline27
Service Brakes, Hydraulic26
Engine & Engine Cooling22
Electrical System18
Vehicle Speed Control10
Air Bags9
Structure9
Power Train7

Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint database.

Recalls NHTSA · verified

Showing 1 of 1 campaigns on record for this vehicle.

94V199000Power Train:Axle AssemblyReported 13/10/1994

THE UPPER TRANSAXLE OIL COOLER HOSE CAN PULL OUT OF THE CRIMPED COUPLING AT THE TRANSAXLE END OF THE LINE ASSEMBLY. Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSTALL A NEW UPPER TRANSAXLE OIL COOLER LINE TO THE TRANSAXLE.

Technical service bulletins NHTSA · verified

Showing 5 of 8 bulletins on record with NHTSA.

BulletinDateComponentSummary
1300890092013-09-01Engine And Engine CoolingExpanded Availability for Remanufacture and Return (R&R) Electronic Control Modules
9909410042000-01-01Air BagsINFORMATION REGARDING SWITCHES TO TURN OFF AND ON FRONTAL AIR BAGS FOR PASSENGER CARS AND…
9909400042000-01-01SeatsGENERAL MOTORS BEGAN PROVIDING CHILD RESTRAIN SEAT TOP TETHER HARDWARE PACKAGES TO…
990866002A2000-01-01Latches/Locks/LinkagesTHIS BULLETIN INFORMS DEALERSHIPS ABOUT THE TRAP RESISTANT REAR COMPARTMENT (TRUNK) KIT…
577106A1997-02-01Power TrainCOLD START RATTLE NOISE (DIAGNOSIS/SERVICE PROCEDURE). *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 DeVille. 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 1992 DeVille take?

4 qt of 5W-30 API, per the factory manual.

Does the 1992 DeVille have open recalls?

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

What gas mileage does the DeVille get?

EPA figures are 15 city / 23 highway / 18 combined mpg.