DodgeSpirit19923.0L/dodge/spirit/1992/3-0l/
AA platform

1992 Dodge Spirit — 3.0L

Factory specifications, fluid capacities, torque values, EPA fuel economy and the federal safety record for the 1992 Spirit 3.0L.

Body PASSENGER CAREngine 3.0LTransmission Automatic 3-spd

The 1992 Dodge Spirit 3.0L is a passenger car built on Chrysler’s AA platform, powered by a 3.0-liter engine paired with a three-speed automatic transmission and carrying EPA fuel-economy ratings of 18/23/20 mpg. Maintenance specifications specify a 4.5-quart oil capacity with filter, accommodating viscosity grades from 5W-30 to 15W-40. Within the model’s 1990–2002 production run, this model year generated 79 owner complaints—substantially fewer than the 122 logged for 1991 but significantly higher than the single complaint recorded in 1998—with powertrain issues representing the dominant concern alongside one official recall, positioning the 1992 model in the middle tier of the Spirit’s reliability arc before later years showed marked improvement.

Quick specs

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

Engine oil capacity4.5 qt w/ filterOEM · verified
Engine oil type15W-40 / 10W-30 / 5W-30OEM · verified
EPA fuel economy18/23/20 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 05281090AB. Note the factory spark plug and thermostat are now discontinued — plan on a superseded or quality aftermarket equivalent, which the part pages below list where known.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 filter05281090AB
Engine air filter04268981 alt 04213583AB
Fuel filter04495781
Spark plug68305411AA discontinued · alt 68304174AA
Front wiper blades4334667 alt 04389350
Serpentine beltB0015396 alt B0015481AB
Thermostat04494470 discontinued · alt MD997310

Full specifications

Engine, drivetrain, dimensions and economy.

Engine & drivetrain NHTSA vPIC

TransmissionAutomatic 3-spd

Dimensions & weight NHTSA vPIC

Overall length181.1 in
Overall width68.1 in
Overall height53.5 in
Wheelbase103.1 in
Curb weight2798 lb
Weight distribution (front / rear)62/38

Ratings & economy EPA / vPIC

EPA city / highway / combined18 / 23 / 20 mpg
DrivetrainFront-Wheel Drive
Passenger volume97 cu ft
Cargo volume14 cu ft
Recommended fuelRegular Gasoline

Service quick specs OEM factory data

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

This engine holds 4.5 qt w/ filter of 15W-40 / 10W-30 / 5W-30 engine oil, DOT 3 brake fluid.

Lubricants & capacities

Brake FluidDOT 3
Engine Oil15W-40 · 10W-30 · 5W-30
Engine Oil Capacity4.5 qt w/ filter

Ignition

Curb Idle Speed (No Load)700 rpm
Curb Idle Speed Variance (No Load)100 rpm

Factory maintenance schedule OEM · verified

Normal service, condensed from the factory interval matrix.

Under the factory schedule, replace the engine oil and filter every 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 7,500 miBrake Hydraulic System (inspect fluid level) · Brake Line (inspect) · CV Joint Boot (inspect) · Engine Oil (drain & refill) · Exhaust System (Complete) (inspect) · Fuel Line (inspect)
Every 15,000 miAccessory Drive Belt (inspect) · Engine Oil Filter (replace)
Every 22,500 miBrake Linings (inspect) · Wheel Bearing (inspect)
Every 30,000 miAir Bag System (inspect) · Engine Air Filter Element (replace) · Engine Coolant System (drain, flush & refill) · Steering Linkage (inspect)
At 52,500 miEngine Coolant System (drain, flush & refill)
Every 82,500 miOxygen Sensor (replace)

Owner how-tos

Condensed service procedures for routine maintenance. Procedures that require dealer diagnostic equipment are identified and summarized only.

Common procedures

Key fob — remote (RKE) programming programming new fob buttons Dealer tool OEM · verified
Tool requiredDRBIII scan tool (dealer / locksmith)
WhyTransmitter codes are written into the receiver in the passenger door module
Anti-theft (SKIS) — module initialization after immobilizer module replacement Dealer tool OEM · verified
When neededAfter Sentry Key Immobilizer Module (SKIM) replacement
Tool requiredDRBIII scan tool
Also requiredThe vehicle's four-digit PIN code

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 Dodge Spirit sits at a notable low point in the generation's complaint arc, with 79 federal complaints compared to 122 in 1991 and 104–111 in 1993–1994, making it the quietest mainstream production year after the initial launch-year issues had been worked through. Recalls also dropped to just one (down from three in 1991), and investigations fell from three to two, suggesting that the early-generation teething problems documented in 1990–1991 had been partially addressed by the time the 1992 models rolled out. However, TSBs rose to 44 — up from 37 the prior year and continuing a steady climb that would reach 52 by 1995 — indicating Chrysler was still actively issuing technical service bulletins, likely refining known concerns rather than leaving owners to fend for themselves. The top complaint areas for 1992 cluster around the power train (14 complaints), engine and engine cooling (12), and hydraulic service brakes (11), with 5 fire-related and 4 crash-related complaints also on record; the data does not specify root causes for any of these. The subsequent rebound in complaints for 1993–1994 implies that 1992's relative calm was a mid-generation dip rather than a permanent fix, and that later years reintroduced problems at higher volumes. **Takeaway:** The 1992 model year represents one of the better-used Spirit purchases in this generation — complaints and recalls are at a relative low, TSB coverage is robust, and it avoids the higher complaint volumes that bookend it — but a pre-purchase inspection focused on the power train, cooling system, and hydraulic brakes is essential given the documented complaint concentrations.

1
Open recalls
NHTSA campaigns
44
Service bulletins
Manufacturer communications
2
ODI investigations
Office of Defects Investigation
79
Owner complaints
4 involved a crash · 5 a fire
Owner complaints by model year NHTSA · this generation & adjacent

Owner complaints filed with NHTSA, by component

All 79 complaints on record, top 8 components.

Power Train14
Engine & Engine Cooling12
Service Brakes, Hydraulic11
Air Bags5
Electrical System5
Suspension4
Steering4
Seats4

Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint database.

Recalls NHTSA · verified

Showing 1 of 1 campaigns on record for this vehicle.

92V015000Steering: Steering Wheel/Handle BarReported 14/02/1992

THE ZINC PLATING OPERATION PERFORMED ON THE UPPER STEERING COLUMN SHAFT COUPLING BOLT CAUSED HYDROGEN EMBRITTLEMENT AND BREAKAGE OF THE BOLT. Remedy: REPLACE THE ZINC PLATED BOLT WITH A PHOSPHATE PLATED BOLT.

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 Spirit. 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 Spirit 3.0L take?

4.5 qt w/ filter of ABOVE 20 degrees F 30W SJ, SL, ABOVE 10 degrees F 15W-40 SJ, SL, ABOVE 0 degrees F 10W-30 SJ, SL, BELOW 32 degrees F 5W-30 SJ, SL, BELOW 100 degrees F 5W-30 SJ, SL, per the factory manual.

Does the 1992 Spirit have open recalls?

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

What gas mileage does the 3.0L get?

EPA figures are 18 city / 23 highway / 20 combined mpg.