Geo›Metro›1994›Overview/geo/metro/1994/base/

1994 Geo Metro

Factory specifications, fluid capacities, torque values, EPA fuel economy and the federal safety record for the 1994 Metro.

Body PASSENGER CARTransmission Automatic 3-spd

The 1994 Geo Metro passenger car, equipped with a 3-speed automatic transmission and an engine requiring 3.5 quarts of 5W-30 API oil, delivers an EPA-rated 31 city, 35 highway, and 33 combined mpg. From a reliability standpoint, the year saw 87 owner complaints primarily focused on seat belts but remarkably zero recalls. Positioned within the broader 1990-2001 model history, the 1994 Metro sits just before the platform's most problematic year of 1995 with its 121 complaints, meaning this model year represents a relatively stable midpoint before the line ultimately improved toward its lowest complaint count of six in 2001.

Model year1997 1996 1995 1994 1993 1992 1991 1990 1989

Quick specs

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

Engine oil capacity3.5 qtOEM · verified

Engine oil type5W-30 APIOEM · verified

EPA fuel economy31/35/33 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 25325406. Note the factory engine oil filter, engine air filter, fuel filter and serpentine belt are now discontinued — plan on a superseded or quality aftermarket equivalent, which the part pages below list where known.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 filter	25325406 discontinued · alt 25322837
Engine air filter	25099249 discontinued
Fuel filter	25121585 discontinued
Spark plug	19354423 alt 19302733
Front wiper blades	12344992 alt 12344993
Serpentine belt	96058052 discontinued · alt 30010310
Thermostat	96069300 alt 96067938

Full specifications

Engine, drivetrain, dimensions and economy.

Engine & drivetrain NHTSA vPIC

Transmission

Automatic 3-spd

Ratings & economy EPA / vPIC

EPA city / highway / combined	31 / 35 / 33 mpg
Drivetrain	Front-Wheel Drive
Recommended fuel	Regular Gasoline

Service quick specs OEM factory data

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

This engine holds 3.5 qt of 5W-30 API engine oil, DOT 3 brake fluid.

Lubricants & capacities

Brake Fluid	DOT 3
Engine Coolant	ETHYLENE GLYCOL
Engine Oil	5W-30 · API
Engine Oil Capacity	3.5 qt
Engine Oil	5W-30 · API
Engine Oil Capacity	3.5 qt
Power Steering Fluid	USE 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 every 7,500 mi; spark plugs every 30,000 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.

Every 7,500 mi	Body Latches, Locks & Hinges (inspect) · Engine Oil (drain & refill) · Engine Oil Filter (replace) · Tire & Wheel Assembly (rotate) · Weatherstrip Seal (inspect)
Every 15,000 mi	Fuel Line (inspect) · Fuel Tank (inspect) · Fuel Tank Filler Cap (inspect)
Every 30,000 mi	Accessory Drive Belt (inspect) · Engine Air Filter Element (replace) · Engine Coolant System (drain, flush & refill) · Fuel Filter (replace) · Spark Plugs (replace) · Timing Belt (inspect)
Every 45,000 mi	Transmission Oil Cooler Line (inspect)
Every 60,000 mi	Brake Hydraulic System (drain, refill & bleed) · Spark Plug Wires (replace) · Vehicle Wiring Harnesses (inspect)
Every 100,000 mi	Transmission Fluid & Filter (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 1994 Geo Metro sits at a notable inflection point in the generation's complaint arc: complaints rose from 52 in 1993 to 87 in 1994, then peaked at 121 in 1995 before declining steadily through the late 1990s. While the 1994 model year recorded zero recalls and zero investigations—matching the trend of no investigations from 1993 onward—its complaint count is the second-highest among the early years, with the top areas being seat belts (17), engine and cooling (15), and hydraulic brakes (11). The 1994 model also logged 9 crash-related complaints and 2 fire complaints, though the data does not specify root causes for these issues. Compared to the preceding 1993 year (52 complaints, 1 recall) and the following 1995 peak (121 complaints, 1 recall), 1994 offers a middle ground: it avoids the recall activity of surrounding years but carries a higher complaint volume than earlier models. Given the elevated safety-related complaints and the absence of recalls to address them, this is a year to approach with caution—only consider a 1994 Metro if a pre-purchase inspection confirms the seat belt and brake systems are in good condition.

Open recalls

NHTSA campaigns

Service bulletins

Manufacturer communications

ODI investigations

Office of Defects Investigation

Owner complaints

9 involved a crash · 2 a fire

Owner complaints by model year NHTSA · this generation & adjacent

’90 ’91 ’92 ’93’94’95 ’96 ’97 ’98 ’99 ’00 ’01

Owner complaints filed with NHTSA, by component

All 87 complaints on record, top 8 components.

Seat Belts17

Engine & Engine Cooling15

Service Brakes, Hydraulic11

Latches/Locks/Linkages8

Structure6

Visibility6

Wheels5

Electrical System3

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 6 bulletins on record with NHTSA.

Bulletin	Date	Component	Summary
PIC4696E	2019-11-22	Equipment	This Preliminary Information communication provides information to the technician on how…
PIC4696D	2019-09-05	Equipment	This Preliminary Information communication provides information to the technician on how…
PIC4696C	2018-05-31	Equipment	This Preliminary Information communication provides information to the technician on how…
130089009	2013-09-01	Engine And Engine Cooling	Expanded Availability for Remanufacture and Return (R&R) Electronic Control Modules
436508	1994-12-01	Engine And Engine Cooling	MOISTURE MAY BECOME TRAPPED IN THE ENGINE VACUUM LINE BETWEEN TBI UNIT AND MAP SENSOR AND…

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 Metro. 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 3.5 qt Engine oil filter 25325406 Engine air filter 25099249 Fuel filter 25121585 Spark plug 19354423

Reference guides

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

Vehicle recalls & TSBs OBD-II trouble codes Maintenance schedules Fluid capacities & specs

Frequently asked

How much oil does the 1994 Metro take?

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

Does the 1994 Metro have open recalls?

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

What gas mileage does the Metro get?

EPA figures are 31 city / 35 highway / 33 combined mpg.