GeoPrizm1992Overview/geo/prizm/1992/base/

1992 Geo Prizm

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

Transmission Automatic 3-spd

The 1992 Geo Prizm is a passenger car equipped with an automatic 3-speed transmission and EPA-rated at 22 mpg city, 26 mpg highway, and 24 mpg combined, with manufacturer service specifications calling for 3 quarts of 10W-30 or 5W-30 API engine oil. Owner-reported data places this model year at 63 total complaints — with Structure as the leading issue area and a single recall on file — a figure that positions it as a mid-pack entry within the Prizm's broader 1990-2002 complaint history. That span runs from a peak of 167 complaints in 1994 down to just 3 in 2002, meaning the 1992 sits well below the model's worst years but still well above its cleanest examples. For a researcher, the takeaway is a representative middle ground: neither the systemic issues of the mid-decade nor the polished reliability of the final production years, but a useful baseline against which the 1994 spike and 2002 low can be measured.

Model year199719961995199419931992199119901989

Quick specs

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

Engine oil capacity3 qtOEM · verified
Engine oil type10W-30 / 5W-30 APIOEM · verified
EPA fuel economy22/26/24 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 25329391. Note the factory engine oil filter and spark plug are now discontinued — plan on a superseded or quality aftermarket equivalent, which the part pages below list where known.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 filter25329391 discontinued · alt 25329386
Engine air filter19166105 alt 94849664
Fuel filter25121757
Spark plug94849777 discontinued
Serpentine belt94856263 alt 94853865
Thermostat94856516 alt 94854705

Full specifications

Engine, drivetrain, dimensions and economy.

Engine & drivetrain NHTSA vPIC

TransmissionAutomatic 3-spd

Ratings & economy EPA / vPIC

EPA city / highway / combined22 / 26 / 24 mpg
DrivetrainFront-Wheel Drive
Passenger volume83 cu ft
Cargo volume11 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 3 qt of 10W-30 / 5W-30 API engine oil.

Lubricants & capacities

Engine OilAPI · 10W-30 · 5W-30
Engine Oil Capacity3 qt
Engine OilAPI · 10W-30 · 5W-30
Engine Oil Capacity3.6 qt

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 60,000 mi; coolant every 15,000 mi. The big-interval services (every 15,000 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 miUniversal Vehicle Operation (inspect idle speed)
Every 7,500 miAccessory Drive Belt (inspect) · Body Latches, Locks & Hinges (inspect) · Brake System (inspect) · Engine Oil (drain & refill) · Engine Oil Filter (replace) · Throttle Linkage (inspect)
Every 15,000 miEngine Coolant System (leak inspection) · Transmission Assembly (drain & refill) · Universal Vehicle Operation (inspect idle speed)
At 30,000 miUniversal Vehicle Operation (inspect idle speed)
Every 30,000 miEngine Air Filter Element (replace) · Engine Coolant System (drain, flush & refill) · Exhaust System (Complete) (inspect) · Fuel Line (inspect) · Fuel Tank (inspect) · Fuel Tank Filler Cap (inspect)
At 45,000 miEngine Coolant System (drain, flush & refill)
At 60,000 miAccessory Drive Belt (inspect)
Every 60,000 miEngine Valves (inspect valve lash) · Fuel Evaporative Canister (inspect) · Fuel Tank Filler Cap O-Ring (inspect) · Spark Plugs (replace)
Every 100,000 miFinal Drive (drain & refill)

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 Geo Prizm logged 63 federal complaints, a modest dip from the 67 complaints in 1991 and well below the 90 complaints that spiked in 1993, indicating that the early‑’90s complaints were relatively low and began to rise sharply after 1992. Recall activity in 1992 (1 recall) matches the 1990 level and is lower than the 2 recalls recorded in both 1991 and 1993, suggesting that the model year did not trigger additional safety campaigns. Investigations remained absent in 1992 (0), consistent with the pre‑1993 pattern, while technical service bulletins (TSBs) were modest at 1, again lower than the growing tally that reached 4 by 1993 and surged into double digits later in the decade. The top complaint categories—Structure (16), Engine & Engine Cooling (14), Power Train (5), and Electrical System (5)—are concentrated on core mechanical areas, with only 4 crash‑related complaints and no fire complaints reported. Overall, 1992 sits at a low point in the generation’s complaint and recall curve, making it a comparatively safer used‑car year to consider.

1
Open recalls
NHTSA campaigns
1
Service bulletins
Manufacturer communications
0
ODI investigations
Office of Defects Investigation
63
Owner complaints
4 involved a crash · 0 a fire
Owner complaints by model year NHTSA · this generation & adjacent

Owner complaints filed with NHTSA, by component

All 63 complaints on record, top 8 components.

Structure16
Engine & Engine Cooling14
Power Train5
Electrical System5
Seat Belts5
Visibility4
Service Brakes, Hydraulic2
Child Seat1

Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint database.

Recalls NHTSA · verified

Showing 1 of 1 campaigns on record for this vehicle.

10E002000SuspensionReported 11/02/2010

RIDE CONTROL IS RECALLING CERTAIN FRONT STRUT MOUNTS BRANDED AS GABRIEL RIDE CONTROL OR ARVINMERITOR, P/NOS. 142435, 142193, 142305, 142303, SOLD AS REPLACEMENT EQUIPMENT FOR THE VEHICLES LISTED ABOVE. THE AFFECTED… Remedy: RIDE CONTROL WILL NOTIFY OWNERS OF RECORD AND REPLACE THE AFFECTED PARTS FREE OF CHARGE. THE SAFETY RECALL BEGAN ON MARCH 15, 2010. OWNERS MAY CONTACT RIDE CONTROL AT…

Technical service bulletins NHTSA · verified

Showing 1 of 1 bulletins on record with NHTSA.

BulletinDateComponentSummary
1300890092013-09-01Engine And Engine CoolingExpanded Availability for Remanufacture and Return (R&R) Electronic Control Modules

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 Prizm. 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 Prizm take?

3 qt of ABOVE 40 degrees F 30W SL OR API, ABOVE 0 degrees F 10W-30 SL OR API, ALL TEMPERATURES 5W-30 SL OR API, per the factory manual.

Does the 1992 Prizm have open recalls?

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

What gas mileage does the Prizm get?

EPA figures are 22 city / 26 highway / 24 combined mpg.