MitsubishiDiamante20023.5L/mitsubishi/diamante/2002/3-5l/

2002 Mitsubishi Diamante — 3.5L

Factory specifications, fluid capacities, torque values, EPA fuel economy and the federal safety record for the 2002 Diamante 3.5L.

Body PASSENGER CAREngine 3.5LTransmission Automatic 4-spd

The 2002 Mitsubishi Diamante is a 3.5L passenger car driven by a 4-speed automatic transmission, delivering an EPA-rated 16 city and 23 highway mpg for an 18 mpg combined average. Routine maintenance on the powertrain calls for 4.5 quarts of 10W-30 or 5W-30 API engine oil, a straightforward mechanical requirement that belies the vehicle's disproportionately problematic ownership record. This specific model year sits at the absolute nadir of the Diamante's 1992-2004 reliability timeline, registering the highest number of owner complaints at 133—driven largely by visibility issues and accompanied by 4 recalls—which stands in stark contrast to the segment-low of just 3 complaints seen by the end of the generation in 2004.

Model year20042003200220012000199919981997

Quick specs

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

Engine oil capacity4.5 qtOEM · verified
Engine oil type10W-30 / 5W-30 APIOEM · verified
Lug nut torque65-80 ft-lbsOEM · verified
EPA fuel economy16/23/18 mpgEPA · verified

Fitment & sizes

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

From the factory this vehicle uses a BCI 86 · 520 CCA battery, OE oil filter MZ690072. 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.

Battery groupBCI 86 · 520 CCAOEM · verified
Tire size4WD:P225-75R15OEM · verified
Wheel / rim6-JJ inOEM · verified

OE service part numbers OEM · verified

Engine oil filterMZ690072
Engine air filterMZ690197
Fuel filterMR312723
Spark plugMD361067
Front wiper bladesMR908443 alt MR908442
Serpentine beltMN187017 alt MN187016
ThermostatMD350415

Full specifications

Engine, drivetrain, dimensions and economy.

Engine & drivetrain NHTSA vPIC

TransmissionAutomatic 4-spd

Dimensions & weight NHTSA vPIC

Overall length194.1 in
Overall width70.5 in
Overall height56.7 in
Wheelbase107.1 in
Curb weight3439 lb
Track (front / rear)61 / 60.6 in
Weight distribution (front / rear)63/37

Ratings & economy EPA / vPIC

EPA city / highway / combined16 / 23 / 18 mpg
DrivetrainFront-Wheel Drive
Passenger volume101 cu ft
Cargo volume14 cu ft
Recommended fuelPremium Gasoline

Performance & power Independent road tests

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

No 2002 road test on record; the results below are same-engine tests from nearby model years, each shown under its own year.

8.1–8.4 sec0–60 mph (tested)quickest 8.10 sec — 1997 LS Sedan
231 lb-ftTorque (as tested)
YearTrim / engine0–60¼ mileHPDrivetrain
2000LS Sedan 3.5L V68.20 sec16.20 sec205 hpFWD
1997LS Sedan 3.5L V68.10 sec16.10 sec210 hpFWD
1997LS Sedan 3.5L V68.30 sec16.20 sec210 hpFWD
1997LS Sedan 3.5L V68.40 sec16.70 sec210 hpFWD

Service quick specs OEM factory data

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

This engine holds 4.5 qt of 10W-30 / 5W-30 API engine oil, DOT 3 · DOT 4 brake fluid. Torque lug nuts to 65-80 ft-lbs, the oil drain plug to 29.0 ft-lbs. The firing order is 1-2-3-4-5-6.

Lubricants & capacities

Brake FluidDOT 3 · DOT 4
Engine CoolantETHYLENE GLYCOL
Engine Oil10W-30 · API · 5W-30
Engine Oil Capacity4.5 qt
Power Steering FluidGenuine Mitsubishi PS fluid
Power Steering FluidUse Mitsubishi PS fluid

Engine torques

Camshaft Bearing/Carrier Cap Bolts or StudsTighten in 2
Crankshaft Pulley and/or Damper Bolts134 ft-lbs
Cylinder Head Steps3 steps in sequence: Final torque; 80 ft-lbs
Engine Flywheel Bolts54 ft-lbs
Intake Manifold to Engine Bolts16 ft-lbs
Exhaust Manifold to Cylinder Head Bolts21 ft-lbs
Main BearingsDOHC: 54 ft-lbs; SOHC: 52-59 ft-lbs
Engine Oil Pan Drain Plug29.0 ft-lbs

Chassis torques

Lug Nuts65-80 ft-lbs
Front Wheel Hub145-188 ft-lbs

Ignition

Cylinder Firing Order1-2-3-4-5-6
Curb Idle Speed (No Load)700 rpm
Curb Idle Speed Variance (No Load)100 rpm
Ignition Coil Primary Resistance.50-.70 ohms
Ignition Coil Secondary Resistance9000-13,000 ohms
Spark Plug Gap0.039-0.0.043 in
Spark Plug Torque15.0-21.0 ft-lbs
Ignition Timing5, Not adjustable degrees

Battery & A/C

RefrigerantR134a
Refrigerant Capacity1.31-1.41 lbs
Oil GroupPAG
Oil Type56
Oil Capacity4.90-5.60 oz
Standard BCI Group Number86
Standard BCI Cranking Performance520 cca

Service checks

Engine Compression171-127 PSI. 14 maximum variation PSI.
Engine Compression127-171 psi

Brakes

Torque Caliper to Bracket65 ft-lbs / 36-43 ft-lbs
Torque to Knuckle65-80 ft-lbs / 40 ft-lbs
Minimum Pad ThicknessFront: 0.079; Rear: 0.079 in
Minimum Shoe Thickness0.039 in
Rotor Runout Limit0.0019 in / 0.0024 in
Rotor Nominal Thickness From0.945 in / 0.409 in
Rotor Nominal Thickness To0.945 in / 0.409 in
Rotor Discard at or Under0.88 in / 0.33 in

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 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) · Cabin Air Filter (replace) · Engine Oil (drain & refill) · Power Steering System (inspect) · Tire & Wheel Assembly (rotate)
Every 15,000 miAxle Shaft Oil Seal (inspect) · Brake Line (inspect) · Brake Linings (inspect) · CV Joint Boot (inspect) · Engine Oil Filter (replace)
Every 30,000 miAccessory Drive Belt (inspect) · Brake Drum Assembly (inspect) · Engine Air Filter Element (replace) · Engine Coolant System (drain, flush & refill) · Exhaust System (Complete) (inspect) · Fuel Line (inspect)
At 60,000 miEngine Coolant System (drain, flush & refill)
Every 60,000 miDistributor Cap (inspect) · Distributor Rotor (inspect) · Fuel Evaporative Emission Control System (inspect) · Fuel Tank (inspect) · Fuel Tank Filler Cap (inspect) · Spark Plug Wires (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 2002 Mitsubishi Diamante marks the peak of a troubling trend, with 133 complaints and 4 recalls—the highest figures in the entire dataset from 1992 to 2004. This is a sharp escalation from 2001’s 79 complaints and 2 recalls, and it stands in stark contrast to the much lower 69 complaints and 2 recalls in 2003, suggesting the 2002 model year was a particularly problematic outlier. The majority of complaints center on visibility (60) and engine/cooling issues (27), with 5 crash-related complaints but no fires reported. While the data does not specify root causes, the spike in both complaints and recalls indicates a clear reliability concern for this specific year. Given that 2002 is the worst-performing year in the generation, it is not a good year to buy; you would be better served by a 2003 or earlier model.

4
Open recalls
NHTSA campaigns
64
Service bulletins
Manufacturer communications
0
ODI investigations
Office of Defects Investigation
133
Owner complaints
5 involved a crash · 0 a fire
NHTSA crash-test rating federal NCAP · out of 5 stars
Rollover★★★★★
Owner complaints by model year NHTSA · this generation & adjacent

Owner complaints filed with NHTSA, by component

All 133 complaints on record, top 8 components.

Visibility60
Engine & Engine Cooling27
Engine & Engine Cooling,Visibility7
Power Train5
Service Brakes, Hydraulic4
Electrical System3
Air Bags2
Engine & Engine Cooling,Equipment2

Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint database.

Recalls NHTSA · verified

Showing 2 of 3 campaigns on record for this vehicle.

02V100001Electrical System:Wiring:Front UnderhoodReported 07/04/2002

ON CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES, THE MAIN UNDER HOOD ELECTRICAL WIRING HARNESS MAY HAVE INSUFFICIENT CLEARANCE BETWEEN THE ENGINE CONTROL HARNESS AND THE EXHAUST HEAT SHIELD. AS A RESULT, THE HARNESS COULD COME IN CONTACT… Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSPECT THE HARNESS FOR DAMAGE AND, IF NONE IS EVIDENT, WILL TIE THE HARNESS BACK TO PREVENT THE HARNESS FROM EVER COMING INTO CONTACT WITH THE HEAT SHIELD. ANY…

04V428000Equipment:Other:LabelsReported 01/09/2004

CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES FAIL TO CONFORM TO THE REQUIREMENTS OF FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 208, 'OCCUPANT CRASH PROTECTION.' THE BILINGUAL ENGLISH/SPANISH REMOVABLE AIR BAG WARNING LABELS AFFIXED TO THE… Remedy: MITSUBISHI CARIBBEAN WILL MAIL A CUSTOMER NOTIFICATION LETTER CONTAINING A WRITTEN DESCRIPTION AND A GRAPHIC OF THE BI-LINGUAL DASHBOARD AIR BAG WARNING LABEL. IN ADDITION, ALL…

Technical service bulletins NHTSA · verified

Showing 5 of 64 bulletins on record with NHTSA.

BulletinDateComponentSummary
DEALER LETTER2023-07-21EquipmentThis is a Dealer Letter sent to dealers informing that Mitsubishi Technical Training has…
TSB-23-00-0042023-04-24StructureThis Technical Service Bulletin provides instructions and material safety data sheets for…
TSB-23-00-0012023-04-24EquipmentThis Technical Service Bulletin reviews the regulations that require a label showing the…
DEALER LETTER2023-04-21EquipmentThis is a Dealer Letter sent to dealers informing that Mitsubishi Technical Training has…
TSB-22-54-0032022-04-07Exterior LightingThis Technical Service Bulletin was sent to dealers to explain the difference between…

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 Diamante. 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 2002 Diamante 3.5L take?

4.5 qt of ABOVE 0 degreesF 10W-30 SL API, BELOW 100 degreesF 5W-30 SL API, per the factory manual.

Does the 2002 Diamante have open recalls?

NHTSA lists 4 recall campaign(s) for this model year. Check your specific vehicle by VIN.

What gas mileage does the 3.5L get?

EPA figures are 16 city / 23 highway / 18 combined mpg.