MitsubishiEclipse19901.8L/mitsubishi/eclipse/1990/1-8l/

1990 Mitsubishi Eclipse — 1.8L

Factory specifications, fluid capacities, torque values, EPA fuel economy and the federal safety record for the 1990 Eclipse 1.8L.

Body PASSENGER CAREngine 1.8LTransmission Automatic 4-spd

The 1990 Mitsubishi Eclipse 1.8L is a passenger car powered by a 1.8-liter engine paired with a 4-speed automatic transmission, requiring 4.0 quarts of oil within viscosity grades 20W-40, 10W-30, or 5W-30 per API standards. EPA fuel economy ratings for this model came in at 21 city, 27 highway, and 23 combined mpg. With 62 total owner complaints and 9 recalls recorded, the 1990 model sits toward the higher end of the complaint spectrum compared to the Eclipse's broader 1990-2012 ownership period, which ranged from a peak of 392 complaints in 1995 down to just 1 in 2011, with Power Train issues representing the most frequently reported concern.

Model year19941993199219911990

Quick specs

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

Engine oil capacity4.0 qtOEM · verified
Engine oil type20W-40 / 10W-30 / 5W-30 APIOEM · verified
EPA fuel economy21/27/23 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 MZ690116. 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.

Tire size4WD:P225-75R15OEM · verified
Wheel / rim6-JJ inOEM · verified

OE service part numbers OEM · verified

Engine oil filterMZ690116 alt MZ690072
Engine air filterMD620336 alt MR571477
Fuel filterMB504761
Spark plugMS851238 alt MS851233
Front wiper bladesMR300876 alt 8250A098
Serpentine beltMD186126 alt MD178430
ThermostatMD972903 alt MD997608

Full specifications

Engine, drivetrain, dimensions and economy.

Engine & drivetrain NHTSA vPIC

TransmissionAutomatic 4-spd

Ratings & economy EPA / vPIC

EPA city / highway / combined21 / 27 / 23 mpg
DrivetrainFront-Wheel Drive
Recommended fuelRegular Gasoline

Service quick specs OEM factory data

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

This engine holds 4.0 qt of 20W-40 / 10W-30 / 5W-30 API engine oil, 85W-90 · 80W-90 in the differential, DOT 3 · DOT 4 brake fluid.

Lubricants & capacities

Brake FluidDOT 3 · DOT 4
Differential Gear Oil85W-90 · 80W-90
Differential Gear Oil Capacity2.8 Pints
Engine CoolantETHYLENE GLYCOL
Engine Oil20W-40 · API · 10W-30 · 5W-30
Engine Oil Capacity4.0 qt
Power Steering FluidUse Mitsubishi PS fluid

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) · Clutch Master Cylinder (inspect fluid level) · Engine Oil (drain & refill) · Power Steering System (inspect)
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 System (inspect) · Engine Air Filter Element (replace) · Engine Coolant System (drain, flush & refill) · Exhaust System (Complete) (inspect) · Steering Linkage (inspect)
Every 50,000 miFuel Evaporative Emission Control System Lines (inspect) · Fuel Filter (replace) · Fuel Line (inspect) · Fuel System (inspect)
Every 60,000 miBalance Shaft Drive Belt (replace) · Timing Belt (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 1990 Eclipse sits at the launch of the first generation and records the highest recall count (9) and joint-highest complaint volume (62) of the 1990–1994 cohort, with investigations (5) also peaking alongside 1991 before falling to two or three in subsequent years. Recalls drop sharply to five in 1991 and two in 1992, while complaints trend downward to 43 by 1994, indicating that early production issues were largely addressed within the generation. Power Train complaints dominate the 1990 profile at 28 of 62 reports, followed by Engine & Engine Cooling and Seat Belts at seven each; the data does not specify root causes for these categories. Crash-involved complaints total four for the year with no fire reports. Compared with the much higher complaint and recall spikes seen in the second generation (1995 onward), the 1990 model reflects typical first-year teething rather than systemic defects. Takeaway: a 1990 Eclipse is a reasonable purchase if service records confirm the recall campaigns were completed and the powertrain has been maintained, but budget for potential aging drivetrain components.

9
Open recalls
NHTSA campaigns
10
Service bulletins
Manufacturer communications
5
ODI investigations
Office of Defects Investigation
62
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 62 complaints on record, top 8 components.

Power Train28
Engine & Engine Cooling7
Seat Belts7
Electrical System4
Visibility3
Equipment2
Steering2
Exterior Lighting1

Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint database.

Recalls NHTSA · verified

Showing 2 of 7 campaigns on record for this vehicle.

09E012000Exterior LightingReported 07/04/2009

SABERSPORT IS RECALLING 16,270 COMBINATION CORNER AND BUMPER LAMP ASSEMBLIES OF VARIOUS PART NUMBERS SOLD FOR USE AS AFTERMARKET EQUIPMENT FOR VARIOUS PASSENGER VEHICLES. THESE HEADLAMPS FAIL TO CONFORM TO THE… Remedy: SABERSPORT WILL NOTIFY OWNERS AND OFFER A FULL REFUND FOR THE NONCOMPLIANT COMBINATION LAMPS. THE SAFETY RECALL BEGAN ON MAY 11, 2009. OWNERS MAY CONTACT SABERSPORT AT…

06E065000Exterior LightingReported 17/07/2006

CERTAIN AJ MOTORSPORT COMBINATION LAMPS SOLD AS REPLACEMENT LAMPS FOR USE ON THE ABOVE LISTED PASSENGER VEHICLES. COMBINATION LAMPS NOT EQUIPPED WITH AMBER SIDE REFLECTORS FAIL TO CONFORM WITH THE REQUIREMENTS OF… Remedy: AJ MOTORSPORT WILL NOTIFY OWNERS AND OFFER REIMBURSEMENT FOR THE LAMPS. THE RECALL BEGAN ON JULY 31, 2006. OWNERS MAY CONTACT AJ MOTORSPORT AT 626-618-2026.

Technical service bulletins NHTSA · verified

Showing 5 of 10 bulletins on record with NHTSA.

BulletinDateComponentSummary
TT2672022-04-07Unknown Or OtherTech Talk is a service newsletter that was sent out to dealers. It covers various topics…
TT2532019-11-26EquipmentThis is a service newsletter (Tech Talk) that was sent out to dealers.
TSB-19-00-0082019-07-30EquipmentThis is a Technical Service Bulletin sent to dealers. This bulletin supersedes…
TT2372018-02-26EquipmentThis is a service newsletter (Tech Talk) that was sent out to dealers.
TSB-13-42A-0022013-01-29StructureThis Technical Service Bulletin updates the door adjustment procedure in the Body Section…

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 Eclipse. 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 1990 Eclipse 1.8L take?

4.0 qt of ABOVE 32 degrees F: 20W-40 API, ABOVE -10 degrees F: 10W-30 API, BELOW 60 degrees F 5W-30 API, per the factory manual.

Does the 1990 Eclipse have open recalls?

NHTSA lists 9 recall campaign(s) for this model year. Check your specific vehicle by VIN.

What gas mileage does the 1.8L get?

EPA figures are 21 city / 27 highway / 23 combined mpg.