Mitsubishi›Mirage›1996›1.8L/mitsubishi/mirage/1996/1-8l/

1996 Mitsubishi Mirage — 1.8L

Factory specifications, fluid capacities, torque values, EPA fuel economy and the federal safety record for the 1996 Mirage 1.8L.

Body PASSENGER CAREngine 1.8LTransmission Automatic 4-spd

The 1996 Mitsubishi Mirage is a passenger car powered by a 1.8L four-cylinder engine paired with a 4-speed automatic transmission, requiring 4.0 quarts of 10W-30 or 5W-30 oil for changes, and achieves EPA fuel economy ratings of 23 mpg city, 30 mpg highway, and 25 mpg combined. This model year sits within the Mirage's early production run, which saw complaint volumes rise toward the model's peak of 88 owner complaints in 1997 before declining significantly over the following decades—the 1996 model recorded 34 total complaints with air bags cited as the primary concern area, and it carried just one recall, positioning it as a relatively trouble-free year compared to both the higher-complaint years that followed and the model's later low-complaint years such as 2016 when only one complaint was logged.

Model year2002 2001 2000 1999 1998 1997 1996 1995 1994

Quick specs

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

Engine oil capacity4.0 qtOEM · verified

Engine oil type10W-30 / 5W-30 APIOEM · verified

Lug nut torque65-80 ft-lbsOEM · verified

EPA fuel economy23/30/25 mpgEPA · verified

Fitment & sizes

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

From the factory this vehicle uses a BCI 51 · 430 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 51 · 430 CCAOEM · verified

Tire sizeP175-70R13OEM · verified

Wheel / rim5.5-JJ inOEM · verified

OE service part numbers OEM · verified

Engine oil filter	MZ690072
Engine air filter	MZ690195
Fuel filter	MB658689
Spark plug	MS851357 alt MS851237
Front wiper blades	MR300876 alt MZ690946
Serpentine belt	MD192809 alt MB813251
Thermostat	MD972903 alt MD337408

Full specifications

Engine, drivetrain, dimensions and economy.

Engine & drivetrain NHTSA vPIC

Transmission

Automatic 4-spd

Ratings & economy EPA / vPIC

EPA city / highway / combined	23 / 30 / 25 mpg
Drivetrain	Front-Wheel Drive
Passenger volume	91 cu ft
Cargo volume	11 cu ft
Recommended fuel	Regular Gasoline

Performance & power Independent road tests

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

No 1996 road test on record; the results below are same-engine tests from nearby model years, each shown under its own year.

8.7–9.4 sec0–60 mph (tested)quickest 8.70 sec — 1994 LS Coupe

Year	Trim / engine	0–60	¼ mile	HP	Drivetrain
1997	LS Coupe 1.8L I-4	8.90 sec	16.90 sec	113 hp	FWD
1994	LS Coupe 1.8L I-4	8.70 sec	16.60 sec	113 hp	FWD
2000	DE Sedan 1.8L I-4	9.40 sec	17.00 sec	111 hp	FWD

Service quick specs OEM factory data

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

This engine holds 4.0 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 25.0-33.0 ft-lbs. The firing order is 1-3-4-2. Note the cylinder-head bolts finish on a torque angle (torque-to-yield) — they stretch permanently and should be replaced, not reused, during any head service.

Lubricants & capacities

Brake Fluid	DOT 3 · DOT 4
Engine Coolant	ETHYLENE GLYCOL
Engine Oil	10W-30 · API · 5W-30
Engine Oil Capacity	4.0 qt
Power Steering Fluid	Use Mitsubishi PS fluid

Engine torques

Crankshaft Pulley and/or Damper Bolts	134 ft-lbs
Engine Flywheel Bolts	72 ft-lbs
Intake Manifold to Engine Bolts	11-14 ft-lbs
Exhaust Manifold to Cylinder Head Bolts	11-14 ft-lbs
Engine Oil Pan Drain Plug	25.0-33.0 ft-lbs
Oil Pump to Cylinder BLock Bolts/Studs	10 ft-lbs

Chassis torques

Lug Nuts	65-80 ft-lbs
Front Wheel Hub	145-188 ft-lbs
Rear Wheel Hub	130 ft-lbs

Ignition

Cylinder Firing Order	1-3-4-2
Curb Idle Speed (No Load)	750 rpm
Curb Idle Speed Variance (No Load)	100 rpm
Ignition Coil Primary Resistance	0.9-1.2 ohms
Ignition Coil Secondary Resistance	20,000-29,000 ohms
Spark Plug Manufacturer	NGK
Spark Plug Type	BKR5E-11
Spark Plug Gap	0.039-0.0.043 in

Battery & A/C

Refrigerant	R134a
Refrigerant Capacity	1.62-1.88 lbs
Oil Group	PAG
Oil Type	56
Oil Capacity	4.39-5.07 oz
Standard BCI Group Number	51
Standard BCI Cranking Performance	430 cca

Service checks

Pressure Test	23 psi
Radiator Cap Pressure Relief	11-15 psi
Thermostat Opening Temperature	177-183 °F
Engine Compression	151 PSI minimum. 14 Maximum variation PSI.
Engine Compression	137 Minimum psi
Engine Compression	151 Minimum psi
Engine Oil Pressure	11.4 psi
Engine Oil Pressure RPM	Idle rpm

Brakes

Torque Caliper to Bracket	20 ft-lbs / 65 ft-lbs / 36 ft-lbs
Torque to Knuckle	40 ft-lbs / 65-80 ft-lbs / 65 ft-lbs
Minimum Pad Thickness	Front: 0.080; Rear: 0.080 in
Minimum Shoe Thickness	0.039 in
Drum Nominal Diameter	7.992 in / 7.085 in
Drum Discard at-or-over	8.071 / 7.165
Rotor Runout Limit	0.0031 in
Rotor Nominal Thickness From	0.394 in / 0.51 in / 0.71 in

Multi-step torque procedures OEM · verified

Connecting Rod (Large End) Bearings — tightening sequence 1 stages

14 ft. lbs., Step 2: 90

14 ft. lbs

Cylinder Head — tightening sequence 3 stages

1	14.7 ft. lbs.	14.7 ft. lbs
2	90 degrees	90 degrees
3	90

Main Bearings — tightening sequence 1 stages

18 ft. lbs., Step 2: 90

18 ft. lbs

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 mi	Brake Hydraulic System (inspect fluid level) · Clutch Master Cylinder (inspect fluid level) · Engine Oil (drain & refill) · Power Steering System (inspect)
Every 15,000 mi	Axle Shaft Oil Seal (inspect) · Brake Linings (inspect) · CV Joint Boot (inspect) · Engine Oil Filter (replace)
Every 30,000 mi	Accessory Drive Belt (inspect) · Brake System (inspect) · Engine Air Filter Element (replace) · Engine Coolant System (drain, flush & refill) · Exhaust System (Complete) (inspect) · Fuel Line (inspect)
Every 60,000 mi	Balance Shaft Drive Belt (replace) · Distributor Cap (inspect) · Distributor Rotor (inspect) · Fuel Evaporative Emission Control System (inspect) · Fuel System (inspect) · Spark Plug Wires (replace)
Every 100,000 mi	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 1996 Mitsubishi Mirage sits at a relative low point in the federal complaint record for this generation, with 34 complaints, 1 recall, 0 investigations, and 24 TSBs. Compared with the immediately preceding years, complaints dropped sharply from 84 in 1993, 65 in 1994, and 76 in 1995, and remained well below the 1997 spike of 88 complaints and 3 recalls. While the single recall and absence of federal investigations are encouraging, the 1996 model still accounts for 12 of its 34 complaints in the Air Bags category, with another 4 each for Power Train and Service Brakes, Hydraulic; the data does not specify root causes. Crash-related complaints totaled 13, and there was 1 fire complaint. Within the broader 1990–2002 arc, 1996 represents a brief dip in reported owner complaints before activity rose again in 1997–1999, making it one of the quieter model years in the generation. For a used-car buyer, the 1996 Mirage looks comparatively favorable on the federal record, provided a pre-purchase inspection confirms the air-bag and brake systems are in good order.

Open recalls

NHTSA campaigns

Service bulletins

Manufacturer communications

ODI investigations

Office of Defects Investigation

Owner complaints

13 involved a crash · 1 a fire

Owner complaints by model year NHTSA · this generation & adjacent

’90 ’91 ’92 ’93 ’94 ’95’96’97 ’98 ’99 ’00 ’01 ’02 ’14 ’15 ’16 ’17 ’18 ’19 ’20 ’21 ’22 ’24

Owner complaints filed with NHTSA, by component

All 34 complaints on record, top 8 components.

Air Bags12

Power Train4

Service Brakes, Hydraulic4

Latches/Locks/Linkages2

Structure2

Engine & Engine Cooling2

Engine & Engine Cooling,Power Train,Visibility,Air Bags,Wheels,Equipment1

Electrical System1

Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint database.

Recalls NHTSA · verified

Showing 1 of 1 campaigns on record for this vehicle.

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 24 bulletins on record with NHTSA.

Bulletin	Date	Component	Summary
TSB-22-54-003	2022-04-07	Exterior Lighting	This Technical Service Bulletin was sent to dealers to explain the difference between…
TIN-20-55B-001	2020-09-22	Engine And Engine Cooling	Technical Information Notice to dealerships. Due to the increased occurrence of…
TT253	2019-11-26	Equipment	This is a service newsletter (Tech Talk) that was sent out to dealers.
TSB-19-00-008	2019-07-30	Equipment	This is a Technical Service Bulletin sent to dealers. This bulletin supersedes…
TT237	2018-02-26	Equipment	This is a service newsletter (Tech Talk) that was sent out to dealers.

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 Mirage. 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.

Group 51 battery Vehicles taking 4.0 qt Engine oil filter MZ690072 Engine air filter MZ690195 Fuel filter MB658689 Spark plug MS851357

Reference guides

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

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

Frequently asked

How much oil does the 1996 Mirage 1.8L take?

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

Does the 1996 Mirage have open recalls?

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

What gas mileage does the 1.8L get?

EPA figures are 23 city / 30 highway / 25 combined mpg.