MitsubishiStarion19882.6L/mitsubishi/starion/1988/2-6l/

1988 Mitsubishi Starion — 2.6L

Factory specifications, fluid capacities, torque values, EPA fuel economy and the federal safety record for the 1988 Starion 2.6L.

Engine 2.6LTransmission Automatic 4-spd

The 1988 Mitsubishi Starion 2.6L is a sports coupe powered by a 2.6-liter engine paired with a 4-speed automatic transmission, requiring 4.6 quarts of oil with recommended viscosities of 20W-20, 20W-40, or 10W-30, and delivering EPA-rated fuel economy of 16 mpg city, 22 highway, and 18 combined. This model year stands out in the Starion’s reliability history with only a single owner complaint on file—centered on the engine and engine cooling system—and zero recalls, signaling a remarkably trouble-free ownership experience for researchers tracking long-term durability.

Model year1989198819871986

Quick specs

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

Engine oil capacity4.6 qtOEM · verified
Engine oil type20W-20 / 20W-40 / 10W-30OEM · verified
EPA fuel economy16/22/18 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
Engine air filterMD620000 alt MD607648
Fuel filterMB504732
Spark plugMS851029
Front wiper bladesMB382526
Serpentine beltMB199599 alt MD180581
ThermostatMD972903 alt MD184011

Full specifications

Engine, drivetrain, dimensions and economy.

Engine & drivetrain NHTSA vPIC

TransmissionAutomatic 4-spd

Ratings & economy EPA / vPIC

EPA city / highway / combined16 / 22 / 18 mpg
DrivetrainRear-Wheel Drive
Recommended fuelPremium Gasoline

Performance & power Independent road tests

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

No 1988 road test on record; the results below are same-engine tests from nearby model years, each shown under its own year.

7.5–9.2 sec0–60 mph (tested)quickest 7.50 sec — 1985 ESI Coupe
YearTrim / engine0–60¼ mileHPDrivetrain
1986ESI-R Coupe 2.6L Turbo I-48.10 sec16.50 sec176 hpRWD
1985ESI Coupe 2.6L Turbo I-47.50 sec16.00 sec145 hpRWD
1985ESI Coupe 2.6L Turbo I-48.00 sec16.10 sec145 hpRWD
1983LS Coupe 2.6L Turbo I-48.62 sec16.54 sec145 hpRWD
1983LS Coupe 2.6L Turbo I-49.00 sec17.00 sec145 hpRWD
1983LS Coupe 2.6L Turbo I-49.20 sec17.00 sec145 hpRWD

Service quick specs OEM factory data

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

This engine holds 4.6 qt of 20W-20 / 20W-40 / 10W-30 engine oil, DOT 3 · DOT 4 brake fluid.

Lubricants & capacities

Brake FluidDOT 3 · DOT 4
Engine Oil20W-20 · 20W-40 · 10W-30 · 5W-30
Engine Oil Capacity4.6 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 3,000 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 3,000 miEngine Oil (drain & refill)
Every 6,000 miEngine Oil Filter (replace)
Every 7,500 miBrake Hydraulic System (inspect fluid level) · Clutch Master Cylinder (inspect fluid level) · Power Steering System (inspect)
Every 15,000 miBrake Line (inspect) · Brake Linings (inspect) · Exhaust System (Complete) (inspect) · Jet Valve (inspect) · Universal Vehicle Operation (inspect idle speed)
Every 30,000 miAccessory Drive Belt (inspect) · Brake System (inspect) · Differential (inspect fluid level) · Drive Axle Assembly (drain & refill) · Engine Air Filter Element (replace) · Engine Coolant System (drain, flush & refill)
Every 50,000 miEngine Coolant System Hoses (inspect) · Fuel Evaporative Canister (replace) · Fuel Evaporative Emission Control System Lines (inspect) · Fuel Filter (replace) · Fuel Line (inspect) · Fuel System (inspect)
Every 60,000 miAir Intake Duct (inspect) · Balance Shaft Drive Belt (replace) · Clutch Hydraulic System (drain & refill) · Fuel Evaporative Emission Control System (inspect) · PCV System (inspect) · Spark Plug Wires (inspect)

Reliability & federal safety record

Owner-reported issues, recalls, investigations and service bulletins on record with NHTSA — an unfiltered look at what owners actually experience.

Owner complaints about the 1988 Mitsubishi Starion dominate in one area — the engine & engine cooling, 1 of 1 reports (100%), well ahead of the next concern. NHTSA has issued no recalls for this vehicle, so these are owner-reported concerns only. 0 of the reports describe a crash and 0 a fire — a small share of the total, but worth weighing against the engine & engine cooling pattern above. These are tallies of what owners actually reported to the federal government, not an editorial score — and higher-selling models naturally rack up more reports.

0
Open recalls
NHTSA campaigns
5
Service bulletins
Manufacturer communications
1
ODI investigations
Office of Defects Investigation
1
Owner complaints
0 involved a crash · 0 a fire

Owner complaints filed with NHTSA, by component

All 1 complaints on record, top 1 components.

Engine & Engine Cooling1

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 5 bulletins on record with NHTSA.

BulletinDateComponentSummary
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…
TSB97110031997-05-01Unknown Or OtherVALVE LASH ADJUSTER PROCEDURES - SERVICE MANUAL REVISION. *TW

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 Starion. 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 1988 Starion 2.6L take?

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

Does the 1988 Starion have open recalls?

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

What gas mileage does the 2.6L get?

EPA figures are 16 city / 22 highway / 18 combined mpg.