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1994 Oldsmobile Cutlass Ciera

Factory specifications, fluid capacities, torque values, EPA fuel economy and the federal safety record for the 1994 Cutlass Ciera.

Body PASSENGER CAR

The 1994 Oldsmobile Cutlass Ciera is classified as a passenger car with an engine oil capacity of 4 quarts and a specified viscosity of 5W-30 API, reflecting its conventional mechanical specifications for the period. This model year registered 266 total owner complaints—the highest count within the 1991–1995 range—with service brakes and hydraulic systems identified as the top complaint area alongside eight factory recalls. Representing the peak of documented reliability concerns for this generation, significantly exceeding the 1992 low of 161 complaints, the 1994 Ciera marks the most problematic year in the model's final production run.

Model year1996 1995 1994 1993 1992 1991 1990 1989 1988

Quick specs

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

Engine oil capacity4 qtOEM · verified

Engine oil type5W-30 APIOEM · verified

Fitment & sizes

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

From the factory this vehicle uses OE oil filter 12731175. Note the factory fuel filter is now discontinued — plan on a superseded or quality aftermarket equivalent, which the part pages below list where known.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 filter	12731175 alt 25322835
Engine air filter	25043504 alt 25043119
Fuel filter	25121970 discontinued
Spark plug	05614281 alt 19302728
Front wiper blades	15184702
Serpentine belt	10219783 alt 24575894
Thermostat	24507563 alt 24577299

Full specifications

Engine, drivetrain, dimensions and economy.

Dimensions & weight NHTSA vPIC

Overall length	190.2 in
Overall width	69.7 in
Overall height	54.3 in
Wheelbase	104.7 in
Curb weight	3007 lb
Track (front / rear)	58.7 / 57.1 in
Weight distribution (front / rear)	63/37

Service quick specs OEM factory data

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

This engine holds 4 qt of 5W-30 API engine oil.

Lubricants & capacities

Engine Coolant	ETHYLENE GLYCOL
Engine Oil	5W-30 · API
Engine Oil Capacity	4 qt
Engine Oil	5W-30 · API
Engine Oil Capacity	4 qt
Power Steering Fluid	USE GM PART NO. 1052884 OR EQUIVALENT

Factory maintenance schedule OEM · verified

Normal service, condensed from the factory interval matrix.

Under the factory schedule, replace the engine oil and filter at 7,500 mi; spark plugs every 100,000 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.

At 7,500 mi	Engine Oil Filter (replace) · Tire & Wheel Assembly (rotate)
Every 7,500 mi	Body Latches, Locks & Hinges (inspect) · Engine Oil (drain & refill) · Parking Brake Cable (lubricate) · Shift Linkage (inspect) · Steering Linkage (inspect) · Steering System (inspect)
Every 15,000 mi	Engine Oil Filter (replace) · Tire & Wheel Assembly (rotate)
Every 30,000 mi	Accessory Drive Belt (inspect) · EGR System (inspect) · Engine Air Filter Element (replace) · Engine Breather Filter (replace) · Engine Coolant System (drain, flush & refill) · Fuel Line (inspect)
Every 100,000 mi	Spark Plugs (replace) · Transmission Fluid & Filter (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.

Within the 1991–1995 generation arc, the 1994 Cutlass Ciera stands out as a peak year for federal complaints, recording 266 — the highest in the provided record — after a decline from 240 in 1991 to 161 in 1992. Recalls tell a similar cyclical story: 1994's 8 recalls match the elevated 1991 figure and double the 1992 and 1995 counts of 4, suggesting this model year reintroduced issues that had previously been addressed or surfaced new ones. Notably, investigations dropped to zero by 1994 (down from 9 in 1991 and 3 in 1992), indicating NHTSA did not formally escalate any of these complaints despite their volume. TSBs nearly doubled from 20–21 in 1991–1992 to 41 in 1994 and 44 in 1995, pointing to heightened manufacturer awareness of recurring defects — the data does not specify root causes. The top complaint concentrations are service brakes (50 complaints), engine and cooling (26), speed control (24), and electrical (22), with 25 crash-related and 3 fire-related complaints on file. **Bottom line: the 1994 model year sits at the top of a complaint and recall spike within this generation, and while the data doesn't tell us why, the sheer volume and breadth of problem areas make it a year to approach with caution — a 1992 or 1995 would be a statistically safer bet based on this record.**

Open recalls

NHTSA campaigns

Service bulletins

Manufacturer communications

ODI investigations

Office of Defects Investigation

266

Owner complaints

25 involved a crash · 3 a fire

NHTSA crash-test rating federal NCAP · out of 5 stars

Rollover★★★★★

Owner complaints by model year NHTSA · this generation & adjacent

’91 ’92’94’95

Owner complaints filed with NHTSA, by component

All 266 complaints on record, top 8 components.

Service Brakes, Hydraulic50

Engine & Engine Cooling26

Vehicle Speed Control24

Electrical System22

Visibility22

Structure17

Air Bags14

Seat Belts11

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 41 bulletins on record with NHTSA.

Bulletin	Date	Component	Summary
PIC4696E	2019-11-22	Equipment	This Preliminary Information communication provides information to the technician on how…
PIC4696D	2019-09-05	Equipment	This Preliminary Information communication provides information to the technician on how…
PIC4696C	2018-05-31	Equipment	This Preliminary Information communication provides information to the technician on how…
130089009	2013-09-01	Engine And Engine Cooling	Expanded Availability for Remanufacture and Return (R&R) Electronic Control Modules
010601002A	2002-12-01	Engine And Engine Cooling	REVISED PISTON PIN REMOVAL / INSTALLATION PROCEDURE. *TT

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 Cutlass Ciera. 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.

Vehicles taking 4 qt Engine oil filter 12731175 Engine air filter 25043504 Fuel filter 25121970 Spark plug 05614281

Reference guides

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

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

Frequently asked

How much oil does the 1994 Cutlass Ciera take?

4 qt of 5W-30 API, per the factory manual.

Does the 1994 Cutlass Ciera have open recalls?

NHTSA lists 8 recall campaign(s) for this model year. Check your specific vehicle by VIN.