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1992 Oldsmobile Silhouette

Factory specifications, fluid capacities, torque values, EPA fuel economy and the federal safety record for the 1992 Silhouette.

The 1992 Oldsmobile Silhouette is a minivan entry from the model's first generation, and while the available specifications are limited, the maintenance profile centers on a 4-quart oil capacity using 5W-30 API viscosity — a modest lubrication requirement consistent with the era's powertrain expectations. Reliability data places this model year in relatively quiet territory, with 28 total owner complaints across the model's 1990–2004 run, the top complaint area being seat belts, and two recalls on record. That complaint volume is well below the model's 1998 peak of 190 complaints and meaningfully above the 2004 low of 11, putting the 1992 model year in the lower-middle tier of the Silhouette's reliability history — not a standout problem year, but not the cleanest either, suggesting a used buyer should pay particular attention to seat belt condition and recall completion status.

Model year2004 2003 2002 2001 2000 1999 1998 1997 1992

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 12737090. 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	12737090 alt 12731175
Engine air filter	25040929 alt 24577608
Fuel filter	25121468
Spark plug	19300382 alt 19354417
Front wiper blades	10284387 alt 10284388
Serpentine belt	10219783 alt 88986809
Thermostat	19435095 alt 24506986

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

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 60,000 mi; coolant every 7,500 mi. The big-interval services (every 7,500 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) · Throttle Body (torque) · Tire & Wheel Assembly (rotate)
Every 7,500 mi	Body Latches, Locks & Hinges (lubricate) · Brake System (inspect) · Engine Coolant System (leak inspection) · Engine Oil (drain & refill) · Parking Brake Cable (lubricate) · Shift Linkage (inspect)
Every 15,000 mi	Cabin Air Filter (replace) · Engine Oil Filter (replace) · Tire & Wheel Assembly (rotate)
Every 30,000 mi	EGR System (inspect) · Engine Air Filter Element (replace) · Engine Breather Filter (replace) · Fuel Line (inspect) · Fuel Tank (inspect) · Fuel Tank Filler Cap (inspect)
Every 60,000 mi	Accessory Drive Belt (inspect) · PCV System (inspect) · Spark Plug Wires (inspect)
Every 100,000 mi	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.

The 1992 Oldsmobile Silhouette recorded 28 complaints, 2 recalls, 6 investigations, and 14 TSBs, with complaint concentrations in seat belts (7), power train (5), and hydraulic service brakes (5), though the data does not specify the root causes for these issues. Analyzing the generation's arc, 1992 represents the tail end of a strong downward trend in federal incidents from the model's 1990 launch peak of 63 complaints and 9 investigations. This year sits near the generational low point alongside 1993, which saw just 24 complaints, providing a stark contrast to the massive spike of 190 complaints and 10 recalls that hit in 1998. Its position at the bottom of the early-generation trough implies that initial manufacturing bugs had been resolved, and it avoids the severe reliability pitfalls that emerged later in the vehicle's lifecycle. Given this favorable placement in the federal data, the 1992 Silhouette stands as a comparatively strong and safe year to buy within this generation.

Open recalls

NHTSA campaigns

Service bulletins

Manufacturer communications

ODI investigations

Office of Defects Investigation

Owner complaints

1 involved a crash · 0 a fire

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

Overall★★★★★

Frontal★★★★★

Side★★★★★

Rollover★★★★★

Owner complaints by model year NHTSA · this generation & adjacent

’90 ’91’92’93 ’94 ’95 ’96 ’97 ’98 ’99 ’00 ’01 ’02 ’03 ’04

Owner complaints filed with NHTSA, by component

All 28 complaints on record, top 8 components.

Seat Belts7

Power Train5

Service Brakes, Hydraulic5

Engine & Engine Cooling2

Steering2

Seats2

Steering,Engine & Engine Cooling1

Tires1

Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint database.

Recalls NHTSA · verified

Showing 2 of 2 campaigns on record for this vehicle.

94V027000Seat Belts:Rear/OtherReported 04/01/1994

VEHICLE FAILS TO CONFORM TO FMVSS NO. 209, "SEAT BELT ASSEMBLIES." THE SAFETY BELT OF THE LEFT THIRD ROW SEAT ON THE SIX PASSENGER VAN AND THE CENTER SECOND ROW SEAT OF THE SEVEN PASSENGER VAN MAY LOCK UP AND CANNOT BE… Remedy: OWNERS ARE BEING ASKED TO INSPECT THEIR VEHICLES TO DETERMINE IF THE SUSPECT RETRACTOR EXHIBITS A LOCKUP CONDITION. BASED ON THIS INSPECTION, DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE SAFETY BELTS…

96V015000Power Train:Automatic Transmission:Cooling Unit And LinesReported 23/01/1996

VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES MANUFACTURED FROM AUGUST 1991 THROUGH JULY 1995. THE TRANSMISSION OIL COOLER LINE CAN SEPARATE WHEN THE VEHICLE IS OPERATED IN LOW TEMPERATURES IN COMBINATION WITH HIGH… Remedy: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE TRANSMISSION OIL COOLER LINES.

Technical service bulletins NHTSA · verified

Showing 5 of 14 bulletins on record with NHTSA.

Bulletin	Date	Component	Summary
130089009	2013-09-01	Engine And Engine Cooling	Expanded Availability for Remanufacture and Return (R&R) Electronic Control Modules
01880	2004-01-01	Power Train	NO TCC APPLY, MALFUNCTION INDICATOR LAMP (MIL) ON, TCC SURGE, POSSIBLE P0740, P1870, OR…
990730030A	2001-04-01	Power Train	OWNERS OF SOME VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH HYDRA-MATIC 3T40, 4T60, 4T60-E OR 4T65-E TRANSAXLES…
990730030	1999-12-01	Power Train	SOME VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH HYDRA-MATIC 3T40, 4T60 OR 4T60-E TRANSXALES MAY COMMENT ON A…
876002A	1998-07-01	Engine And Engine Cooling	SOME V6 ENGINES MAY, ON A VERY INFREQUENT BASIS, HAVE AN OIL ODOR CONDITION THAT IS…

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 Silhouette. 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 12737090 Engine air filter 25040929 Fuel filter 25121468 Spark plug 19300382

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 1992 Silhouette take?

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

Does the 1992 Silhouette have open recalls?

NHTSA lists 2 recall campaign(s) for this model year. Check your specific vehicle by VIN.