PlymouthLaser1993Overview/plymouth/laser/1993/base/
BD platform

1993 Plymouth Laser

Factory specifications, fluid capacities, torque values, EPA fuel economy and the federal safety record for the 1993 Laser.

Body PASSENGER CAR

The 1993 Plymouth Laser is a passenger car built on the BD platform, requiring 4.5 quarts of oil with filter across viscosity grades from 5W-30 to 15W-40. With just 19 owner complaints logged against a single recall, this model year falls mid-pack in the Laser’s 1990–1998 production run. It sits well below the 1992 high-water mark of 46 complaints yet remains above the series low of two reports seen in 1995, positioning it as a moderately troubled year with power train issues dominating the feedback.

Model year19941993199219911990

Quick specs

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

Engine oil capacity4.5 qt w/ filterOEM · verified
Engine oil type15W-40 / 10W-30 / 5W-30OEM · verified

Fitment & sizes

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

From the factory this vehicle uses OE oil filter 05012967AA. Note the factory engine oil filter, engine air filter, spark plug, front wiper blades and serpentine belt are now discontinued — plan on a superseded or quality aftermarket equivalent, which the part pages below list where known.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 filter05012967AA discontinued
Engine air filterMR571477 discontinued
Fuel filterMB504761
Spark plug68304142AA discontinued · alt MS851418
Front wiper bladesMB881566 discontinued · alt MB881565
Serpentine belt05096314AA discontinued · alt MD191218
ThermostatMD997608 alt MD972903

Full specifications

Engine, drivetrain, dimensions and economy.

Dimensions & weight NHTSA vPIC

Overall length172.4 in
Overall width66.5 in
Overall height51.6 in
Wheelbase97.2 in
Curb weight2524 lb
Weight distribution (front / rear)62/38

Service quick specs OEM factory data

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

This engine holds 4.5 qt w/ filter of 15W-40 / 10W-30 / 5W-30 engine oil, DOT 3 brake fluid.

Lubricants & capacities

Brake FluidDOT 3
Engine Oil15W-40 · 10W-30 · 5W-30
Engine Oil Capacity4.5 qt w/ filter
Engine Oil15W-40 · 10W-30 · 5W-30
Engine Oil Capacity4.5 qt w/ filter

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 30,000 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 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) · CV Joint Boot (inspect) · Engine Oil Filter (replace) · Engine Valves (inspect valve lash)
Every 30,000 miAccessory Drive Belt (inspect) · Brake Linings (inspect) · Engine Air Filter Element (replace) · Engine Coolant System (drain, flush & refill) · Exhaust System (Complete) (inspect) · Spark Plugs (replace)
Every 60,000 miDistributor Cap (inspect) · Distributor Rotor (inspect) · Fuel Evaporative Emission Control System (inspect) · Fuel Line (inspect) · Fuel Tank (inspect) · Fuel Tank Filler Cap (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.

Across the Plymouth Laser's generation, federal complaints peaked early at 46 in 1992 before dropping significantly to 19 in 1993, and continuing to plummet to just 4 in 1994. While the 1993 model year represents a major downward inflection point in overall owner complaints compared to the prior years, it concurrently saw the generation's highest number of federal investigations (4) and technical service bulletins (10). For the 1993 model specifically, Power Train issues dominate the complaint record with 8 reports, followed by Service Brakes, Hydraulic, Engine & Engine Cooling, and Seat Belts with 2 each, alongside 3 crash complaints and 0 fire complaints, though the data does not specify root causes. This juxtaposition of declining complaints but peak regulatory and manufacturer attention suggests the 1993 Laser was actively receiving refinements even as authorities closely monitored lingering concerns. Consequently, the 1993 model is a reasonable used buy that improves upon the high-complaint 1990-1992 models, provided you verify that the 10 technical service bulletins—particularly regarding the power train—have been properly addressed.

1
Open recalls
NHTSA campaigns
10
Service bulletins
Manufacturer communications
4
ODI investigations
Office of Defects Investigation
19
Owner complaints
3 involved a crash · 0 a fire
NHTSA crash-test rating federal NCAP · out of 5 stars
Rollover★★★★
Owner complaints by model year NHTSA · this generation & adjacent

Owner complaints filed with NHTSA, by component

All 19 complaints on record, top 8 components.

Power Train8
Service Brakes, Hydraulic2
Engine & Engine Cooling2
Seat Belts2
Air Bags,Seat Belts1
Suspension1
Engine & Engine Cooling,Electrical System1
Structure1

Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint database.

Recalls NHTSA · verified

Showing 1 of 1 campaigns on record for this vehicle.

98V069002Power Train:Automatic TransmissionReported 07/04/1998

VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES. LOCKUP OF THE TRANSFER CASE CAN OCCUR DUE TO INSUFFICIENT LUBRICATION. Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSPECT THE VEHICLES FOR ADEQUACY OF THE TRANSFER CASE OIL VOLUME, TRANSFER CASE OIL LEAKAGE, AND OPERATIONAL DEGRADATION OF THE TRANSFER CASE MECHANISM. IF OIL…

Technical service bulletins NHTSA · verified

Showing 5 of 10 bulletins on record with NHTSA.

BulletinDateComponentSummary
R2118796A2016-02-26Engine And Engine CoolingValve Body. These may cause over drive cycling.
0800600REV2000-12-29Electrical SystemSUBJECT REGARDING WIRE SPLICE REPAIRS. *SB
2300800B2000-11-24SeatsSUBJECT REGARDING CHILD SEAT TETHER ANCHORS. *TT
2308002000-03-03SeatsSUBJECT REGARDING CHILD SEAT TETHER ANCHORS. *TT
0806002000-02-25Electrical SystemTHIS BULLETIN PROVIDES A REVISED WIRE SPLICE PROCEDURE AND RELATED PARTS. *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 Laser. 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 1993 Laser take?

4.5 qt w/ filter of ABOVE 20 degrees F 30W SJ, SL, ABOVE 10 degrees F 15W-40 SJ, SL, ABOVE 0 degrees F 10W-30 SJ, SL, BELOW 32 degrees F 5W-30 SJ, SL, BELOW 100 degrees F 5W-30 SJ, SL, per the factory manual.

Does the 1993 Laser have open recalls?

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