PlymouthSundance19932.5L/plymouth/sundance/1993/2-5l/
AP platform

1993 Plymouth Sundance — 2.5L

Factory specifications, fluid capacities, torque values, EPA fuel economy and the federal safety record for the 1993 Sundance 2.5L.

Body PASSENGER CAREngine 2.5LTransmission Automatic 3-spd

The 1993 Plymouth Sundance is a front-wheel-drive passenger car riding on the AP platform, powered by a 2.5L four-cylinder engine and paired with a three-speed automatic transmission, achieving EPA fuel economy of 21 city, 26 highway, and 23 combined mpg. With 66 total owner complaints, this model year sits just below the 1992 peak of 70 complaints in the 1990–1998 range, and its single recall and top complaint area of air bags mark it as a year that, while not the worst, still reflects the reliability concerns that defined the Sundance’s early generation.

Model year19941993

Quick specs

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

EPA fuel economy21/26/23 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 05281090AB. Note the factory engine air filter, spark plug, serpentine belt and thermostat are now discontinued — plan on a superseded or quality aftermarket equivalent, which the part pages below list where known.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 filter05281090AB
Engine air filter04288899 discontinued · alt 04213583AB
Fuel filter04495780
Spark plug68305411AA discontinued · alt 68304174AA
Front wiper blades4334667 alt 04389350
Serpentine belt04668303 discontinued · alt B0015481AB
Thermostat04494470 discontinued · alt MD997310

Full specifications

Engine, drivetrain, dimensions and economy.

Engine & drivetrain NHTSA vPIC

TransmissionAutomatic 3-spd

Dimensions & weight NHTSA vPIC

Overall length171.7 in
Overall width67.3 in
Overall height52.8 in
Wheelbase96.9 in
Curb weight2546 lb
Weight distribution (front / rear)62/38

Ratings & economy EPA / vPIC

EPA city / highway / combined21 / 26 / 23 mpg
DrivetrainFront-Wheel Drive
Recommended fuelRegular Gasoline

Service quick specs OEM factory data

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

This engine DOT 3 brake fluid.

Lubricants & capacities

Brake FluidDOT 3

Ignition

Curb Idle Speed (No Load)700 rpm
Curb Idle Speed Variance (No Load)100 rpm

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 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.

Every 7,500 miBrake Hydraulic System (inspect fluid level) · Brake Line (inspect) · CV Joint Boot (inspect) · Engine Coolant System (leak inspection) · Engine Oil (drain & refill) · Exhaust System (Complete) (inspect)
Every 15,000 miAccessory Drive Belt (inspect) · Automatic Seat Belt Track (lubricate) · Engine Oil Filter (replace)
Every 22,500 miBrake Linings (inspect)
Every 30,000 miEngine Air Filter Element (replace) · Engine Breather Filter (replace) · Engine Coolant System (drain, flush & refill) · PCV Valve (inspect) · Suspension System (inspect)
At 52,500 miEngine Coolant System (drain, flush & refill)
At 60,000 miPCV Valve (inspect)
Every 60,000 miIgnition Timing (inspect) · Spark Plug Wires (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 1993 Plymouth Sundance generated 66 federal complaints, a slight decrease from the 1992 peak of 70 but identical to the 1994 tally, while recalls dropped to 1 from the 4 recorded in both 1991 and 1992, and investigations fell to 3 from the prior two years’ 5. Technical service bulletins reached their generational maximum of 39 in 1993, indicating the highest level of factory service guidance despite fewer formal safety actions. The year-by-year record traces an arc of rising complaints and regulatory activity through 1992, a sustained plateau during 1993–1994 with elevated complaints but reduced recalls and investigations, and then a steep collapse in reported events by 1995. Within the 1993 data, Air Bags account for 14 complaints, Seats for 9, and Suspension and Electrical System each for 6, supplemented by 15 crash-related and 3 fire-related complaints, though the federal data does not specify underlying causes. Because 1993 occupies a high-complaint plateau with the generation’s highest TSB count, it is a weaker candidate than the lower-complaint 1990 or 1991, yet marginally preferable to 1992; prospective buyers should expect elevated service needs and documented Air Bag and Seat concerns without the offsetting benefit of a low-reporting record.

1
Open recalls
NHTSA campaigns
39
Service bulletins
Manufacturer communications
3
ODI investigations
Office of Defects Investigation
66
Owner complaints
15 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

Owner complaints filed with NHTSA, by component

All 66 complaints on record, top 8 components.

Air Bags14
Seats9
Suspension6
Electrical System6
Engine & Engine Cooling5
Vehicle Speed Control4
Structure4
Power Train3

Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint database.

Recalls NHTSA · verified

Showing 1 of 1 campaigns on record for this vehicle.

99V212000Seats:Front Assembly:ReclinerReported 06/08/1999

VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES. THE LOWER SEAT BACK ATTACHING BOLT ON THE DRIVER SEAT CAN FAIL AND SEPARATE. Remedy: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE LOWER SEAT BACK ATTACHING BOLT ON THE DRIVER'S SEAT WITH A HIGHER STRENGTH BOLT THAT INCLUDES A SELF LOCKING NYLON PATCH.

Technical service bulletins NHTSA · verified

Showing 5 of 39 bulletins on record with NHTSA.

BulletinDateComponentSummary
R2118796A2016-02-26Engine And Engine CoolingValve Body. These may cause over drive cycling.
08010012001-05-25Electrical SystemSUBJECT REGARDING AIRBAG / CLOCK SPRING SERVICE FOR VARIOUS MODELS INCLUDING 2002 MODEL…
21006012001-03-16Power TrainAUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION FLUID USAGE ATF+4. *TT *MJ
0800600REV2000-12-29Electrical SystemSUBJECT REGARDING WIRE SPLICE REPAIRS. *SB
2300800B2000-11-24SeatsSUBJECT REGARDING CHILD SEAT TETHER ANCHORS. *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 Sundance. 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

Does the 1993 Sundance have open recalls?

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

What gas mileage does the 2.5L get?

EPA figures are 21 city / 26 highway / 23 combined mpg.