PlymouthVista1992Overview/plymouth/vista/1992/base/
B2 platform

1992 Plymouth Vista

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

Body PASSENGER CAR

Classified as a passenger car and underpinned by the B2 platform, the 1992 Plymouth Vista requires 4 quarts of oil with a filter change—utilizing 20W-40, 10W-30, or 10W-40 API viscosities—establishing its baseline mechanical profile. Beyond these standard specifications, the vehicle's reliability record is notably clouded by 36 total owner complaints and 3 separate recalls. Because seat belts rank as the top complaint area, this model year represents a cautious chapter in the Vista's lineage, meaning researchers must account for these specific safety-hardware deficiencies when evaluating the vehicle's overall historical standing.

Quick specs

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

Engine oil capacity4 qt w/ filterOEM · verified
Engine oil type20W-40 / 10W-30 / 10W-40 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 05142416AC. Note the factory engine air filter, fuel filter, serpentine belt and thermostat are now discontinued — plan on a superseded or quality aftermarket equivalent, which the part pages below list where known.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 filter05142416AC alt 05012967AA
Engine air filterMB906051 discontinued · alt MR571477
Fuel filterMB504760 discontinued · alt MB504762
Spark plug68308887AA alt 68304142AA
Front wiper blades1BP00677AA alt MB859107
Serpentine beltMD180574 discontinued · alt MD185961
ThermostatMD972903 discontinued · alt MD170031

Service quick specs OEM factory data

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

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

Lubricants & capacities

Brake FluidDOT 3
Engine CoolantETHYLENE GLYCOL
Engine Oil20W-40 · API · 10W-30 · 10W-40 · 10W-50 · 5W-30 · 5W-40
Engine Oil Capacity4 qt w/ filter
Engine Oil20W-40 · API · 10W-30 · 10W-40 · 10W-50 · 5W-30 · 5W-40
Engine Oil Capacity4.5 qt w/ filter
Engine Oil20W-40 · API · 10W-30 · 10W-40 · 10W-50 · 5W-30 · 5W-40
Engine Oil Capacity4.7 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) · Brake Linings (inspect) · CV Joint Boot (inspect) · Engine Oil Filter (replace) · Engine Valves (inspect valve lash)
Every 30,000 miAccessory Drive Belt (inspect) · Engine Air Filter Element (replace) · Engine Coolant System (drain, flush & refill) · Exhaust System (Complete) (inspect) · Fuel Line (inspect) · Spark Plugs (replace)
Every 60,000 miFuel Tank (inspect) · Fuel Tank Filler Cap (inspect) · Timing Belt (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.

Owner complaints about the 1992 Plymouth Vista dominate in one area — the seat belts, 20 of 36 reports (56%), 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 1 a fire — a small share of the total, but worth weighing against the seat belts 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.

3
Open recalls
NHTSA campaigns
4
Service bulletins
Manufacturer communications
3
ODI investigations
Office of Defects Investigation
36
Owner complaints
0 involved a crash · 1 a fire

Owner complaints filed with NHTSA, by component

All 36 complaints on record, top 8 components.

Seat Belts20
Structure4
Power Train3
Electrical System2
Engine & Engine Cooling2
Service Brakes, Hydraulic,Power Train1
Latches/Locks/Linkages1
Seats1

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 4 of 4 bulletins on record with NHTSA.

BulletinDateComponentSummary
2300800B2000-11-24SeatsSUBJECT REGARDING CHILD SEAT TETHER ANCHORS. *TT
2308002000-03-03SeatsSUBJECT REGARDING CHILD SEAT TETHER ANCHORS. *TT
2335991999-09-03SeatsINFORMATION ON CHILD SEAT TETHER ANCHORS. *TT
9709169738A1997-09-16Air BagsAUTHORIZED AIRBAG DEACTIVATION FOR MEDICAL NECESSITY. *YC

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 Vista. 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 1992 Vista take?

4 qt w/ filter of ABOVE 32 degrees F: 20W-40 SL, API, ABOVE -10 degrees F: 10W-30 OR 10W-40 OR 10W-50 SL, API, BELOW 100 degrees F: 5W-30, 5W-40 SL, API, per the factory manual.

Does the 1992 Vista have open recalls?

NHTSA lists 3 recall campaign(s) for this model year. Check your specific vehicle by VIN.