Pontiac›Bonneville›1992›Overview/pontiac/bonneville/1992/base/

1992 Pontiac Bonneville

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

Body PASSENGER CARTransmission Automatic 4-spd

The 1992 Pontiac Bonneville is a full-size passenger car equipped with a 4-speed automatic transmission and rated by the EPA at 15 mpg city, 23 mpg highway, and 17 mpg combined, placing it among the less fuel-efficient options of its era; it was offered in sedan body styles and represented a mid-generation example of the model that spanned from 1990 to 2005. In terms of owner-reported issues, the 1992 model year recorded 132 total complaints, with service brakes and hydraulic systems emerging as the most frequently cited problem area, and the vehicle carried three recalls during this production year. When viewed against the broader complaint history spanning 1990 to 2005, where complaints ranged from a peak of 299 in 1998 down to a low of 27 in 2005, the 1992 Bonneville sits in the middle range of the model's reliability trajectory, suggesting it neither represents the model's peak problem period nor its most refined iteration. This complaint profile makes the 1992 model a useful reference point for researchers examining the evolution of automotive reliability across the Bonneville's production run.

Model year200520042003200220012000199919981992

Quick specs

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

EPA fuel economy15/23/17 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 12731175. Note the factory front wiper blades is now discontinued — plan on a superseded or quality aftermarket equivalent, which the part pages below list where known.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 filter12731175
Engine air filter19259030
Fuel filter25121468
Spark plug19302723 alt 19354417
Front wiper blades25689175 discontinued · alt 10283602
Thermostat24505924 alt 24506986

Full specifications

Engine, drivetrain, dimensions and economy.

Engine & drivetrain NHTSA vPIC

TransmissionAutomatic 4-spd

Dimensions & weight NHTSA vPIC

Overall length200.8 in
Overall width73.6 in
Overall height55.5 in
Wheelbase111 in
Curb weight3362 lb
Weight distribution (front / rear)64/36

Ratings & economy EPA / vPIC

EPA city / highway / combined15 / 23 / 17 mpg
DrivetrainFront-Wheel Drive
Passenger volume109 cu ft
Cargo volume15 cu ft
Recommended fuelPremium Gasoline

Performance & power Independent road tests

0–60 mph, quarter-mile, horsepower and torque from independent road tests.

Independent road tests for the Bonneville of this era, listed by trim and engine — this page spans more than one engine, so no single horsepower figure is shown.

7.1–7.7 sec0–60 mph (tested)quickest 7.10 sec — 1995 SE Sedan
YearTrim / engine0–60¼ mileHPDrivetrain
1995SE Sedan 3.8L Supercharger V67.10 sec15.40 sec225 hpFWD
1996SE Sedan 3.8L Supercharger V67.70 sec15.80 sec225 hpFWD
1998SE Sedan 3.8L V67.30 sec15.50 sec205 hpFWD

Service quick specs OEM factory data

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

Lubricants & capacities

Engine CoolantETHYLENE GLYCOL
Power Steering FluidUSE 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 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.

At 7,500 miEngine Oil Filter (replace) · Tire & Wheel Assembly (rotate)
Every 7,500 miAxle Shaft Oil Seal (inspect) · Body Latches, Locks & Hinges (inspect) · CV Joint Boot (inspect) · Engine Oil (drain & refill) · Parking Brake Cable (lubricate) · Shift Linkage (inspect)
Every 15,000 miEngine Oil Filter (replace) · Tire & Wheel Assembly (rotate)
Every 30,000 miEngine Coolant System (drain, flush & refill) · PCV System (inspect) · Spark Plug Wires (inspect) · Spark Plugs (replace) · Supercharger Assembly (inspect fluid condition) · Thermostatically Controlled Air Cleaner Assembly (inspect)
Every 100,000 miTransmission 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 Pontiac Bonneville sits at a clear inflection point in this generation's federal record. After just 44 complaints in 1990 and 29 in 1991, 1992 jumps to 132 complaints, 3 recalls, 3 investigations, and 24 TSBs—roughly tripling or quadrupling every prior metric. The dominant owner-reported concern is the hydraulic service brakes, with 50 complaints, followed by electrical, engine/cooling, and powertrain issues; the year also generated 16 crash-related and 6 fire-related complaints, though the data does not specify root causes. Looking ahead, complaint volume generally rises further, hitting 257 in 1995 and 299 in 1998, while TSB counts balloon into the hundreds in the 2000s, so 1992 is early in the deterioration curve rather than at the peak. Still, it is materially worse than the 1990–1991 baseline and carries the highest brake-related complaint count of the early years shown. Concrete takeaway: a 1992 Bonneville is not the riskiest year of this generation, but it is a step down from 1990–1991 and demands a careful brake-system inspection before purchase.

3
Open recalls
NHTSA campaigns
24
Service bulletins
Manufacturer communications
3
ODI investigations
Office of Defects Investigation
132
Owner complaints
16 involved a crash · 6 a fire
Owner complaints by model year NHTSA · this generation & adjacent
’90’91’92’94’95’96’97’98’99’00’01’02’03’04’05

Owner complaints filed with NHTSA, by component

All 132 complaints on record, top 8 components.

Service Brakes, Hydraulic50
Electrical System15
Engine & Engine Cooling12
Power Train9
Air Bags8
Fuel System, Gasoline5
Seat Belts5
Steering3

Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint database.

Recalls NHTSA · verified

Showing 2 of 3 campaigns on record for this vehicle.

91V167000Parking Brake:Conventional:MechanicalReported 23/09/1991

WHEN APPLIED, THE PARKING BRAKE LEVER ASSEMBLY MAY RELEASE ONE OR MORE TEETH, REDUCING THE CABLE LOAD TO THE REAR BRAKES. Remedy: REPLACE PARKING BRAKE LEVER ASSEMBLY.

91V131000Power Train:Automatic TransmissionReported 05/08/1991

TRANSAXLE SHIFT CONTROL CABLE MAY DISENGAGE FROM SHIFT CONTROL CABLE BRACKET, CAUSING LOSS OF GEAR INDICATOR REFERENCE, AND SHIFT SELECTOR OPERATION. Remedy: INSTALL A TRANSAXLE SHIFT CONTROL CABLE RETAINING CLIP ON THE SHIFT CONTROL CABLE BRACKET ON TOP OF TRANSAXLE.

Technical service bulletins NHTSA · verified

Showing 5 of 24 bulletins on record with NHTSA.

BulletinDateComponentSummary
1300890092013-09-01Engine And Engine CoolingExpanded Availability for Remanufacture and Return (R&R) Electronic Control Modules
990730030A2001-04-01Power TrainOWNERS OF SOME VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH HYDRA-MATIC 3T40, 4T60, 4T60-E OR 4T65-E TRANSAXLES…
9909410042000-01-01Air BagsINFORMATION REGARDING SWITCHES TO TURN OFF AND ON FRONTAL AIR BAGS FOR PASSENGER CARS AND…
9909400042000-01-01SeatsGENERAL MOTORS BEGAN PROVIDING CHILD RESTRAIN SEAT TOP TETHER HARDWARE PACKAGES TO…
990866002A2000-01-01Latches/Locks/LinkagesTHIS BULLETIN INFORMS DEALERSHIPS ABOUT THE TRAP RESISTANT REAR COMPARTMENT (TRUNK) KIT…

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 Bonneville. 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.

Engine oil filter 12731175Engine air filter 19259030Fuel filter 25121468Spark plug 19302723

Reference guides

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

Vehicle recalls & TSBsOBD-II trouble codesMaintenance schedulesFluid capacities & specs

Frequently asked

Does the 1992 Bonneville have open recalls?

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

What gas mileage does the Bonneville get?

EPA figures are 15 city / 23 highway / 17 combined mpg.