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1988 Pontiac Fiero

Factory specifications, fluid capacities, torque values, EPA fuel economy and the federal safety record for the 1988 Fiero.

The 1988 Pontiac Fiero calls for 4 quarts of 10W-30 or 5W-30 engine oil and, in owner-reported reliability records, accounts for 15 total complaints with Engine & Engine Cooling cited as the top problem area and three recalls on file. Against the model's 1991–1996 complaint history, where 1991 registers a single complaint as both the highest and lowest data point, the 1988 model stands as the most documented year in the available dataset. That concentration of reports makes the 1988 Fiero the clearest reliability snapshot researchers can draw from these records, though it reflects a limited sample rather than a full model-run trend.

Model year1988 1987 1986 1985 1984

Quick specs

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

Engine oil capacity4 qtOEM · verified

Engine oil type10W-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 12737090. Note the factory fuel filter is now discontinued — plan on a superseded or quality aftermarket equivalent, which the part pages below list where known.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 filter	12737090 alt 25012305
Engine air filter	25043504 alt 25040881
Fuel filter	25171792 discontinued
Spark plug	05614046 alt 19300874
Front wiper blades	15184702
Serpentine belt	10036500 alt 9433727
Thermostat	10192505 alt 10115800

Full specifications

Engine, drivetrain, dimensions and economy.

Dimensions & weight NHTSA vPIC

Overall length	163 in
Overall width	68.9 in
Overall height	46.9 in
Wheelbase	93.3 in
Curb weight	2604 lb
Weight distribution (front / rear)	44/56

Performance & power Independent road tests

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

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

7.5–8.0 sec0–60 mph (tested)quickest 7.50 sec — 1988 Formula Coupe

Year	Trim / engine	0–60	¼ mile	HP	Drivetrain
1988	Formula Coupe 2.8L V6	7.50 sec	15.70 sec	135 hp	RWD
1988	Formula Coupe 2.8L V6	8.00 sec	16.00 sec	135 hp	RWD
1984	SE Coupe 2.5L I-4	10.50 sec	17.70 sec	92 hp	RWD
1984	SE Coupe 2.5L I-4	10.90 sec	18.10 sec	92 hp	RWD
1984	SE Coupe 2.5L I-4	11.20 sec	17.60 sec	92 hp	RWD
1984	SE Coupe 2.5L I-4	11.60 sec	18.20 sec	92 hp	RWD

Service quick specs OEM factory data

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

This engine holds 4 qt of 10W-30 / 5W-30 engine oil, DOT 3 brake fluid.

Lubricants & capacities

Brake Fluid	DOT 3
Engine Coolant	ETHYLENE GLYCOL
Engine Oil	10W-30 · 5W-30
Engine Oil Capacity	4 qt
Engine Oil	10W-30 · 5W-30
Engine Oil Capacity	4 qt
Power Steering Fluid	USE GM PART NO. 1050017 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; 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 mi	Engine Oil Filter (replace) · Throttle Body (torque) · Tire & Wheel Assembly (rotate)
Every 7,500 mi	Body Latches, Locks & Hinges (inspect) · Brake System (inspect) · Engine Oil (drain & refill) · Exhaust System (Complete) (inspect) · Parking Brake Cable (lubricate) · Shift Linkage (inspect)
Every 15,000 mi	Engine Oil Filter (replace) · Tire & Wheel Assembly (rotate)
Every 30,000 mi	Accessory Drive Belt (inspect) · EGR System (inspect) · Engine Air Filter Element (replace) · Engine Breather Filter (replace) · Engine Coolant System (drain, flush & refill) · PCV System (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 JSON shows that for the 1988 Pontiac Fiero the most frequently reported complaint area was Engine & Engine Cooling with 8 instances, followed by combined Engine & Engine Cooling/Fuel System/Gasoline (2), Service Brakes/Hydraulic/Exterior Lighting (2), and Service Brakes/Hydraulic (2); crash‑ and fire‑related complaints were both recorded as zero. No federal complaint, recall, investigation, or TSB entries are listed for 1988 in the year‑by‑year record, so the data does not specify whether those numbers are higher or lower than surrounding years. The earliest federal records provided are for 1991, 1994, and 1996, each showing a single complaint, zero recalls and investigations, and one TSB, indicating a low‑volume complaint trend in the later part of the Fiero generation. Because the target year precedes the first recorded federal year, we cannot directly compare its complaint frequency to earlier or later years using the supplied data, but the available later‑year figures suggest relatively few federal actions overall. Consequently, the 1988 Fiero appears to have modest engine‑related complaints and no crash/fire issues, making it a reasonable candidate for purchase pending a thorough mechanical inspection.

Open recalls

NHTSA campaigns

Service bulletins

Manufacturer communications

ODI investigations

Office of Defects Investigation

Owner complaints

0 involved a crash · 0 a fire

Owner complaints by model year NHTSA · this generation & adjacent

’91 ’94 ’96

Owner complaints filed with NHTSA, by component

All 15 complaints on record, top 5 components.

Engine & Engine Cooling8

Engine & Engine Cooling,Fuel System, Gasoline2

Service Brakes, Hydraulic,Exterior Lighting2

Service Brakes, Hydraulic2

Wheels1

Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint database.

Recalls NHTSA · verified

Showing 2 of 3 campaigns on record for this vehicle.

06E043000Fuel System, GasolineReported 19/05/2006

CERTAIN REPLACEMENT FUEL FILTERS, FRAM BRAND NAME P/N G3727, WITH DATE CODES X52911 THROUGH X60801 SEQUENTIALLY OR X600141 AND A MEXICO COUNTRY OR ORIGIN MARKING ON THE FUEL FILTER HOUSING MANUFACTURED FROM OCTOBER 18… Remedy: HONEYWELL WILL NOTIFY OWNERS AND REPLACE THE FUEL FILTERS FREE OF CHARGE. THE RECALL BEGAN ON OCTOBER 18, 2006. OWNERS MAY CONTACT FRAM CUSTOMER SERVICE AT 1-800-890-2075 (OPTION…

90V104000Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine:GasolineReported 23/04/1990

PCV GROMMET OIL LEAKS, TRANSMISSION OIL COOLER LEAKS, PISTON CONNECTING ROD FAILURES BREAKING THROUGH ENGINE WALL CAUSING OIL SPILLAGE, FUEL RAIL LEAKS, COOLANT LEAKS, ROCKER COVER OIL LEAKS, AND MAINTENANCE OR SERVICE… Remedy: CORRECT OR INSTALL NEW COMPONENTS TO PREVENT UNREASONABLE FIRE RISK.

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 Fiero. 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 25043504 Fuel filter 25171792 Spark plug 05614046

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 1988 Fiero take?

4 qt of ABOVE 40 degrees F: 30, ABOVE 0 degrees F: 10W-30, BELOW 60 degrees F: 5W-30, per the factory manual.

Does the 1988 Fiero have open recalls?

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