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1995 Pontiac Sunfire

Factory specifications, fluid capacities, torque values, EPA fuel economy and the federal safety record for the 1995 Sunfire.

Body PASSENGER CAR

Classified as a passenger car, the 1995 Pontiac Sunfire features an engine requiring 4 quarts of 5W-30 API oil. Reliability data for this specific model year records 7 recalls and 135 total owner complaints, with the engine and engine cooling system emerging as the top complaint area. Within the 1991-2005 model complaint history, this volume places the 1995 model just before the peak year of 1996, which recorded 237 complaints. This positions the vehicle as a significant contributor to the model's reliability narrative, standing well above the lowest recorded year of 1991 which logged only a single complaint.

Model year2005 2004 2003 2002 2001 2000 1999 1998 1995

Quick specs

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

Engine oil capacity4 qtOEM · verified

Engine oil type5W-30 APIOEM · verified

Lug nut torque100 ft-lbsOEM · verified

Fitment & sizes

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

From the factory this vehicle uses a BCI 75 · 525 CCA battery, OE oil filter 12737092. Note the factory fuel filter and front wiper blades are now discontinued — plan on a superseded or quality aftermarket equivalent, which the part pages below list where known.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.

Battery groupBCI 75 · 525 CCAOEM · verified

Tire sizeP195-70R14OEM · verified

Wheel / rim6-JJ inOEM · verified

OE service part numbers OEM · verified

Engine oil filter	12737092 alt 12731175
Engine air filter	24577608
Fuel filter	25121293 discontinued
Spark plug	19301805 alt 19301807
Front wiper blades	22711469 discontinued · alt 22711468
Thermostat	24577118 alt 24577299

Full specifications

Engine, drivetrain, dimensions and economy.

Dimensions & weight NHTSA vPIC

Overall length	182.3 in
Overall width	68.5 in
Overall height	52 in
Wheelbase	103.9 in
Curb weight	2835 lb

Service quick specs OEM factory data

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

This engine holds 4 qt of 5W-30 API engine oil, DOT 3 brake fluid. Torque lug nuts to 100 ft-lbs. Note the cylinder-head bolts finish on a torque angle (torque-to-yield) — they stretch permanently and should be replaced, not reused, during any head service.

Lubricants & capacities

Brake Fluid	DOT 3
Engine Coolant	ETHYLENE GLYCOL
Engine Oil	5W-30 · API
Engine Oil Capacity	4 qt
Engine Oil	5W-30 · API
Engine Oil Capacity	4 qt
Power Steering Fluid	USE GM PART NO. 1052884 OR EQUIVALENT

Engine torques

Crankshaft Position (CKP) Sensor Bolt(s)	6 ft-lbs
Camshaft Position (CMP) Sensor Bolt(s)	7.5 ft-lbs
Crankshaft Position (CKP) Sensor Bolt(s)	7.4 ft-lbs
Camshaft Position (CMP) Sensor Bolt(s)	7.4 ft-lbs
Camshaft Sprocket and/or Gear Bolt(s)	77 ft-lbs
Camshaft Sprocket and/or Gear Bolt(s)	52 ft-lbs
Engine Coolant Temperature (ECT) Sensor Bolt(s)	18.5 ft-lbs
Oxygen (O2S) Sensor Bolt(s)	31 ft-lbs

Chassis torques

Lug Nuts

100 ft-lbs

Ignition

Spark Plug Manufacturer	AC Delco
Spark Plug Gap	0.040 in
Spark Plug Torque	13.0 ft-lbs
Spark Plug Manufacturer	AC Delco
Spark Plug Gap	0.060 in
Spark Plug Torque	11.0 ft-lbs

Battery & A/C

Refrigerant	R134a
Refrigerant Capacity	1.50 lbs
Oil Group	PAG
Oil Type	GM part number 12345923 or equivalent.
Oil Capacity	8.00-9.00 oz
Standard BCI Group Number	75
Standard BCI Cranking Performance	525 cca
Standard BCI Group Number	75

Service checks

Pressure Test	15 psi
Radiator Cap Pressure Relief	15 psi
Thermostat Opening Temperature	195 °F
Pressure Test	15 psi
Radiator Cap Pressure Relief	15 psi
Thermostat Opening Temperature	180 °F
Engine Compression	100

Brakes

Torque to Knuckle	38 ft-lbs
Minimum Pad Thickness	Front: 0.030; Rear: 0.030 specification
Rotor Max Parallel Variation	0.0005 in
Rotor Runout Limit	0.003 in
Rotor Nominal Thickness From	0.786 in
Rotor Nominal Thickness To	0.786 in
Rotor Minimum Machining	0.751 in
Rotor Discard at or Under	0.736 in

Multi-step torque procedures OEM · verified

Cylinder Head — tightening sequence 3 stages

1	Long bolts	46 ft. lbs
2	Short bolts	43 ft. lbs
3	90 degrees.	90 degrees

Cylinder Head — tightening sequence 3 stages

1	8 long head bolts	30 ft. lbs
2	2 short bolts	26 ft. lbs
3	90 degrees.	90 degrees

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.

At 7,500 mi	Tire & Wheel Assembly (rotate)
Every 7,500 mi	Axle Shaft Oil Seal (inspect) · Body Latches, Locks & Hinges (inspect) · CV Joint Boot (inspect) · Engine Oil (drain & refill) · Engine Oil Filter (replace) · Parking Brake Cable (lubricate)
Every 15,000 mi	Tire & Wheel Assembly (rotate)
Every 30,000 mi	EGR System (inspect) · Engine Coolant System (drain, flush & refill) · Fuel System (inspect) · Spark Plug Wires (inspect) · Spark Plugs (replace) · Thermostatically Controlled Air Cleaner Assembly (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.

The 1995 Pontiac Sunfire marks a dramatic inflection point in its generation’s federal record, with complaints spiking to 135 from just 3 in 1994 and recalls jumping to 7—both figures that exceed the combined totals of the preceding years. This surge aligns with the first full year of the redesigned J-body platform, suggesting early production or design teething issues, particularly in **Engine & Engine Cooling (33 complaints)**, **Electrical System (23)**, and **Air Bags (15)**, alongside elevated crash (15) and fire (12) reports. While complaints and recalls peak further in 1996–1997, the 1995 model’s high TSB count (97) indicates GM’s proactive response to systemic problems, though the root causes remain unspecified in the data. The trend implies 1995 was a year of heightened quality control challenges, yet the subsequent stabilization in recalls and investigations suggests many issues were addressed in later builds. **Takeaway:** The 1995 Sunfire is a higher-risk buy due to its outlier status in complaints and recalls; a later model year (1998 onward) with lower federal scrutiny would be a more prudent choice.

Open recalls

NHTSA campaigns

Service bulletins

Manufacturer communications

ODI investigations

Office of Defects Investigation

135

Owner complaints

15 involved a crash · 12 a fire

Owner complaints by model year NHTSA · this generation & adjacent

’91 ’94’95’96 ’97 ’98 ’99 ’00 ’01 ’02 ’03 ’04 ’05

Owner complaints filed with NHTSA, by component

All 135 complaints on record, top 8 components.

Engine & Engine Cooling33

Electrical System23

Air Bags15

Service Brakes, Hydraulic13

Visibility7

Unknown Or Other4

Power Train4

Fuel System, Gasoline3

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 5 of 97 bulletins on record with NHTSA.

Bulletin	Date	Component	Summary
PIP4723F	2022-01-14	Service Brakes, Hydraulic	This Preliminary Information communicates to the dealer the process for downloading or…
PIP4723D	2020-01-31	Electrical System	This Preliminary Information communicates to the dealer the process for downloading or…
19NA273	2019-12-02	Electrical System	This informational bulletin provides information for dealers/technicians on Procedures to…
PIC4696E	2019-11-22	Equipment	This Preliminary Information communication provides information to the technician on how…
17NA073	2019-09-18	Equipment	This warranty administration bulletin provides information regarding the field action…

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 Sunfire. 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.

Group 75 battery Vehicles taking 4 qt Engine oil filter 12737092 Engine air filter 24577608 Fuel filter 25121293 Spark plug 19301805

Reference guides

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

Vehicle recalls & TSBs OBD-II trouble codes Torque specifications Maintenance schedules Fluid capacities & specs

Frequently asked

How much oil does the 1995 Sunfire take?

4 qt of 5W-30 API, per the factory manual.

Does the 1995 Sunfire have open recalls?

NHTSA lists 7 recall campaign(s) for this model year. Check your specific vehicle by VIN.