BuickPark Avenue1994Overview/buick/park-avenue/1994/base/

1994 Buick Park Avenue

Factory specifications, fluid capacities, torque values, EPA fuel economy and the federal safety record for the 1994 Park Avenue.

Transmission Automatic 4-spd

The 1994 Buick Park Avenue pairs a four-speed automatic transmission with a powertrain requiring 4.0 quarts of 10W-30 API oil, returning EPA figures of 15 city, 24 highway, and 18 combined mpg. With 56 total owner complaints and zero recalls, the 1994 model year sits near the quieter end of the platform's 1994–2005 complaint history, well below the 1997 peak of 301 complaints and suggesting a relatively trouble-free entry point in the model's reliability arc.

Model year200520042003200220012000199919981994

Quick specs

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

Engine oil capacity4.0 qtOEM · verified
Engine oil type10W-30 APIOEM · verified
EPA fuel economy15/24/18 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 Note the factory fuel filter and front wiper blades are now discontinued — plan on a superseded or quality aftermarket equivalent, which the part pages below list where known.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.

OE service part numbers OEM · verified

Engine oil filter12731175 alt 25322835
Engine air filter19259030
Fuel filter25121293 discontinued
Spark plug19302723
Front wiper blades25689175 discontinued
Thermostat24505924 alt 25535214

Full specifications

Engine, drivetrain, dimensions and economy.

Engine & drivetrain NHTSA vPIC

TransmissionAutomatic 4-spd

Dimensions & weight NHTSA vPIC

Overall length205.1 in
Overall width74.8 in
Overall height55.1 in
Wheelbase110.6 in
Curb weight3547 lb
Track (front / rear)60.6 / 60.6 in
Weight distribution (front / rear)63/37

Ratings & economy EPA / vPIC

EPA city / highway / combined15 / 24 / 18 mpg
DrivetrainFront-Wheel Drive
Passenger volume109 cu ft
Cargo volume20 cu ft
Recommended fuelRegular Gasoline

Performance & power Independent road tests

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

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

7.5–9.0 sec0–60 mph (tested)quickest 7.50 sec — 1997 Ultra Sedan
YearTrim / engine0–60¼ mileHPDrivetrain
1992Ultra Supercharged Sedan 3.8L Supercharger V68.40 sec16.40 sec205 hpFWD
1991Ultra Sedan 3.8L V69.00 sec16.90 sec205 hpFWD
1997Ultra Sedan 3.8L Supercharger V67.50 sec15.70 sec240 hpFWD
1997Ultra Sedan 3.8L Supercharger V67.70 sec15.80 sec240 hpFWD

Service quick specs OEM factory data

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

This engine holds 4.0 qt of 10W-30 API engine oil.

Lubricants & capacities

Engine CoolantETHYLENE GLYCOL
Engine Oil10W-30 · API
Engine Oil Capacity4.0 qt

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 miBody Latches, Locks & Hinges (inspect) · Engine Oil (drain & refill) · Parking Brake Cable (lubricate) · Shift Linkage (inspect) · Steering Linkage (inspect) · Suspension System (inspect)
Every 15,000 miEngine Oil Filter (replace) · Tire & Wheel Assembly (rotate)
Every 30,000 miEngine Air Filter Element (replace) · Engine Coolant System (drain, flush & refill) · Fuel Line (inspect) · Fuel Tank (inspect) · Fuel Tank Filler Cap (inspect) · Spark Plug Wires (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.

In the context of this generation's federal record, the 1994 Buick Park Avenue stands out with 56 complaints, zero recalls, and zero investigations, marking the lowest complaint volume of the entire production run. The data reveals a sharp upward trend in subsequent years, with complaints spiking to 301 and recalls and investigations peaking at three and four, respectively, by the 1997 model year, before gradually tapering off toward the end of the generation in 2005. The 1994 model sits at the very beginning of this arc, implying that early production units largely avoided the significant federal scrutiny and cascading issues that plagued the mid-generation years. While its primary complaint areas are evenly split among Structure, Electrical System, and Service Brakes Hydraulic (eight complaints each), the five crash and three fire complaints indicate some underlying risks, though the data does not specify the root causes. Given its uniquely clean federal record compared to the escalating recalls and investigations of the following years, the 1994 model is a comparatively strong year to buy, provided the specific structural, electrical, and hydraulic systems are thoroughly inspected.

0
Open recalls
NHTSA campaigns
9
Service bulletins
Manufacturer communications
0
ODI investigations
Office of Defects Investigation
56
Owner complaints
5 involved a crash · 3 a fire
NHTSA crash-test rating federal NCAP · out of 5 stars
Overall★★★★★
Frontal★★★★
Side★★★★★
Rollover★★★★
Owner complaints by model year NHTSA · this generation & adjacent

Owner complaints filed with NHTSA, by component

All 56 complaints on record, top 8 components.

Structure8
Electrical System8
Service Brakes, Hydraulic8
Unknown Or Other4
Engine & Engine Cooling4
Power Train4
Tires2
Steering,Structure2

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 9 bulletins on record with NHTSA.

BulletinDateComponentSummary
PIC4696E2019-11-22EquipmentThis Preliminary Information communication provides information to the technician on how…
PIC4696D2019-09-05EquipmentThis Preliminary Information communication provides information to the technician on how…
PIC4696C2018-05-31EquipmentThis Preliminary Information communication provides information to the technician on how…
990730030A2001-04-01Power TrainOWNERS OF SOME VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH HYDRA-MATIC 3T40, 4T60, 4T60-E OR 4T65-E TRANSAXLES…
9907300301999-12-01Power TrainSOME VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH HYDRA-MATIC 3T40, 4T60 OR 4T60-E TRANSXALES MAY COMMENT ON A…

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 Park Avenue. 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 1994 Park Avenue take?

4.0 qt of 10W-30 API, per the factory manual.

Does the 1994 Park Avenue have open recalls?

NHTSA lists 0 recall campaign(s) for this model year. Check your specific vehicle by VIN.

What gas mileage does the Park Avenue get?

EPA figures are 15 city / 24 highway / 18 combined mpg.