BuickRiviera1992Overview/buick/riviera/1992/base/

1992 Buick Riviera

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

Transmission Automatic 4-spd

The 1992 Buick Riviera was a front-wheel-drive personal luxury coupe equipped with a 4-speed automatic transmission, powered by a V6 engine that required 4.0 quarts of 10W-30 API-rated oil, and achieved EPA fuel economy figures of 16/24/19 mpg across city/highway/combined driving cycles. Reliability data spanning the Riviera's 1990–1999 model years shows that 1992 occupied a notably stable position in the model's history, registering just 15 total owner complaints with only 2 recalls—notably lower than the peak of 148 complaints recorded in 1995 and substantially below the average across the decade. The top complaint area for 1992 centered on air bag systems, though this was consistent with broader industry concerns during a period when airbag technology was still maturing and facing regulatory scrutiny. This complaint profile suggests that while the 1992 Riviera benefited from improved build quality compared to mid-decade models, prospective owners should budget for potential airbag component servicing as the vehicle ages into classic status.

Model year199919981997199619951993199219911989

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 economy16/24/19 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 Note the factory serpentine belt is now discontinued — plan on a superseded or quality aftermarket equivalent, which the part pages below list where known.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 filter24577608
Fuel filter25121129
Spark plug19354417
Front wiper blades22155381
Serpentine belt10230725 discontinued
Thermostat24505924 alt 25535214

Full specifications

Engine, drivetrain, dimensions and economy.

Engine & drivetrain NHTSA vPIC

TransmissionAutomatic 4-spd

Dimensions & weight NHTSA vPIC

Overall length198.4 in
Overall width71.7 in
Overall height53.5 in
Wheelbase107.9 in
Curb weight3419 lb
Weight distribution (front / rear)64/36

Ratings & economy EPA / vPIC

EPA city / highway / combined16 / 24 / 19 mpg
DrivetrainFront-Wheel Drive
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 Riviera of this era, listed by trim and engine — this page spans more than one engine, so no single horsepower figure is shown.

7.1–14.8 sec0–60 mph (tested)quickest 7.10 sec — 1996 Supercharged Coupe
YearTrim / engine0–60¼ mileHPDrivetrain
1989Coupe 3.8L V69.90 sec17.40 sec165 hpFWD
1995Supercharged Coupe 3.8L Supercharger V67.20 sec15.60 sec225 hpFWD
1996Supercharged Coupe 3.8L Supercharger V67.10 sec15.40 sec225 hpFWD
1986T-Type Coupe 3.8L V811.30 sec18.23 sec165 hpFWD
1983Convertible 4.1L V614.80 sec19.70 sec125 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 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; 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) · Throttle Body (torque) · 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 miAccessory Drive Belt (inspect) · Engine Air Filter Element (replace) · Engine Breather Filter (replace) · Engine Coolant System (drain, flush & refill) · Fuel Line (inspect) · Fuel Tank (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 Riviera sits in the quieter early arc of this generation: its 15 complaints and two recalls represent a modest improvement over the 1990 debut year (17 complaints, five recalls) and align closely with 1991 (12 complaints, one recall), while technical service bulletins rise to eight from four the prior year. Complaint volumes remain low through 1993 (seven complaints) before a dramatic surge to 148 in 1995, after which they settle at elevated levels (36–55) through 1998 alongside steadily climbing TSB counts (29–40). The 1992 top complaint categories — air bags (three), vehicle speed control (two), and suspension (two) — account for seven of 15 total complaints, with three crash-related and one fire-related report recorded; the data does not specify root causes for any category. Recalls drop to zero by 1997, but the post-1995 complaint plateau suggests a systemic shift the early years avoid. For a buyer prioritizing federal-record cleanliness, 1992 falls in the most favorable window of this generation, offering lower complaint and recall counts than both the launch year and the prolonged high-activity period that follows.

2
Open recalls
NHTSA campaigns
8
Service bulletins
Manufacturer communications
0
ODI investigations
Office of Defects Investigation
15
Owner complaints
3 involved a crash · 1 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 15 complaints on record, top 8 components.

Air Bags3
Vehicle Speed Control2
Suspension2
Steering,Seat Belts1
Tires1
Service Brakes, Hydraulic,Engine & Engine Cooling1
Electrical System1
Equipment1

Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint database.

Recalls NHTSA · verified

Showing 2 of 2 campaigns on record for this vehicle.

95V110000Seat Belts:Front:WebbingReported 31/05/1995

THE FRONT OUTER SHOULDER BELT WEB SEW STOP CAN BECOME STUCK IN THE RETRACTOR. THE BELT CAN BE DIFFICULT TO PULL OUT OF THE RETRACTOR AND SOME OCCUPANTS MAY NOT BE ABLE TO FASTEN THE BELT. Remedy: DEALER WILL INSTALL A WEBBING STOP BUTTON IF THE CUSTOMER REQUESTS REPAIR.

91V157000Steering:Rack And PinionReported 18/09/1991

THE INTERMEDIATE SHAFT TO STEERING RACK LOWER COUPLING PINCH BOLT MAY BE MISSING. Remedy: INSTALL PINCH BOLT.

Technical service bulletins NHTSA · verified

Showing 5 of 8 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…
9907300301999-12-01Power TrainSOME VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH HYDRA-MATIC 3T40, 4T60 OR 4T60-E TRANSXALES MAY COMMENT ON A…
100011998-04-01Power TrainINFORMATION ON GROWLING NOISE IN TRANSAXLE DURING FIRST FOUR MINUTES AFTER START UP. *YC
577106A1997-02-01Power TrainCOLD START RATTLE NOISE (DIAGNOSIS/SERVICE PROCEDURE). *TW

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 Riviera. 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 Riviera take?

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

Does the 1992 Riviera have open recalls?

NHTSA lists 2 recall campaign(s) for this model year. Check your specific vehicle by VIN.

What gas mileage does the Riviera get?

EPA figures are 16 city / 24 highway / 19 combined mpg.