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1994 Chevrolet Beretta

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

The 1994 Chevrolet Beretta was a compact coupe that required 4 quarts of oil with a 5W-30 API viscosity specification for routine maintenance, and in terms of reliability, it represents the most problematic model year in the Beretta's history with 108 recorded owner complaints, the highest of any year covered between 1990 and 2002; the top complaint area centered on service brakes and hydraulic systems, accompanied by two recall campaigns. This complaint volume stands in stark contrast to the model's lowest recorded year of 1997, which saw just one complaint, indicating significant variability in build quality across the model's production span. For researchers examining this generation, the 1994 model's position as the complaint peak suggests that brake hydraulic system components merit particular scrutiny when assessing the Beretta's service reliability profile.

Model year1996 1995 1994 1993 1992 1991 1989 1988 1987

Quick specs

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

Engine oil capacity4 qtOEM · verified

Engine oil type5W-30 APIOEM · verified

Fitment & sizes

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

From the factory this vehicle uses OE oil filter 12737092. Note the factory fuel filter is now discontinued — plan on a superseded or quality aftermarket equivalent, which the part pages below list where known.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	12737092 alt 12731175
Engine air filter	25099735
Fuel filter	25121293 discontinued
Spark plug	19302728 alt 05614281
Front wiper blades	22155381
Serpentine belt	10224381 alt 24572563
Thermostat	24507563 alt 24577299

Full specifications

Engine, drivetrain, dimensions and economy.

Dimensions & weight NHTSA vPIC

Overall length	187.4 in
Overall width	67.7 in
Overall height	53.1 in
Wheelbase	103.5 in
Curb weight	2650 lb
Track (front / rear)	55.9 / 56.7 in
Weight distribution (front / rear)	64/36

Performance & power Independent road tests

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

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

7.5–9.2 sec0–60 mph (tested)quickest 7.50 sec — 1990 GTZ Coupe

Year	Trim / engine	0–60	¼ mile	HP	Drivetrain
1990	GTZ Coupe 2.3L I-4	7.50 sec	15.90 sec	180 hp	FWD
1990	GTZ Coupe 2.3L I-4	7.70 sec	16.10 sec	180 hp	FWD
1990	GT Coupe 3.1L V6	8.50 sec	16.30 sec	140 hp	FWD
1988	GTU Coupe 2.8L V6	9.20 sec	17.00 sec	125 hp	FWD
1987	GT Coupe 2.8L V6	8.30 sec	16.30 sec	125 hp	FWD

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.

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
Engine Oil	5W-30 · API
Engine Oil Capacity	4 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 mi	Engine Oil Filter (replace) · Tire & Wheel Assembly (rotate)
Every 7,500 mi	Body Latches, Locks & Hinges (inspect) · Engine Oil (drain & refill) · Parking Brake Cable (lubricate) · Shift Linkage (inspect) · Steering Linkage (inspect) · Suspension System (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) · Fuel Line (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 1994 Chevrolet Beretta sits at the highest point of the model's complaint curve: its 108 NHTSA complaints are the most of any model year in the federal record and are more than double the 1993 figure of 48. While investigations had already tapered off—dropping from eight in 1991 and five in 1990 to zero by 1994—recalls ticked back up to two after a one-year absence in 1993, and TSBs stood at 13, down from 21 in 1993 but well above the single-digit counts of 1990-1991. The 1994 record is dominated by Service Brakes, Hydraulic complaints with 28 filings, followed by Electrical System at 11, Engine & Engine Cooling at 8, and Suspension at 7; the data also records 10 crash-related and 7 fire-related complaints, though it does not specify root causes. Compared with the immediately following 1995 and 1996 model years, 1994 marks the start of an elevated complaint plateau rather than a one-year spike, suggesting this is not an isolated data point. Given its position as the peak complaint year and its leading share of brake, electrical, engine, and suspension grievances, a 1994 Beretta is a riskier used-car choice than the lower-complaint 1990-1993 cars or the tapering 1996 model; only a well-documented, carefully inspected example should be considered.

Open recalls

NHTSA campaigns

Service bulletins

Manufacturer communications

ODI investigations

Office of Defects Investigation

108

Owner complaints

10 involved a crash · 7 a fire

Owner complaints by model year NHTSA · this generation & adjacent

’90 ’91 ’92 ’93’94’95 ’96 ’97 ’98 ’99 ’02

Owner complaints filed with NHTSA, by component

All 108 complaints on record, top 8 components.

Service Brakes, Hydraulic28

Electrical System11

Engine & Engine Cooling8

Suspension7

Structure7

Tires6

Exterior Lighting6

Power Train6

Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint database.

Recalls NHTSA · verified

Showing 2 of 2 campaigns on record for this vehicle.

93V157000Suspension:FrontReported 24/09/1993

THE SUSPENSION SUPPORT ASSEMBLIES DO NOT MEET GENERAL MOTORS CORPORATION'S SPECIFICATION FOR WELD INTEGRITY AND THE AFFECTED WELD CAN FAIL CAUSING THE FRONT OF THE CONTROL ARM TO SEPARATE FROM THE SUSPENSION SUPPORT… Remedy: INSTALL REVISED SUSPENSION SUPPORTS WITH ADEQUATE WELD INTEGRITY.

94V176000Structure:Body:DoorReported 20/09/1994

THE REINFORCEMENT PANEL THAT SERVES AS A LIFTPOINT FOR THE FRAME WAS OMITTED FROM THE RIGHT SIDE ROCKER ASSEMBLY OF THE FRAME THE VEHICLES DO NOT CONFORM TO THE REQUIREMENTS OF FMVSS NO. 208, "OCCUPANT CRASH PROTECTION." Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSPECT THE VEHICLES FOR THE PRESENCE OF THE RIGHT SIDE ROCKER REINFORCEMENT PANEL. IF THE REINFORCEMENT PANEL IS NOT PRESENT, DEALERS WILL CONTACT CHEVROLET FOR…

Technical service bulletins NHTSA · verified

Showing 5 of 13 bulletins on record with NHTSA.

Bulletin	Date	Component	Summary
PIC4696E	2019-11-22	Equipment	This Preliminary Information communication provides information to the technician on how…
PIC4696D	2019-09-05	Equipment	This Preliminary Information communication provides information to the technician on how…
PIC4696C	2018-05-31	Equipment	This Preliminary Information communication provides information to the technician on how…
04152004	2004-04-15	Service Brakes, Air	VEHICLES MAY SET ANYONE OR A COMBINATION OF FRONT-WHEEL SPEED SENSOR ANTI-LOCK BRAKE…
00966B	2004-01-01	Service Brakes, Air	ABS FRONT WHEEL SPEED CODES - JUMPER HARNESS. *TT

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 Beretta. 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 12737092 Engine air filter 25099735 Fuel filter 25121293 Spark plug 19302728

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 1994 Beretta take?

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

Does the 1994 Beretta have open recalls?

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