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1992 Chevrolet Cavalier

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

Body PASSENGER CAR

The 1992 Chevrolet Cavalier is a passenger car maintained with a straightforward 4-quart engine oil capacity and a 5W-30 API viscosity specification, reflecting the no-frills service profile typical of Chevrolet's compact offering. Owner data for this model year shows 161 total complaints and a single recall, with the service brakes, hydraulic system standing out as the top complaint area. Within the Cavalier's broader 1990–2005 complaint history, 1992 sits comfortably below the model's peak of 705 complaints in 2003 and only modestly above the 63-complaint low recorded in 1990, placing it in a relatively stable stretch of the platform's reliability timeline.

Model year2024 2023 2021 2020 2019 2005 2004 2003 1992

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 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 Note the factory fuel filter and front wiper blades are now discontinued — plan on a superseded or quality aftermarket equivalent, which the part pages below list where known.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 filter	12731175
Engine air filter	25043504 alt 25043119
Fuel filter	25121293 discontinued
Spark plug	19354418
Front wiper blades	22110234 discontinued
Serpentine belt	14090086 alt 14092201
Thermostat	24507563 alt 10112301

Full specifications

Engine, drivetrain, dimensions and economy.

Dimensions & weight NHTSA vPIC

Overall length	182.3 in
Overall width	66.1 in
Overall height	52 in
Wheelbase	101.2 in
Curb weight	2443 lb

Performance & power Independent road tests

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

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

8.3–15.4 sec0–60 mph (tested)quickest 8.30 sec — 1996 LS Sedan

Year	Trim / engine	0–60	¼ mile	HP	Drivetrain
1990	Z24 Coupe 3.1L V6	8.40 sec	16.40 sec	140 hp	FWD
1995	LS Sedan 2.2L I-4	10.10 sec	17.30 sec	120 hp	FWD
1996	LS Sedan 2.4L I-4	8.30 sec	16.10 sec	150 hp	FWD
1983	CS Sedan 2.0L I-4	13.10 sec	19.10 sec	86 hp	FWD
1982	CL Type 10 3-ddor Hatchback Coupe 1.8L I-4	15.40 sec	20.10 sec	88 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
Power Steering Fluid	USE GM PART NO. 1052884 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; spark plugs every 100,000 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	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) · Distributor Cap (inspect) · EGR System (inspect) · Engine Air Filter Element (replace) · Engine Breather Filter (replace) · Engine Coolant System (drain, flush & refill)
Every 60,000 mi	PCV Valve (inspect)
Every 100,000 mi	Spark Plugs (replace) · 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 1992 Chevrolet Cavalier sits at the beginning of a steep escalation in federal complaints, jumping from 74 in 1991 to 161 in 1992, which foreshadows a continuous upward trend that culminates in 604 complaints by the 1996 model year. For the 1992 model specifically, the hydraulic service brakes are the most documented problem with 51 complaints, followed by the electrical system with 21, alongside 15 crash and 8 fire complaints. Although recalls dropped from three in 1991 to just one in 1992, technical service bulletins more than doubled from 7 to 17, suggesting the manufacturer was identifying increasing systemic issues even as federal safety interventions temporarily decreased. The data does not specify the exact root causes of these failures, but the concentration of brake and electrical grievances highlights distinct vulnerabilities for this model year. Given its position at the onset of the generation's severe reliability decline and its prominent safety-critical faults, the 1992 Cavalier is a risky purchase that used buyers should generally avoid.

Open recalls

NHTSA campaigns

Service bulletins

Manufacturer communications

ODI investigations

Office of Defects Investigation

161

Owner complaints

15 involved a crash · 8 a fire

Owner complaints by model year NHTSA · this generation & adjacent

’90 ’91’92’93 ’94 ’95 ’96 ’97 ’98 ’99 ’00 ’01 ’02 ’03 ’04 ’05

Owner complaints filed with NHTSA, by component

All 161 complaints on record, top 8 components.

Service Brakes, Hydraulic51

Electrical System21

Seat Belts11

Seats11

Engine & Engine Cooling10

Visibility8

Steering7

Structure6

Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint database.

Recalls NHTSA · verified

Showing 1 of 1 campaigns on record for this vehicle.

91V166000Latches/Locks/Linkages:Hood:LatchReported 23/09/1991

THE SECONDARY HOOD LATCH SPRING IS IMPROPERLY INSTALLED OR MISSING, LEADING TO A CONDITION WHERE THE SECONDARY HOOD LATCH DOES NOT ENGAGE THE SECONDARY STRIKER. Remedy: INSPECT HOOD LATCH ASSEMBLIES AND, WHERE NECESSARY, INSTALL A NEW SECONDARY HOOD LATCH SPRING.

Technical service bulletins NHTSA · verified

Showing 5 of 17 bulletins on record with NHTSA.

Bulletin	Date	Component	Summary
00966B	2004-01-01	Service Brakes, Air	ABS FRONT WHEEL SPEED CODES - JUMPER HARNESS. *TT
00966	2004-01-01	Service Brakes, Air	ANTI-LOCK BRAKING SYSTEM (ABS) FRONT WHEEL SPEED CODES - JUMPER HARNESS. *TT
990730030A	2001-04-01	Power Train	OWNERS OF SOME VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH HYDRA-MATIC 3T40, 4T60, 4T60-E OR 4T65-E TRANSAXLES…
000524001	2000-04-01	Service Brakes, Hydraulic	INFORMATION REGARDING SNOW INTRUSION INTO REAR DRUM BRAKE ASSEMBLIES. **MR
990941004	2000-01-01	Air Bags	INFORMATION REGARDING SWITCHES TO TURN OFF AND ON FRONTAL AIR BAGS FOR PASSENGER CARS AND…

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 Cavalier. 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 12731175 Engine air filter 25043504 Fuel filter 25121293 Spark plug 19354418

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 1992 Cavalier take?

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

Does the 1992 Cavalier have open recalls?

NHTSA lists 1 recall campaign(s) for this model year. Check your specific vehicle by VIN.