DodgeColt19931.5L/dodge/colt/1993/1-5l/
B9 platform

1993 Dodge Colt — 1.5L

Factory specifications, fluid capacities, torque values, EPA fuel economy and the federal safety record for the 1993 Colt 1.5L.

Body PASSENGER CAREngine 1.5LTransmission Automatic 3-spd

The 1993 Dodge Colt 1.5L is a passenger car built on the B9 platform, powered by a 1.5-liter engine paired with a three-speed automatic transmission and EPA-rated at 25/30/27 mpg city/highway/combined. Routine servicing requires 4.7 quarts of engine oil with filter, specified in 20W-40, 10W-30, or 10W-40 API viscosity grades. Within the 1990–1996 production span, this model year represents the peak of reliability concerns, generating 120 owner complaints—the highest volume in that range—with seat belts identified as the primary issue area alongside two manufacturer recalls. That concentration of documented problems establishes 1993 as the generation's most troubled year, serving as a benchmark for assessing the model's durability limits.

Model year199519941993

Quick specs

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

Engine oil capacity4.7 qt w/ filterOEM · verified
Engine oil type20W-40 / 10W-30 / 10W-40 APIOEM · verified
EPA fuel economy25/30/27 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 05142416AC. Note the factory engine air filter, fuel filter, spark plug, front wiper blades, serpentine belt and thermostat are now discontinued — plan on a superseded or quality aftermarket equivalent, which the part pages below list where known.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 filter05142416AC
Engine air filterMR571472 discontinued
Fuel filterMB658689 discontinued
Spark plugMS851357 discontinued · alt MS851727
Front wiper bladesMB542486 discontinued
Serpentine beltMD180574 discontinued · alt MB877750
ThermostatMD337408 discontinued · alt MD972903

Full specifications

Engine, drivetrain, dimensions and economy.

Engine & drivetrain NHTSA vPIC

TransmissionAutomatic 3-spd

Dimensions & weight NHTSA vPIC

Overall length171.3 in
Overall width66.1 in
Overall height51.6 in
Wheelbase96.1 in
Curb weight2083 lb

Ratings & economy EPA / vPIC

EPA city / highway / combined25 / 30 / 27 mpg
DrivetrainFront-Wheel Drive
Passenger volume89 cu ft
Cargo volume11 cu ft
Recommended fuelRegular Gasoline

Service quick specs OEM factory data

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

This engine holds 4.7 qt w/ filter of 20W-40 / 10W-30 / 10W-40 API engine oil, DOT 3 brake fluid.

Lubricants & capacities

Brake FluidDOT 3
Engine CoolantETHYLENE GLYCOL
Engine Oil20W-40 · API · 10W-30 · 10W-40 · 10W-50 · 5W-30 · 5W-40
Engine Oil Capacity4.7 qt w/ filter
Power Steering FluidATF

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 60,000 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.

Every 7,500 miBrake Hydraulic System (inspect fluid level) · Clutch Master Cylinder (inspect fluid level) · Engine Oil (drain & refill) · Power Steering System (inspect)
Every 15,000 miAxle Shaft Oil Seal (inspect) · Brake Line (inspect) · Brake Linings (inspect) · CV Joint Boot (inspect) · Engine Oil Filter (replace) · Engine Valves (inspect valve lash)
Every 30,000 miAccessory Drive Belt (inspect) · Engine Air Filter Element (replace) · Engine Coolant System (drain, flush & refill) · Exhaust System (Complete) (inspect) · Fuel Line (inspect) · Steering Linkage (inspect)
Every 60,000 miFuel Evaporative Emission Control System (inspect) · Fuel Tank (inspect) · Fuel Tank Filler Cap (inspect) · Spark Plug Wires (inspect) · Spark Plugs (replace) · Timing Belt (replace)

Owner how-tos

Condensed service procedures for routine maintenance. Procedures that require dealer diagnostic equipment are identified and summarized only.

Common procedures

Key fob — remote (RKE) programming programming new fob buttons Dealer tool OEM · verified
Tool requiredDRBIII scan tool (dealer / locksmith)
WhyTransmitter codes are written into the receiver in the passenger door module
Anti-theft (SKIS) — module initialization after immobilizer module replacement Dealer tool OEM · verified
When neededAfter Sentry Key Immobilizer Module (SKIM) replacement
Tool requiredDRBIII scan tool
Also requiredThe vehicle's four-digit PIN code

Reliability & federal safety record

Owner-reported issues, recalls, investigations and service bulletins on record with NHTSA — an unfiltered look at what owners actually experience.

Across this generation, federal complaints remained relatively low from 1990 through 1992 (14 to 22 annually) and dropped significantly in 1994, making the 1993 model year a dramatic anomaly with a massive spike to 120 complaints. Compared to the 15 complaints logged for the 1992 model, the 1993 Colt represents an eightfold increase, driven almost entirely by 97 complaints in the "Seat Belts" category; the data does not specify the root cause of this concentrated failure. Other complaint areas for 1993, such as Power Train (6) and Structure (3), remained proportionally consistent with previous years, and the model logged just 4 crash complaints and 0 fire complaints. While the generation's recall count held steady at two for both 1992 and 1993 before dropping to zero, the unprecedented seat belt issue makes the 1993 Colt a questionable purchase. Unless you can definitively verify that the specific seat belt defect has been properly remedied, this is not a good model year to buy.

2
Open recalls
NHTSA campaigns
8
Service bulletins
Manufacturer communications
3
ODI investigations
Office of Defects Investigation
120
Owner complaints
4 involved a crash · 0 a fire
Owner complaints by model year NHTSA · this generation & adjacent

Owner complaints filed with NHTSA, by component

All 120 complaints on record, top 8 components.

Seat Belts97
Power Train6
Structure3
Seats3
Service Brakes, Hydraulic3
Engine & Engine Cooling2
Visibility2
Seat Belts,Structure1

Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint database.

Recalls NHTSA · verified

Showing 2 of 2 campaigns on record for this vehicle.

97V073002Seat Belts:Front:AnchorageReported 12/05/1997

THE GUIDE RAIL ON THE DRIVER'S SIDE CONTAINS A COVERED CABLE AND ALSO AN ANGLED BELT GUIDE AT THE TOP END OF THE WEBBING. THE COMBINATION OF THESE FACTORS CAN LEAD, OVER TIME, TO THE CABLE'S MOVEMENT EXERTING ABRADING… Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSTALL A NEW REPLACEMENT GUIDE RAIL THAT INCORPORATES A DOUBLE LIP DUST SEAL AND AN ANODIC OXIDE COATING.

97V063002Latches/Locks/Linkages:Doors:LatchReported 12/05/1997

EXCESS LUBRICATION CAN CAUSE THE RUBBER DOOR LATCH SWITCH COVER TO DEFORM, AND THE DOOR LATCH SWITCH TO MALFUNCTION, SO THAT THE SHOULDER BELT ANCHORAGE WOULD REMAIN AT THE A-PILLAR WHEN THE DOOR WAS CLOSED. Remedy: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE DOOR LATCH SWITCH WITH A SWITCH THAT UTILIZES REDUCED LUBRICATING GREASE, IMPROVED CONTACT SURFACE, AND A DIFFERENT RUBBER ISOLATION BOOT.

Technical service bulletins NHTSA · verified

Showing 5 of 8 bulletins on record with NHTSA.

BulletinDateComponentSummary
R2118796A2016-02-26Engine And Engine CoolingValve Body. These may cause over drive cycling.
0800600REV2000-12-29Electrical SystemSUBJECT REGARDING WIRE SPLICE REPAIRS. *SB
2300800B2000-11-24SeatsSUBJECT REGARDING CHILD SEAT TETHER ANCHORS. *TT
2308002000-03-03SeatsSUBJECT REGARDING CHILD SEAT TETHER ANCHORS. *TT
0806002000-02-25Electrical SystemTHIS BULLETIN PROVIDES A REVISED WIRE SPLICE PROCEDURE AND RELATED PARTS. *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 Colt. 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 1993 Colt 1.5L take?

4.7 qt w/ filter of ABOVE 32 degrees F: 20W-40 SL, API, ABOVE -10 degrees F: 10W-30 OR 10W-40 OR 10W-50 SL, API, BELOW 100 degrees F: 5W-30, 5W-40 SL, API, per the factory manual.

Does the 1993 Colt have open recalls?

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

What gas mileage does the 1.5L get?

EPA figures are 25 city / 30 highway / 27 combined mpg.