DodgeIntrepid19943.5L/dodge/intrepid/1994/3-5l/
LH platform

1994 Dodge Intrepid — 3.5L

Factory specifications, fluid capacities, torque values, EPA fuel economy and the federal safety record for the 1994 Intrepid 3.5L.

Body PASSENGER CAREngine 3.5LTransmission Automatic 4-spd

The 1994 Dodge Intrepid 3.5L is a passenger car built on Chrysler's LH platform, pairing its 3.5-liter engine with a four-speed automatic transmission and posting EPA figures of 16 city / 24 highway / 19 combined mpg, with service calling for 5.5 quarts of 10W-30 API oil. Sitting early in the nameplate's 1992–2004 production run, it accumulated 848 owner complaints against four recalls, with the powertrain standing as the dominant trouble category. That volume places 1994 well below the model's later peak of 1,094 complaints in 2000, framing the early Intrepid as a comparatively quieter entry in a lineup that grew progressively more complaint-heavy through the following decade — a useful baseline for any longitudinal reliability study.

Model year200420032002200120001999199719961994

Quick specs

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

Engine oil capacity5.5 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 05281090AB. Note the factory engine air filter, fuel filter, front wiper blades, serpentine belt and thermostat are now discontinued — plan on a superseded or quality aftermarket equivalent, which the part pages below list where known.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.

Tail / brake / turnLIGHTOEM · verified

OE service part numbers OEM · verified

Engine oil filter05281090AB
Engine air filter04573031 discontinued
Fuel filter04554040 discontinued · alt 04582679
Spark plug68304020AA alt SP0RN14MC5
Front wiper blades04746318 discontinued · alt 04723444
Serpentine beltB0015545 discontinued · alt 04573013AD
Thermostat04573560AE discontinued · alt 04781661AB

Full specifications

Engine, drivetrain, dimensions and economy.

Engine & drivetrain NHTSA vPIC

TransmissionAutomatic 4-spd

Ratings & economy EPA / vPIC

EPA city / highway / combined16 / 24 / 19 mpg
DrivetrainFront-Wheel Drive
Passenger volume103 cu ft
Cargo volume19 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 5.5 qt of 10W-30 API engine oil, 75W-90 · GL-5 in the differential, DOT 3 brake fluid.

Lubricants & capacities

Brake FluidDOT 3
Differential Gear Oil75W-90 · GL-5
Differential Gear Oil Capacity1.9 Pints
Engine CoolantETHYLENE GLYCOL
Engine Oil10W-30 · API
Engine Oil Capacity5.5 qt
Power Steering FluidMS-5931

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 30,000 mi; coolant every 7,500 mi. The big-interval services (every 7,500 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) · Brake Line (inspect) · CV Joint Boot (inspect) · Engine Coolant System (leak inspection) · Engine Oil (drain & refill) · Exhaust System (Complete) (inspect)
Every 15,000 miAccessory Drive Belt (inspect) · Automatic Seat Belt Track (lubricate) · Engine Oil Filter (replace)
Every 22,500 miBrake Linings (inspect) · Wheel Bearing (inspect)
Every 30,000 miEngine Air Filter Element (replace) · Engine Breather Filter (replace) · Engine Coolant System (drain, flush & refill) · PCV Valve (inspect) · Spark Plugs (replace) · Steering Linkage (inspect)
At 52,500 miEngine Coolant System (drain, flush & refill)
At 60,000 miAccessory Drive Belt (inspect) · PCV Valve (inspect)
Every 60,000 miAccessory Drive Belt (inspect) · Spark Plug Wires (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.

The 1994 Intrepid sits at the peak of a sharp upward trend in complaints and investigations within the first-generation arc. After a near-silent 1992 launch, complaints surged to 488 in 1993 and then to a generation-high 848 in 1994, accompanied by 14 investigations—the most for any year in this generation. This spike is followed by a gradual decline through 1997, indicating that 1994 represents the zenith of owner-reported issues before incremental improvements took hold. The top complaint areas for 1994 are concentrated in critical systems: power train (112) and fuel system (101), with an additional 50 crash-related and 25 fire-related complaints, though the data does not specify root causes. Given that this model year records the highest complaint volume and investigation count of its generation, it stands out as a particularly troublesome year. A buyer should consider this a year to avoid, as the elevated and concentrated complaint pattern suggests a higher risk of significant reliability and safety concerns compared to surrounding model years.

4
Open recalls
NHTSA campaigns
80
Service bulletins
Manufacturer communications
14
ODI investigations
Office of Defects Investigation
848
Owner complaints
50 involved a crash · 25 a fire
Owner complaints by model year NHTSA · this generation & adjacent

Owner complaints filed with NHTSA, by component

All 848 complaints on record, top 8 components.

Power Train112
Fuel System, Gasoline101
Steering57
Engine & Engine Cooling56
Structure54
Exterior Lighting51
Electrical System50
Suspension49

Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint database.

Recalls NHTSA · verified

Showing 2 of 4 campaigns on record for this vehicle.

99V215000Suspension:Front:Control Arm:Lower ArmReported 09/08/1999

VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES. THE LOWER CONTROL ARM ATTACHING BRACKETS CAN CRACK DUE TO FATIGUE AND SEPARATE FROM THE ENGINE CRADLE. Remedy: DEALERS WILL REINFORCE THE ENGINE CRADLE AT THE POINT WHERE THE LOWER CONTROL ARM ATTACHES TO IT.

94V024000Electrical System:WiringReported 08/02/1994

THE RIGHT STEERING TIE ROD CAN RUB THROUGH THE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION WIRING HARNESS CAUSING A SHORT CIRCUIT WHICH RESULTS IN ELECTRICAL SYSTEM MALFUNCTIONS INCLUDING ENGINE STALLING AND AN INOPERATIVE PARK/STARTER… Remedy: INSTALL A REVISED WIRING HARNESS BRACKET AND A PLASTIC CONVOLUTED SLEEVE TO PROTECT THE TRANSMISSION WIRING HARNESS.

Technical service bulletins NHTSA · verified

Showing 5 of 80 bulletins on record with NHTSA.

BulletinDateComponentSummary
R2118796A2016-02-26Engine And Engine CoolingValve Body. These may cause over drive cycling.
23-014-152015-04-23EquipmentChild Seat Tether Anchor Installation This bulletin describes procedures to install Child…
18020022002-06-24Unknown Or OtherFLASH PROGRAMMING FAILURE RECOVERY. *SLC
07002022002-02-04Engine And Engine CoolingSUBJECT REGARDING LOW OR NO CABIN HEAD, ENGINE COOLING SYSTEM SYSTEM FILL PROCEDURE. *TT
09008012001-11-02Engine And Engine CoolingSUBJECT REGARDING CAMSHAFT / BEARING SERVICE. *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 Intrepid. 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 Intrepid 3.5L take?

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

Does the 1994 Intrepid have open recalls?

NHTSA lists 4 recall campaign(s) for this model year. Check your specific vehicle by VIN.

What gas mileage does the 3.5L get?

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