DodgeShadow, Shadow Convertible19922.5L/dodge/shadow-shadow-convertible/1992/2-5l/
AP platform

1992 Dodge Shadow, Shadow Convertible — 2.5L

Factory specifications, fluid capacities, torque values, EPA fuel economy and the federal safety record for the 1992 Shadow, Shadow Convertible 2.5L.

Body PASSENGER CAREngine 2.5LTransmission Automatic 3-spd

The 1992 Dodge Shadow and Shadow Convertible are passenger cars built on the AP platform, motivated by a 2.5L engine paired with a 3-speed automatic transmission. Delivering an EPA-rated 20 city, 25 highway, and 22 combined mpg, the 2.5L engine requires 4.5 quarts of oil with a filter and utilizes viscosities of 5W-30, 10W-30, or 15W-40. In the context of the model's reliability history, this year's four recalls and 79 total owner complaints position it as a vehicle with documented trouble spots, meaning researchers should closely examine the seats, which rank as the top complaint area.

Model year199419931992

Quick specs

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

Engine oil capacity4.5 qt w/ filterOEM · verified
Engine oil type15W-40 / 10W-30 / 5W-30OEM · verified
EPA fuel economy20/25/22 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 Note the factory spark plug and thermostat are now discontinued — plan on a superseded or quality aftermarket equivalent, which the part pages below list where known.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 filter05281090AB
Engine air filter04268981 alt 04288899
Fuel filter04495781 alt 04495780
Spark plug68305411AA discontinued · alt 68304174AA
Front wiper blades4334667 alt 04389350
Serpentine beltB0015396 alt B0015387
Thermostat04494470 discontinued · alt MD997310

Full specifications

Engine, drivetrain, dimensions and economy.

Engine & drivetrain NHTSA vPIC

TransmissionAutomatic 3-spd

Ratings & economy EPA / vPIC

EPA city / highway / combined20 / 25 / 22 mpg
DrivetrainFront-Wheel Drive
Recommended fuelRegular Gasoline

Service quick specs OEM factory data

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

This engine holds 4.5 qt w/ filter of 15W-40 / 10W-30 / 5W-30 engine oil, DOT 3 brake fluid.

Lubricants & capacities

Brake FluidDOT 3
Engine Oil15W-40 · 10W-30 · 5W-30
Engine Oil Capacity4.5 qt w/ filter
Engine Oil15W-40 · 10W-30 · 5W-30
Engine Oil Capacity4.5 qt

Ignition

Curb Idle Speed (No Load)700 rpm
Curb Idle Speed Variance (No Load)100 rpm

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 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) · Brake Line (inspect) · CV Joint Boot (inspect) · Engine Oil (drain & refill) · Exhaust System (Complete) (inspect) · Fuel Line (inspect)
Every 15,000 miAccessory Drive Belt (inspect) · Engine Oil Filter (replace)
Every 22,500 miBrake Linings (inspect) · Wheel Bearing (inspect)
Every 30,000 miAir Bag System (inspect) · Engine Air Filter Element (replace) · Engine Coolant System (drain, flush & refill) · Spark Plugs (replace)
At 52,500 miEngine Coolant System (drain, flush & refill)
Every 82,500 miOxygen Sensor (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.

Owner complaints about the 1992 Dodge Shadow, Shadow Convertible lead in one area — the seats, 20 of 79 reports (25%), well ahead of the next concern. That matters, because the seats are also the target of recall 99V-212 on this vehicle — so the single most useful check before buying or servicing one is confirming it was actually performed. 14 of the reports describe a crash and 3 a fire — a small share of the total, but worth weighing against the seats pattern above. These are tallies of what owners actually reported to the federal government, not an editorial score — and higher-selling models naturally rack up more reports.

4
Open recalls
NHTSA campaigns
37
Service bulletins
Manufacturer communications
6
ODI investigations
Office of Defects Investigation
79
Owner complaints
14 involved a crash · 3 a fire

Owner complaints filed with NHTSA, by component

All 79 complaints on record, top 8 components.

Seats20
Air Bags11
Electrical System7
Power Train6
Structure6
Suspension5
Engine & Engine Cooling4
Steering4

Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint database.

Recalls NHTSA · verified

Showing 2 of 4 campaigns on record for this vehicle.

99V212000Seats:Front Assembly:ReclinerReported 06/08/1999

VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES. THE LOWER SEAT BACK ATTACHING BOLT ON THE DRIVER SEAT CAN FAIL AND SEPARATE. Remedy: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE LOWER SEAT BACK ATTACHING BOLT ON THE DRIVER'S SEAT WITH A HIGHER STRENGTH BOLT THAT INCLUDES A SELF LOCKING NYLON PATCH.

96V229000Steering: Steering Wheel/Handle BarReported 18/11/1996

THE STEERING WHEEL ARMATURE STAMPING CAN CRACK AND SEPARATE FROM THE CENTER HUB ATTACHMENT TO THE STEERING COLUMN. Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSPECT THE STEERING WHEEL FOR ARMATURE CRACKS IN THE CENTER HUB ATTACHMENT AREA. ANY STEERING WHEELS SHOWING CRACKS WILL BE REPLACED. ALL OTHER VEHICLES WILL HAVE A…

Technical service bulletins NHTSA · verified

Showing 5 of 37 bulletins on record with NHTSA.

BulletinDateComponentSummary
08010012001-05-25Electrical SystemSUBJECT REGARDING AIRBAG / CLOCK SPRING SERVICE FOR VARIOUS MODELS INCLUDING 2002 MODEL…
21006012001-03-16Power TrainAUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION FLUID USAGE ATF+4. *TT *MJ
0800600REV2000-12-29Electrical SystemSUBJECT REGARDING WIRE SPLICE REPAIRS. *SB
2300800B2000-11-24SeatsSUBJECT REGARDING CHILD SEAT TETHER ANCHORS. *TT
0827002000-09-29Air BagsSUBJECT REGARDING NON-DEPLOYED AIRBAG HANDLING PROCEDURES. *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 Shadow, Shadow Convertible. 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 Shadow, Shadow Convertible 2.5L take?

4.5 qt w/ filter of ABOVE 20 degrees F 30W SJ, SL, ABOVE 10 degrees F 15W-40 SJ, SL, ABOVE 0 degrees F 10W-30 SJ, SL, BELOW 32 degrees F 5W-30 SJ, SL, BELOW 100 degrees F 5W-30 SJ, SL, per the factory manual.

Does the 1992 Shadow, Shadow Convertible have open recalls?

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

What gas mileage does the 2.5L get?

EPA figures are 20 city / 25 highway / 22 combined mpg.