DodgeShadow, Shadow Convertible19943.0L/dodge/shadow-shadow-convertible/1994/3-0l/
AP platform

1994 Dodge Shadow, Shadow Convertible — 3.0L

Factory specifications, fluid capacities, torque values, EPA fuel economy and the federal safety record for the 1994 Shadow, Shadow Convertible 3.0L.

Engine 3.0LTransmission Automatic 4-spd

The 1994 Dodge Shadow and Shadow Convertible ride the AP platform and pair a 3.0L engine with an automatic four-speed transmission, a combination that delivered EPA ratings of 17 city / 22 highway / 19 combined mpg and calls for 4.5 quarts of oil with the filter across 15W-40, 10W-30, or 5W-30 viscosities. From a reliability standpoint, this model year carries 131 owner complaints and one recall, with Engine & Engine Cooling standing out as the dominant concern area. That concentration makes the 1994 Shadow a useful reference point for researchers tracing the model's durability patterns and the specific weak points tied to its powertrain and cooling systems.

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 economy17/22/19 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 Note the factory engine air filter, spark plug and thermostat are now discontinued — plan on a superseded or quality aftermarket equivalent, which the part pages below list where known.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 filter04288899 discontinued · alt 04213583AB
Fuel filter04495780
Spark plug68305411AA discontinued · alt 68304174AA
Front wiper blades4334667 alt 04389350
Serpentine beltB0015396 alt 04668303
Thermostat04494470 discontinued · alt MD997310

Full specifications

Engine, drivetrain, dimensions and economy.

Engine & drivetrain NHTSA vPIC

TransmissionAutomatic 4-spd

Ratings & economy EPA / vPIC

EPA city / highway / combined17 / 22 / 19 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

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 60,000 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) · CV Joint Boot (inspect) · Engine Coolant System (leak inspection) · Engine Oil (drain & refill) · Power Steering Line (inspect) · Power Steering System (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) · Steering Linkage (inspect) · Suspension System (inspect)
At 52,500 miEngine Coolant System (drain, flush & refill)
At 60,000 miAccessory Drive Belt (inspect) · PCV Valve (inspect) · Timing Belt (inspect)
Every 60,000 miAccessory Drive Belt (inspect) · Ignition Timing (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.

Owner complaints about the 1994 Dodge Shadow, Shadow Convertible top in one area — the engine & engine cooling, 17 of 131 reports (13%), well ahead of the next concern. None of this vehicle's 1 recall campaigns target the engine & engine cooling, so those reports read as owner-reported wear-and-tear rather than an acknowledged defect. 21 of the reports describe a crash and 3 a fire — a small share of the total, but worth weighing against the engine & engine cooling 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.

1
Open recalls
NHTSA campaigns
40
Service bulletins
Manufacturer communications
3
ODI investigations
Office of Defects Investigation
131
Owner complaints
21 involved a crash · 3 a fire

Owner complaints filed with NHTSA, by component

All 131 complaints on record, top 8 components.

Engine & Engine Cooling17
Air Bags13
Power Train11
Electrical System11
Seats10
Structure9
Visibility8
Suspension6

Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint database.

Recalls NHTSA · verified

Showing 1 of 1 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.

Technical service bulletins NHTSA · verified

Showing 5 of 40 bulletins on record with NHTSA.

BulletinDateComponentSummary
R2118796A2016-02-26Engine And Engine CoolingValve Body. These may cause over drive cycling.
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

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 1994 Shadow, Shadow Convertible 3.0L 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 1994 Shadow, Shadow Convertible have open recalls?

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

What gas mileage does the 3.0L get?

EPA figures are 17 city / 22 highway / 19 combined mpg.