DodgeSpirit19942.5L L4/dodge/spirit/1994/2-5l-l4/
AA platform

1994 Dodge Spirit — 2.5L L4

Factory specifications, fluid capacities, torque values, EPA fuel economy and the federal safety record for the 1994 Spirit 2.5L L4. Covers both the standard and High Output 2.5L L4.

Body PASSENGER CAREngine 2.5L L4Transmission Automatic 3-spd

Built on the AA platform, the 1994 Dodge Spirit is a passenger car powered by a 2.5L L4 engine connected to an Automatic 3-spd transmission that achieves EPA fuel economy ratings of 19/25/22 mpg. The engine requires 4.5 qt of oil with a filter using viscosities such as 15W-40, 10W-30, or 5W-30. Within the 1990-2002 model run, this year generated 111 total owner complaints with Seat Belts as the top complaint area and 1 recall, placing it below the 1991 peak of 122 complaints but well above the 1998 low of 1. Consequently, the 1994 model resides near the upper bound of reported issues for the generation, indicating a greater volume of owner complaints than later years despite avoiding the absolute peak.

Model year19941993

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 economy19/25/22 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 Note the factory engine air filter, fuel filter, spark plug and thermostat are now discontinued — plan on a superseded or quality aftermarket equivalent, which the part pages below list where known.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 filter04213583AB discontinued · alt 04288899
Fuel filter04495409 discontinued · alt 04495781
Spark plug68305411AA discontinued
Front wiper blades4334667 alt 04389350
Serpentine beltB0015396 alt 04668303
ThermostatMD997310 discontinued · alt 04494470

Full specifications

Engine, drivetrain, dimensions and economy.

Engine & drivetrain NHTSA vPIC

TransmissionAutomatic 3-spd

Dimensions & weight NHTSA vPIC

Overall length181.1 in
Overall width68.1 in
Overall height53.5 in
Wheelbase103.5 in
Curb weight2758 lb
Track (front / rear)57.5 / 57.1 in
Weight distribution (front / rear)62/38

Ratings & economy EPA / vPIC

EPA city / highway / combined19 / 25 / 22 mpg
DrivetrainFront-Wheel Drive
Passenger volume97 cu ft
Cargo volume14 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 4.5 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 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) · Engine Coolant System (leak inspection) · Engine Oil (drain & refill) · Exhaust System (Complete) (inspect) · Power Steering Line (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) · Suspension System (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) · Ignition Timing (inspect) · Spark Plug Wires (replace)
Every 90,000 miTiming 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.

The 1994 Dodge Spirit sits mid-cycle in its generation, with complaint volumes (111) slightly elevated compared to the 1992 low (79) but below the 1991 peak (122). Recalls dropped to just one in 1994, matching the single recall in 1992 and improving over the three in 1991, while investigations held steady at two—consistent with 1993 and 1995. The top complaint areas (seat belts, power train, and electrical system) mirror broader trends seen in adjacent years, though crash-related complaints (10) and fire reports (4) remain modest. Notably, the 1994 model shows no unique spikes in recalls or investigations, suggesting reliability in line with its peers. The data implies this is a stable, mid-pack year—neither the worst nor the best of the generation. **Takeaway: 1994 is a reasonable year to buy, provided a pre-purchase inspection focuses on seat belts, transmission, and electrical components.**

1
Open recalls
NHTSA campaigns
48
Service bulletins
Manufacturer communications
2
ODI investigations
Office of Defects Investigation
111
Owner complaints
10 involved a crash · 4 a fire
NHTSA crash-test rating federal NCAP · out of 5 stars
Rollover★★★★★
Owner complaints by model year NHTSA · this generation & adjacent

Owner complaints filed with NHTSA, by component

All 111 complaints on record, top 8 components.

Seat Belts14
Power Train13
Electrical System10
Air Bags9
Engine & Engine Cooling8
Suspension7
Structure5
Seats5

Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint database.

Recalls NHTSA · verified

Showing 1 of 1 campaigns on record for this vehicle.

94V023000Seat Belts:Front:AnchorageReported 08/02/1994

THE SAFETY BELT ANCHORS (BUCKLE LOCK BARS) DO NOT MEET THE STATIC LOAD REQUIREMENTS OF FMVSS NO. 210, "SEAT BELT ASSEMBLY ANCHORAGES." Remedy: THE TRAVELING SAFETY BELT LOCK BAR ASSEMBLIES WILL BE REPLACED ON THESE VEHICLES.

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 Spirit. 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 Spirit 2.5L L4 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 Spirit have open recalls?

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

What gas mileage does the 2.5L L4 get?

EPA figures are 19 city / 25 highway / 22 combined mpg.