DodgeStratus19952.5L/dodge/stratus/1995/2-5l/
JA platform

1995 Dodge Stratus — 2.5L

Factory specifications, fluid capacities, torque values, EPA fuel economy and the federal safety record for the 1995 Stratus 2.5L.

Body PASSENGER CAREngine 2.5LTransmission Automatic 4-spd

The 1995 Dodge Stratus 2.5L is a passenger car built on the JA platform and equipped with a 2.5L engine paired with a 4-speed automatic transmission, requiring 4.5 quarts of 5W-30 API oil for service. EPA fuel economy ratings stand at 18 mpg city, 26 mpg highway, and 21 mpg combined. This model year recorded 401 total owner complaints, with engine and engine cooling issues representing the most frequent concern, and the vehicle carries 11 associated recalls. Compared to the model's complaint history spanning 1992 to 2007, the 1995 Stratus falls between the lowest complaint year of 1992 (1 complaint) and the peak year of 1996 (639 complaints), placing it in a middle range that reflects the reliability trajectory of this generation.

Model year200019991998199719961995

Quick specs

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

Engine oil capacity4.5 qt w/ filterOEM · verified
Engine oil type5W-30 APIOEM · verified
Lug nut torque85-115 ft-lbsOEM · verified
EPA fuel economy18/26/21 mpgEPA · verified

Fitment & sizes

Replacement part sizes and factory part numbers — battery, bulbs, filters and belts.

From the factory this vehicle uses a BCI 24 CANADA · 580 CANADA CCA battery, OE oil filter 05281090AB. Note the factory engine air filter, fuel filter, front wiper blades and serpentine belt are now discontinued — plan on a superseded or quality aftermarket equivalent, which the part pages below list where known.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.

Battery groupBCI 24 CANADA · 580 CANADA CCAOEM · verified
Tail / brake / turnLAMPOEM · verified

OE service part numbers OEM · verified

Engine oil filter05281090AB
Engine air filter04882141AB discontinued
Fuel filter04897244AA discontinued · alt 04897416AB
Spark plug68304149AA alt 68303953AA
BatteryBB75F101AA
Front wiper blades05012357AB discontinued · alt 05018262AA
Serpentine belt04663182AC discontinued · alt 04573737AC
ThermostatP5278144AA alt MD194988

Full specifications

Engine, drivetrain, dimensions and economy.

Engine & drivetrain NHTSA vPIC

TransmissionAutomatic 4-spd

Dimensions & weight NHTSA vPIC

Overall length186.2 in
Overall width71.3 in
Overall height54.3 in
Wheelbase108.3 in
Curb weight3148 lb
Track (front / rear)59.4 / 59.8 in
Weight distribution (front / rear)64/36

Ratings & economy EPA / vPIC

EPA city / highway / combined18 / 26 / 21 mpg
DrivetrainFront-Wheel Drive
Passenger volume96 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 5W-30 API engine oil, DOT 3 brake fluid. Torque lug nuts to 85-115 ft-lbs, the oil drain plug to 25 ft-lbs. The firing order is 1-2-3-4-5-6.

Lubricants & capacities

Brake FluidDOT 3
Engine Oil5W-30 · API
Engine Oil Capacity4.5 qt w/ filter

Engine torques

Clutch Pressure Plate Bolts55.0 ft-lbs
Connecting Rod (Large End) Bearings38 ft-lbs
Engine Flywheel Bolts69 ft-lbs
Oil Pan to Block Bolts4.0 ft-lbs
Engine Oil Pan Drain Plug25 ft-lbs
Oil Pump to Cylinder BLock Bolts/StudsM8 Bolts: 10 ft-lbs, M10 Bolts: 30 ft-lbs
Engine Valve Cover Bolts2.5 ft-lbs

Chassis torques

Lug Nuts85-115 ft-lbs
Steering Track (Rod End) Bolts45 ft-lbs
Front Wheel Hub180 ft-lbs
Rear Wheel Hub185 ft-lbs

Ignition

Cylinder Firing Order1-3-2-4
Cylinder Firing Order1-2-3-4-5-6
Curb Idle Speed (No Load)600-1300 rpm
Spark Plug Gap0.038-0.043 in
Spark Plug Torque20.0 ft-lbs

Battery & A/C

RefrigerantR134a
Refrigerant Capacity1.75 lbs
Oil GroupPAG
Oil TypeSP-10
Oil Capacity5.00 oz
Standard BCI Group Number24 CANADA
Standard BCI Cranking Performance580 CANADA cca
Optional BCI Group Number51 - U.S.

Service checks

Pressure Test16 psi
Radiator Cap Pressure Relief16 psi
Thermostat Opening Temperature195 °F
Engine Compression170
Engine Compression100 Minimum psi

Brakes

Brake ApplicationWITH REAR DISC
Torque to Knuckle16 ft-lbs
Minimum Pad ThicknessFront: 0.312; Rear: 0.281 Specifications
Brake ApplicationWITH REAR DISC
Rotor Max Parallel Variation0.0005 in
Rotor Runout Limit0.003 in
Rotor Nominal Thickness From0.35 in / 0.9 in
Rotor Nominal Thickness To0.36 in / 0.911 in

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 Line (inspect) · CV Joint Boot (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)
Every 22,500 miBrake Linings (inspect)
Every 30,000 miEngine Air Filter Element (replace) · Engine Breather Filter (replace) · Engine Coolant System (drain, flush & refill) · Steering Linkage (inspect) · Suspension Ball Joint (inspect) · Suspension System (inspect)
At 52,500 miEngine Coolant System (drain, flush & refill)
At 60,000 miAccessory Drive Belt (inspect)
Every 60,000 miAccessory Drive Belt (inspect) · PCV Valve (inspect) · Spark Plug Wires (replace)
At 105,000 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 1995 Dodge Stratus sits at the troubled launch point of this generation: after a near-blank 1992 federal record (1 complaint, zero recalls/TSBs), 1995 explodes to 401 complaints, 11 recalls, 5 investigations and 89 TSBs—the highest TSB count in the entire run. Complaints then climb further to 639 in 1996 before trending downward through the early 2000s, while recalls remain elevated, so 1995 is part of an initial quality spike rather than an isolated bad year. Its top reported issues are Engine & Engine Cooling (90 complaints), Service Brakes, Hydraulic (53), Power Train (43) and Electrical System (32), with 29 crash-related and 14 fire-related complaints on file; the data does not specify root causes. Compared with the lower complaint volumes and fewer investigations of 1997–2007, 1995 carries notably higher federal-file activity across every category. Given the volume of recalls, investigations, TSBs, and serious complaint categories, 1995 is a risky first-model-year choice and not the best year to buy in this generation.

11
Open recalls
NHTSA campaigns
89
Service bulletins
Manufacturer communications
5
ODI investigations
Office of Defects Investigation
401
Owner complaints
29 involved a crash · 14 a fire
Owner complaints by model year NHTSA · this generation & adjacent

Owner complaints filed with NHTSA, by component

All 401 complaints on record, top 8 components.

Engine & Engine Cooling90
Service Brakes, Hydraulic53
Power Train43
Electrical System32
Suspension24
Steering23
Air Bags19
Equipment15

Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint database.

Recalls NHTSA · verified

Showing 2 of 11 campaigns on record for this vehicle.

09E056000Suspension:Front:Control Arm:Lower Ball JointReported 09/10/2009

QUALIS AUTOMOTIVE IS RECALLING CERTAIN AFTERMARKET BALL JOINTS SOLD FOR USE ON CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES. THE SOCKET MAY HAVE BEEN EXCESSIVELY HARDENED WHICH COULD CAUSE IT TO CRACK NEAR THE RETAINING RING GROOVE… Remedy: QUALIS AUTOMOTIVE WILL REPLACE THE BALL JOINTS FREE OF CHARGE. THE SAFETY RECALL BEGAN ON NOVEMBER 9, 2009. OWNERS MAY CONTACT QUALIS AUTOMOTIVE AT 1-800-493-4128.

10E059000Suspension:Front:Control Arm:Lower ArmReported 27/12/2010

FEDERAL-MOGUL IS RECALLING CERTAIN REPLACEMENT CONTROL ARM ASSEMBLIES, PART NUMBERS K7425, 10945, FA4510X, K7427, 10946, AND FA4611X, SOLD FOR USE ON VARIOUS PASSENGER VEHICLES LISTED ABOVE. THE BALL JOINT ON THE… Remedy: FEDERAL-MOGUL WILL NOTIFY OWNERS OF RECORD AND REPLACE THE AFFECTED CONTROL ARMS FREE OF CHARGE. THE SAFETY RECALL BEGAN ON JANUARY 28, 2011. OWNERS MAY CONTACT FEDERAL-MOGUL AT…

Technical service bulletins NHTSA · verified

Showing 5 of 89 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…
08010032003-04-25Seat BeltsSEAT BELT CINCH BAR SERVICE FOR VARIOUS MODELS INCLUDING 2004 MODELS. *TT
18020022002-06-24Unknown Or OtherFLASH PROGRAMMING FAILURE RECOVERY. *SLC
18020012001-08-17Engine And Engine CoolingEXHIBITING ROUGH IDLE, HARD START AND START & STALL.*CLS

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 Stratus. 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 1995 Stratus 2.5L take?

4.5 qt w/ filter of 5W-30 API, per the factory manual.

Does the 1995 Stratus have open recalls?

NHTSA lists 11 recall campaign(s) for this model year. Check your specific vehicle by VIN.

What gas mileage does the 2.5L get?

EPA figures are 18 city / 26 highway / 21 combined mpg.