HondaAccord1992Overview/honda/accord/1992/base/

1992 Honda Accord

Factory specifications, fluid capacities, torque values, EPA fuel economy and the federal safety record for the 1992 Accord.

Body PASSENGER CARTransmission Automatic 4-spd

The 1992 Honda Accord is a passenger car fitted with a 4-speed automatic transmission and a powertrain requiring 4 quarts of 10W-30 or 5W-30 API oil, delivering EPA ratings of 19 city, 26 highway, and 22 combined mpg. Its 230 total owner complaints and 12 recalls—centered primarily on air bags—place it well below the 2003 Accord's peak of 2,013 complaints and near the low end of a complaint history spanning 1990 through 2022. That comparatively modest figure positions the 1992 as one of the more stable entries in the Accord's reliability record, meaning researchers can view this model year as representative of a period when the platform generated fewer owner-reported problems, even if the air bag issues warrant scrutiny.

Model year202420232022202120202019201820171992

Quick specs

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

Engine oil capacity4 qtOEM · verified
Engine oil type10W-30 / 5W-30 APIOEM · verified
EPA fuel economy19/26/22 mpgEPA · verified

Full specifications

Engine, drivetrain, dimensions and economy.

Engine & drivetrain NHTSA vPIC

TransmissionAutomatic 4-spd

Dimensions & weight NHTSA vPIC

Overall length185 in
Overall width68.1 in
Overall height54.7 in
Wheelbase107.1 in
Curb weight2762 lb
Weight distribution (front / rear)61/39

Ratings & economy EPA / vPIC

EPA city / highway / combined19 / 26 / 22 mpg
DrivetrainFront-Wheel Drive
Passenger volume93 cu ft
Cargo volume14 cu ft
Recommended fuelRegular Gasoline

Performance & power Independent road tests

0–60 mph, quarter-mile, horsepower and torque from independent road tests.

Independent road tests for the Accord of this era, listed by trim and engine — this page spans more than one engine, so no single horsepower figure is shown.

9.0–9.7 sec0–60 mph (tested)quickest 9.00 sec — 1991 EX Wagon
YearTrim / engine0–60¼ mileHPDrivetrain
1991EX Wagon 2.2L I-49.00 sec16.80 sec125 hpFWD
1990EX Sedan 2.2L I-49.70 sec17.10 sec125 hpFWD

Service quick specs OEM factory data

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

This engine holds 4 qt of 10W-30 / 5W-30 API engine oil, DOT 3 brake fluid.

Lubricants & capacities

Brake FluidDOT 3
Engine CoolantETHYLENE GLYCOL
Engine Oil10W-30 · API · 5W-30
Engine Oil Capacity4 qt

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; 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 Linings (inspect) · Engine Oil (drain & refill) · Engine Oil Filter (replace)
At 15,000 miParking Brake System (inspect) · Steering Gear Box Assembly (inspect) · Steering System (inspect) · Tie Rod (inspect)
Every 15,000 miBrake System (inspect) · Engine Valves (inspect valve lash) · Exhaust System (Complete) (inspect) · Power Steering System (inspect) · Suspension System (inspect alignment)
Every 30,000 miAccessory Drive Belt (inspect) · Antilock Brake System (inspect) · Brake Drum Assembly (inspect) · Brake Hydraulic System (drain, refill & bleed) · Engine Air Filter Element (replace) · Engine Coolant System (drain, flush & refill)
At 45,000 miEngine Coolant System (drain, flush & refill)
Every 60,000 miBrake Line (replace) · Distributor Cap (inspect) · Distributor Rotor (inspect) · EGR System (inspect) · Exhaust System Heat Shield (inspect) · Fuel Evaporative Emission Control System (inspect)
Every 90,000 miBalance Shaft Drive Belt (replace) · Timing Belt (replace) · Water Pump (inspect)

Reliability & federal safety record

Owner-reported issues, recalls, investigations and service bulletins on record with NHTSA — an unfiltered look at what owners actually experience.

In the federal record, the 1992 Accord sits at the very beginning of the model's generational arc, recording just 230 complaints and 12 recalls, closely mirroring the 1990 baseline of 220 complaints and 12 recalls. This low-volume era is brief; by 1994, complaints more than double to 461, eventually escalating into the thousands across the 1998 to 2018 span as the vehicles age. For the 1992 model specifically, the primary concerns center on Air Bags (35 complaints), Power Train (25), Seat Belts (24), and Structure (21), though the data does not specify the root causes for these issues. Crash and fire complaints remain relatively low at 47 and 2, respectively, with zero federal investigations opened for this year. Because the 1992 model anchors the lowest point of the complaint curve before the figures surge in subsequent years, it represents a statistically favorable used buy within this generation, provided you can verify the functionality of its airbags and seatbelts.

12
Open recalls
NHTSA campaigns
20
Service bulletins
Manufacturer communications
0
ODI investigations
Office of Defects Investigation
230
Owner complaints
47 involved a crash · 2 a fire

Owner complaints filed with NHTSA, by component

All 230 complaints on record, top 8 components.

Air Bags35
Power Train25
Seat Belts24
Structure21
Electrical System18
Service Brakes, Hydraulic16
Tires15
Engine & Engine Cooling15

Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint database.

Recalls NHTSA · verified

Showing 2 of 12 campaigns on record for this vehicle.

08E050000Exterior Lighting:HeadlightsReported 11/08/2008

K2 MOTOR IS RECALLING 1,921 AFTERMARKET HEADLAMPS OF VARIOUS MODELS SOLD FOR USE ON THE ABOVE LISTED VEHICLES. THESE HEADLAMPS ARE MISSING THE AMBER SIDE REFLEX REFLECTOR WHICH FAILS TO CONFORM WITH THE REQUIREMENTS OF… Remedy: K2 MOTOR WILL NOTIFY OWNERS AND OFFER A FULL REFUND. THE RECALL BEGAN ON DECEMEBER 17, 2008. OWNERS MAY CONTACT K2 MOTOR AT 1-909-839-2992.

09E025000Exterior Lighting:HeadlightsReported 11/05/2009

DOPE, INC. IS RECALLING 42,540 COMBINATION CORNER AND BUMPER LAMP ASSEMBLIES OF VARIOUS PART NUMBERS SOLD FOR USE AS AFTERMARKET EQUIPMENT FOR VARIOUS PASSENGER VEHICLES. THESE HEADLAMPS FAIL TO CONFORM TO THE… Remedy: DOPE, INC. WILL NOTIFY OWNERS AND OFFER A FULL REFUND FOR THE NONCOMPLIANT COMBINATION LAMPS. THE SAFETY RECALL BEGAN ON JULY 28, 2009. OWNERS MAY CONTACT DOPE, INC. AT…

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 Accord. 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 Accord take?

4 qt of ABOVE -4 degrees F: 10W-30 API, BELOW 32 degrees F: 5W-30 API, per the factory manual.

Does the 1992 Accord have open recalls?

NHTSA lists 12 recall campaign(s) for this model year. Check your specific vehicle by VIN.

What gas mileage does the Accord get?

EPA figures are 19 city / 26 highway / 22 combined mpg.