HondaAccord1994Overview/honda/accord/1994/base/

1994 Honda Accord

Factory specifications, fluid capacities, torque values, EPA fuel economy and the federal safety record for the 1994 Accord.

Body PASSENGER CARTransmission Automatic 4-spd

The 1994 Honda Accord is a passenger‑car that uses a four‑cylinder engine requiring four quarts of 10W‑30 or 5W‑30 API oil and is mated to an automatic four‑speed transmission, achieving EPA fuel‑economy ratings of 20 mpg city, 27 mpg highway and 22 mpg combined; in its launch year the model recorded 461 owner complaints, with engine and cooling problems topping the list and 13 recalls issued, and that complaint volume falls between the 2013 complaints of the 2003 model year peak and the 213 complaints of the 2022 low, marking a typical reliability level for that era.

Model year202420232022202120202019201820171994

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 economy20/27/22 mpgEPA · verified

Full specifications

Engine, drivetrain, dimensions and economy.

Engine & drivetrain NHTSA vPIC

TransmissionAutomatic 4-spd

Dimensions & weight NHTSA vPIC

Overall length184.3 in
Overall width70.1 in
Overall height55.1 in
Wheelbase107.1 in
Curb weight2789 lb
Track (front / rear)59.8 / 59.1 in
Weight distribution (front / rear)62/38

Ratings & economy EPA / vPIC

EPA city / highway / combined20 / 27 / 22 mpg
DrivetrainFront-Wheel Drive
Passenger volume94 cu ft
Cargo volume13 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.

9.4 sec0–60 mph (tested)quickest 9.40 sec — 1994 EX Sedan
YearTrim / engine0–60¼ mileHPDrivetrain
1994EX Sedan 2.2L I-49.40 sec17.00 sec145 hpFWD
1995LX V-6 Sedan 2.7L V68.50 sec16.50 sec170 hpFWD
1995EX V-6 Sedan 2.7L V68.80 sec16.80 sec170 hpFWD
1997LX V-6 Sedan 2.7L V68.80 sec16.80 sec170 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) · Fuel Evaporative Emission Control System (inspect) · Fuel Filter (replace)
Every 90,000 miBalance Shaft Drive Belt (replace) · Exhaust System Heat Shield (inspect) · 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.

The 1994 Accord sits at the peak of a rising trend that began in 1990, where complaints climbed from 220 to 461, and recalls increased from 12 to 13, with no investigations reported that year. In the following years, complaints spiked further (599 in 1995, 1239 in 1998), while recalls fluctuated between 13 and 19, indicating a broader period of quality concerns across the generation. The 1994 model’s top complaint areas—engine cooling (79), service brakes (66), air bags (45), and electrical (30)—highlight the most common issues, and its 88 crash and 4 fire complaints are modest relative to later peaks. Given that 1994 represents the height of the complaint curve before the sharp decline that begins in 2003, a used vehicle from this year is more likely to exhibit the same problems that later models improved upon. Therefore, buying a 1994 Accord carries a higher risk of encountering the prevalent issues noted in the record, and a more recent model would be a safer choice.

13
Open recalls
NHTSA campaigns
76
Service bulletins
Manufacturer communications
0
ODI investigations
Office of Defects Investigation
461
Owner complaints
88 involved a crash · 4 a fire

Owner complaints filed with NHTSA, by component

All 461 complaints on record, top 8 components.

Engine & Engine Cooling79
Service Brakes, Hydraulic66
Air Bags45
Electrical System30
Visibility28
Tires27
Vehicle Speed Control20
Power Train18

Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint database.

Recalls NHTSA · verified

Showing 2 of 13 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.

06E060000Exterior LightingReported 29/06/2006

CERTAIN AAI MOTORSPORTS COMBINATION LAMPS SOLD AS REPLACEMENT LAMPS FOR USE ON THE ABOVE LIST PASSENGER VEHICLES. COMBINATION LAMPS NOT EQUIPPED WITH AMBER SIDE REFLECTORS FAIL TO CONFORM WITH THE REQUIREMENTS OF… Remedy: AAI MOTORSPORTS WILL NOTIFY OWNERS AND REPLACE THE LAMPS FREE OF CHARGE. THE RECALL BEGAN ON AUGUST 1, 2006. OWNERS MAY CONTACT AAI MOTORSPORTS AT 909-923-9188.

Technical service bulletins NHTSA · verified

Showing 5 of 76 bulletins on record with NHTSA.

BulletinDateComponentSummary
050120042004-05-01EquipmentAUDIO UNIT AND NAVIGATION SYSTEM ANTI-THEFT CODES AVAILABLE ON INTERACTIVE NETWORK. *NM
4042004-04-16EquipmentAUDIO, ANTI-THEFT CODES. HONDA. TECH LINE SUMMARY. *TT
2042004-02-16StructureWATER LEAK AT DOORS AND/OR FLOOR. *NM
110120032003-11-01Engine And Engine CoolingHEATER BLOWER MOTOR GETS HOT OR BLOWS A FUSE. HONDA. SERVICENEWS. *TT
0601032003-06-01Power TrainGRADE LOGIC CONTROL INFORMATION. *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 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 1994 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 1994 Accord have open recalls?

NHTSA lists 13 recall campaign(s) for this model year. Check your specific vehicle by VIN.

What gas mileage does the Accord get?

EPA figures are 20 city / 27 highway / 22 combined mpg.