Mitsubishi›3000GT›1994›3.0L/mitsubishi/3000gt/1994/3-0l/

1994 Mitsubishi 3000GT — 3.0L

Factory specifications, fluid capacities, torque values, EPA fuel economy and the federal safety record for the 1994 3000GT 3.0L. Covers both the standard and High Output 3.0L.

Engine 3.0LTransmission Automatic 4-spd

The 1994 Mitsubishi 3000GT is defined by its 3.0L engine mated to a four-speed automatic transmission, returning EPA fuel economy of 16 city, 22 highway, and 18 combined mpg while requiring 4.2 quarts of oil in 20W-40, 10W-30, or 5W-30 API grades. For the researcher, the 1994 model year sits in a measured middle ground of the 3000GT's documented reliability record, which spans 1991 through 2002 and ranges from a high of 117 owner complaints in 1992 down to a single complaint in 2001. The year's own 75 complaints — led by seat belt issues and accompanied by three recalls — fall well below the early-decade peak and establish 1994 as a representative data point against which the platform's broader ownership trends can be benchmarked.

Model year1999 1998 1997 1996 1995 1994 1993 1992 1991

Quick specs

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

Engine oil capacity4.2 qtOEM · verified

Engine oil type20W-40 / 10W-30 / 5W-30 APIOEM · verified

EPA fuel economy16/22/18 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 MD136790. 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.

Tire size4WD:P225-75R15OEM · verified

Wheel / rim6-JJ inOEM · verified

OE service part numbers OEM · verified

Engine oil filter	MD136790
Engine air filter	MR571471
Fuel filter	MB658136
Spark plug	MS851336
Front wiper blades	MR300876 alt 8250A174
Serpentine belt	MZ690263 alt MD172376
Thermostat	1305A603

Full specifications

Engine, drivetrain, dimensions and economy.

Engine & drivetrain NHTSA vPIC

Transmission

Automatic 4-spd

Ratings & economy EPA / vPIC

EPA city / highway / combined	16 / 22 / 18 mpg
Drivetrain	Front-Wheel Drive
Recommended fuel	Regular Gasoline

Performance & power Independent road tests

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

Independent published road-test results.

4.9 sec0–60 mph (tested)quickest 4.90 sec — 1994 VR-4 Coupe

320 hpHorsepower (as tested)

315 lb-ftTorque (as tested)

Year	Trim / engine	0–60	¼ mile	HP	Drivetrain
1994	VR-4 Coupe 3.0L Twin-Turbo V6	4.90 sec	13.50 sec	320 hp	AWD
1993	VR-4 Coupe 3.0L Twin-Turbo V6	5.60 sec	14.10 sec	300 hp	AWD
1995	VR-4 Coupe 3.0L Twin-Turbo V6	5.40 sec	13.50 sec	320 hp	AWD
1996	VR-4 Spyder 3.0L Twin-Turbo V6	5.40 sec	14.00 sec	320 hp	AWD
1996	VR-4 Coupe 3.0L Twin-Turbo V6	5.70 sec	14.30 sec	320 hp	AWD
1996	VR-4 Spyder 3.0L Twin-Turbo V6	5.80 sec	14.40 sec	320 hp	AWD
1997	VR-4 Coupe 3.0L Twin-Turbo V6	4.80 sec	13.60 sec	320 hp	AWD

Service quick specs OEM factory data

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

This engine holds 4.2 qt of 20W-40 / 10W-30 / 5W-30 API engine oil, 85W-90 · 80W-90 in the differential, DOT 3 · DOT 4 brake fluid.

Lubricants & capacities

Brake Fluid	DOT 3 · DOT 4
Differential Gear Oil	85W-90 · 80W-90
Differential Gear Oil Capacity	2.8 Pints
Differential Gear Oil	85W-90 · 80W-90
Differential Gear Oil Capacity	2.8 Pints
Engine Coolant	ETHYLENE GLYCOL
Engine Oil	20W-40 · API · 10W-30 · 5W-30
Engine Oil Capacity	4.2 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; spark plugs every 60,000 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 mi	Brake Hydraulic System (inspect fluid level) · Clutch Master Cylinder (inspect fluid level) · Engine Oil (drain & refill) · Power Steering System (inspect)
Every 10,000 mi	Engine Oil Filter (replace)
Every 15,000 mi	Axle Shaft Oil Seal (inspect) · Brake Line (inspect) · Brake Linings (inspect) · CV Joint Boot (inspect)
Every 30,000 mi	Accessory Drive Belt (inspect) · Brake System (inspect) · Engine Air Filter Element (replace) · Engine Coolant System (drain, flush & refill) · Exhaust System (Complete) (inspect) · Fuel Line (inspect)
Every 60,000 mi	Balance Shaft Drive Belt (replace) · Fuel Evaporative Emission Control System (inspect) · Fuel System (inspect) · Spark Plug Wires (replace) · Spark Plugs (replace) · Timing Belt (replace)

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 model sits near the midpoint of the 3000GT’s federal record, recording 75 complaints, three recalls, one investigation, and 25 Technical Service Bulletins (TSBs). Compared with the preceding years, complaints dropped sharply from the 117 seen in 1992 but remain higher than the steep decline to 57 in 1995, while recalls stayed constant at three from 1992 to 1994 before falling to one in 1995 onward. The TSB count climbs steadily from 22 in 1992 to a peak of 40 in 1997, indicating that service‑related issues were increasingly documented after 1994. In 1994, the dominant complaint areas were Seat Belts (36) and Power Train (19), with only five crash‑related complaints and no fire complaints, suggesting safety‑critical problems were limited. **Takeaway:** 1994 shows a moderate complaint level that improves in later years, making it an acceptable but not optimal choice; buyers should weigh the higher seat‑belt and power‑train concerns against the overall downward trend.

Open recalls

NHTSA campaigns

Service bulletins

Manufacturer communications

ODI investigations

Office of Defects Investigation

Owner complaints

5 involved a crash · 0 a fire

Owner complaints by model year NHTSA · this generation & adjacent

’91 ’92’94’95 ’96 ’97 ’98 ’99 ’01 ’02

Owner complaints filed with NHTSA, by component

All 75 complaints on record, top 8 components.

Seat Belts36

Power Train19

Service Brakes, Hydraulic3

Engine & Engine Cooling2

Suspension2

Wheels2

Vehicle Speed Control2

Steering2

Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint database.

Recalls NHTSA · verified

Showing 2 of 3 campaigns on record for this vehicle.

02V143001Power Train:Transfer Case (4-Wheel Drive)Reported 14/05/2002

ON CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES, A CONDITION EXISTS THAT ALLOWS OIL TO LEAK FROM THE ALL-WHEEL DRIVE TRANSFER CASE. Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSPECT THE TRANSFER CASE FOR INDICATIONS OF OIL LEAKAGE OR DAMAGE. VEHICLES THAT HAVE OIL LEAKAGE WILL HAVE THE TRANSFER CASE RESEALED AND RE-FILL THE TRANSFER CASE…

96V143002Service Brakes, Hydraulic:Foundation Components:Hoses, Lines/Piping, And FittingsReported 12/08/1996

UNDER CONDITIONS OF FULL LOCK STEERING AND FULL SUSPENSION TRAVEL, THE LEFT OR RIGHT FRONT WHEEL-SIDE BRAKE HOSE CAN CRACK, RESULTING IN BRAKE FLUID LEAKAGE. Remedy: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE LEFT AND RIGHT FRONT WHEEL-SIDE BRAKE HOSES WITH REVISED HOSE ASSEMBLIES.

Technical service bulletins NHTSA · verified

Showing 5 of 25 bulletins on record with NHTSA.

Bulletin	Date	Component	Summary
TSB-22-54-003	2022-04-07	Exterior Lighting	This Technical Service Bulletin was sent to dealers to explain the difference between…
TT253	2019-11-26	Equipment	This is a service newsletter (Tech Talk) that was sent out to dealers.
TSB-19-00-008	2019-07-30	Equipment	This is a Technical Service Bulletin sent to dealers. This bulletin supersedes…
TT237	2018-02-26	Equipment	This is a service newsletter (Tech Talk) that was sent out to dealers.
TSB-13-42A-002	2013-01-29	Structure	This Technical Service Bulletin updates the door adjustment procedure in the Body Section…

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 3000GT. 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.

Vehicles taking 4.2 qt Engine oil filter MD136790 Engine air filter MR571471 Fuel filter MB658136 Spark plug MS851336

Reference guides

Cross-vehicle references for the kinds of data on this page.

Vehicle recalls & TSBs OBD-II trouble codes Maintenance schedules Fluid capacities & specs

Frequently asked

How much oil does the 1994 3000GT 3.0L take?

4.2 qt of ABOVE 32 degrees F: 20W-40 API, ABOVE -10 degrees F: 10W-30 API, BELOW 60 degrees F 5W-30 API, per the factory manual.

Does the 1994 3000GT have open recalls?

NHTSA lists 3 recall campaign(s) for this model year. Check your specific vehicle by VIN.

What gas mileage does the 3.0L get?

EPA figures are 16 city / 22 highway / 18 combined mpg.