Mitsubishi›Mighty Max›1996›2.4L/mitsubishi/mighty-max/1996/2-4l/

1996 Mitsubishi Mighty Max — 2.4L

Factory specifications, fluid capacities, torque values, EPA fuel economy and the federal safety record for the 1996 Mighty Max 2.4L.

Body TRUCKEngine 2.4L

The 1996 Mitsubishi Mighty Max is a compact truck built on the long‑standing Mighty Max platform and powered by a 2.4‑liter engine that accepts 4.2 qt of oil in viscosities ranging from 20W‑40 to 5W‑30 (API‑rated). Its power‑train, while the sole focus of the three owner complaints recorded for that year, benefited from a clean recall record, reflecting Mitsubishi’s incremental improvements across the model’s 1990‑1996 run. Notably, 1996 marks the lowest point in the complaint history, with just three reports compared with a peak of eleven complaints in 1991, positioning this model year as the most reliable iteration of the early Mighty Max series.

Model year1996 1995 1994 1993 1992 1991 1990

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

Lug nut torque87-101 ft-lbsOEM · verified

Fitment & sizes

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

From the factory this vehicle uses a BCI 51 · 435 CCA battery, OE oil filter MZ690072. 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 51 · 435 CCAOEM · verified

Tire sizeLT195-75R14OEM · verified

Wheel / rim5-JJ inOEM · verified

OE service part numbers OEM · verified

Engine oil filter	MZ690072
Engine air filter	MR571471
Fuel filter	MB504754
Spark plug	MS851238
Front wiper blades	MB415739
Serpentine belt	MZ690277 alt MB958692
Thermostat	MD972903 alt MD184011

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, DOT 3 · DOT 4 brake fluid. Torque lug nuts to 87-101 ft-lbs, the oil drain plug to 29.0 ft-lbs. The firing order is 1-3-4-2. Note the cylinder-head bolts finish on a torque angle (torque-to-yield) — they stretch permanently and should be replaced, not reused, during any head service.

Lubricants & capacities

Brake Fluid	DOT 3 · DOT 4
Engine Coolant	ETHYLENE GLYCOL
Engine Oil	20W-40 · API · 10W-30 · 5W-30
Engine Oil Capacity	4.2 qt
Power Steering Fluid	Use Mitsubishi PS fluid

Engine torques

Camshaft Bearing/Carrier Cap Bolts or Studs	DOHC: 14 ft-lbs; SOHC:
Engine Flywheel Bolts	98 ft-lbs
Intake Manifold to Engine Bolts	14 ft-lbs
Exhaust Manifold to Cylinder Head Bolts	13 ft-lbs
Engine Oil Pan Drain Plug	29.0 ft-lbs

Chassis torques

Lug Nuts

87-101 ft-lbs

Ignition

Cylinder Firing Order	1-3-4-2
Curb Idle Speed (No Load)	750 rpm
Curb Idle Speed Variance (No Load)	100 rpm
Spark Plug Gap	0.028-0.035 in
Spark Plug Torque	13.0 ft-lbs
Ignition Timing	5, Not adjustable degrees
Ignition Timing Acceptable Variance	2 degrees

Battery & A/C

Refrigerant	R134a
Refrigerant Capacity	1.63-1.75 lbs
Oil Group	PAG
Oil Type	56
Oil Capacity	4.10-4.80 oz
Standard BCI Group Number	51
Standard BCI Cranking Performance	435 cca

Service checks

Regulated Fuel System Pressure (Without Vacuum)	47.0-50.0 psi
Regulated Fuel System Pressure (With Vacuum)	38.0 psi
Engine Compression	127 Minimum psi

Brakes

Torque Caliper to Bracket	29-36 ft-lbs
Torque to Knuckle	65 ft-lbs
Rotor Runout Limit	0.0059 in
Rotor Nominal Thickness From	0.866 in
Rotor Nominal Thickness To	0.866 in
Rotor Minimum Machining	0.802 in
Rotor Discard at or Under	0.801 in
Drum Nominal Diameter	10 in

Multi-step torque procedures OEM · verified

Connecting Rod (Large End) Bearings — tightening sequence 1 stages

15 ft. lbs., Step 2: 90-100

15 ft. lbs

Cylinder Head — tightening sequence 5 stages

1	58 ft. lbs.	58 ft. lbs
2	Loosen all bolts completely.
3	15 ft. lbs.	15 ft. lbs
4	90 degrees.	90 degrees
5	90 degrees.	90 degrees

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.

Every 7,500 mi	Brake Hydraulic System (inspect fluid level) · Clutch Master Cylinder (inspect fluid level) · Engine Oil (drain & refill) · Engine Oil Filter (replace) · Power Steering System (inspect)
Every 15,000 mi	Axle Shaft Oil Seal (inspect) · Brake Linings (inspect) · CV Joint Boot (inspect)
Every 30,000 mi	Accessory Drive Belt (inspect) · Brake System (inspect) · Differential (inspect fluid level) · Drive Axle Assembly (drain & refill) · Driveshaft U-Joint (inspect) · Engine Air Filter Element (replace)
Every 60,000 mi	Distributor Cap (inspect) · Distributor Rotor (inspect) · Fuel Evaporative Emission Control System (inspect) · Fuel Tank (inspect) · Fuel Tank Filler Cap (inspect) · Spark Plug Wires (replace)
Every 100,000 mi	EGR Valve (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 1996 Mitsubishi Mighty Max stands out as the most reliable year in the provided federal record, with only 3 complaints—the lowest across all model years—and no recalls or investigations. This continues a clear downward trend in complaints from a peak of 11 in 1991, while Technical Service Bulletins (TSBs) surged to 19, the highest in the dataset, indicating proactive manufacturer guidance rather than safety defects. The three complaints are isolated across power train, service brakes, and structure, with no crash or fire incidents reported. Compared to earlier years that saw recalls and higher complaint volumes, the 1996 model’s record suggests improved build quality or effective issue resolution. For a used purchase, this year offers a notably clean federal record, making it a strong candidate.

Open recalls

NHTSA campaigns

Service bulletins

Manufacturer communications

ODI investigations

Office of Defects Investigation

Owner complaints

0 involved a crash · 0 a fire

Owner complaints by model year NHTSA · this generation & adjacent

’90 ’91 ’92 ’94 ’95’96

Owner complaints filed with NHTSA, by component

All 3 complaints on record, top 3 components.

Power Train1

Service Brakes, Hydraulic1

Structure1

Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint database.

Recalls NHTSA · verified

No recall campaigns on record with NHTSA for this vehicle as of the last data refresh.

Technical service bulletins NHTSA · verified

Showing 5 of 19 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.
TT218	2015-08-28	Engine And Engine Cooling	This is a service newsletter (Tech Talk) that was sent out to dealers.

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 Mighty Max. 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.

Group 51 battery Vehicles taking 4.2 qt Engine oil filter MZ690072 Engine air filter MR571471 Fuel filter MB504754 Spark plug MS851238

Reference guides

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

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

Frequently asked

How much oil does the 1996 Mighty Max 2.4L 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 1996 Mighty Max have open recalls?

NHTSA lists 0 recall campaign(s) for this model year. Check your specific vehicle by VIN.