NissanSentra1992Overview/nissan/sentra/1992/base/

1992 Nissan Sentra

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

Body PASSENGER CAR

The 1992 Nissan Sentra is a passenger car designed around an engine requiring 3.5 quarts of 10W-30 or 5W-30 API SM oil for proper lubrication. The model stands out for its zero recalls and a modest total of 78 owner complaints, with the electrical system serving as the primary area of concern. When contextualized within the Sentra's broader 1990-2026 complaint history—which saw a peak of 638 complaints in 2013—the 1992 model sits firmly on the lower end of the spectrum, marking it as a notably reliable year in the vehicle's lineage.

Model year202520242023202220212020201920181992

Quick specs

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

Engine oil capacity3.5 qtOEM · verified
Engine oil type10W-30 / 5W-30 API SMOEM · verified

Full specifications

Engine, drivetrain, dimensions and economy.

Dimensions & weight NHTSA vPIC

Overall length168.9 in
Overall width64.6 in
Overall height54.7 in
Wheelbase95.7 in
Curb weight2235 lb

Performance & power Independent road tests

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

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

8.4 sec0–60 mph (tested)quickest 8.40 sec — 1992 E Coupe
YearTrim / engine0–60¼ mileHPDrivetrain
1992E Coupe 1.6L I-48.40 sec16.70 sec110 hpFWD
1991SE-R Coupe 2.0L I-47.40 sec15.80 sec140 hpFWD
1991SE-R Coupe 2.0L I-47.60 sec15.90 sec140 hpFWD
1993SE-R Coupe 2.0L I-47.60 sec15.80 sec140 hpFWD

Service quick specs OEM factory data

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

This engine holds 3.5 qt of 10W-30 / 5W-30 API SM engine oil, 75W-90 · 80W-90 · GL-5 in the differential, DOT 3 brake fluid.

Lubricants & capacities

Brake FluidDOT 3
Differential Gear Oil75W-90 · 80W-90 · GL-5
Differential Gear Oil Capacity2.1 Pints
Engine Oil10W-30 · 5W-30 · API
Engine Oil Capacity3.5 qt
Engine Oil10W-30 · 5W-30 · API
Engine Oil Capacity3.6 qt
Power Steering FluidATF

Factory maintenance schedule OEM · verified

Normal service, condensed from the factory interval matrix.

Under the factory schedule, replace the engine oil and filter at 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.

At 7,500 miEngine Oil Filter (replace)
Every 7,500 miEngine Oil (drain & refill) · Tire & Wheel Assembly (rotate)
Every 15,000 miAccessory Drive Belt (inspect) · Axle Shaft Oil Seal (inspect) · Brake System (inspect) · CV Joint Boot (inspect) · Engine Oil Filter (replace) · Exhaust System (Complete) (inspect)
Every 30,000 miEngine Air Filter Element (replace) · Engine Coolant System (drain, flush & refill) · Fuel Evaporative Emission Control System Lines (inspect) · Fuel Line (inspect) · Steering Linkage (inspect) · Suspension System (inspect)
At 60,000 miAccessory Drive Belt (inspect) · Engine Coolant System (drain, flush & refill)
Every 60,000 miSpark Plugs (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.

Compared with 1991’s 72 complaints and two recalls, the 1992 model logged 78 complaints but zero recalls, while its TSB count held nearly steady at 35 versus 34 the year prior. Across the early-1990s run, complaints trended upward from 72 in 1991 to 131 by 1994, yet 1992 through 1994 all recorded zero recalls, a notable shift from the two recalls seen in 1990 and 1991. The 1992 model sits early in this escalating arc, carrying lower complaint volume than the 1994 peak and sharing the same zero-recall profile as 1993 and 1994. Its leading complaint areas—electrical system, engine and engine cooling, seat belts, and power train—each reached 10 or more filings, and federal data records 15 fire complaints and 10 crash complaints without specifying root cause. Given its absence of recalls, modest complaint count relative to the years immediately after, and stable TSB exposure, 1992 stands out as one of the more stable early-1990s Sentras and is a comparatively sound used-car purchase.

0
Open recalls
NHTSA campaigns
35
Service bulletins
Manufacturer communications
1
ODI investigations
Office of Defects Investigation
78
Owner complaints
10 involved a crash · 15 a fire

Owner complaints filed with NHTSA, by component

All 78 complaints on record, top 8 components.

Electrical System15
Engine & Engine Cooling10
Seat Belts10
Power Train10
Service Brakes, Hydraulic8
Air Bags3
Exterior Lighting3
Unknown Or Other2

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 35 bulletins on record with NHTSA.

BulletinDateComponentSummary
NTB08-097L2023-09-21SteeringDIAGNOSIS OF VEHICLE PULL (DRIFT) AND/OR STEERING WHEEL OFF-CENTER This bulletin has been…
NTB23-0492023-06-16Electrical System12 VOLT BATTERY TESTING FOR IN-SERVICE VEHICLES SERVICE INFORMATION The following Service…
NTB23-0532023-06-16Electrical SystemSILICONE-BASED LUBRICANT OR GREASE CAN DAMAGE ELECTRICAL COMPONENTS SERVICE INFORMATION…
NTB13-107F2023-04-27Electrical SystemVEHICLE KEY NOT DETECTED / AUTHENTICATED, ENGINE WILL NOT START This bulletin has been…
NTB16-003C2023-04-17Electrical SystemINTELLIGENT KEY REPLACEMENT OR SWAPPING BETWEEN VEHICLES This bulletin has been amended…

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 Sentra. 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 Sentra take?

3.5 qt of 10W-30 OR 5W-30 API SM, per the factory manual.

Does the 1992 Sentra have open recalls?

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