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1992 Oldsmobile Achieva

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

Body PASSENGER CAR

The 1992 Oldsmobile Achieva debuts as a passenger car launching the 1992–2000 model generation, registering 71 owner complaints that cluster heavily in the engine and engine cooling category despite carrying zero recalls. This inaugural year lands between the line's later reliability peaks and valleys: its complaint volume exceeds the final 2000 model's mere 3 reported issues yet remains well below the 100 complaints recorded for 1996. Consequently, the 1992 model occupies a middle position in the Achieva's reliability arc, foreshadowing the more significant troubles to come while establishing itself as a moderately troubled introduction rather than the generation's worst offender.

Model year1998 1997 1996 1995 1994 1993 1992

Fitment & sizes

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

From the factory this vehicle uses OE oil filter 12731175. Note the factory fuel filter is now discontinued — plan on a superseded or quality aftermarket equivalent, which the part pages below list where known. 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.

OE service part numbers OEM · verified

Engine oil filter	12731175 alt 25325404
Engine air filter	24577608
Fuel filter	25121293 discontinued
Spark plug	19362247 alt 19354417
Front wiper blades	22155381
Serpentine belt	88984195 alt 24572563
Thermostat	24506986 alt 22545290

Full specifications

Engine, drivetrain, dimensions and economy.

Dimensions & weight NHTSA vPIC

Overall length	187.8 in
Overall width	67.3 in
Overall height	53.1 in
Wheelbase	103.5 in
Curb weight	2778 lb
Weight distribution (front / rear)	64/36

Service quick specs OEM factory data

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

This engine DOT 3 brake fluid.

Lubricants & capacities

Brake Fluid	DOT 3
Engine Coolant	ETHYLENE GLYCOL
Power Steering Fluid	USE GM PART NO. 1052884 OR EQUIVALENT

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; 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 mi	Engine Oil Filter (replace) · Throttle Body (torque) · Tire & Wheel Assembly (rotate)
Every 7,500 mi	Body Latches, Locks & Hinges (inspect) · Engine Oil (drain & refill) · Parking Brake Cable (lubricate) · Shift Linkage (inspect) · Steering Linkage (inspect) · Steering System (inspect)
Every 15,000 mi	Engine Oil Filter (replace) · Tire & Wheel Assembly (rotate)
Every 30,000 mi	Accessory Drive Belt (inspect) · Engine Air Filter Element (replace) · Engine Breather Filter (replace) · Engine Coolant System (drain, flush & refill) · Fuel Line (inspect) · Fuel Tank (inspect)
Every 100,000 mi	Transmission Fluid & Filter (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 1992 Oldsmobile Achieva serves as the generation's inaugural year, entering the market with 71 complaints and zero recalls before the model line experiences a sharp escalation in reported defects. While 1992 complaints are lower than the generation's 1996 peak of 100, they still outpace the 1993 dip of 55, and the generation's recall count climbs from zero in 1992 to a high of six in 1996, indicating early defects were largely unaddressed by the manufacturer at launch. For the 1992 model specifically, the primary trouble spots are Engine & Engine Cooling (12 complaints), the Electrical System (11), and Service Brakes, Hydraulic (9), alongside four fire-related complaints; however, the data does not specify the root causes of these failures. Because the 1992 model sits at the unrefined beginning of a generation that trends toward significantly worsening reliability and safety recalls, it lacks the subsequent manufacturer corrections reflected in the growing TSB counts of later years. Consequently, the 1992 Achieva is a poor candidate for a used purchase, as its first-year status coincides with the genesis of systemic, unresolved generation flaws.

Open recalls

NHTSA campaigns

Service bulletins

Manufacturer communications

ODI investigations

Office of Defects Investigation

Owner complaints

2 involved a crash · 4 a fire

Owner complaints by model year NHTSA · this generation & adjacent

’92’93 ’94 ’95 ’96 ’97 ’98 ’00

Owner complaints filed with NHTSA, by component

All 71 complaints on record, top 8 components.

Engine & Engine Cooling12

Electrical System11

Service Brakes, Hydraulic9

Visibility5

Power Train5

Seat Belts4

Exterior Lighting3

Interior Lighting3

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 23 bulletins on record with NHTSA.

Bulletin	Date	Component	Summary
130089009	2013-09-01	Engine And Engine Cooling	Expanded Availability for Remanufacture and Return (R&R) Electronic Control Modules
04152004	2004-04-15	Service Brakes, Air	VEHICLES MAY SET ANYONE OR A COMBINATION OF FRONT-WHEEL SPEED SENSOR ANTI-LOCK BRAKE…
00966B	2004-01-01	Service Brakes, Air	ABS FRONT WHEEL SPEED CODES - JUMPER HARNESS. *TT
00966	2004-01-01	Service Brakes, Air	ANTI-LOCK BRAKING SYSTEM (ABS) FRONT WHEEL SPEED CODES - JUMPER HARNESS. *TT
990730030A	2001-04-01	Power Train	OWNERS OF SOME VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH HYDRA-MATIC 3T40, 4T60, 4T60-E OR 4T65-E TRANSAXLES…

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 Achieva. 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.

Engine oil filter 12731175 Engine air filter 24577608 Fuel filter 25121293 Spark plug 19362247

Reference guides

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

Vehicle recalls & TSBs OBD-II trouble codes Maintenance schedules

Frequently asked

Does the 1992 Achieva have open recalls?

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