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1994 Oldsmobile Eighty Eight

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

Body PASSENGER CARTransmission Automatic 4-spd

The 1994 Oldsmobile Eighty Eight is a passenger car equipped with a four‑speed automatic transmission and EPA‑rated fuel economy of 17 mpg city, 26 mpg highway, and 20 mpg combined. Its early production year recorded the lowest owner complaint total of 84, with the primary issues centered on service brakes and hydraulic components, and only a single recall issued. Compared with the 1995 peak of 147 complaints, the 1994 model shows a comparatively stable reliability baseline for the series, marking it as the most reliable entry in the Eighty Eight’s three‑year complaint cycle.

Model year199919981997199619951994199319921991

Quick specs

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

EPA fuel economy17/26/20 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 12731175. Note the factory fuel filter, front wiper blades and serpentine belt are now discontinued — plan on a superseded or quality aftermarket equivalent, which the part pages below list where known.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 filter12731175
Engine air filter19259030
Fuel filter25121293 discontinued
Spark plug19302723
Front wiper blades25689175 discontinued
Serpentine belt10230725 discontinued
Thermostat24505924 alt 24506985

Full specifications

Engine, drivetrain, dimensions and economy.

Engine & drivetrain NHTSA vPIC

TransmissionAutomatic 4-spd

Ratings & economy EPA / vPIC

EPA city / highway / combined17 / 26 / 20 mpg
DrivetrainFront-Wheel Drive
Passenger volume106 cu ft
Cargo volume18 cu ft
Recommended fuelRegular Gasoline

Service quick specs OEM factory data

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

Lubricants & capacities

Engine CoolantETHYLENE GLYCOL

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 miEngine Oil Filter (replace) · Tire & Wheel Assembly (rotate)
Every 7,500 miBody Latches, Locks & Hinges (inspect) · Engine Oil (drain & refill) · Parking Brake Cable (lubricate) · Shift Linkage (inspect) · Steering Linkage (inspect) · Steering System (inspect)
Every 15,000 miEngine Oil Filter (replace) · Tire & Wheel Assembly (rotate)
Every 30,000 miAccessory 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 miTransmission 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.

In 1994 the Oldsmobile Eighty Eight logged 84 complaints, 1 recall, and 24 TSBs, a level that sits below the 147 complaints and 49 TSBs seen in 1995 but above the 99 complaints and 39 TSBs of 1996. The recall count rose from 1 in 1994 to 2 in 1996, indicating an increasing trend in federally mandated fixes during this generation. The 1994 model’s most frequent complaint areas—service brakes (18), electrical system (11), engine & cooling (10), and structure (7)—reflect a concentration on mechanical and electrical reliability rather than safety or fire issues, the latter of which recorded zero complaints that year. Compared to the peak in 1995, 1994’s complaint and TSB figures are moderate, suggesting fewer widespread problems but still notable issues in core systems. Given the moderate complaint volume, single recall, and absence of fire complaints, 1994 can be considered a reasonable purchase year, provided a thorough pre‑purchased inspection targets the highlighted systems.

1
Open recalls
NHTSA campaigns
24
Service bulletins
Manufacturer communications
0
ODI investigations
Office of Defects Investigation
84
Owner complaints
5 involved a crash · 0 a fire
NHTSA crash-test rating federal NCAP · out of 5 stars
Rollover★★★★★
Owner complaints by model year NHTSA · this generation & adjacent
’94’95’96

Owner complaints filed with NHTSA, by component

All 84 complaints on record, top 8 components.

Service Brakes, Hydraulic18
Electrical System11
Engine & Engine Cooling10
Structure7
Power Train7
Seats3
Air Bags3
Steering3

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 24 bulletins on record with NHTSA.

BulletinDateComponentSummary
1300890092013-09-01Engine And Engine CoolingExpanded Availability for Remanufacture and Return (R&R) Electronic Control Modules
990730030A2001-04-01Power TrainOWNERS OF SOME VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH HYDRA-MATIC 3T40, 4T60, 4T60-E OR 4T65-E TRANSAXLES…
9907300301999-12-01Power TrainSOME VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH HYDRA-MATIC 3T40, 4T60 OR 4T60-E TRANSXALES MAY COMMENT ON A…
8320061998-12-01StructureSOME CUSTOMERS MAY COMMENT THAT THERE IS CORROSION ( RUST ) APPEARING ON THE LEFT AND /OR…
8317041998-10-01StructureCONCERNS OF DOOR HANDLES ON WHITE PAINTED VEHICLES TRUNING YELLOW. *YC

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 Eighty Eight. 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 12731175Engine air filter 19259030Fuel filter 25121293Spark plug 19302723

Reference guides

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

Vehicle recalls & TSBsOBD-II trouble codesMaintenance schedulesFluid capacities & specs

Frequently asked

Does the 1994 Eighty Eight have open recalls?

NHTSA lists 1 recall campaign(s) for this model year. Check your specific vehicle by VIN.

What gas mileage does the Eighty Eight get?

EPA figures are 17 city / 26 highway / 20 combined mpg.