PlymouthAcclaim19923.0L/plymouth/acclaim/1992/3-0l/
AA platform

1992 Plymouth Acclaim — 3.0L

Factory specifications, fluid capacities, torque values, EPA fuel economy and the federal safety record for the 1992 Acclaim 3.0L.

Body PASSENGER CAREngine 3.0LTransmission Automatic 3-spd

The 1992 Plymouth Acclaim is a passenger‑car built on the AA platform and powered by a 3.0‑liter engine that uses a 4.5‑quart oil capacity with filter and accepts 15W‑40, 10W‑30, or 5W‑30 viscosity grades. Its automatic three‑speed transmission delivers EPA‑rated fuel economy of 18 mpg city, 24 mpg highway, and a combined 20 mpg, while the power‑train area accounts for the majority of the 73 recorded owner complaints and the single recall issued for the model line. Positioned between the model‑year peak of 110 complaints in 1991 and the low of just one complaint in 1996, the 1992 Acclaim occupies a middle ground in the vehicle’s reliability timeline, indicating a moderate but improving record for researchers to consider.

Model year19951992

Quick specs

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

Engine oil capacity4.5 qt w/ filterOEM · verified
Engine oil type15W-40 / 10W-30 / 5W-30OEM · verified
EPA fuel economy18/24/20 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 05281090AB. Note the factory engine air filter, spark plug and thermostat are now discontinued — plan on a superseded or quality aftermarket equivalent, which the part pages below list where known.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 filter05281090AB
Engine air filter04213583AB discontinued · alt 04288899
Fuel filter04495781
Spark plug68304174AA discontinued · alt 68305411AA
Front wiper blades4334667 alt 04389350
Serpentine beltB0015396 alt 04483174
ThermostatMD997310 discontinued · alt 04494470

Full specifications

Engine, drivetrain, dimensions and economy.

Engine & drivetrain NHTSA vPIC

TransmissionAutomatic 3-spd

Dimensions & weight NHTSA vPIC

Overall length181.1 in
Overall width68.1 in
Overall height53.5 in
Wheelbase103.1 in
Curb weight2798 lb
Weight distribution (front / rear)62/38

Ratings & economy EPA / vPIC

EPA city / highway / combined18 / 24 / 20 mpg
DrivetrainFront-Wheel Drive
Passenger volume97 cu ft
Cargo volume14 cu ft
Recommended fuelRegular Gasoline

Service quick specs OEM factory data

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

This engine holds 4.5 qt w/ filter of 15W-40 / 10W-30 / 5W-30 engine oil, DOT 3 brake fluid.

Lubricants & capacities

Brake FluidDOT 3
Engine Oil15W-40 · 10W-30 · 5W-30
Engine Oil Capacity4.5 qt w/ filter

Ignition

Curb Idle Speed (No Load)700 rpm
Curb Idle Speed Variance (No Load)100 rpm

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 30,000 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 miBrake Hydraulic System (inspect fluid level) · Brake Line (inspect) · CV Joint Boot (inspect) · Engine Oil (drain & refill) · Engine Oil Filter (replace) · Exhaust System (Complete) (inspect)
Every 22,500 miBrake Linings (inspect) · Wheel Bearing (inspect)
Every 30,000 miAir Bag System (inspect) · Engine Air Filter Element (replace) · Engine Coolant System (drain, flush & refill) · Spark Plugs (replace) · Steering Linkage (inspect)
At 52,500 miEngine Coolant System (drain, flush & refill)
Every 60,000 miAccessory Drive Belt (inspect)

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 Plymouth Acclaim sits in a generation where complaint volumes spiked sharply in 1991 (110 complaints) before receding to 73 in the target year, a level that is notably lower than the peak but still above the later-year lows of 34 in 1995. Recalls follow a similar arc, with 1992 recording just one recall—the joint lowest among years that had any—compared to three in 1991 and two in 1990, suggesting that some early defects were addressed by this model year. However, the target year still logged 12 crash-related complaints and 4 fire complaints, with top areas including power train and air bags, though the data does not specify root causes. Across the generation, technical service bulletins rose steadily from 30 to 52, indicating ongoing refinements, and the 1992 total of 38 places it in the middle of that trend. Overall, the 1992 Acclaim represents a clear improvement over the troublesome 1991 model, but later years like 1995 show even fewer complaints, making this a decent but not the most trouble-free choice.

1
Open recalls
NHTSA campaigns
38
Service bulletins
Manufacturer communications
2
ODI investigations
Office of Defects Investigation
73
Owner complaints
12 involved a crash · 4 a fire
Owner complaints by model year NHTSA · this generation & adjacent

Owner complaints filed with NHTSA, by component

All 73 complaints on record, top 8 components.

Power Train11
Air Bags9
Suspension8
Electrical System5
Vehicle Speed Control5
Fuel System, Gasoline4
Structure4
Steering3

Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint database.

Recalls NHTSA · verified

Showing 1 of 1 campaigns on record for this vehicle.

92V015000Steering: Steering Wheel/Handle BarReported 14/02/1992

THE ZINC PLATING OPERATION PERFORMED ON THE UPPER STEERING COLUMN SHAFT COUPLING BOLT CAUSED HYDROGEN EMBRITTLEMENT AND BREAKAGE OF THE BOLT. Remedy: REPLACE THE ZINC PLATED BOLT WITH A PHOSPHATE PLATED BOLT.

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 Acclaim. 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 Acclaim 3.0L take?

4.5 qt w/ filter of ABOVE 20 degrees F 30W SJ, SL, ABOVE 10 degrees F 15W-40 SJ, SL, ABOVE 0 degrees F 10W-30 SJ, SL, BELOW 32 degrees F 5W-30 SJ, SL, BELOW 100 degrees F 5W-30 SJ, SL, per the factory manual.

Does the 1992 Acclaim have open recalls?

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

What gas mileage does the 3.0L get?

EPA figures are 18 city / 24 highway / 20 combined mpg.