PlymouthAcclaim19932.5L L4/plymouth/acclaim/1993/2-5l-l4/
AA platform

1993 Plymouth Acclaim — 2.5L L4

Factory specifications, fluid capacities, torque values, EPA fuel economy and the federal safety record for the 1993 Acclaim 2.5L L4. Covers both the standard and High Output 2.5L L4.

Body PASSENGER CAREngine 2.5L L4Transmission Automatic 3-spd

The 1993 Plymouth Acclaim is a passenger‑car built on the AA platform and powered by a 2.5‑liter inline‑four that runs on 15W‑40, 10W‑30 or 5W‑30 oil and holds 4.5 qt with filter, mated to a three‑speed automatic transmission; its EPA ratings of 19 mpg city, 24 mpg highway and 21 mpg combined place it squarely in the midsize family‑car segment of its time. While the model registers a modest 93 total owner complaints—none resulting in recalls—and the most frequent issue centers on engine and cooling system concerns, it falls between the peak complaint year of 1991 (110 complaints) and the low of 1996 (just one complaint), indicating that the 1993 Acclaim occupies a middle ground in the model’s overall reliability trajectory.

Model year19941993

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 economy19/24/21 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 Note the factory engine air filter, spark plug, serpentine belt and thermostat are now discontinued — plan on a superseded or quality aftermarket equivalent, which the part pages below list where known.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 alt 04495409
Spark plug68305411AA discontinued
Front wiper blades4334667 alt 04389350
Serpentine belt04798390 discontinued · alt 04668303
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 / combined19 / 24 / 21 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 7,500 mi. The big-interval services (every 7,500 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 5,000 miCV Joint Boot (inspect) · Power Steering Line (inspect) · Transmission Assembly (inspect)
Every 7,500 miBrake Hydraulic System (inspect fluid level) · Brake Line (inspect) · Engine Coolant System (leak inspection) · Engine Oil (drain & refill) · Exhaust System (Complete) (inspect) · Power Steering System (inspect)
Every 15,000 miAccessory Drive Belt (inspect) · Automatic Seat Belt Track (lubricate) · Engine Oil Filter (replace)
Every 22,500 miBrake Linings (inspect) · Wheel Bearing (inspect)
Every 30,000 miEngine Air Filter Element (replace) · Engine Breather Filter (replace) · Engine Coolant System (drain, flush & refill) · PCV Valve (inspect) · Spark Plugs (replace)
At 52,500 miEngine Coolant System (drain, flush & refill)
At 60,000 miPCV Valve (inspect)
Every 60,000 miIgnition Timing (inspect) · Spark Plug Wires (replace)
Every 90,000 miTiming Belt (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 1993 Plymouth Acclaim sits in the middle of a generation that saw complaint volumes peak early and then generally decline. While it benefits from having zero recalls—a notable improvement over the 1991 model’s three—its 93 complaints are higher than both the preceding year (73) and the following year (80), and more than double the 1995 figure of 34. The top problem areas are evenly distributed across the engine, power train, and suspension, each with 14 complaints, plus 11 for air bags, and the record includes 15 crash-related and 3 fire-related complaints. This pattern suggests that while the 1993 model avoided the recall triggers of earlier years, it still carries a meaningful complaint load that only tapers off in later models. A 1995 Acclaim would likely be a more reliable choice; if considering this 1993, a thorough pre-purchase inspection of the engine, transmission, and suspension is strongly advised.

0
Open recalls
NHTSA campaigns
44
Service bulletins
Manufacturer communications
2
ODI investigations
Office of Defects Investigation
93
Owner complaints
15 involved a crash · 3 a fire
Owner complaints by model year NHTSA · this generation & adjacent

Owner complaints filed with NHTSA, by component

All 93 complaints on record, top 8 components.

Engine & Engine Cooling14
Power Train14
Suspension14
Air Bags11
Electrical System10
Steering5
Vehicle Speed Control5
Service Brakes, Hydraulic3

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.

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 1993 Acclaim 2.5L L4 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 1993 Acclaim have open recalls?

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

What gas mileage does the 2.5L L4 get?

EPA figures are 19 city / 24 highway / 21 combined mpg.