PlymouthSundance19942.5L/plymouth/sundance/1994/2-5l/
AP platform

1994 Plymouth Sundance — 2.5L

Factory specifications, fluid capacities, torque values, EPA fuel economy and the federal safety record for the 1994 Sundance 2.5L.

Engine 2.5LTransmission Automatic 3-spd

The 1994 Plymouth Sundance is a compact hatchback built on Chrysler's AP platform and powered by a naturally aspirated 2.5L four-cylinder mated to a 3-speed automatic transmission, returning EPA figures of 19 city, 25 highway, and 22 combined mpg. Routine maintenance is straightforward, with the engine taking 4.5 quarts of oil with filter in any of three accepted viscosities — 5W-30, 10W-30, or 15W-40 depending on climate and operating conditions. From a reliability standpoint, the 1994 model year logged 66 owner complaints across the 1990–1998 model run, placing it just below the 1992 peak of 70 complaints and well above the single complaint recorded for the final 1998 model year, meaning this Sundance still falls within the higher-complaint middle stretch of the vehicle's lifecycle; the most frequently cited problem area is the seats, and the model carries one recall, so a prospective buyer should expect to address interior wear more than any major mechanical failure.

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 economy19/25/22 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 Note the factory engine air filter, spark plug and thermostat are now discontinued — plan on a superseded or quality aftermarket equivalent, which the part pages below list where known.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 filter04288899 discontinued · alt 04213583AB
Fuel filter04495780
Spark plug68305411AA discontinued · alt 68304174AA
Front wiper blades4334667 alt 04389350
Serpentine beltB0015396 alt B0015481AB
ThermostatMD997310 discontinued · alt 04494470

Full specifications

Engine, drivetrain, dimensions and economy.

Engine & drivetrain NHTSA vPIC

TransmissionAutomatic 3-spd

Dimensions & weight NHTSA vPIC

Overall length171.7 in
Overall width67.3 in
Overall height52.8 in
Wheelbase96.9 in
Curb weight2546 lb
Track (front / rear)57.5 / 57.1 in

Ratings & economy EPA / vPIC

EPA city / highway / combined19 / 25 / 22 mpg
DrivetrainFront-Wheel Drive
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 60,000 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 7,500 miBrake Hydraulic System (inspect fluid level) · Brake Line (inspect) · CV Joint Boot (inspect) · Engine Coolant System (leak inspection) · Engine Oil (drain & refill) · Exhaust System (Complete) (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) · Steering Linkage (inspect) · Suspension System (inspect)
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)

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 federal record for the Plymouth Sundance generation shows a trend of escalating issues that peaked in 1992 with 70 complaints and 4 recalls, followed by a plateau of 66 complaints in both 1993 and 1994, before dropping sharply to just 2 complaints in 1995. The 1994 model year sits at the tail end of this elevated complaint plateau, matching 1993 with 66 complaints, 1 recall, and 3 investigations; this implies that while the acute issues driving the earlier recalls were likely addressed, chronic problems persisted into 1994. Specifically for 1994, the primary complaint areas are Seats and Air Bags (7 complaints each), alongside Power Train and Service Brakes, Hydraulic (6 each), though the data does not specify the root causes for these failures. The 1994 model also carries 15 crash complaints and 4 fire complaints, indicating potential severity in some of the reported defects. Because 1994 fails to show the dramatic improvement seen in the 1995 model year, it is not an optimal year to buy; prospective owners should either seek out a 1995 model or demand rigorous documentation that the airbag and hydraulic brake issues have been fully resolved.

1
Open recalls
NHTSA campaigns
37
Service bulletins
Manufacturer communications
3
ODI investigations
Office of Defects Investigation
66
Owner complaints
15 involved a crash · 4 a fire
Owner complaints by model year NHTSA · this generation & adjacent

Owner complaints filed with NHTSA, by component

All 66 complaints on record, top 8 components.

Seats7
Air Bags7
Power Train6
Service Brakes, Hydraulic6
Structure5
Suspension5
Engine & Engine Cooling5
Electrical System4

Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint database.

Recalls NHTSA · verified

Showing 1 of 1 campaigns on record for this vehicle.

99V212000Seats:Front Assembly:ReclinerReported 06/08/1999

VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES. THE LOWER SEAT BACK ATTACHING BOLT ON THE DRIVER SEAT CAN FAIL AND SEPARATE. Remedy: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE LOWER SEAT BACK ATTACHING BOLT ON THE DRIVER'S SEAT WITH A HIGHER STRENGTH BOLT THAT INCLUDES A SELF LOCKING NYLON PATCH.

Technical service bulletins NHTSA · verified

Showing 5 of 37 bulletins on record with NHTSA.

BulletinDateComponentSummary
R2118796A2016-02-26Engine And Engine CoolingValve Body. These may cause over drive cycling.
08010012001-05-25Electrical SystemSUBJECT REGARDING AIRBAG / CLOCK SPRING SERVICE FOR VARIOUS MODELS INCLUDING 2002 MODEL…
21006012001-03-16Power TrainAUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION FLUID USAGE ATF+4. *TT *MJ
0800600REV2000-12-29Electrical SystemSUBJECT REGARDING WIRE SPLICE REPAIRS. *SB
2300800B2000-11-24SeatsSUBJECT REGARDING CHILD SEAT TETHER ANCHORS. *TT

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 Sundance. 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 1994 Sundance 2.5L 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 1994 Sundance have open recalls?

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

What gas mileage does the 2.5L get?

EPA figures are 19 city / 25 highway / 22 combined mpg.