PlymouthVoyager19963.8L V6/plymouth/voyager/1996/3-8l-v6/
NS platform

1996 Plymouth Voyager — 3.8L V6

Factory specifications, fluid capacities, torque values, EPA fuel economy and the federal safety record for the 1996 Voyager 3.8L V6.

Body VANEngine 3.8L V6

Underpinned by the NS platform and propelled by a 3.8L V6, the 1996 Plymouth Voyager is a van whose straightforward routine maintenance—requiring 4.5 quarts of 5W-30 or 10W-30 API oil with a filter—belies a deeply problematic mechanical record. The model carries 1,552 total owner complaints predominantly focused on Engine & Engine Cooling alongside 15 separate recalls, placing it firmly on the troubled end of the 1990-2000 generational timeline. Consequently, this year sits far from the reliability benchmark set by the model's lowest complaint count of 171 in the year 2000, marking it as a notably difficult chapter for researchers to navigate when assessing the Voyager's long-term dependability.

Model year2000199919981997199619951994

Quick specs

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

Engine oil capacity4.5 qt w/ filterOEM · verified
Engine oil type5W-30 / 10W-30 APIOEM · verified
Lug nut torque85-115 ft-lbsOEM · verified

Fitment & sizes

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

From the factory this vehicle uses a BCI 34 · 600 CCA battery, OE oil filter 05281090AB. Note the factory engine air filter, fuel filter, spark plug and thermostat are now discontinued — plan on a superseded or quality aftermarket equivalent, which the part pages below list where known.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.

Battery groupBCI 34 · 600 CCAOEM · verified
Tire sizeP205-75SR14OEM · verified
Wheel / rim6-JJ inOEM · verified

OE service part numbers OEM · verified

Engine oil filter05281090AB alt 04105409AE
Engine air filter04213583AB discontinued
Fuel filter05140676AA discontinued
Spark plug68304174AA discontinued · alt 68303949AA
BatteryBB34F101AA alt 82300133
Front wiper blades05096134AC
Serpentine belt05086140AB alt 05281275
ThermostatMD997310 discontinued · alt 04573560AE

Full specifications

Engine, drivetrain, dimensions and economy.

Dimensions & weight NHTSA vPIC

Overall length199.6 in
Overall width75.6 in
Overall height68.5 in
Wheelbase119.3 in
Curb weight4131 lb
Track (front / rear)63 / 64.2 in

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 5W-30 / 10W-30 API engine oil, DOT 3 brake fluid. Torque lug nuts to 85-115 ft-lbs, the oil drain plug to 20.0 ft-lbs. The firing order is 1-2-3-4-5-6.

Lubricants & capacities

Brake FluidDOT 3
Engine Oil5W-30 · API · 10W-30
Engine Oil Capacity4.5 qt w/ filter

Engine torques

Crankshaft Pulley and/or Damper Bolts40 ft-lbs
Engine Flywheel BoltsAT: 55 ft-lbs, MT: 70 ft-lbs
Engine Oil Pan Drain Plug20.0 ft-lbs
Oil Pump to Cylinder BLock Bolts/Studs9 ft-lbs

Chassis torques

Lug Nuts85-115 ft-lbs
Front Wheel Hub180 ft-lbs
Rear Wheel Hub180 ft-lbs

Ignition

Cylinder Firing Order1-2-3-4-5-6
Ignition Coil Primary Resistance.45-.65 ohms
Ignition Coil Secondary Resistance7000-15,800 ohms
Spark Plug ManufacturerChampion
Spark Plug Gap0.048-0.053 in
Spark Plug Torque20 ft-lbs

Battery & A/C

RefrigerantR134a
Oil GroupPAG
Oil TypeND 8 oil
Standard BCI Group Number34
Standard BCI Cranking Performance600 cca
Optional BCI Group Number34
Optional BCI Cranking Performance685 cca

Service checks

Injector Primary Resistance4.2-5.0 na CNG ohms
Injector Primary Resistance13-16 @ 68 degreesF ohms
Engine Compression100
Engine Compression100
Engine Compression100 Minimum psi
Engine Oil Pressure30-80 psi
Engine Oil Pressure RPM3000 rpm
Intake Valve LashHydraulic in

Brakes

Brake ApplicationWITH REAR DISC BRAKES / WITH STANDARD
Torque to Knuckle16 ft-lbs / 30 ft-lbs
Minimum Pad ThicknessFront: 0.313; Rear: 0.276 specification
Minimum Shoe Thickness0.030
Brake ApplicationWITH REAR DISC BRAKES / WITH STANDARD
Rotor Max Parallel Variation0.0005 in
Rotor Runout Limit0.003 in
Rotor Nominal Thickness From0.468 in / 0.482 in / 0.939 in

Multi-step torque procedures OEM · verified

Connecting Rod (Large End) Bearings — tightening sequence 1 stages
140 ft. lbs., Step 2: 9040 ft. lbs
Main Bearings — tightening sequence 1 stages
130 ft. lbs., Step 2: 9030 ft. lbs

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) · Clutch Master Cylinder (inspect fluid level) · Engine Coolant System (leak inspection) · Engine Oil (drain & refill) · Engine Oil Filter (replace)
Every 30,000 miAccessory Drive Belt (inspect) · Brake Linings (inspect) · Engine Air Filter Element (replace) · Engine Coolant System (drain, flush & refill) · Exhaust System (Complete) (inspect) · Fuel Line (inspect)
At 52,500 miEngine Coolant System (drain, flush & refill)
Every 60,000 miFuel Evaporative Emission Control System (inspect) · Fuel Tank (inspect) · Fuel Tank Filler Cap (inspect) · PCV Valve (inspect) · Spark Plug Wires (replace) · Spark Plugs (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 1996 Plymouth Voyager marks the first year of a new generation, and while the federal record omits its total complaint count, the available data points to a problematic entry. Compared to the preceding 1995 model (405 complaints, 4 recalls), the 1996 year shows a sharp increase in specific trouble areas—202 engine complaints, 173 fuel-system complaints, and 77 fire complaints—suggesting a regression in reliability. The subsequent 1997 model required 11 recalls and 141 TSBs, indicating that the new generation carried persistent issues that likely began with the 1996 launch. This places the 1996 Voyager at the start of a high-complaint, high-recall arc, making it a risky purchase for a used vehicle. **Takeaway: Avoid the 1996 Voyager—it is a first-year redesign with elevated fire and engine complaints, and the data does not support it as a reliable choice.**

15
Open recalls
NHTSA campaigns
143
Service bulletins
Manufacturer communications
14
ODI investigations
Office of Defects Investigation
1,552
Owner complaints
48 involved a crash · 77 a fire
Owner complaints by model year NHTSA · this generation & adjacent

Owner complaints filed with NHTSA, by component

All 1,552 complaints on record, top 8 components.

Engine & Engine Cooling202
Fuel System, Gasoline173
Power Train151
Air Bags116
Electrical System90
Service Brakes, Hydraulic85
Visibility75
Structure72

Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint database.

Recalls NHTSA · verified

Showing 2 of 11 campaigns on record for this vehicle.

00V268000Fuel System, Gasoline:Fuel Injection SystemReported 13/09/2000

VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: MINI VANS BUILT WITH 3.3L AND 3.8L ENGINES HAVE FUEL RAILS WITH NITROLE RUBBER O-RING SEALS THAT CAN DEGRADE OVER TIME. FUEL LEAKAGE FROM THE UNDERHOOD FUEL INJECTION FUEL RAIL COULD RESULT… Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSTALL A SEAL ON THE VEHICLE FUEL RAILS TO PREVENT EXTERNAL LEAKAGE OF FUEL FROM THE FUEL RAIL CROSSOVER TUBE, SHOULD THE EXISTING O-RINGS CONTINUE TO DEGRADE. OWNER…

99V216000Fuel System, Gasoline:Delivery:Fuel PumpReported 09/08/1999

VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: MINIVANS. FUEL CAN LEAK FROM THE FUEL TANK AT THE INTERFACE OF THE FUEL PUMP MODULE ATTACHMENT. Remedy: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE FUEL PUMP MODULE ATTACHING NUT WITH A NUT THAT INCLUDES TIGHTER DESIGN TOLERANCES. THE SEALING O-RING WILL ALSO BE REPLACED.

Technical service bulletins NHTSA · verified

Showing 5 of 143 bulletins on record with NHTSA.

BulletinDateComponentSummary
08-049-202020-04-22Electrical SystemCharging System, Battery Diagnostic Tools and Warranty This information only bulletin…
31005192019-11-20StructureUse of Aftermarket Parts This bulletin involves discussing FCA US LLC position with…
31006192019-11-20StructureRepair Parts Used For Structural Repairs This bulletin involves discussing FCA US LLC…
31003192019-11-20StructureUse of Salvage/Recycled Parts This bulletin involves discussing FCA US LLC position with…
31-006-192019-11-20StructureRepair Parts Used For Structural Repairs This bulletin involves discussing FCA US LLC…

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 Voyager. 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 1996 Voyager 3.8L V6 take?

4.5 qt w/ filter of BELOW 32 F: 5W-30 API, BELOW 100 F: 5W-30 API, ABOVE 0 F: 10W-30 API, per the factory manual.

Does the 1996 Voyager have open recalls?

NHTSA lists 15 recall campaign(s) for this model year. Check your specific vehicle by VIN.