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1994 Pontiac Bonneville

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

Body PASSENGER CARTransmission Automatic 4-spd

The 1994 Pontiac Bonneville is classified as a passenger car and came with an automatic four-speed transmission, carrying EPA fuel-economy ratings of 17 city/26 highway/20 combined mpg. Owner-reported reliability records show 107 total complaints, with the Electrical System as the top concern and zero recalls on file. Within the 1990–2005 Bonneville complaint history, the 1994 model sits below the 1998 peak of 299 complaints and above the 2005 low of 27, placing it in the middle-to-lower range of reported problems for this generation.

Model year200520042003200220012000199919981994

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 Note the factory fuel filter and front wiper blades are now discontinued — plan on a superseded or quality aftermarket equivalent, which the part pages below list where known.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 · alt 10283602
Thermostat24505924 alt 25535214

Full specifications

Engine, drivetrain, dimensions and economy.

Engine & drivetrain NHTSA vPIC

TransmissionAutomatic 4-spd

Dimensions & weight NHTSA vPIC

Overall length199.6 in
Overall width74.4 in
Overall height55.9 in
Wheelbase110.6 in
Curb weight3446 lb
Track (front / rear)60.6 / 60.2 in
Weight distribution (front / rear)64/36

Ratings & economy EPA / vPIC

EPA city / highway / combined17 / 26 / 20 mpg
DrivetrainFront-Wheel Drive
Passenger volume109 cu ft
Cargo volume17 cu ft
Recommended fuelRegular Gasoline

Performance & power Independent road tests

0–60 mph, quarter-mile, horsepower and torque from independent road tests.

Independent road tests for the Bonneville of this era, listed by trim and engine — this page spans more than one engine, so no single horsepower figure is shown.

7.1–7.7 sec0–60 mph (tested)quickest 7.10 sec — 1995 SE Sedan
YearTrim / engine0–60¼ mileHPDrivetrain
1995SE Sedan 3.8L Supercharger V67.10 sec15.40 sec225 hpFWD
1996SE Sedan 3.8L Supercharger V67.70 sec15.80 sec225 hpFWD
1998SE Sedan 3.8L V67.30 sec15.50 sec205 hpFWD

Service quick specs OEM factory data

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

Lubricants & capacities

Engine CoolantETHYLENE GLYCOL
Power Steering FluidUSE GM PART NO. 1052884 OR EQUIVALENT

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; 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.

At 7,500 miEngine Oil Filter (replace) · Tire & Wheel Assembly (rotate)
Every 7,500 miAxle Shaft Oil Seal (inspect) · Body Latches, Locks & Hinges (inspect) · CV Joint Boot (inspect) · Engine Oil (drain & refill) · Parking Brake Cable (lubricate) · Shift Linkage (inspect)
Every 15,000 miEngine Oil Filter (replace) · Tire & Wheel Assembly (rotate)
Every 30,000 miEngine Coolant System (drain, flush & refill) · Spark Plug Wires (inspect) · Spark Plugs (replace) · Supercharger Assembly (inspect fluid condition) · Thermostatically Controlled Air Cleaner Assembly (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.

The 1994 Pontiac Bonneville recorded 107 complaints and zero recalls, placing its complaint level above the 1990‑1991 years but below the 1992 peak of 132 complaints. Compared with the surrounding model years, 1994 follows a sharp rise in complaints from 1992 and precedes the even higher complaint counts seen from 1995 through 1998, which reached a high of 299 complaints in 1998. Recall activity shows a similar pattern: 1994 had none, while 1992 had three recalls and 1995 had one, indicating a relatively low recall burden for this year. Technical service bulletins were notably higher in 1994 at 35, exceeding the 1992 total of 24 but remaining well below the numbers that appear after 2000. Overall, the 1994 model sits in a moderate segment of the generation’s complaint and recall arc, offering fewer issues than many later years despite a noticeable volume of service bulletins. Consequently, the 1994 Bonneville presents a comparatively favorable option for a used purchase, though buyers should be aware of the substantial number of TSBs associated with this year.

0
Open recalls
NHTSA campaigns
35
Service bulletins
Manufacturer communications
0
ODI investigations
Office of Defects Investigation
107
Owner complaints
13 involved a crash · 9 a fire
NHTSA crash-test rating federal NCAP · out of 5 stars
Rollover★★★★★
Owner complaints by model year NHTSA · this generation & adjacent
’90’91’92’94’95’96’97’98’99’00’01’02’03’04’05

Owner complaints filed with NHTSA, by component

All 107 complaints on record, top 8 components.

Electrical System14
Air Bags14
Engine & Engine Cooling12
Service Brakes, Hydraulic11
Power Train10
Structure9
Seat Belts8
Unknown Or Other4

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 35 bulletins on record with NHTSA.

BulletinDateComponentSummary
19NA2732019-12-02Electrical SystemThis informational bulletin provides information for dealers/technicians on Procedures to…
PIC4696E2019-11-22EquipmentThis Preliminary Information communication provides information to the technician on how…
PIC4696D2019-09-05EquipmentThis Preliminary Information communication provides information to the technician on how…
PIC4696C2018-05-31EquipmentThis Preliminary Information communication provides information to the technician on how…
1300890092013-09-01Engine And Engine CoolingExpanded Availability for Remanufacture and Return (R&R) Electronic Control Modules

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 Bonneville. 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 Bonneville have open recalls?

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

What gas mileage does the Bonneville get?

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