PontiacSunbird1993Overview/pontiac/sunbird/1993/base/

1993 Pontiac Sunbird

Factory specifications, fluid capacities, torque values, EPA fuel economy and the federal safety record for the 1993 Sunbird.

Body PASSENGER CAR

The 1993 Pontiac Sunbird is a passenger car equipped with a 4-quart engine oil capacity using 5W-30 API viscosity, and in this model year it recorded the highest owner complaint count in its decade-long production span with 46 total complaints focused primarily on the Engine & Engine Cooling system, alongside three recalls, making it the least reliable iteration of the 1990-1999 Sunbird lineup and notably more problematic than the model's lowest complaint year of 1995, which saw just one recorded issue.

Model year199419931992199119901989198819871986

Quick specs

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

Engine oil capacity4 qtOEM · verified
Engine oil type5W-30 APIOEM · verified

Fitment & sizes

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

From the factory this vehicle uses OE oil filter 12737092. Note the factory fuel filter and front wiper blades are now discontinued — plan on a superseded or quality aftermarket equivalent, which the part pages below list where known.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 filter12737092 alt 25322835
Engine air filter24577608 alt 25043119
Fuel filter25121293 discontinued
Spark plug19354418 alt 19354423
Front wiper blades22110234 discontinued
Thermostat24507563 alt 10192505

Full specifications

Engine, drivetrain, dimensions and economy.

Dimensions & weight NHTSA vPIC

Overall length180.3 in
Overall width66.1 in
Overall height53.5 in
Wheelbase101.2 in
Curb weight2491 lb
Weight distribution (front / rear)64/36

Service quick specs OEM factory data

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

This engine holds 4 qt of 5W-30 API engine oil.

Lubricants & capacities

Engine CoolantETHYLENE GLYCOL
Engine Oil5W-30 · API
Engine Oil Capacity4 qt
Engine Oil5W-30 · API
Engine Oil Capacity4 qt
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 miDistributor Cap (inspect) · EGR System (inspect) · Engine Coolant System (drain, flush & refill) · Ignition Timing (inspect) · Spark Plug Wires (inspect) · Spark Plugs (replace)
Every 60,000 miPCV System (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 1993 Pontiac Sunbird sits at the crest of this generation's federal-reporting curve: its 46 complaints match the generation high set in 1994 and represent a steady climb from 15 complaints in 1990, 37 in 1991, and 39 in 1992. Technical service bulletins also peak at 22 for 1993, up from 19 in 1992 and 9 in 1991, while recalls moderate only slightly to three after two consecutive years at four. The top complaint categories—Engine & Engine Cooling (8), Service Brakes, Hydraulic (7), Electrical System (5), and Seat Belts (5)—together with six crash-related and five fire-related complaints, make 1993 the most heavily documented model year in the record. From 1995 onward, complaints, recalls, and investigations fall sharply, suggesting either running design changes or simply aging fleet attrition, though the data does not specify the reason. Given that 1993 carries the generation's highest complaint and TSB counts before the post-1994 decline, it is not the strongest year to buy; a 1995 or later example would show a materially cleaner federal record, if one is available.

3
Open recalls
NHTSA campaigns
22
Service bulletins
Manufacturer communications
1
ODI investigations
Office of Defects Investigation
46
Owner complaints
6 involved a crash · 5 a fire
NHTSA crash-test rating federal NCAP · out of 5 stars
Rollover★★★★
Owner complaints by model year NHTSA · this generation & adjacent

Owner complaints filed with NHTSA, by component

All 46 complaints on record, top 8 components.

Engine & Engine Cooling8
Service Brakes, Hydraulic7
Electrical System5
Seat Belts5
Vehicle Speed Control4
Structure3
Seats2
Visibility2

Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint database.

Recalls NHTSA · verified

Showing 2 of 3 campaigns on record for this vehicle.

09E012000Exterior LightingReported 07/04/2009

SABERSPORT IS RECALLING 16,270 COMBINATION CORNER AND BUMPER LAMP ASSEMBLIES OF VARIOUS PART NUMBERS SOLD FOR USE AS AFTERMARKET EQUIPMENT FOR VARIOUS PASSENGER VEHICLES. THESE HEADLAMPS FAIL TO CONFORM TO THE… Remedy: SABERSPORT WILL NOTIFY OWNERS AND OFFER A FULL REFUND FOR THE NONCOMPLIANT COMBINATION LAMPS. THE SAFETY RECALL BEGAN ON MAY 11, 2009. OWNERS MAY CONTACT SABERSPORT AT…

93V121000Service Brakes, Hydraulic:Foundation Components:Hoses, Lines/Piping, And FittingsReported 21/07/1993

THE BRAKE HOSES WERE MANUFACTURED INCORRECTLY, AND DO NOT COMPLY WITH FMVSS 106, "BRAKE HOSES." Remedy: REPLACE THE RIGHT FRONT BRAKE HOSE ASSEMBLY ON CIERA AND CENTURY MODELS, AND BOTH REAR BRAKE HOSES ON CAVALIER AND SUNBIRD MODELS.

Technical service bulletins NHTSA · verified

Showing 5 of 22 bulletins on record with NHTSA.

BulletinDateComponentSummary
1300890092013-09-01Engine And Engine CoolingExpanded Availability for Remanufacture and Return (R&R) Electronic Control Modules
041520042004-04-15Service Brakes, AirVEHICLES MAY SET ANYONE OR A COMBINATION OF FRONT-WHEEL SPEED SENSOR ANTI-LOCK BRAKE…
00966B2004-01-01Service Brakes, AirABS FRONT WHEEL SPEED CODES - JUMPER HARNESS. *TT
009662004-01-01Service Brakes, AirANTI-LOCK BRAKING SYSTEM (ABS) FRONT WHEEL SPEED CODES - JUMPER HARNESS. *TT
990730030A2001-04-01Power TrainOWNERS OF SOME VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH HYDRA-MATIC 3T40, 4T60, 4T60-E OR 4T65-E TRANSAXLES…

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 Sunbird. 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 Sunbird take?

4 qt of 5W-30 API, per the factory manual.

Does the 1993 Sunbird have open recalls?

NHTSA lists 3 recall campaign(s) for this model year. Check your specific vehicle by VIN.