SuzukiSamurai1992Overview/suzuki/samurai/1992/base/

1992 Suzuki Samurai

Factory specifications, fluid capacities, torque values, EPA fuel economy and the federal safety record for the 1992 Samurai.

Transmission Manual 5-spd

The 1992 Suzuki Samurai is paired with a 5-speed manual transmission and an engine requiring 3.9 quarts of 20W-50, 15W-40, or 15W-50 API oil, yielding an EPA rating of 24/26/25 mpg. In the model's 1990-1998 reliability history, the 1992 year recorded the highest number of owner complaints at six, with the wheels cited as the top complaint area. This specific model year, however, maintained a record of zero recalls.

Model year199519941993199219911990198919881987

Quick specs

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

Engine oil capacity3.9 qtOEM · verified
Engine oil type20W-50 / 15W-40 / 15W-50 APIOEM · verified
EPA fuel economy24/26/25 mpgEPA · verified

Full specifications

Engine, drivetrain, dimensions and economy.

Engine & drivetrain NHTSA vPIC

TransmissionManual 5-spd

Dimensions & weight NHTSA vPIC

Overall length135 in
Overall width60.2 in
Overall height65.7 in
Wheelbase79.9 in
Curb weight2094 lb

Ratings & economy EPA / vPIC

EPA city / highway / combined24 / 26 / 25 mpg
DrivetrainRear-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 3.9 qt of 20W-50 / 15W-40 / 15W-50 API engine oil, 75W-80 · 75W-90 · GL-5 in the differential.

Lubricants & capacities

Differential Gear Oil75W-80 · 75W-90 · GL-5
Differential Gear Oil Capacity3.2 Pints
Engine OilABOVE 14 degrees F
Engine Oil Capacity3.9 qt
Power Steering FluidATF
Transfer Case Fluid75W-80 · 75W-90 · GL-4
Transfer Case Fluid Capacity1.7 Pints

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 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 miBrake System (inspect) · Drive Axle Assembly (drain & refill) · Suspension Shock or Strut (inspect) · Throttle Cable (inspect) · Transmission Assembly (drain & refill)
Every 7,500 miBody Fasteners (torque) · Door Stop (lubricate) · Engine Oil (drain & refill) · Engine Oil Filter (replace) · Frame Fasteners (torque) · Shift Linkage (inspect)
Every 15,000 miBrake Pedal Assembly (inspect) · Brake System (inspect) · CV Joint Boot (inspect) · Distributor Cap (inspect) · Distributor Rotor (inspect) · Driveshaft U-Joint (lubricate)
Every 30,000 miAir Injection System (inspect) · Choke System (inspect) · Drive Axle Assembly (drain & refill) · Engine Air Filter Element (replace) · Engine Coolant System (drain, flush & refill) · Exhaust System (Complete) (inspect)
Every 50,000 miEGR System (inspect)
At 60,000 miDrive Axle Assembly (drain & refill)
Every 60,000 miAccessory Drive Belt (inspect) · Brake Hydraulic System (drain, refill & bleed) · Emission Control System (inspect) · Fuel Line (inspect) · Ignition Timing (inspect) · Spark Plug Wires (replace)
Every 80,000 miOxygen Sensor (replace)
At 90,000 miTiming Belt (inspect)

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 1992 Suzuki Samurai recorded 6 consumer complaints—the highest in the dataset—while notably receiving zero recalls and zero NHTSA investigations that year, a stark contrast to 1990 and 1991 which each had one investigation. Complaints dropped sharply to 2 in 1994 and just 1 by 1998, suggesting the 1992 model year may represent a peak in manufacturing or design issues that were subsequently addressed. The top complaint categories were wheels (2), visibility (1), steering (1), and structure (1), with one crash-related complaint filed and no fire complaints. TSBs remained constant at 2 throughout the period, indicating ongoing technical service bulletins but no formal safety recall specifically for 1992. The absence of a recall or investigation despite elevated complaints is atypical and may indicate unresolved but non-critical issues. Given this profile, the 1992 model appears to carry more documented consumer concerns than later years, making it a riskier purchase within the Samurai generation.

0
Open recalls
NHTSA campaigns
2
Service bulletins
Manufacturer communications
0
ODI investigations
Office of Defects Investigation
6
Owner complaints
1 involved a crash · 0 a fire
Owner complaints by model year NHTSA · this generation & adjacent

Owner complaints filed with NHTSA, by component

All 6 complaints on record, top 5 components.

Wheels2
Visibility1
Steering1
Structure1
Suspension1

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 2 of 2 bulletins on record with NHTSA.

BulletinDateComponentSummary
N-Q-G-0452018-11-20SuspensionThis Service Bulletin was sent by Suzuki Motor Corporation to its authorized Suzuki…
0104145Engine And Engine CoolingCORRECT COOLANT USAGE. *EH

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 Samurai. OEM
Build data
Plant, GVWR class, engine and body data for any 17-character VIN.
Recalls
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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 1992 Samurai take?

3.9 qt of ABOVE 14 degrees F: 20W-50 API, ABOVE 0 degrees F: 15W-40 OR 15W-50 API, ABOVE -4 degrees F: 10W-40 OR 10W-50 API, -4 degrees F TO 86 degrees F: 10W-30 API, BELOW 86 degrees F: 5W-30 API (STARBURS, per the factory manual.

Does the 1992 Samurai have open recalls?

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

What gas mileage does the Samurai get?

EPA figures are 24 city / 26 highway / 25 combined mpg.