SuzukiSamurai1995Overview/suzuki/samurai/1995/base/

1995 Suzuki Samurai

Factory specifications, fluid capacities, torque values, EPA fuel economy and the federal safety record for the 1995 Samurai.

Transmission Manual 5-spd

The 1995 Suzuki Samurai is a compact four‑wheel‑drive built on Suzuki’s long‑running platform and equipped with a manual 5‑speed gearbox, drawing 3.9 qt of oil that can be specified to any of the three approved viscosities—20W‑50, 15W‑40, or 15W‑50—under the API standard. Its fuel economy falls in the mid‑20 mpg range, quoted at 24 mpg city, 26 mpg highway and 25 mpg combined, reflecting the modest powertrain that defines the model. Positioned within the 1990‑1998 production span, the 1995 Samurai sits in a period where complaint counts were descending from the peak of six complaints in 1992 toward the low of a single complaint recorded in 1998, indicating a gradual improvement in reliability as the generation matured.

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
Lug nut torque58-79 ft-lbsOEM · verified
EPA fuel economy24/26/25 mpgEPA · verified

Fitment & sizes

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

From the factory this vehicle uses a BCI 51 · 405 CCA battery. 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 51 · 405 CCAOEM · verified

Full specifications

Engine, drivetrain, dimensions and economy.

Engine & drivetrain NHTSA vPIC

TransmissionManual 5-spd

Ratings & economy EPA / vPIC

EPA city / highway / combined24 / 26 / 25 mpg
Drivetrain4-Wheel or All-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. Torque lug nuts to 58-79 ft-lbs, the oil drain plug to 22.0-28.0 ft-lbs. The firing order is 1-3-4-2.

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

Engine torques

Connecting Rod (Large End) Bearings25 ft-lbs
Engine Flywheel Bolts42-47 ft-lbs
Main Bearings37-41 ft-lbs
Engine Oil Pan Drain Plug22.0-28.0 ft-lbs
Oil Pump to Cylinder BLock Bolts/Studs8 ft-lbs

Chassis torques

Lug Nuts58-79 ft-lbs
Transfer Case Fill Plug17.0 ft-lbs
Transfer Case Drain Plug17.0 ft-lbs

Ignition

Cylinder Firing Order1-3-4-2
Spark Plug ManufacturerDenso
Spark Plug Gap0.039-0.0.043 in
Spark Plug Torque21.0 ft-lbs
Ignition Timing5 degrees
Ignition Timing Acceptable Variance1 degrees

Battery & A/C

RefrigerantR134a
Standard BCI Group Number51
Standard BCI Cranking Performance405 cca

Service checks

Pressure Test13 psi
Radiator Cap Pressure Relief13 psi
Engine Oil Pressure48-62 psi
Engine Oil Pressure RPM4000 rpm
Intake Valve Lash0.0090-0.0110 in
Exhaust Valve Lash0.0102-0.0118 in

Brakes

Minimum Pad ThicknessFront: 0.236 specification
Minimum Shoe Thickness0.120

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) · Transfer Case Assembly (drain & refill) · 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 miTransfer Case Assembly (drain & refill)
Every 60,000 miAccessory Drive Belt (inspect) · Brake Hydraulic System (drain, refill & bleed) · Emission Control System (inspect) · Fuel Filter (replace) · 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.

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

No owner complaints on record with NHTSA for this vehicle.

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 1 of 1 bulletins on record with NHTSA.

BulletinDateComponentSummary
N-Q-G-0452018-11-20SuspensionThis Service Bulletin was sent by Suzuki Motor Corporation to its authorized Suzuki…

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 1995 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 1995 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.