ToyotaPaseo1996Overview/toyota/paseo/1996/base/

1996 Toyota Paseo

Factory specifications, fluid capacities, torque values, EPA fuel economy and the federal safety record for the 1996 Paseo.

Transmission Automatic 4-spd

The 1996 Toyota Paseo pairs a 4-speed automatic transmission with EPA fuel economy ratings of 24/31/27 mpg, while routine maintenance calls for 3 quarts of 10W-30 or 5W-30 API engine oil. As the final evolution of the 1992-1997 generation, this model year represents the nameplate's most reliable iteration, accumulating just 2 owner complaints—focused chiefly on air bag systems—and zero recalls. That figure marks a significant improvement over the 19 complaints logged for the 1992 debut year, positioning the 1996 Paseo as the most trouble-free example of its short production span.

Model year199719961995199419931992

Quick specs

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

Engine oil capacity3 qtOEM · verified
Engine oil type10W-30 / 5W-30 APIOEM · verified
Lug nut torque76 ft-lbsOEM · verified
EPA fuel economy24/31/27 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 90915YZZN1. 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.

Tail / brake / turnOFFOEM · verified
Tire size185-60R14OEM · verified
Wheel / rim5.5-JJ inOEM · verified

OE service part numbers OEM · verified

Engine oil filter90915YZZN1
Engine air filter1780111080
Fuel filter2330019385
Spark plug9091901192
Front wiper blades85212YZZ04TM alt 852221G090
Serpentine belt993642110083 alt 909160234183
Thermostat9091603046 alt 1632563011

Full specifications

Engine, drivetrain, dimensions and economy.

Engine & drivetrain NHTSA vPIC

TransmissionAutomatic 4-spd

Dimensions & weight NHTSA vPIC

Overall length163.8 in
Overall width65.4 in
Overall height51.2 in
Wheelbase93.7 in
Curb weight2039 lb
Track (front / rear)55.1 / 55.1 in
Weight distribution (front / rear)65/35

Ratings & economy EPA / vPIC

EPA city / highway / combined24 / 31 / 27 mpg
DrivetrainFront-Wheel Drive
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 Paseo of this era, listed by trim and engine — this page spans more than one engine, so no single horsepower figure is shown.

9.5 sec0–60 mph (tested)quickest 9.50 sec — 1996 Coupe
YearTrim / engine0–60¼ mileHPDrivetrain
1996Coupe 1.5L I-49.50 sec17.00 sec93 hpFWD

Service quick specs OEM factory data

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

This engine holds 3 qt of 10W-30 / 5W-30 API engine oil, DOT 3 brake fluid. Torque lug nuts to 76 ft-lbs, the oil drain plug to 18.0 ft-lbs. The firing order is 1-3-4-2. Note the cylinder-head bolts finish on a torque angle (torque-to-yield) — they stretch permanently and should be replaced, not reused, during any head service.

Lubricants & capacities

Brake FluidDOT 3
Engine Oil10W-30 · API · 5W-30
Engine Oil Capacity3 qt
Power Steering FluidATF

Engine torques

Camshaft Bearing/Carrier Cap Bolts or Studs9 ft-lbs
Connecting Rod (Large End) Bearings30 ft-lbs
Crankshaft Pulley and/or Damper Bolts112 ft-lbs
Engine Flywheel Bolts66 ft-lbs
Main Bearings43 ft-lbs
Engine Oil Pan Drain Plug18.0 ft-lbs
Oil Pump to Cylinder BLock Bolts/Studs5 ft-lbs

Chassis torques

Lug Nuts76 ft-lbs
Front Wheel Hub159 ft-lbs
Rear Wheel Hub159 ft-lbs

Ignition

Cylinder Firing Order1-3-4-2
Curb Idle Speed (No Load)750 rpm
Curb Idle Speed Variance (No Load)50 rpm
Ignition Coil Primary Resistance.67-1.05 ohms
Ignition Coil Secondary Resistance9300-16,000-10,200-13,800 ohms
Spark Plug ManufacturerDenso
Spark Plug TypeSK16R11
Spark Plug Gap0.043 in

Battery & A/C

RefrigerantR134a
Refrigerant Capacity1.32 lbs
Oil GroupPAG
Oil TypeND 8 oil
Oil Capacity7.61 oz
Optional BCI Group Number25
Optional BCI Cranking Performance410 cca

Service checks

Pressure Test17 psi
Radiator Cap Pressure Relief11-15 psi
Thermostat Opening Temperature176-183 °F
Regulated Fuel System Pressure (Without Vacuum)41.0-42.0 psi
Regulated Fuel System Pressure (With Vacuum)33.0-37.0 psi
Injector Primary Resistance13.4-14.2 na ohms
Injector Primary Resistance12-16 na ohms
Engine Compression142-185 psi

Brakes

Torque Caliper to Bracket65 ft-lbs
Torque to Knuckle76 ft-lbs
Minimum Pad ThicknessFront: 0.039; Rear: 0.039 in
Minimum Shoe Thickness0.039 in
Rotor Runout Limit0.0035 in
Rotor Nominal Thickness From0.709 in
Rotor Nominal Thickness To0.709 in
Rotor Discard at or Under0.669 in

Multi-step torque procedures OEM · verified

Cylinder Head — tightening sequence 2 stages
133 ft. lbs.33 ft. lbs
290 degrees.90 degrees

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 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.

Every 7,500 miEngine Oil (drain & refill) · Engine Oil Filter (replace) · Tire & Wheel Assembly (rotate)
Every 15,000 miAccessory Drive Belt (inspect) · Axle Shaft Oil Seal (inspect) · Brake System (inspect) · CV Joint Boot (inspect) · Exhaust System (Complete) (inspect) · Final Drive (inspect fluid level)
Every 30,000 miEngine Air Filter Element (replace) · Engine Coolant System (drain, flush & refill) · Fuel Line (inspect) · Fuel Tank (inspect) · Spark Plugs (replace) · Wheel Bearing (inspect)
At 60,000 miAccessory Drive Belt (inspect)
Every 60,000 miEngine Valves (inspect valve lash) · Fuel Evaporative Canister (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.

Across the 19921997 Paseo generation, federal complaints fell sharply from a first-year high of 19 in 1992 to a plateau of 11 in 1993–1994, then dropped to just 2 in the 1996 model year before ticking back up to 4 in 1997. The generation saw zero recalls and zero investigations throughout its entire run, which is a notably clean federal record. The 1996 model year sits at the low point of the complaint arc, suggesting that by this late stage in the production cycle most early bugs had been ironed out; however, the two complaints on file are split between Air Bags and Engine & Engine Cooling, with one involving a crash and one involving a fire, so the data does not allow us to dismiss those as trivial. TSBs held relatively steady at 32 in 1996—roughly mid-range for the generation—before spiking to 48 in 1997, though that late jump likely reflects end-of-generation service refinements rather than newly discovered defects. With the lowest complaint count of the entire generation, no recalls, and no investigations, the 1996 Paseo represents a statistically favorable year to buy within this lineup, provided the specific car's maintenance history is sound.

0
Open recalls
NHTSA campaigns
32
Service bulletins
Manufacturer communications
0
ODI investigations
Office of Defects Investigation
2
Owner complaints
1 involved a crash · 1 a fire
Owner complaints by model year NHTSA · this generation & adjacent

Owner complaints filed with NHTSA, by component

All 2 complaints on record, top 2 components.

Air Bags1
Engine & Engine Cooling1

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 32 bulletins on record with NHTSA.

BulletinDateComponentSummary
TSB0032202023-08-17Air BagsTSB: Replacement certification labels (the vinyl label installed on the driver door or…
Toyota PRO19-022022-01-12TiresPOL: This consolidated Tire Warranty Guide contains the complete warranty terms for all…
T-SB-0032-20 Rev2021-02-03EquipmentTSB: Replacement certification labels (the vinyl label installed on the driver door or…
T-SB-0304-17 Obs2020-04-07EquipmentTSB: OBSOLETE NOTICE April 07, 2020: This bulletin is now obsolete. Please see…
T-SB-0032-202020-04-06EquipmentTSB: SUPERSESSION NOTICE The information contained in this bulletin supersedes Service…

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

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VIN
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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 1996 Paseo take?

3 qt of ABOVE 0 F: 10W-30 API, BELOW 50 F: 5W-30 API, per the factory manual.

Does the 1996 Paseo have open recalls?

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

What gas mileage does the Paseo get?

EPA figures are 24 city / 31 highway / 27 combined mpg.