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1992 Volkswagen Corrado

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

Transmission Automatic 4-spd

The 1992 Volkswagen Corrado requires 4.2 qt of oil with permissible viscosities of 20W‑40, 20W‑50 or 20W‑20 API, delivers EPA fuel‑economy ratings of 17/25/20 mpg and is fitted with a four‑speed automatic transmission. It carries three recalls and logged 64 owner complaints—mainly visibility‑related—making it the peak complaint year in the 1990‑1995 span, while the 1995 model recorded only a single complaint. This places the 1992 Corrado at the less reliable end of the model’s history during that period.

Model year1995 1994 1993 1992

Quick specs

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

Engine oil capacity4.2 qtOEM · verified

Engine oil type20W-40 / 20W-50 / 20W-20 APIOEM · verified

EPA fuel economy17/25/20 mpgEPA · verified

Full specifications

Engine, drivetrain, dimensions and economy.

Engine & drivetrain NHTSA vPIC

Transmission

Automatic 4-spd

Dimensions & weight NHTSA vPIC

Overall length	159.4 in
Overall width	65.7 in
Overall height	52 in
Wheelbase	97.2 in
Curb weight	2458 lb
Weight distribution (front / rear)	64/36

Ratings & economy EPA / vPIC

EPA city / highway / combined	17 / 25 / 20 mpg
Drivetrain	Front-Wheel Drive
Recommended fuel	Regular Gasoline

Performance & power Independent road tests

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

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

6.4–7.5 sec0–60 mph (tested)quickest 6.40 sec — 1992 SLC VR6 Coupe

Year	Trim / engine	0–60	¼ mile	HP	Drivetrain
1992	SLC VR6 Coupe 2.8L V6	6.40 sec	15.00 sec	178 hp	FWD
1992	SLC VR6 Coupe 2.8L V6	6.40 sec	15.00 sec	178 hp	FWD
1992	SLC VR6 Coupe 2.8L V6	6.80 sec	15.30 sec	178 hp	FWD
1992	SLC VR6 Coupe 2.8L V6	6.80 sec	15.40 sec	178 hp	FWD
1992	SLC VR6 Coupe 2.8L V6	6.90 sec	15.50 sec	178 hp	FWD
1992	G60 Coupe 1.8L Supercharger I-4	7.50 sec	15.90 sec	158 hp	FWD
1993	SLC VR6 Coupe 2.8L V6	6.80 sec	15.30 sec	178 hp	FWD
1990	G60 Coupe 1.8L Supercharger I-4	7.50 sec	15.70 sec	158 hp	FWD

Service quick specs OEM factory data

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

This engine holds 4.2 qt of 20W-40 / 20W-50 / 20W-20 API engine oil, SYNTHETIC · 75W-90 · GL-4 in the differential, DOT 4 brake fluid.

Lubricants & capacities

Brake Fluid	DOT 4
Differential Gear Oil	SYNTHETIC · 75W-90 · GL-4
Differential Gear Oil Capacity	1.6 Pints
Engine Coolant	ETHYLENE GLYCOL
Engine Oil	API · 20W-40 · 20W-50 · 20W-20
Engine Oil Capacity	4.2 qt
Engine Oil	API · 20W-40 · 20W-50 · 20W-20
Engine Oil Capacity	5.8 qt

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.

At 7,500 mi	Clutch Assembly (inspect) · Engine Oil Filter (replace)
Every 7,500 mi	Engine Oil (drain & refill) · Tire & Wheel Assembly (rotate)
Every 15,000 mi	Axle Shaft Oil Seal (inspect) · Battery (inspect electrolyte level) · Brake System (inspect) · CV Joint Boot (inspect) · Clutch Assembly (inspect) · Door Stop (lubricate)
Every 30,000 mi	Engine Air Filter Element (replace) · Spark Plugs (replace)
Every 60,000 mi	Accessory Drive Belt (inspect) · Oxygen Sensor (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.

In 1992 the Corrado generated 64 complaints, which exceeds the 7 complaints recorded in 1991 and the 48 complaints in 1993, marking it as the highest complaint year in the examined generation. Recalls remain steady at three units, identical to 1990 and 1993, while the number of investigations rises to two only for 1992, indicating that the 1992 model experienced a brief period of heightened scrutiny. The complaint concentration falls under Visibility (31) and Engine & Engine Cooling (10), yet no crash or fire complaints are documented for this year. Compared with the steep decline to 4 complaints in 1994 and 1 complaint in 1995, the 1992 figure represents an outlier that may reflect unresolved early‑model defects. Consequently, while the vehicle is not associated with safety‑critical fire or crash problems, the elevated complaint volume suggests that a 1992 Corrado carries a higher risk of ancillary defects, making later model years a safer purchase choice.

Open recalls

NHTSA campaigns

Service bulletins

Manufacturer communications

ODI investigations

Office of Defects Investigation

Owner complaints

0 involved a crash · 0 a fire

NHTSA crash-test rating federal NCAP · out of 5 stars

Overall★★★★★

Frontal★★★★★

Side★★★★★

Rollover★★★★★

Owner complaints by model year NHTSA · this generation & adjacent

’90 ’91’92’93 ’94 ’95

Owner complaints filed with NHTSA, by component

All 64 complaints on record, top 8 components.

Visibility31

Engine & Engine Cooling10

Electrical System3

Structure3

Engine & Engine Cooling,Visibility2

Exterior Lighting,Visibility2

Service Brakes, Hydraulic2

Power Train2

Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint database.

Recalls NHTSA · verified

Showing 2 of 3 campaigns on record for this vehicle.

92V058000Fuel System, Gasoline:Delivery:Hoses, Lines/Piping, And FittingsReported 14/04/1992

THE FUEL HOSE ATTACHED TO THE FUEL DISTRIBUTION RAIL ON THE ENGINE MAY SHRINK BEYOND THE CLAMP FORCE OF THE FUEL HOSE CLAMPS, ALLOWING FUEL TO LEAK. Remedy: REPLACE THE FUEL HOSE ATTACHED TO THE FUEL RAIL AND INSTALL A NEW SPRING TYPE SELF-TIGHTENING CLAMP.

98V295000Engine And Engine Cooling:Cooling SystemReported 13/11/1998

VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH VR6 ENGINES. A COOLANT SYSTEM COMPONENT SUCH AS THE THERMO SWITCH, RADIATOR FAN, OR WATER PUMP, CAN MALFUNCTION CAUSING THE COOLANT TEMPERATURE AND COOLANT SYSTEM… Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSTALL IN THE COOLANT INLET HOSE TO THE HEATER CORE, A PRESSURE REDUCER WITH A 5MM DIAMETER SECURED BY A SPRING TENSIONED HOSE CLAMP. ALSO A NEW RELAY THAT WILL…

Technical service bulletins NHTSA · verified

Showing 5 of 11 bulletins on record with NHTSA.

Bulletin	Date	Component	Summary
SM 33-2019	2019-03-27	Equipment	The part number listed in the document is to be returned if it meets the criteria…
SM 44-2017 EN	2017-06-28	Equipment	This special notice is to inform dealers to return all part numbers listed in the…
VHW-17-11	2017-06-22	Equipment	VAS 6154 Replacement Part Setup Guide
1-2017 Update	2017-02-01	Equipment	This communication is to update our ProFi dealers of the current status of the latest…
V691601 2010479	2016-10-31	Equipment	Update model year applicability to include 2017.

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 Corrado. 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.

Vehicles taking 4.2 qt

Reference guides

Cross-vehicle references for the kinds of data on this page.

Vehicle recalls & TSBs OBD-II trouble codes Maintenance schedules Fluid capacities & specs

Frequently asked

How much oil does the 1992 Corrado take?

4.2 qt of ABOVE 68 degrees F: 40W API SL, 32 degrees F TO 86 degrees F: 30W API SL, ABOVE 14 degrees F: 20W-40, 20W-50 API SL, 14 degrees F TO 50 degrees F: 20W-20 API SL, BELOW 25 degrees F: 10W API (STARBU, per the factory manual.

Does the 1992 Corrado have open recalls?

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

What gas mileage does the Corrado get?

EPA figures are 17 city / 25 highway / 20 combined mpg.