Volvo9401992Overview/volvo/940/1992/base/

1992 Volvo 940

Factory specifications, fluid capacities, torque values, EPA fuel economy and the federal safety record for the 1992 940.

Transmission Automatic 4-spd

The 1992 Volvo 940 is a rear-wheel-drive sedan powered by Volvo's robust inline-four, an engine that takes 4.0 quarts of oil in viscosities ranging from 5W-30 up to 15W-40 depending on climate, and it sends its output through a four-speed automatic transmission while returning EPA figures of 17 city, 20 highway, and 18 combined mpg. With 16 total owner complaints logged across the model's 1990–1998 run and zero recalls for this model year, the 1992 940 sits comfortably in the lower-middle tier of the platform's complaint history — well below the 1994 peak of 44 complaints and far from the near-flawless 1990 baseline of just one — making it a solid, if not standout, choice for anyone seeking a dependable example from this era, with air bags being the only notable area of owner concern.

Model year19951994199319921991

Quick specs

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

Engine oil capacity4.0 qtOEM · verified
Engine oil type15W-40 / 10W-30 / 5W-30 APIOEM · verified
EPA fuel economy17/20/18 mpgEPA · verified

Full specifications

Engine, drivetrain, dimensions and economy.

Engine & drivetrain NHTSA vPIC

TransmissionAutomatic 4-spd

Dimensions & weight NHTSA vPIC

Overall length191.7 in
Overall width69.3 in
Overall height55.5 in
Wheelbase109.1 in
Curb weight3168 lb
Weight distribution (front / rear)53/47

Ratings & economy EPA / vPIC

EPA city / highway / combined17 / 20 / 18 mpg
DrivetrainRear-Wheel Drive
Passenger volume94 cu ft
Cargo volume17 cu ft
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 940 of this era, listed by trim and engine — this page spans more than one engine, so no single horsepower figure is shown.

7.8–8.9 sec0–60 mph (tested)quickest 7.80 sec — 1991 SE Sedan
YearTrim / engine0–60¼ mileHPDrivetrain
1991SE Sedan 2.3L Turbo I-47.80 sec16.20 sec162 hpRWD
1991Turbo Sedan 2.3L Turbo I-48.40 sec16.60 sec162 hpRWD
1991Turbo Sedan 2.3L Turbo I-48.90 sec16.80 sec162 hpRWD

Service quick specs OEM factory data

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

This engine holds 4.0 qt of 15W-40 / 10W-30 / 5W-30 API engine oil, DOT 4 brake fluid.

Lubricants & capacities

Brake FluidDOT 4
Engine CoolantETHYLENE GLYCOL
Engine Oil15W-40 · API · 10W-30 · 5W-30
Engine Oil Capacity4.0 qt
Power Steering FluidATF

Factory maintenance schedule OEM · verified

Normal service, condensed from the factory interval matrix.

Under the factory schedule, replace the engine oil and filter every 10,000 mi; spark plugs every 30,000 mi; coolant every 10,000 mi. The big-interval services (every 10,000 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 10,000 miSuspension System (inspect)
Every 10,000 miBrake System (inspect) · Clutch Pedal Assembly (inspect) · Differential (inspect fluid level) · Driveshaft U-Joint (inspect) · Engine Coolant System (leak inspection) · Engine Oil (drain & refill)
At 20,000 miSuspension Shock or Strut (inspect)
Every 20,000 miBattery (inspect) · Body Latches, Locks & Hinges (inspect) · Driveshaft Support Bearing (inspect) · EGR System (inspect) · EGR Valve (inspect) · Steering Gear Box Assembly (inspect)
Every 30,000 miAccessory Drive Belt (inspect) · Brake Hydraulic System (drain, refill & bleed) · Engine Air Filter Element (replace) · Engine Valves (inspect valve lash) · Spark Plugs (replace) · Steering System (inspect)
Every 50,000 miTiming Belt (replace)
At 60,000 miEGR System (inspect) · EGR Valve (inspect)
Every 60,000 miFuel Filter (replace) · PCV System (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 Volvo 940 generation, federal records reveal a distinct upward trend in complaints and Technical Service Bulletins (TSBs), escalating from 1 complaint and 2 TSBs in 1990 to a peak of 44 complaints and 96 TSBs in 1994. The 1992 model year sits squarely at the beginning of this escalation arc, experiencing a significant spike to 68 TSBs up from just 10 in 1991, alongside a moderate increase to 16 total complaints. While 1992 benefits from zero recalls—unlike the bordering 1991 and 1993 models—its specific complaint profile is dominated by the Air Bags category with 5 reports, which includes 3 crash incidents; the data does not specify the root cause for these airbag failures. Consequently, because the 1992 model marks the start of escalating generation-wide service complexities and carries a concentrated risk of airbag failures, it represents a less favorable purchase compared to the earlier, quieter 1990 model year.

0
Open recalls
NHTSA campaigns
68
Service bulletins
Manufacturer communications
1
ODI investigations
Office of Defects Investigation
16
Owner complaints
3 involved a crash · 0 a fire
Owner complaints by model year NHTSA · this generation & adjacent

Owner complaints filed with NHTSA, by component

All 16 complaints on record, top 8 components.

Air Bags5
Electrical System2
Engine & Engine Cooling1
Tires1
Structure1
Vehicle Speed Control1
Unknown Or Other1
Equipment1

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 68 bulletins on record with NHTSA.

BulletinDateComponentSummary
356EN012022-02-09EquipmentVIDA QR Scanner Mobile App
Service Manager2022-02-03Electrical SystemShipping and Handling of Volvo Lithium-ion 48V Mild Hybrid Battery to Global Battery…
ST-001-2020-09-12020-09-18EquipmentMandatory Tool List bulletin: Volvo mandatory Special Tools are necessary for technicians…
ST-001-2020-06-22020-07-02Equipment Adaptive/MobilityMandatory Tool List bulletin: Volvo mandatory Special Tools are necessary for technicians…
ST-001-2020-01-22020-01-30EquipmentMandatory Tool List bulletin: Volvo mandatory Special Tools are necessary for technicians…

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 940. 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 1992 940 take?

4.0 qt of ABOVE 0 degrees F: 15W-40 API, -14 degrees F TO 104 degrees F: 10W-30 API, BELOW 68 degrees F: 5W-30 API, per the factory manual.

Does the 1992 940 have open recalls?

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

What gas mileage does the 940 get?

EPA figures are 17 city / 20 highway / 18 combined mpg.