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1992 Buick Regal

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

Body PASSENGER CAR

The 1992 Buick Regal is classified as a passenger car requiring 4 qt of 5W-30 API engine oil. Ownership data captures 173 total owner complaints and 2 recalls for this vehicle, highlighting Service Brakes, Hydraulic as the top complaint area. When viewed against the model's complaint history from 1990 to 2020, the 1992 Regal sits well below the peak of 325 complaints recorded in 1998, though it remains significantly higher than the lowest recorded year of 2008 which saw only 1 complaint, placing it between the extremes of the recorded history.

Model year2018 2017 2016 2015 2014 2013 2012 2011 1992

Quick specs

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

Engine oil capacity4 qtOEM · verified

Engine oil type5W-30 APIOEM · verified

Fitment & sizes

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

From the factory this vehicle uses OE oil filter 12737090. Note the factory fuel filter and serpentine belt are now discontinued — plan on a superseded or quality aftermarket equivalent, which the part pages below list where known. 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.

OE service part numbers OEM · verified

Engine oil filter	12737090 alt 12731175
Engine air filter	19166103 alt 25043504
Fuel filter	25121293 discontinued
Spark plug	19354418 alt 19354417
Front wiper blades	10093142
Serpentine belt	88986811 discontinued · alt 10230725
Thermostat	24507563 alt 24506986

Full specifications

Engine, drivetrain, dimensions and economy.

Dimensions & weight NHTSA vPIC

Overall length	192.1 in
Overall width	72.4 in
Overall height	53.1 in
Wheelbase	107.5 in
Curb weight	3150 lb
Weight distribution (front / rear)	64/36

Performance & power Independent road tests

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

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

4.9–11.2 sec0–60 mph (tested)quickest 4.90 sec — 1986 Grand National Coupe

Year	Trim / engine	0–60	¼ mile	HP	Drivetrain
1991	Gran Sport Sedan 3.8L V6	8.60 sec	16.50 sec	170 hp	FWD
1995	Gran Sport Coupe 3.8L V6	8.20 sec	16.00 sec	205 hp	FWD
1988	Custom Coupe (Grand Touring Pkg) 2.8L V6	11.20 sec	18.20 sec	125 hp	FWD
1987	Grand National Coupe 3.8L Turbo V6	5.40 sec	14.20 sec	245 hp	RWD
1987	Grand National Coupe 3.8L Turbo V6	6.00 sec	14.70 sec	245 hp	RWD
1987	Grand National Coupe 3.8L Turbo V6	6.10 sec	14.70 sec	245 hp	RWD
1997	GS Sedan 3.8L Supercharger V6	6.60 sec	15.00 sec	240 hp	FWD
1997	LS Sedan 3.8L V6	7.80 sec	16.00 sec	205 hp	FWD

Service quick specs OEM factory data

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

This engine holds 4 qt of 5W-30 API engine oil.

Lubricants & capacities

Engine Coolant	ETHYLENE GLYCOL
Engine Oil	5W-30 · API
Engine Oil Capacity	4 qt
Engine Oil	5W-30 · API
Engine Oil Capacity	4.0 qt
Engine Oil	10W-30 · API
Engine Oil Capacity	4.0 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; 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 mi	Engine Oil Filter (replace) · Throttle Body (torque) · Tire & Wheel Assembly (rotate)
Every 7,500 mi	Body Latches, Locks & Hinges (inspect) · Engine Oil (drain & refill) · Parking Brake Cable (lubricate) · Shift Linkage (inspect) · Steering Linkage (inspect) · Suspension System (inspect)
Every 15,000 mi	Engine Oil Filter (replace) · Tire & Wheel Assembly (rotate)
Every 30,000 mi	Accessory Drive Belt (inspect) · Engine Air Filter Element (replace) · Engine Breather Filter (replace) · Engine Coolant System (drain, flush & refill) · Fuel Line (inspect) · Fuel Tank (inspect)
Every 100,000 mi	Transmission Fluid & Filter (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.

The 1992 Buick Regal marks a notable inflection point in its generation’s federal safety record. Complaints dropped sharply from 249 in 1991 to 173 in 1992, while recalls fell from seven to just two—both trends suggesting mid-cycle refinements addressed earlier issues. However, the decline in investigations (from 11 in 1991 to 3 in 1992) and rise in TSBs (from 13 to 17) imply GM shifted focus from formal probes to dealer-level fixes, particularly for hydraulic brakes (57 complaints) and seat belts (30). Compared to 1993, which saw further complaint reductions and stable recalls, the 1992 model appears to have stabilized after the 1991 peak but before later-year wear-related issues emerged. With no fire-related recalls and only five fire complaints, the data doesn’t flag systemic risks. **Takeaway: The 1992 Regal is a relatively strong year to buy within this generation, offering improved reliability over 1990–1991 models and fewer early-life failures than later years.**

Open recalls

NHTSA campaigns

Service bulletins

Manufacturer communications

ODI investigations

Office of Defects Investigation

173

Owner complaints

12 involved a crash · 5 a fire

Owner complaints by model year NHTSA · this generation & adjacent

’90 ’91’92’93 ’94 ’95 ’96 ’97 ’98 ’99 ’00 ’01 ’02 ’03 ’04 ’05 ’08 ’09 ’10 ’11 ’12 ’13 ’14 ’15 ’16 ’17 ’18 ’19 ’20

Owner complaints filed with NHTSA, by component

All 173 complaints on record, top 8 components.

Service Brakes, Hydraulic57

Seat Belts30

Power Train16

Electrical System10

Structure7

Steering7

Visibility5

Engine & Engine Cooling5

Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint database.

Recalls NHTSA · verified

Showing 2 of 2 campaigns on record for this vehicle.

95V152000Exterior LightingReported 08/08/1995

INCORRECT CLEAR FRONT SIDE MARKER BULBS WERE INSTALLED RATHER THAN AMBER BULBS. THIS DOES NOT CONFORM TO THE REQUIREMENTS OF FMVSS NO. 108, "LAMPS, REFLECTIVE DEVICES, AND ASSOCIATED EQUIPMENT." Remedy: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE CLEAR BULBS WITH THE CORRECT AMBER BULBS.

91V214000Power Train:Automatic TransmissionReported 06/12/1991

THE REVERSE SERVO APPLY PIN MAY BIND IN THE CASE WHICH COULD CAUSE REVERSE BAND DISTRESS (LOSS OR SLIPPING OF REVERSE), REVERSE BAND DRAG IN DRIVE RANGE (POOR PERFORMANCE -- POOR POWER), OR THE TRANSMISSION TO REMAIN IN… Remedy: REPLACE THE TRANSAXLE WHERE REQUIRED.

Technical service bulletins NHTSA · verified

Showing 5 of 17 bulletins on record with NHTSA.

Bulletin	Date	Component	Summary
130089009	2013-09-01	Engine And Engine Cooling	Expanded Availability for Remanufacture and Return (R&R) Electronic Control Modules
990730030A	2001-04-01	Power Train	OWNERS OF SOME VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH HYDRA-MATIC 3T40, 4T60, 4T60-E OR 4T65-E TRANSAXLES…
990941004	2000-01-01	Air Bags	INFORMATION REGARDING SWITCHES TO TURN OFF AND ON FRONTAL AIR BAGS FOR PASSENGER CARS AND…
990940004	2000-01-01	Seats	GENERAL MOTORS BEGAN PROVIDING CHILD RESTRAIN SEAT TOP TETHER HARDWARE PACKAGES TO…
990866002A	2000-01-01	Latches/Locks/Linkages	THIS BULLETIN INFORMS DEALERSHIPS ABOUT THE TRAP RESISTANT REAR COMPARTMENT (TRUNK) KIT…

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 Regal. 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 qt Engine oil filter 12737090 Engine air filter 19166103 Fuel filter 25121293 Spark plug 19354418

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 Regal take?

4 qt of 5W-30 API, per the factory manual.

Does the 1992 Regal have open recalls?

NHTSA lists 2 recall campaign(s) for this model year. Check your specific vehicle by VIN.