MitsubishiMirage19901.6L/mitsubishi/mirage/1990/1-6l/

1990 Mitsubishi Mirage — 1.6L

Factory specifications, fluid capacities, torque values, EPA fuel economy and the federal safety record for the 1990 Mirage 1.6L.

Body PASSENGER CAREngine 1.6LTransmission Automatic 4-spd

The 1990 Mitsubishi Mirage 1.6L is a passenger car equipped with a 1.6‑liter engine and a four‑speed automatic transmission, returning EPA fuel‑economy ratings of 21 mpg city, 26 mpg highway and 23 mpg combined. It holds 3.2 qt of oil, with permissible viscosities of 20W‑40, 10W‑30 or 5W‑30 API, and its reliability profile for that model year lists 41 owner complaints — most often concerning seat belts — together with two recalls. Compared with the Mirage’s complaint history from 1990 to 2024, where the highest total was 88 complaints in 1997 and the lowest was a single complaint in 2016, the 1990 example falls toward the lower‑end of the range, indicating a comparatively solid start to the nameplate’s long‑term reliability record.

Model year19921991199019891985

Quick specs

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

Engine oil capacity3.2 qtOEM · verified
Engine oil type20W-40 / 10W-30 / 5W-30 APIOEM · verified
EPA fuel economy21/26/23 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 MZ690072. 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.

Tire size4WD:P225-75R15OEM · verified
Wheel / rim6-JJ inOEM · verified

OE service part numbers OEM · verified

Engine oil filterMZ690072
Engine air filterMR571477 alt MD620090
Fuel filterMB504757
Spark plugMS851238
Front wiper bladesMR300876 alt MZ690131
Serpentine beltMB332253 alt MD185961
ThermostatMD972903 alt MD184011

Full specifications

Engine, drivetrain, dimensions and economy.

Engine & drivetrain NHTSA vPIC

TransmissionAutomatic 4-spd

Ratings & economy EPA / vPIC

EPA city / highway / combined21 / 26 / 23 mpg
DrivetrainFront-Wheel Drive
Passenger volume90 cu ft
Cargo volume10 cu ft
Recommended fuelRegular Gasoline

Service quick specs OEM factory data

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

This engine holds 3.2 qt of 20W-40 / 10W-30 / 5W-30 API engine oil, DOT 3 · DOT 4 brake fluid.

Lubricants & capacities

Brake FluidDOT 3 · DOT 4
Engine CoolantETHYLENE GLYCOL
Engine Oil20W-40 · API · 10W-30 · 5W-30
Engine Oil Capacity3.2 qt
Power Steering FluidUse Mitsubishi PS fluid

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 miBrake Hydraulic System (inspect fluid level) · Clutch Master Cylinder (inspect fluid level) · Engine Oil (drain & refill) · Power Steering System (inspect)
Every 15,000 miAxle Shaft Oil Seal (inspect) · Brake Line (inspect) · Brake Linings (inspect) · CV Joint Boot (inspect) · Engine Oil Filter (replace)
Every 30,000 miAccessory Drive Belt (inspect) · Brake System (inspect) · Engine Air Filter Element (replace) · Engine Coolant System (drain, flush & refill) · Exhaust System (Complete) (inspect) · Spark Plugs (replace)
Every 50,000 miFuel Evaporative Emission Control System Lines (inspect) · Fuel Line (inspect) · Fuel System (inspect)
Every 60,000 miBalance Shaft Drive Belt (replace) · Timing Belt (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 1990 model recorded 41 federal complaints, 2 recalls and 11 technical service bulletins, placing it in the mid‑range of complaint volume for the Mirage line. Complaint counts rose to 42 in 1991, fell sharply to 16 in 1992, then surged to 84 in 1993 before gradually declining, indicating a peak of issues in the early‑1990s. Recalls were low in 1990 (2) and remained modest through 1992, but climbed to 5 in 1993 and peaked at 88 complaints in 1997, showing that 1990 experienced fewer safety actions than later high‑complaint years. The 1990 complaints were dominated by seat‑belt issues (19 reports) and engine‑cooling problems (8 reports), with two fire‑related complaints noted. Because its complaint level is moderate and does not coincide with the most severe recall spikes, the 1990 Mirage can be considered a viable purchase only if the buyer verifies that seat‑belt and engine‑cooling repairs have been addressed.

2
Open recalls
NHTSA campaigns
11
Service bulletins
Manufacturer communications
4
ODI investigations
Office of Defects Investigation
41
Owner complaints
1 involved a crash · 2 a fire

Owner complaints filed with NHTSA, by component

All 41 complaints on record, top 8 components.

Seat Belts19
Engine & Engine Cooling8
Electrical System3
Power Train3
Visibility2
Engine1
Structure1
Electrical System,Unknown Or Other1

Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint database.

Recalls NHTSA · verified

Showing 1 of 1 campaigns on record for this vehicle.

95V103004Seat Belts:Front:Buckle AssemblyReported 24/05/1995

THE FRONT SAFETY BELT BUCKLE RELEASE BUTTONS CAN BREAK. THESE RED PLASTIC RELEASE BUTTONS ARE MARKED "PRESS." IF A BUTTON BREAKS, PIECES CAN FALL INTO THE BUCKLE ASSEMBLY CAUSING THE BUCKLE TO OPERATE IMPROPERLY. Remedy: OWNERS SHOULD PROMPTLY CHECK THE CONDITION AND OPERATION OF BOTH FRONT SAFETY BELT BUCKLES AND CAREFULLY INSPECT THE RED RELEASE BUTTON FOR ANY BREAKS OR CRACKS. THEY SHOULD…

Technical service bulletins NHTSA · verified

Showing 5 of 11 bulletins on record with NHTSA.

BulletinDateComponentSummary
TT2672022-04-07Unknown Or OtherTech Talk is a service newsletter that was sent out to dealers. It covers various topics…
TSB-21-00-0102021-04-23EquipmentThis Technical Service Bulletin was sent to dealers to provide instructions and Material…
TIN-21-00-0032021-03-15EquipmentThis Technical Information Notice was sent to dealers reminding them of the importance of…
TT-20-00-0022020-08-28Electrical SystemTech Talk is a service newsletter that was sent out to dealers. It covers various topics…
TIN-20-42A-0012020-08-13StructureThis Technical Information Notice was sent to dealers informing that MMNA has recently…

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 Mirage. 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 1990 Mirage 1.6L take?

3.2 qt of ABOVE 32 degrees F: 20W-40 API, ABOVE -10 degrees F: 10W-30 API, BELOW 60 degrees F 5W-30 API, per the factory manual.

Does the 1990 Mirage have open recalls?

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

What gas mileage does the 1.6L get?

EPA figures are 21 city / 26 highway / 23 combined mpg.