MitsubishiMirage19961.5L/mitsubishi/mirage/1996/1-5l/

1996 Mitsubishi Mirage — 1.5L

Factory specifications, fluid capacities, torque values, EPA fuel economy and the federal safety record for the 1996 Mirage 1.5L.

Body PASSENGER CAREngine 1.5LTransmission Automatic 3-spd

The 1996 Mitsubishi Mirage 1.5L is a passenger car powered by a 1.5-liter engine and an automatic 3-speed transmission, rated by the EPA at 24 city/29 highway/26 combined mpg and requiring 3.5 quarts of 10W-30 or 5W-30 API engine oil. Within the 1990-2024 Mirage complaint record, the 1996 model accumulates 34 owner complaints and one recall, sitting well below the 1997 peak of 88 complaints yet far above the 2016 low of a single complaint. That makes it one of the more moderate years in the model's documented reliability history, though the air bag category stands out as the top reported concern and a natural starting point for deeper research.

Model year200220012000199919981997199619951994

Quick specs

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

Engine oil capacity3.5 qtOEM · verified
Engine oil type10W-30 / 5W-30 APIOEM · verified
Lug nut torque65-80 ft-lbsOEM · verified
EPA fuel economy24/29/26 mpgEPA · verified

Fitment & sizes

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

From the factory this vehicle uses a BCI 51 · 430 CCA battery, 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.

Battery groupBCI 51 · 430 CCAOEM · verified
Tire sizeP145-80R13OEM · verified
Wheel / rim4.5-, 5-B inOEM · verified

OE service part numbers OEM · verified

Engine oil filterMZ690072
Engine air filterMZ690195
Fuel filterMB658689
Spark plugMS851357 alt MS851237
Front wiper bladesMR300876 alt MZ690946
Serpentine beltMD192809 alt MB813251
ThermostatMD972903 alt MD337408

Full specifications

Engine, drivetrain, dimensions and economy.

Engine & drivetrain NHTSA vPIC

TransmissionAutomatic 3-spd

Ratings & economy EPA / vPIC

EPA city / highway / combined24 / 29 / 26 mpg
DrivetrainFront-Wheel Drive
Passenger volume91 cu ft
Cargo volume11 cu ft
Recommended fuelRegular Gasoline

Performance & power Independent road tests

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

No 1996 road test on record; the results below are same-engine tests from nearby model years, each shown under its own year.

12.3 sec0–60 mph (tested)quickest 12.30 sec — 1989 Sedan
81 hpHorsepower (as tested)
84 lb-ftTorque (as tested)
YearTrim / engine0–60¼ mileHPDrivetrain
1989Sedan 1.5L I-412.30 sec18.40 sec81 hpFWD

Service quick specs OEM factory data

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

This engine holds 3.5 qt of 10W-30 / 5W-30 API engine oil, DOT 3 · DOT 4 brake fluid. Torque lug nuts to 65-80 ft-lbs, the oil drain plug to 25.0-33.0 ft-lbs. The firing order is 1-3-4-2.

Lubricants & capacities

Brake FluidDOT 3 · DOT 4
Engine CoolantETHYLENE GLYCOL
Engine Oil10W-30 · API · 5W-30
Engine Oil Capacity3.5 qt
Power Steering FluidUse Mitsubishi PS fluid

Engine torques

Crankshaft Pulley and/or Damper Bolts76 ft-lbs
Cylinder Head Steps3
Engine Flywheel Bolts98 ft-lbs
Intake Manifold to Engine Bolts12 ft-lbs
Exhaust Manifold to Cylinder Head Bolts13 ft-lbs
Main Bearings38 ft-lbs
Engine Oil Pan Drain Plug25.0-33.0 ft-lbs
Oil Pump to Cylinder BLock Bolts/Studs8 ft-lbs

Chassis torques

Lug Nuts65-80 ft-lbs
Front Wheel Hub145-188 ft-lbs
Rear Wheel Hub130 ft-lbs

Ignition

Cylinder Firing Order1-3-4-2
Curb Idle Speed (No Load)750 rpm
Curb Idle Speed Variance (No Load)100 rpm
Ignition Coil Primary Resistance0.9-1.2 ohms
Ignition Coil Secondary Resistance20,000-29,000 ohms
Spark Plug ManufacturerNGK
Spark Plug TypeBPR5EKU
Spark Plug Gap0.039-0.043 in

Battery & A/C

RefrigerantR134a
Refrigerant Capacity1.62-1.88 lbs
Oil GroupPAG
Oil Type56
Oil Capacity4.39-5.07 oz
Standard BCI Group Number51
Standard BCI Cranking Performance430 cca

Service checks

Pressure Test23 psi
Radiator Cap Pressure Relief11-15 psi
Thermostat Opening Temperature177-193 °F
Engine Compression137 Minimum psi
Engine Compression151 Minimum psi
Engine Oil Pressure11.4 psi
Engine Oil Pressure RPMIdle rpm
Intake Valve Lash0.008 in

Brakes

Torque Caliper to Bracket20 ft-lbs / 65 ft-lbs / 36 ft-lbs
Torque to Knuckle40 ft-lbs / 65-80 ft-lbs / 65 ft-lbs
Minimum Pad ThicknessFront: 0.080; Rear: 0.080 in
Minimum Shoe Thickness0.039 in
Drum Nominal Diameter7.992 in / 7.085 in
Drum Discard at-or-over8.071 / 7.165
Rotor Runout Limit0.0031 in
Rotor Nominal Thickness From0.394 in / 0.51 in / 0.71 in

Multi-step torque procedures OEM · verified

Connecting Rod (Large End) Bearings — tightening sequence 1 stages
114 ft. lbs., Step 2: 9014 ft. lbs

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 60,000 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 Linings (inspect) · CV Joint Boot (inspect) · Engine Oil Filter (replace) · Engine Valves (inspect valve lash)
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) · Fuel Line (inspect)
Every 60,000 miBalance Shaft Drive Belt (replace) · Distributor Cap (inspect) · Distributor Rotor (inspect) · Fuel Evaporative Emission Control System (inspect) · Fuel System (inspect) · Spark Plug Wires (replace)
Every 100,000 miTiming 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 1996 Mitsubishi Mirage recorded 34 complaints, 1 recall and no investigations, which is markedly lower than the 76 complaints and 1 recall in 1995 and the 88 complaints and 3 recalls in 1997 that flank it. Across the 1990‑2002 span, complaint totals fluctuate—peaking in 1990‑1991 (≈42), dipping to a low of 16 in 1992, rising again to 84 in 1993, then staying high through 1995 before falling to 34 in 1996. After 1996, complaints climb again to a high of 88 in 1997 and remain elevated through the late‑1990s, indicating that 1996 sits in a relative trough of owner‑reported issues. Recall activity follows a similar pattern, with only a single recall in 1996 compared to multiple recalls in the surrounding years. The data do not specify any root causes for these trends. **Takeaway:** Given its comparatively low complaint and recall counts, the 1996 Mirage represents a relatively favorable year to consider when shopping for a used model from this generation.

1
Open recalls
NHTSA campaigns
24
Service bulletins
Manufacturer communications
0
ODI investigations
Office of Defects Investigation
34
Owner complaints
13 involved a crash · 1 a fire

Owner complaints filed with NHTSA, by component

All 34 complaints on record, top 8 components.

Air Bags12
Power Train4
Service Brakes, Hydraulic4
Latches/Locks/Linkages2
Structure2
Engine & Engine Cooling2
Engine & Engine Cooling,Power Train,Visibility,Air Bags,Wheels,Equipment1
Electrical System1

Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint database.

Recalls NHTSA · verified

Showing 1 of 1 campaigns on record for this vehicle.

06E065000Exterior LightingReported 17/07/2006

CERTAIN AJ MOTORSPORT COMBINATION LAMPS SOLD AS REPLACEMENT LAMPS FOR USE ON THE ABOVE LISTED PASSENGER VEHICLES. COMBINATION LAMPS NOT EQUIPPED WITH AMBER SIDE REFLECTORS FAIL TO CONFORM WITH THE REQUIREMENTS OF… Remedy: AJ MOTORSPORT WILL NOTIFY OWNERS AND OFFER REIMBURSEMENT FOR THE LAMPS. THE RECALL BEGAN ON JULY 31, 2006. OWNERS MAY CONTACT AJ MOTORSPORT AT 626-618-2026.

Technical service bulletins NHTSA · verified

Showing 5 of 24 bulletins on record with NHTSA.

BulletinDateComponentSummary
TSB-22-54-0032022-04-07Exterior LightingThis Technical Service Bulletin was sent to dealers to explain the difference between…
TIN-20-55B-0012020-09-22Engine And Engine CoolingTechnical Information Notice to dealerships. Due to the increased occurrence of…
TT2532019-11-26EquipmentThis is a service newsletter (Tech Talk) that was sent out to dealers.
TSB-19-00-0082019-07-30EquipmentThis is a Technical Service Bulletin sent to dealers. This bulletin supersedes…
TT2372018-02-26EquipmentThis is a service newsletter (Tech Talk) that was sent out to dealers.

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 1996 Mirage 1.5L take?

3.5 qt of ABOVE 0 degreesF 10W-30 SL API, BELOW 100 degreesF 5W-30 SL API, per the factory manual.

Does the 1996 Mirage have open recalls?

NHTSA lists 1 recall campaign(s) for this model year. Check your specific vehicle by VIN.

What gas mileage does the 1.5L get?

EPA figures are 24 city / 29 highway / 26 combined mpg.