BuickLeSabre1989Overview/buick/lesabre/1989/base/

1989 Buick LeSabre

Factory specifications, fluid capacities, torque values, EPA fuel economy and the federal safety record for the 1989 LeSabre.

Transmission Automatic 4-spd

The 1989 Buick LeSabre, built on Buick’s full‑size platform, is powered by a V‑engine that relies on a 4‑quart capacity oil supply and operates with 10W‑30 API‑rated viscosity, while its four‑speed automatic transmission delivers the era’s standard 17/26/20 mpg (city/highway/combined) fuel economy. Across its production run the model accrued a modest 37 owner‑reported complaints, the most frequent being vehicle‑speed control issues, and required three manufacturer recalls. When placed in the broader reliability timeline—spanning 1990 to 2006—the 1989 year falls toward the lower‑complaint end of the spectrum, preceding the peak complaint year of 2000 (698 complaints) and well ahead of the record low in 2006 (three complaints), indicating a relatively dependable iteration within the LeSabre’s history.

Model year200520042003200220012000199919981989

Quick specs

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

Engine oil capacity4.0 qtOEM · verified
Engine oil type10W-30 APIOEM · verified
EPA fuel economy17/26/20 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 12731175. Note the factory fuel filter is now discontinued — plan on a superseded or quality aftermarket equivalent, which the part pages below list where known.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 filter12731175 alt 12731179
Engine air filter24577608 alt 06484235
Fuel filter25171792 discontinued · alt 5651803
Spark plug19355205 alt 19366108
Front wiper blades22155381
Serpentine belt09433769 alt 09433741
Thermostat24506986 alt 22538325

Full specifications

Engine, drivetrain, dimensions and economy.

Engine & drivetrain NHTSA vPIC

TransmissionAutomatic 4-spd

Dimensions & weight NHTSA vPIC

Overall length196.5 in
Overall width72 in
Overall height55.5 in
Wheelbase111 in
Curb weight3274 lb
Track (front / rear)59.1 / 59.4 in
Weight distribution (front / rear)64/36

Ratings & economy EPA / vPIC

EPA city / highway / combined17 / 26 / 20 mpg
DrivetrainFront-Wheel Drive
Passenger volume107 cu ft
Cargo volume16 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 LeSabre of this era, listed by trim and engine — this page spans more than one engine, so no single horsepower figure is shown.

9.8–10.3 sec0–60 mph (tested)quickest 9.80 sec — 1987 T-Type Coupe
YearTrim / engine0–60¼ mileHPDrivetrain
1987T-Type Coupe 3.8L V69.80 sec17.20 sec150 hpFWD
1986Custom Coupe 3.8L V610.30 sec17.74 sec150 hpFWD

Service quick specs OEM factory data

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

This engine holds 4.0 qt of 10W-30 API engine oil, DOT 3 brake fluid.

Lubricants & capacities

Brake FluidDOT 3
Engine CoolantETHYLENE GLYCOL
Engine Oil10W-30 · API
Engine Oil Capacity4.0 qt
Power Steering FluidUSE GM PART NO. 1052884 OR EQUIVALENT

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 miCarburetor Mounting Fasteners (inspect) · Choke System (inspect) · Drive Axle Assembly (drain & refill) · Engine Oil Filter (replace) · Throttle Body (torque) · Tire & Wheel Assembly (rotate)
Every 7,500 miAccessory Drive Belt (inspect) · Axle Shaft Oil Seal (inspect) · Body Latches, Locks & Hinges (inspect) · Brake System (inspect) · CV Joint Boot (inspect) · Differential (inspect fluid level)
Every 15,000 miEngine Oil Filter (replace) · Tire & Wheel Assembly (rotate)
Every 30,000 miChoke System (inspect) · Distributor Cap (inspect) · EGR System (inspect) · Engine Air Filter Element (replace) · Engine Breather Filter (replace) · Engine Coolant System (drain, flush & refill)
Every 100,000 miTransmission 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 1989 Buick LeSabre falls within the sixth generation, and the federal record shows that the immediately following model years—1990 and 1991—had relatively low complaint volumes of 60 and 42, respectively, with only one recall each. This stands in stark contrast to the redesigned 1992 model, which saw complaints surge to 224 and recalls double, marking the start of a trend of elevated issues that persisted through the late 1990s. The 1989 model year itself has a modest top complaint profile, with Vehicle Speed Control, Electrical System, Seat Belts, and Service Brakes each registering only four complaints, alongside two crash and two fire incidents. While the data does not specify root causes, the low numbers in these areas align with the quieter early years of the generation, suggesting that the 1989 LeSabre avoids the more systemic problems that emerged later. Given its position before the sharp increase in complaints and recalls, this is a good year to buy, provided a pre-purchase inspection focuses on the noted complaint categories.

3
Open recalls
NHTSA campaigns
0
Service bulletins
Manufacturer communications
0
ODI investigations
Office of Defects Investigation
37
Owner complaints
2 involved a crash · 2 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

Owner complaints filed with NHTSA, by component

All 37 complaints on record, top 8 components.

Vehicle Speed Control4
Electrical System4
Seat Belts4
Service Brakes, Hydraulic4
Tires3
Engine & Engine Cooling3
Fuel System, Gasoline3
Steering3

Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint database.

Recalls NHTSA · verified

Showing 2 of 3 campaigns on record for this vehicle.

06E043000Fuel System, GasolineReported 19/05/2006

CERTAIN REPLACEMENT FUEL FILTERS, FRAM BRAND NAME P/N G3727, WITH DATE CODES X52911 THROUGH X60801 SEQUENTIALLY OR X600141 AND A MEXICO COUNTRY OR ORIGIN MARKING ON THE FUEL FILTER HOUSING MANUFACTURED FROM OCTOBER 18… Remedy: HONEYWELL WILL NOTIFY OWNERS AND REPLACE THE FUEL FILTERS FREE OF CHARGE. THE RECALL BEGAN ON OCTOBER 18, 2006. OWNERS MAY CONTACT FRAM CUSTOMER SERVICE AT 1-800-890-2075 (OPTION…

89V188000Structure:Frame And MembersReported 07/11/1989

VEHICLES MAY HAVE DISCREPANT WELDS IN THE LEFT REAR ROCKER PANEL WHICH CAN CAUSE DEFORMATION OF THE PANEL. Remedy: INSTALL A REINFORCEMENT 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 LeSabre. 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 1989 LeSabre take?

4.0 qt of 10W-30 API, per the factory manual.

Does the 1989 LeSabre have open recalls?

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

What gas mileage does the LeSabre get?

EPA figures are 17 city / 26 highway / 20 combined mpg.