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1990 Buick LeSabre

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

Body PASSENGER CARTransmission Automatic 4-spd

The 1990 Buick LeSabre pairs an Automatic 4‑spd transmission with a 19 mpg combined rating, presenting it as a passenger car of its era. In its debut year it accumulated 60 owner complaints, primarily concerning the Electrical System and supported by a single recall, marking the low end of a complaint history that later peaked at 698 complaints in 2000 before falling to just three by 2006. Thus, the 1990 model represents the earliest, least problematic point in the LeSabre’s long‑term reliability record.

Model year2005 2004 2003 2002 2001 2000 1999 1998 1990

Quick specs

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

EPA fuel economy16/25/19 mpgEPA · verified

Full specifications

Engine, drivetrain, dimensions and economy.

Engine & drivetrain NHTSA vPIC

Transmission

Automatic 4-spd

Dimensions & weight NHTSA vPIC

Overall length	196.5 in
Overall width	72.4 in
Overall height	55.5 in
Wheelbase	111 in
Curb weight	3276 lb
Track (front / rear)	60.6 / 59.8 in
Weight distribution (front / rear)	64/36

Ratings & economy EPA / vPIC

EPA city / highway / combined	16 / 25 / 19 mpg
Drivetrain	Front-Wheel Drive
Passenger volume	107 cu ft
Cargo volume	16 cu ft
Recommended fuel	Regular 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

Year	Trim / engine	0–60	¼ mile	HP	Drivetrain
1987	T-Type Coupe 3.8L V6	9.80 sec	17.20 sec	150 hp	FWD
1986	Custom Coupe 3.8L V6	10.30 sec	17.74 sec	150 hp	FWD

Service quick specs OEM factory data

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

This engine DOT 3 brake fluid.

Lubricants & capacities

Brake Fluid	DOT 3
Engine Coolant	ETHYLENE GLYCOL
Power Steering Fluid	USE 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 mi	Carburetor 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 mi	Axle Shaft Oil Seal (inspect) · Body Latches, Locks & Hinges (inspect) · Brake System (inspect) · CV Joint Boot (inspect) · Differential (inspect fluid level) · Engine Oil (drain & refill)
Every 15,000 mi	Engine Oil Filter (replace) · Tire & Wheel Assembly (rotate)
Every 30,000 mi	Choke System (inspect) · Distributor Cap (inspect) · EGR System (inspect) · Engine Air Filter Element (replace) · Engine Coolant System (drain, flush & refill) · Fuel Line (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 1990 Buick LeSabre sits at the beginning of a sharp rise in complaints, with 60 complaints recorded that year, higher than the 42 complaints in 1991 but far below the 224 complaints that would appear in 1992. Its recall count of one is modest compared to the 2 recalls in 1992 and 1993, and it is the only year in the data set that lists investigations—two—indicating early concerns that would grow in later years. The 1990 model also had four TSBs, a number that would balloon to 361 in 2000 before tapering off, showing that the 1990s were a period of increasing safety attention for the LeSabre. In 1990, electrical system complaints dominated the top list (9), followed by service brakes (8), vehicle speed control (7), and seat belts (6), while crash and fire complaints were only 9 and 0, respectively. Overall, the 1990 year marks the start of a trend of escalating safety issues, so a used 1990 LeSabre would likely carry higher risk than later years, making it a less attractive purchase.

Open recalls

NHTSA campaigns

Service bulletins

Manufacturer communications

ODI investigations

Office of Defects Investigation

Owner complaints

9 involved a crash · 0 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 ’06

Owner complaints filed with NHTSA, by component

All 60 complaints on record, top 8 components.

Electrical System9

Service Brakes, Hydraulic8

Vehicle Speed Control7

Seat Belts6

Engine & Engine Cooling4

Fuel System, Gasoline4

Seats3

Steering3

Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint database.

Recalls NHTSA · verified

Showing 1 of 1 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…

Technical service bulletins NHTSA · verified

Showing 4 of 4 bulletins on record with NHTSA.

Bulletin	Date	Component	Summary
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…
435009	1994-12-01	Service Brakes, Hydraulic	NEW DIAGNOSIS AND CORRECTION PROCEDURES FOR FRONT BRAKE PULSATION. *TW

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.

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

Does the 1990 LeSabre have open recalls?

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

What gas mileage does the LeSabre get?

EPA figures are 16 city / 25 highway / 19 combined mpg.