CadillacFleetwood1989Overview/cadillac/fleetwood/1989/base/

1989 Cadillac Fleetwood

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

Transmission Automatic 4-spd

The 1989 Cadillac Fleetwood, powered by an engine requiring 5 quarts of 10W-30 oil and paired with an automatic 4-speed transmission, returned EPA fuel economy of 15 mpg city, 23 mpg highway, and 18 mpg combined. Its reliability record shows 16 total owner complaints, with the top issue being the service brakes hydraulic system, alongside two recalls. In the model’s complaint history covering 1990–1998—where the highest year (1993) logged 46 complaints and the lowest (1998) only 4—the 1989’s 16 complaints place it below the peak but above the best year, indicating a middling reliability standing for this model year.

Model year199619951994199319921991198919881987

Quick specs

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

Engine oil capacity5 qtOEM · verified
Engine oil type10W-30 APIOEM · verified
EPA fuel economy15/23/18 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 12731179. Note the factory fuel filter is now discontinued — plan on a superseded or quality aftermarket equivalent, which the part pages below list where known.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 filter12731179
Engine air filter19259030
Fuel filter25171792 discontinued
Spark plug19354416
Front wiper blades22155381
Serpentine belt03531941
Thermostat03539588 alt 03522676

Full specifications

Engine, drivetrain, dimensions and economy.

Engine & drivetrain NHTSA vPIC

TransmissionAutomatic 4-spd

Dimensions & weight NHTSA vPIC

Overall length202.8 in
Overall width72.4 in
Overall height55.1 in
Wheelbase111 in
Curb weight3400 lb
Track (front / rear)59.8 / 59.8 in
Weight distribution (front / rear)63/37

Ratings & economy EPA / vPIC

EPA city / highway / combined15 / 23 / 18 mpg
DrivetrainFront-Wheel Drive
Passenger volume114 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 Fleetwood of this era, listed by trim and engine — this page spans more than one engine, so no single horsepower figure is shown.

9.1 sec0–60 mph (tested)quickest 9.10 sec — 1989 60 Special Sedan
YearTrim / engine0–60¼ mileHPDrivetrain
198960 Special Sedan 4.5L V89.10 sec17.00 sec155 hpFWD
1985Sedan 4.1L V811.70 sec18.20 sec135 hpFWD

Service quick specs OEM factory data

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

This engine holds 5 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 Capacity5 qt
Engine Oil10W-30 · API
Engine Oil Capacity5.0 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 every 5,000 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 5,000 miEngine Oil Filter (replace)
At 7,500 miThrottle Body (torque) · Tire & Wheel Assembly (rotate)
Every 7,500 miBrake System (inspect) · Engine Oil (drain & refill) · Exhaust System (Complete) (inspect) · Parking Brake Cable (lubricate) · Shift Linkage (inspect) · Steering Linkage (inspect)
Every 15,000 miTire & Wheel Assembly (rotate)
Every 30,000 miAccessory Drive Belt (inspect) · Air Injection System Air Pump Filter Element (replace) · EGR System (inspect) · Engine Breather Filter (replace) · Engine Coolant System (drain, flush & refill) · Fuel Line (inspect)
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 supplied federal record contains no data for years before 1990, so the 1989 Fleetwood can only be measured against the 1990 baseline of 22 complaints, 2 recalls, and 1 TSB. Across the 1990–1998 arc, complaints trend upward to a peak of 46 in 1993 before receding to 4 by 1998, TSBs climb to a high of 23 in 1996, and recalls fluctuate between 0 and 5. For 1989, the top documented complaint categories are Service Brakes, Hydraulic (6), Vehicle Speed Control (4), Electrical System (2), and Tires (1), alongside 1 crash complaint and 0 fire complaints. Because 1989 predates the documented mid-generation peak in complaints and TSBs, it sits ahead of the worst concentration of reported issues rather than in the middle of it. That positioning, combined with the absence of fire complaints and only one crash-linked filing, implies lower systemic risk relative to the 1993–1996 period. Verdict: 1989 is a relatively favorable year to buy within this generation, though any prospect should prioritize inspecting the brake hydraulic system and speed control given their dominance in the 1989 complaint data.

2
Open recalls
NHTSA campaigns
0
Service bulletins
Manufacturer communications
0
ODI investigations
Office of Defects Investigation
16
Owner complaints
1 involved a crash · 0 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 16 complaints on record, top 7 components.

Service Brakes, Hydraulic6
Vehicle Speed Control4
Electrical System2
Tires1
Steering,Structure1
Engine & Engine Cooling1
Fuel System, Gasoline1

Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint database.

Recalls NHTSA · verified

Showing 2 of 2 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…

90V093000Equipment:Other:LabelsReported 09/05/1990

VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: LIMOUSINES BUILT BY EMPIRE COACH. VEHICLE ALTERERS LABEL MAY BE MISSING OR INCOMPLETE. Remedy: ADD COMPLIANCE LABEL.

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 Fleetwood. 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 Fleetwood take?

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

Does the 1989 Fleetwood have open recalls?

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

What gas mileage does the Fleetwood get?

EPA figures are 15 city / 23 highway / 18 combined mpg.