Chevrolet›Cavalier›1990›Overview/chevrolet/cavalier/1990/base/

1990 Chevrolet Cavalier

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

Body PASSENGER CAR

The 1990 Chevrolet Cavalier is a compact passenger car that sits on GM’s X‑body platform and is equipped with a 4‑quart capacity engine oil requirement, typically using 5W‑30 API‑grade fluid. Though it carries only a single recall and registers the fewest owner complaints in the 1990‑2005 span—63 overall, centered largely on the electrical system—its modest service demands reflect the model’s early‑generation simplicity. This low complaint count marks the 1990 Cavalier as the most reliable year within the model’s two‑decade history, a baseline that later iterations would struggle to maintain.

Model year2024 2023 2021 2020 2019 2005 2004 2003 1990

Quick specs

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

Engine oil capacity4 qtOEM · verified

Engine oil type5W-30 APIOEM · verified

Full specifications

Engine, drivetrain, dimensions and economy.

Dimensions & weight NHTSA vPIC

Overall length	178.7 in
Overall width	66.1 in
Overall height	53.5 in
Wheelbase	101.2 in
Curb weight	2443 lb
Track (front / rear)	55.5 / 55.5 in
Weight distribution (front / rear)	65/35

Performance & power Independent road tests

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

Independent road tests for the Cavalier of this era, listed by trim and engine — this page spans more than one engine, so no single horsepower figure is shown.

8.4 sec0–60 mph (tested)quickest 8.40 sec — 1990 Z24 Coupe

Year	Trim / engine	0–60	¼ mile	HP	Drivetrain
1990	Z24 Coupe 3.1L V6	8.40 sec	16.40 sec	140 hp	FWD
1995	LS Sedan 2.2L I-4	10.10 sec	17.30 sec	120 hp	FWD
1996	LS Sedan 2.4L I-4	8.30 sec	16.10 sec	150 hp	FWD
1983	CS Sedan 2.0L I-4	13.10 sec	19.10 sec	86 hp	FWD
1982	CL Type 10 3-ddor Hatchback Coupe 1.8L I-4	15.40 sec	20.10 sec	88 hp	FWD

Service quick specs OEM factory data

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

This engine holds 4 qt of 5W-30 API engine oil, DOT 3 brake fluid.

Lubricants & capacities

Brake Fluid	DOT 3
Engine Coolant	ETHYLENE GLYCOL
Engine Oil	5W-30 · API
Engine Oil Capacity	4 qt
Engine Oil	5W-30 · API
Engine Oil Capacity	4 qt
Engine Oil	5W-30 · API
Engine Oil Capacity	4.0 qt

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	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) · Engine Oil (drain & refill) · Exhaust System (Complete) (inspect)
Every 15,000 mi	Engine Oil Filter (replace) · Tire & Wheel Assembly (rotate)
Every 30,000 mi	Accessory Drive Belt (inspect) · Distributor Cap (inspect) · Engine Air Filter Element (replace) · Engine Breather Filter (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 Chevrolet Cavalier opens the generation with the lowest complaint count (63) and just one recall, a stark contrast to the steep escalation that follows—complaints more than double by 1992 and peak at 604 in 1996, while recalls surge to 13 in 1996–1997. This early-year model also carries a relatively high number of investigations (5) compared to its modest complaint volume, suggesting regulatory attention that later years with far more complaints did not always receive. The top complaint area is the electrical system (21), and the 13 fire complaints are notable, though the data does not specify root causes or link them to the electrical issues. As the first year in the record, the 1990 Cavalier benefits from the lowest overall complaint tally of the generation, but the fire reports and investigation count warrant caution. For a buyer prioritizing a simpler, less-problematic vintage, this year appears favorable relative to the troubled mid-1990s models, but a thorough pre-purchase inspection of the electrical system is advisable given the complaint pattern.

Open recalls

NHTSA campaigns

Service bulletins

Manufacturer communications

ODI investigations

Office of Defects Investigation

Owner complaints

2 involved a crash · 13 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

Owner complaints filed with NHTSA, by component

All 63 complaints on record, top 8 components.

Electrical System21

Visibility9

Power Train5

Seat Belts4

Steering4

Engine & Engine Cooling3

Tires2

Engine & Engine Cooling,Fuel System, Gasoline,Vehicle Speed Control2

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 5 of 6 bulletins on record with NHTSA.

Bulletin	Date	Component	Summary
000524001	2000-04-01	Service Brakes, Hydraulic	INFORMATION REGARDING SNOW INTRUSION INTO REAR DRUM BRAKE ASSEMBLIES. **MR
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…
876002A	1998-07-01	Engine And Engine Cooling	SOME V6 ENGINES MAY, ON A VERY INFREQUENT BASIS, HAVE AN OIL ODOR CONDITION THAT IS…

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 Cavalier. 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.

Vehicles taking 4 qt

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

How much oil does the 1990 Cavalier take?

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

Does the 1990 Cavalier have open recalls?

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