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1991 Chevrolet Cavalier

Factory specifications, fluid capacities, torque values, EPA fuel economy and the federal safety record for the 1991 Cavalier.

Body PASSENGER CAR

The 1991 Chevrolet Cavalier is a passenger car that calls for a 4-quart fill of 5W-30 API oil in its crankcase. Reliability records cite 74 owner complaints and three distinct recalls, with the electrical system accounting for the greatest share of reported issues. Within the 1990–2005 production span, this volume sits just above the line’s minimum of 63 complaints (logged in 1990) and well below the 2003 peak of 705, marking the 1991 model as one of the more dependable years in the Cavalier’s complaint history.

Model year2024 2023 2021 2020 2019 2005 2004 2003 1991

Quick specs

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

Engine oil capacity4 qtOEM · verified

Engine oil type5W-30 APIOEM · 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 Note the factory fuel filter and front wiper blades are now discontinued — plan on a superseded or quality aftermarket equivalent, which the part pages below list where known.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 filter	12731175 alt 12737090
Engine air filter	25043504 alt 25040881
Fuel filter	25171792 discontinued
Spark plug	19354418
Front wiper blades	22110234 discontinued
Serpentine belt	14090086 alt 14092201
Thermostat	19435095 alt 10045126

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
Weight distribution (front / rear)	63/37

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.

8.3–15.4 sec0–60 mph (tested)quickest 8.30 sec — 1996 LS Sedan

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
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	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) · EGR System (inspect) · Engine Air Filter Element (replace) · Engine Breather Filter (replace) · Engine Coolant System (drain, flush & refill)
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 1991 Chevrolet Cavalier sits at the very beginning of a long upward arc in federal complaint volume across this generation, with 74 complaints compared to 63 in 1990 and a dramatic jump to 161 in 1992. Recalls actually rose from one in 1990 to three in 1991, the highest count until the mid-1990s spike, while investigations dipped slightly from five to four. The top complaint areas for 1991 are the Electrical System (16 complaints), Service Brakes Hydraulic (8), Engine & Engine Cooling (8), and Seats (7), with 6 fire complaints and 7 crash complaints out of that modest total — a non-trivial safety proportion, though the data does not specify root causes. TSBs remained low at seven, matching the pre-1992 pattern before technical service bulletins ballooned to 17 and beyond. The 1991 model year represents the quietest period in this generation's federal record, before complaints and recalls escalated significantly from 1992 onward. For a used buyer, 1991 is one of the better years to consider in this generation given its relatively low complaint volume and early position in the lifecycle, though the electrical system and fire complaint counts warrant a thorough pre-purchase inspection of the wiring and engine bay.

Open recalls

NHTSA campaigns

Service bulletins

Manufacturer communications

ODI investigations

Office of Defects Investigation

Owner complaints

7 involved a crash · 6 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 74 complaints on record, top 8 components.

Electrical System16

Service Brakes, Hydraulic8

Engine & Engine Cooling8

Seats7

Seat Belts4

Visibility4

Power Train4

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…

91V165000Structure:Body:Door:Hinge And AttachmentsReported 23/09/1991

FRONT DOOR INTERLOCK STRIKER MAY FAIL, CAUSING DOOR FRAME COLLAPSE AND INSUFFICIENT STRENGTH FOR THE SHOULDER BELT ANCHORAGE. Remedy: REPLACE THE PASSIVE RESTRAINT INTERLOCK STRIKER STUDS ON FRONT DOORS.

Technical service bulletins NHTSA · verified

Showing 5 of 7 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 Engine oil filter 12731175 Engine air filter 25043504 Fuel filter 25171792 Spark plug 19354418

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 1991 Cavalier take?

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

Does the 1991 Cavalier have open recalls?

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