ChevroletLumina1991Overview/chevrolet/lumina/1991/base/

1991 Chevrolet Lumina

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

Body PASSENGER CAR

The 1991 Chevrolet Lumina is a passenger car specified for 4 quarts of 5W-30 API engine oil. This model year recorded 425 total owner complaints and 6 recalls, with the hydraulic service brakes emerging as the primary area of concern. In the context of the model's 1990-2008 history, the 1991 version sits between the peak of 584 complaints seen in 1995 and the low of a single complaint in 2008.

Model year200120001999199819971996199519941991

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 12737090. Note the factory fuel filter is now discontinued — plan on a superseded or quality aftermarket equivalent, which the part pages below list where known.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 filter12737090 alt 25012305
Engine air filter19166103 alt 25043119
Fuel filter25171792 discontinued
Spark plug19354418 alt 05614046
Front wiper blades10093142
Serpentine belt10041195 alt 10127525
Thermostat19435095 alt 10192505

Full specifications

Engine, drivetrain, dimensions and economy.

Dimensions & weight NHTSA vPIC

Overall length194.5 in
Overall width72 in
Overall height64.6 in
Wheelbase109.8 in
Curb weight3307 lb
Weight distribution (front / rear)58/42

Performance & power Independent road tests

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

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

7.1 sec0–60 mph (tested)quickest 7.10 sec — 1991 Z34 Coupe
YearTrim / engine0–60¼ mileHPDrivetrain
1991Z34 Coupe 3.4L V67.10 sec15.50 sec210 hpFWD
1990Euro Sedan 3.1L V69.80 sec17.90 sec140 hpFWD
1995LS Sedan 3.4L V68.40 sec16.30 sec160 hpFWD
1995Sedan 3.1L V69.50 sec17.00 sec160 hpFWD
1998LTZ Sedan 3.8L V67.60 sec15.80 sec200 hpFWD

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 FluidDOT 3
Engine CoolantETHYLENE GLYCOL
Engine Oil5W-30 · API
Engine Oil Capacity4 qt
Engine Oil5W-30 · API
Engine Oil Capacity4 qt
Engine Oil5W-30 · API
Engine Oil Capacity4.0 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 miEngine Oil Filter (replace) · Throttle Body (torque) · Tire & Wheel Assembly (rotate)
Every 7,500 miAxle 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 miEngine Oil Filter (replace) · Timing Belt (inspect) · Tire & Wheel Assembly (rotate)
Every 30,000 miAccessory Drive Belt (inspect) · Distributor Cap (inspect) · EGR System (inspect) · Engine Air Filter Element (replace) · Engine Breather Filter (replace) · Engine Coolant System (drain, flush & refill)
At 60,000 miTiming Belt (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 1991 Lumina shows a notable improvement over 1990, with complaints dropping from 549 to 425, recalls declining from 9 to 6, and investigations falling from 18 to 11. However, it remains slightly elevated compared to the subsequent years in this generation—1992 saw 444 complaints, 1993 dropped to 317, and 1994 fell further to 178 complaints. The complaint trend across this generation generally declines from 1990 through the mid-1990s before a sharp spike in 1995, suggesting that 1991 sits near the tail end of the high-complaint period. The dominant complaint area for 1991 is Service Brakes, Hydraulic (204 of 425 complaints), which is substantial and may warrant careful inspection. Given that complaints were already declining but the 1991 model still carries elevated brake-related issues compared to later years in the generation, this year represents a transitional point—not the worst in the generation, but not yet the most refined.

6
Open recalls
NHTSA campaigns
14
Service bulletins
Manufacturer communications
11
ODI investigations
Office of Defects Investigation
425
Owner complaints
24 involved a crash · 10 a fire
Owner complaints by model year NHTSA · this generation & adjacent

Owner complaints filed with NHTSA, by component

All 425 complaints on record, top 8 components.

Service Brakes, Hydraulic204
Structure45
Engine & Engine Cooling27
Seat Belts25
Electrical System20
Steering14
Power Train11
Tires8

Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint database.

Recalls NHTSA · verified

Showing 2 of 6 campaigns on record for this vehicle.

09E012000Exterior LightingReported 07/04/2009

SABERSPORT IS RECALLING 16,270 COMBINATION CORNER AND BUMPER LAMP ASSEMBLIES OF VARIOUS PART NUMBERS SOLD FOR USE AS AFTERMARKET EQUIPMENT FOR VARIOUS PASSENGER VEHICLES. THESE HEADLAMPS FAIL TO CONFORM TO THE… Remedy: SABERSPORT WILL NOTIFY OWNERS AND OFFER A FULL REFUND FOR THE NONCOMPLIANT COMBINATION LAMPS. THE SAFETY RECALL BEGAN ON MAY 11, 2009. OWNERS MAY CONTACT SABERSPORT AT…

07E021000Fuel System, Other:Storage:Tank Assembly:Pressure Relief DevicesReported 12/03/2007

CERTAIN DELPHI FUEL PRESSURE REGULATORS, P/NOS. FP10020-11B1, FP10026-11B1, AND FP10027-11B1, SOLD AFTER JANUARY 9, 2007, AS AFTERMARKET EQUIPMENT FOR VARIOUS PASSENGER VEHICLES LISTED ABOVE. THE UNIVERSAL PRESSURE… Remedy: DELPHI WILL NOTIFY OWNERS AND REPLACE THE UPR FREE OF CHARGE. THE RECALL BEGAN ON APRIL 23, 2007. OWNERS CAN CONTACT DELPHI AT 877-411-8770.

Technical service bulletins NHTSA · verified

Showing 5 of 14 bulletins on record with NHTSA.

BulletinDateComponentSummary
018802004-01-01Power TrainNO TCC APPLY, MALFUNCTION INDICATOR LAMP (MIL) ON, TCC SURGE, POSSIBLE P0740, P1870, OR…
9909410042000-01-01Air BagsINFORMATION REGARDING SWITCHES TO TURN OFF AND ON FRONTAL AIR BAGS FOR PASSENGER CARS AND…
9909400042000-01-01SeatsGENERAL MOTORS BEGAN PROVIDING CHILD RESTRAIN SEAT TOP TETHER HARDWARE PACKAGES TO…
990866002A2000-01-01Latches/Locks/LinkagesTHIS BULLETIN INFORMS DEALERSHIPS ABOUT THE TRAP RESISTANT REAR COMPARTMENT (TRUNK) KIT…
9903090041999-10-01SuspensionCUSTOMERS MAY COMPLAIN OF GRINDING / SCRAPING / GROANING NOISE FROM REAR SUSPENSION. *TT

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 Lumina. 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 1991 Lumina take?

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

Does the 1991 Lumina have open recalls?

NHTSA lists 6 recall campaign(s) for this model year. Check your specific vehicle by VIN.